Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Philosophical Fabric Stash Question







If you are an avid sewist of any sort, you probably have a stash of fabric.  I've been thinking about mine, particularly since I've been completely unable to make any resolutions about not buying fabric and sticking to them. The only thing I can say is I'm trying to buy with purpose. So far its working... kinda.

In any case, I'm working on a cataloging project here soon and some of the fabric I've had for years. How long does a piece of fabric have to be in one's stash before the monetary value doesn't even count toward "price of garment made"? Its easy when someone gives it to you, or you inherit it, like I have, from relatives. Fabric cost is zero, unless you count space.

So, that's it really, after what time period do you consider the price of the fabric originally no longer factors into the "cost" of your garment?

13 comments:

  1. Good question. Arbitrarily, I say, 10 years. It's been functioning as an art object all that time (even in the cupboard) and now it's being repurposed. ;)

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  2. I hang my fabric in my sewingroom closet- thats on an outer wall. I think i can consider it extra insulation and knock it off my heating expenses- making only notions count in my garmentg cost.

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    1. HA! I am totally using that as an excuse now. "Its not fabric, its insulation".

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  3. Dangit, Donna, I think you just got me into trouble.
    I've been trying to consider where to keep my fabric, as I finally have dedicated creative space in my surprisingly-not-enough-storage-for-a-family-of-four-home. While the sewing table does just fine for my machine and sewing box bits, the fabric still didn't have a home.
    I just realized that one of our two hall closets could easily be converted to a fabric home.
    If I just kick the coats out of there...

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    1. Coats that you use 6 weeks a year are less important than fabric that can be enjoyed all year round. Get a coat rack and/or hang them in the bedroom closets. < /enabling>

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    2. Methinks you meant Pretty in Pink, Miss PollyChrome, but Donna had a good idea too.

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  4. Honestly, I liken it to the demand pricing scheme that sports stadiums use on tickets - it fluctuates depending on scarcity of tickets and marketing value of the teams playing. As you know, my folks own a quilt shop, and my mom has a super HUGE stash of fabric, some obviously that you just can't find any more. I don't see anything wrong with continuing to charge for a fabric, even after you've been holding it for any number of years.

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  5. I usually say 1 year before the cost goes to 0. Perhaps that's just me being optimistic or lazy? Most of the time I am buying remnants for just a few dollars, so I consider a year enough time for a few dollars to be reduced further.

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    1. A friend told me I have the Midas Touch for finding really nice fabric on the cheap, which helps. So, hmm, maybe after the fiscal year is over? Since I never pay with credit, just budgeted money then after the next year's taxes, its totally no-cost. I like that!

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  6. I think it depends on the original purchase intent. If you bought it for a specific project and just haven't gotten around to it yet, I think cost should factor in for as long as you can remember what it cost.
    If it's just fabric you fell in love with and picked up for "someday I'll figure out what to do with this", 6 months to a year seems like reasonable time to zero out the cost.

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    1. Well in that case half my stash is now "free". :D

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  7. I'd say, as long as you remember how much it originally cost, at least approximately. :D But I got most of my fabric for free / inherited it, so I'm not sure it works that way for me...

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