How to Overcome a Scarcity Mentality as a Quilter: Tips for Using Your Stash and Enjoying the Creative Process

Have you heard of the term “scarcity mentality?” Learning about it over the past few years has been crucial in helping me address some of the mental blocks that have held me back. About a year ago, I had a realization—this scarcity mentality had bled into my quilting! Today, I want to share how I’ve been working to overcome it as a quilter.

Note: If this resonates with you, consider seeking support from a counselor. This post is meant to raise awareness about these feelings and offer insights into how I’ve tackled them as a quilter. It’s not an all-encompassing guide. Also, I’m choosing not to use the word “hoard” here because it carries its own complexities and can be triggering for some. My focus is on overcoming scarcity thinking, not conflating it with hoarding.

What is a Scarcity Mentality?

A scarcity mentality is the belief that resources—whether it’s money, time, materials, or opportunities—are limited and must be tightly conserved. This mindset stems from a fear that there will never be enough, leading to anxiety, hesitation, and a reluctance to use or share what you have.

This mentality is common among people who’ve experienced financial or resource shortages in the past. Personally, growing up with limited financial resources meant that money was always a factor in whether we could or couldn’t do something. Even though my mother did everything to provide for us, the constant worry about scarcity stuck with me.

In quilting, this manifests as reluctance to use cherished fabrics, hesitancy to cut into new fabric, or fear of not having enough materials for future projects. You might save your favorite fabrics for a “perfect” project that never comes or feel pressured to stock up on supplies “just in case.” This mindset can stifle creativity, limit progress, and prevent you from fully enjoying the craft.

Shifting from Saving to Creating

Let’s get right to it: You need to use the fabrics you’ve been saving. Choose a fabric or collection you’ve been hesitant to cut into and make something with it. The best way to overcome this fear is to use the fabric.

Here are a few more tough-love tips:

• Don’t buy fabric just because it’s on sale. If you don’t love it, the price doesn’t matter. It’s not worth adding to your stash.

• Pass on fabrics you know you’ll never use. We all have them—those fabrics that will never see the light of day. Give them to someone who will actually use them.

• Set limits on scraps. Throw away scraps that are too small to be useful. It can be hard to toss that tiny piece of fabric, but let’s be real—you’re not going to use that 1/2” scrap.

Letting Go of Perfectionism

Are you saving your favorite fabric for a “perfect” project? Or waiting until your skills improve to use that special collection? The truth is, you love that fabric for a reason, and working with it will bring you joy—regardless of whether it’s used in the perfect project.

When you allow yourself to use your best fabrics, your projects will feel more meaningful, and the entire quilting process becomes more enjoyable.

Enjoy Your Scraps

When you use a fabric, you rarely use every inch, and that’s where the magic happens—scraps! Using your favorite fabrics creates scraps that can bring even more life to future projects. Each leftover piece is an opportunity to extend the joy of your fabric into new, creative endeavors.

If you are looking for a scrap quilt idea, I have lots right here!

Trust That There is Abundance

I know it’s tough when popular collections disappear quickly from shelves, but here’s the reality: more collections are always coming. Trust that there will always be more fabric to fall in love with.

For example, early in my quilting days, I didn’t buy enough of Denyse Schmidt’s Flea Market Fancy collection, and I regretted it. When some of the prints were re-released years later, I overcompensated by buying a ton—more than I could ever use. While I’m glad I bought some, I didn’t need to go overboard. It’s a lesson in trusting that there will always be something new to inspire you.

Trust Your Creativity

Not only should you trust your ability to choose a project worthy of your favorite fabrics, but also trust that using those fabrics will build and grow your creativity. Your creativity is limitless—it shouldn’t be restricted by fear of using up precious materials.

What This Has Meant for Me as a Quilter

As many of you know, I have a large stash of fabric. One of the main ways I’m overcoming scarcity thinking is by sewing more from my own collection. I still buy new fabrics, but mostly to complement or finish what I already have in my stash.

Do I still work with new collections? Yes, especially when I’m designing new patterns. But I’m making a conscious effort to use the leftovers as scraps and to pass on fabrics I know I won’t use.

Am I still struggling with this? Yes, it’s something that impacts not just my quilting but my whole life. It’s a mindset I’ll always have to be aware of. However, quilting has become an outlet to help me work through these issues.

Final Thoughts

I hope sharing my experience has been helpful. Overcoming a scarcity mentality is a deeply personal journey, but I know I’m not alone in struggling with it. If this post resonates with you, I hope it sparks some change in your own quilting journey. There’s so much joy to be found in using what we have and trusting that there will always be more inspiration and materials waiting for us.