No-Buy Challenge 2010-2011

Coordinated by Cynthia H.

1.  Participation in this challenge is voluntary.  Participants are on the honor system.

2.  Challenge Dates:  The challenge will be in effect from November 1, 2010, through October 31, 2011. You can join at any time and be eligible for the drawings that remain in the challenge year. 

3.  Charms Required for Participation: Each participant joining at the beginning of the challenge year will send in twelve (12) six-inch charms (these may be cut from one FQ or from multiple fabrics). Those joining later in the year will be pro-rated the number of charms needed. (For example: if you join in January, then you owe 10 six-inch charms; in February, 9 six-inch charms, and so on.) Charms must be 100% cotton, quilt-store-quality (QSQ) fabric, and pre-washed please.   

4.  Quarterly Drawing: Each official participant will be eligible for the quarterly No-Buy drawing. One name will be drawn from the list of those who were “good quilters” for that quarter. The quarterly prize will consist of a portion of the charms sent in. Quarterly drawings will be held on or close to February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1.    

5.  End-of-Year Prizes:  There are 2 end-of-year prizes - One for the NO-BUY QUEEN and another from among the rest of the participants. The NO-BUY QUEEN is someone who has bought no non-legal fabric for the entire year (legal fabrics can be found in Rule 6) and will be determined by a random draw. After the NO-BUY QUEEN has been determined, each other participant will receive one “chance” to win for each month during the year in which she did not buy any non-legal fabric. The majority of the “penalty” charms will be awarded to the Queen (along with something extra from me), and the remainder will go to the general prize winner. 

6.  No-Penalty “B-word” Purchases: The following items ( “the Bees”) are allowed without penalty. 

• Background fabrics
• Binding fabrics    
• Border/Sashing fabrics
• Batting    
• Backing fabric         
• BOM program (if you are already enrolled)      

• Fabric to finish a project that has already been started. (In the spirit of Stashbuster, the No-Buy Challenge supports the goals of the UFO Challenge. If you have a UFO that you cannot finish unless you buy some fabric, then this is a legal purchase. But use your own judgement – if it feels like “too much,” then you will need to send penalty charms.)     

Other allowable purchases include:     

• Fabric specifically required for a swap or challenge    
• Gifts, inheritance, and/or donations    
• Gift certificates that you may use for Fabric    
• Notions and thread (they aren’t fabric, after all!)    
• Books (unless you included them in your No-Buy pledge) 

If you’re not sure whether a purchase falls into the “No Penalty” category, use your best judgement.  Remember, you are playing on your honor and trying to bust your stash. 

7.  Penalty Charms:  Let’s face it, we’re human, and sometimes Quilters fall off the wagon. The penalty for falling off the wagon is one 6"x6" charm for each yard of non-legal fabric purchased. If you buy less than ¾ yard for the quarter, you’re OK. (You are actually getting a break if you buy less than a yard, but remember, FQs and half yards do add up). The charms do not need to be cut from the fabric purchased but can come from your stash. And, like the sign-up charms, they must be 6"x6", 100% cotton, pre-washed, and QSQ fabric. If you have pledged No-Buy on additional items (books, tools, etc.), then you will need to send one penalty charm for each item you buy.  

8.  Postage:  Please include one U.S. first-class stamp with your initial mail-in of charms. International players, please include 4 extra charms. 

9.  You are not an official challenge participant until I receive your participation charms. Mail your charms and stamps to: 

Please be sure and let me know when you are mailing the charms, and I will let you know when they arrive. Please ship the charms in a plastic baggie inside a mailing envelope and be sure to put your name, address, and email inside or on the baggie; the US postage stamp can be inside the baggie. There is no need for special shipping. You can fold your charms in half and fit them into a regular first-class envelope. Please mail any penalty charms to the same address and include a note (this can be written on the baggie) that these are penalty charms. Remember that we are on the honor system, and it is up to us to send in penalty charms when appropriate.  

I wish everyone a great year of NO-BUYING and BUSTING THAT STASH!     

PS:  Most of the people who have joined the Stashbuster group at Yahoo.com have done so because we have too much fabric (and each of us will have our own definition of what “too much” means) and/or because we need to economize. The No-Buy Challenge is a tool intended to help motivate you to reduce your fabric purchases. It should not feel like another burden. We hope you enjoy your efforts to bust your stash by *not* buying more fabric. If you are undecided about joining the challenge, why not sign up? If you decide later that it is not for you, you can withdraw from the challenge. On the other hand, if you do not join the challenge now, you can always change your mind later and we’ll welcome you to the challenge then!