Gerry always had something for Show and Tell. She wasn’t shy when it came to telling us about her process and what she enjoyed and wasn’t so fond of. I love that she would join in any challenge. Her heart was big when it came to sharing her gift of quilting with the different organizations the guild supports.
Although we knew she loved to quilt none of us had any idea about her stash. Other than it had to be deep. Now I have lots of fabric, but it pales in comparison to Gerry’s.
She passed with little time to make a plan, but she had reached out. It wasn’t long after our conversation that her son asked if I could bring a moving truck to the home. Unfortunately, that was not in the budget.
After several runs over two weekends with several vehicles we retrieved her gift. Once it was here I had to figure out where I was going to put all this stuff.
Our first chance to get this into other quilters hands was a group yard sale. It started early in the morning and was done by noon. We sold the fabric for $3 a pound. We sold over 550 pounds of fabric. Keep in mind that one pound of quilting cotton is approximately 3 yards. There was still an astounding amount of fabric left.
Once a week I would have guild members come to the house to price rulers, books, and precuts. After about six months we had our second opportunity sale. We promoted it as heavily as we could. It took 4 hours to set up and 4 hours for the sale. So many books, patterns, rulers and fabric was rehomed.
What did I learn from this experience? Lots.
There is no doubt that Gerry had plans for all of this fabric. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately, we can only sew so fast. And none of us get out alive. We need to be aware of our limitations.
Have a plan for your stash if you have one and let your family know of your plan. Also, talk to who you want to handle this on your behalf. Share your vision of with the benefactor and make sure they are in a position to accept your bequest.
Gerry’s stash will provide a year of wonderfully inspiring programs. It will also make lot of giving quilts for a myriad of agencies. There will also be quilts made by members for weddings, and graduations, and new babies.
Although grateful, I am taking a good look at what I have in my sewing room.
divadiversion 
Thank you for sharing…It is an important thing to consider.
It has certainly made me think twice about my purchasing habits.
I have a friend who recently passed, and her stash was like a store. Haven’t talked to her DH yet, he needs more time, but he will need help with it.
I had her stash for six months. There are still a few things left to contend with, however, what a great gift it was to the guild. We made enough to have several paid programs per year for the next few years.