What’s in Your Stash? Survey Results Are In!

We asked, and you answered! Last week’s Stash Survey revealed fascinating insights into the fabric collections that make quilters' hearts flutter. From beloved batiks to the perfect organizing method (or lack thereof), here’s a peek into what makes your stash uniquely yours.

Top Fabric Types & Colors

When it comes to fabrics, the quilting community is as diverse as the prints in their collections. The most collected fabrics include:

• Nearly 20% of quilters surveyed said they stuff their stash with various Print fabrics
• The second most popular was Batiks with just over 17% 
• Basics came in at 14%, rounding out the top three

It’s no surprise that blue dominated many stashes, followed closely by multicolor fabrics, proving that quilters love a rainbow of options! 

Top Categories of Regret

1. Background Fabrics

   • Neutrals, tone-on-tones, creams, and whites dominated the list. Quilters seem to run short of these essentials mid-project more often than they’d like.

2. Blenders and Solids

   • Simple, versatile fabrics like blenders, tone-on-tones, and solids were repeatedly missed, proving you can never have enough of the basics.

3. Backing Fabrics

   • Whether wide-backs or coordinating prints, these were a common regret. Quilters know the heartbreak of finding the perfect backing—only to discover it’s gone forever.

4. Batiks and Grunge

   • Unique textures like batiks and Moda Grunge are clear favorites, especially when they’re hard to find on sale.

5. Specialty Fabrics

   • Responses included everything from Japanese indigos to Tula Pink collections, with rare or discontinued prints sparking particular longing.

Quilter Wisdom

• “If I love it, I buy lots of it—no regrets!”
• “Turns out, 2 yards is never enough!”
• “I don’t regret not buying—I regret not buying all of it.”

The Theme? FOMO (Fabric Obsession Missing Out!)

Whether it's basics, backings, or a bold statement piece, quilters share one universal truth: when it comes to fabric, better safe (and stocked) than sorry.

Key Organization Methods

1. By Color

   • Dominates the responses, with a significant majority preferring to arrange their fabrics by color.
   • Variations include by value (light to dark), holiday/theme, or in conjunction with other methods like size or type.

2. By Type (e.g., batiks, solids)

   • Commonly mentioned, either as the primary method or paired with color.

3. By Size (e.g., fat quarters, yardage)

   • Popular for separating smaller cuts from yardage, often combined with color organization.

4. Randomly

   • Some respondents prefer (or embrace!) an adventurous, unstructured approach.

5. By Designer or Collection

   • Frequently used by quilters who purchase in bundles or want to preserve design sets.

6. Grouped by Projects/Plans

   • Practical for quilters actively working on multiple projects or for pre-planned quilting intentions.

Quilters' Greatest Hits: Stash Edition

Quilters have such creative and fun personalities, and their responses to "If my stash had a theme song, it would be _______" were pure magic. Here's a sampling of their whimsical answers:

• Rainbow Connection — because every stash has a treasure of colors waiting to be discovered.
• I Did It My Way — a nod to the freedom and individuality quilters cherish.
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow — a favorite anthem for dreamers and fabric lovers alike.
• Joseph’s Technicolor Dreamcoat — perfectly capturing the spectrum of a true stash!
• She’s a Rainbow — Rolling Stones fans know a stash as colorful as this is simply irresistible.
• Born to Be Wild — sometimes, it feels like the fabric calls the shots!

The humor and heart in responses like “Help!” and “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” remind us that quilting is not just a craft; it’s a joyful adventure (with occasional fabric-induced chaos). And who doesn’t love the vision of “Love Shack”—because a party in the sewing room is always a good idea!

So, what’s your stash’s theme song?

Our stashes aren’t just fabric; they’re chapters in the stories we’re quietly telling through our craft. Quilting is a journey we take with each fabric choice, each stitch, and even each scrap added to our stash. Our collections, those piles and piles of possibilities, are like chapters in a story only we can tell. They reflect who we are, the colors we love, the moods we’re in, and the dreams we have for the quilts they’ll become someday. It’s a wonderful, wild, and sometimes chaotic adventure we share, and isn’t that what make quilting magical?