Fabric Stash is a Lesson in Economics

One of the reasons I absolutely love blogging (12+ years and going strong) is reading and replying to comments made by you. Some of my best friends are you because we've exchanged multiple emails that started with a comment. 

Such is the case with a recent exchange with Joy (thejoyfulquilter). I remarked about my solids stash and she replied (in a long email) "Solids stash... what's that?!" She made me smile, as she apparently likes  and prefers prints. Our diverse tastes are what make quiltmaking attractive to so many people. 

But she made me think about my solids stash. 

When the modern quiltmaking movement began in 2009 or thereabouts, I was a long-time traditional quilt maker, preferring to make quilts with prints that were medium and dark valued, in muted, dusty colors. Being a person who is very slow to adopt and adapt to changing trends, it wasn't until 2011 or so that my stash color palette began to gravitate toward light and bright prints. Since 2018 my color palette has transitioned from prints to solids. I like the dramatic impact of pure, intense solids set beside each another. It makes for a strong visual statement.

Thus, through the past 18 months I've added a wide range of solid colors to my storage cabinet. These shelves are stuffed with yardage. I'd guess this is 200 yards that range in quantity from 1½ to 2 to 3 yards of each color.

This bin is full of various brands of solids, in pieces of a yard or less. 

Shoebox bins are where I store small, less-than-a-fat-quarter-sized pieces.

Not only do I like solids for their graphic quality, but the price per yard is lower than prints. When I found Painter's Palette solids for $5.96 a yard ($1.03 less per yard than another popular online shop), I began to stock up.

One reason I stocked-up is based on economics.

In early 2020, the price (value) of raw cotton fell. As a result, fewer cotton farmers planted cotton.

The result is that cotton is now less available.

Have you looked at recent prices for raw cotton? In the past month they've been climbing.

The theory of "trickle-down" is evident. Because raw cotton prices are climbing, the price of quilting cotton will likewise climb.

In fact, it's happening. In April, a renown New York City quilt shop raised all it's fabric price-per-yard by $1. It's a trend that will continue. 

Historically, we've seen quilting cotton prices increase and never return to the previous price. Specifically, I remember 2009 floods in India that ruined cotton fields. The result was an increase in the price of quilting cotton. Those quilting cotton prices never returned to pre-flood "normal."  

Who would have guessed that quiltmaking is a lesson in economics?! 

With print quilting cottons currently costing between $10 and $12+ a yard (USD), I feel completely justified in building my solids stash (at only $5.96 USD a yard) through the pandemic. 

By the way. It's worth mentioning that this cotton value increase will also directly affect the price of blue jeans. Just sayin'... 

So, I'm looking forward to creating my next solids-only quilt that will be made for the South Florida MQG  "Curve Around Challenge." I'll use mostly fabrics from the box of Benartex Superior Solids fat quarters I won in an Instagram giveaway. I've made this 20" test block that I will to work into the quilt.

I've also started another Kawandi. I just can't help myself! I find this handwork very comforting... relaxing. Fellow Instagrammer @quilterbeth made a Kawandi using only scraps of stripes and solids that I liked so much I started my own. If you're on Instagram, I suggest following the hashtag #kawandi so you don't miss seeing what others are making. 

This is 17" X 24" and uses Quilter's Dream Request cotton batting.

Speaking of Quilter's Dream batting... May I just tell you that I won another Instagram giveaway?! Not Your Mama's Quilt Store in Plano, Texas let me know yesterday that I won a 60" X 60" batt of Quilter's Dream Select cotton. I'm feelin' mighty lucky these days!

For the past ten months - through days of frenetic quiltmaking - I saved the littlest fabric, batting, and thread scraps in a king-sized pillow case. This past week I used stashed home dec weight yardage to serge and stuff two large (roughly 24" X 38") pet beds for a local animal shelter. I'm remembering that big dogs need beds too, and can attest that these are pretty darned comfortable!

Book Recommendation

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes is about Inara Erickson who has just inherited her aunt's home on Orcas Island in Washington. She visits the house with the intention of selling it. When she accidentally unearths part of a garment that's been heavily embroidered with a pictorial scene, questions arise about its origins and meaning. A university professor helps Inara discover the history of the piece, and secrets begin to immerse. The story behind the embroidery begins a century earlier, when young Mei Lein, an American of Chinese descent, is forcibly removed from her home in Seattle. Along with other Chinese they board a ship to China. When it becomes apparent they will not reach their destination, Mei Lein becomes the lone survivor who has a secret to share through her embroidery.   

This was a pleasant read. But perhaps because of the formulaic plot - apparently disparate lives slowly moving toward a connection - I felt this book was a little bit predictable. 

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0

Linda