Is Your Stash Covered?

by Steffani McChesney

How about your sewing machine(s), rotary cutting rulers, templates, etc.? If you have a disaster in your home such as a fire or flood will your homeowner’s insurance adequately cover the damage to your sewing room?

Since we quilters usually accumulate the tools of our hobby over several years we tend not to think of the total money invested. But we should. Those books, rulers and fat quarters add up. Since the insurance adjustor needs an accurate inventory to settle the claim you will have to have some idea of what you have lost.

This seems like too daunting of a task to even think of but it really should be done. I have so many books and rulers that I made a list a long time ago just so I would stop buying duplicates. Now that the fear of not knowing what I would need for an insurance claim means that I had better finish the job. Here’s how I plan to do it.

First make a list of categories. My list includes fabric; tools; quilts and projects; major items including sewing machines, furniture, and lamps; and books, magazines and patterns.

Begin with the fabric because that is probably what you have the most of. Write down the yards and the replacement cost. Add up your half yards, fat quarters and scraps and estimate the cost of the total yardage. List your special and expensive fabrics separately.

Next list your tools. Be sure to include everything. That means pins, needles, scissors, thimbles, quilting hoops, rotary cutters and extra blades (there is a fortune right there), marking tools, bias bars, batting, and everything else you can think of. Don’t forget thread. You get the picture. No supply that you use is too small. And, let’s face it; quilting is not a cheap hobby.

Now list the big stuff such as your sewing machine(s) including serial and model numbers, quilting frames, design wall, cutting and sewing tables, chairs, lamps, irons (model and serial number), file cabinets, storage for fabric (I have bookcases). It all adds up. For example, I have five drafting lamps around my sewing table and two really nice handmade racks for my rotary cutting rulers.

Be sure to list your works in progress (polite name for UFOs?) stating age, size, technique, fabric, and estimated market value. Have any antique and more expensive quilts appraised and insured separately from your sewing room contents.

Last, but not least, make a list of your books including title, author, publisher and cost. List your patterns the same way. Magazines can be listed as a group. Hey, this would be a good time to do a little sorting. Anything you don’t want can go on the give away table at the next guild meeting or donated to the guild library.

To finish your inventory photograph your sewing room or videotape it. Make individual photos of your unfinished projects and sewing machines. Put all this documentation including the appraisals of your antique quilts in your safe deposit box. Plan to update your documentation every six months as your projects are completed and new ones begun or you purchase new equipment.

I know this is a lot of work but, if the worst happens, you will be able to recover much better both financially and spiritually if you can recreate the place that is your pride and joy.