Sewing Stash Solutions
January 9th, 2010. Filed under: Sewing on Saturday.
Don’t try to kid me. If you sew, do any kind of needlework or crafts, you have a stash. Some how, it always happens. We don’t start out intentionally building that stash. It just happens.
You start with a little left over yarn, fabric or craft supplies. Gee, it’s a crime to just toss it. So into a box, a drawer or onto a closet shelf it goes. You leave it alone for a little while and it multiplies. A few months later you look at it in wonder.
Just wait. As the months turn into years, you don’t just have leftovers. You’ve seen that fabric, trim or exotic skein of yarn that you just can’t resist. Of course, you’ll think of some way to use it. Eventually. Then there are the sales.
Have you ever been to a fabric shop that’s going out of business? If you haven’t, then don’t go there. Not even once. Not even to just look and not buy. You’re just deluding yourself. You go the first time and find lots of wonderful buys. Then the next week you go back. You have to. Every week they slash the prices even more.
Then you’re addicted. You go every week until it’s down to almost bare walls and yet you manage to find some bargain to buy. You even buy more of the fabric you already bought. Why? Are you going to make an entire wardrobe out of that fabric? Don’t ask me. I still have it. All of it.
Then there’s the yarn trying to escape from multiple bins and baskets. And craft supplies. And art supplies. And UFOs. And mending. And the many projects we have down on paper and in our heads. Oh, yes. There’s the drawers and boxes overflowing with patterns and the bookcases crammed with books, project booklets, videos, CDs.
How about all those stacks of organizing drawers and bins on wheels. They’re filled with tools of the trade, interfacings, stabilizers, laces and trims, ribbons and buttons. Then there’s that other three drawer thing filled with threads and needles (both hand and machine). There’s a drawer for regular thread, one for embroidery thread and the third for serger thread. Never mind the fact that my serger still intimidates me and I seldom use the embroidery attachment for my machine.
There’s the confession. Now for the follow up to last year’s goals, which basically means just more confessions. Here they are.
- I will reduce my stash of fabric, notions and yarn by not buying anything new during 2009 unless it’s to complete a work in progress. I did a pretty good job of sticking to this one. Keep reading and you’ll find out why it was so easy.
- I will reduce my stash by completing one UFO (UnFinished Object) or one USO (UnStarted Object) for which I have already purchased the components each month. I managed to finish only one UFO. Yes, that’s it. Yes, I’m ashamed.
- I will reduce my stash by making at least one Christmas ornament each month. Did I say that? I didn’t make any. I got so crunched that I paid a friend to make some for me to give for an ornament swap. That was technically within the rules as long as they were handmade.
- I will declutter and reorganize my sewing room by Valentine’s Day in order to more efficiently complete the above goals. Valentine’s Day of what year? I did manage to get a lot of decluttering done, but it still has a long way to go. It’s in good enough shape that I could manage the above goals if I just jumped in there and did something. I just keep feeling like I have to have the room “perfect” in order to sew. Isn’t that an ugly word?
Okay, same goals this year except for the Valentine’s Day deadline. All I really need to do is clean off the sewing table again and I’m good to go.
Solutions to getting rid of stash
- Don’t buy anything unless it’s to finish a project in the works or one for which you’ve already purchased the makings.
- Sell some of it.
- Give it away. I gave a lot of my craft supplies and some of my fabric and sewing supplies to friends.
- Freecycle it. I gave away four bags of fabric through Freecycle. I can see a small dent on a couple shelves. (Consumer Man wouldn’t be able to tell anything was missing.)
- Donate it to charity. I’m sure you can find local charities which could use your help. If you want to put it in a box and send it, you can do a world of good by sending it to the Billy Mills Center on the Cheyenne River Reservation. I’ve sent my heart there in every box I’ve sent.
- Best of all – Use It! Sew, knit, crochet, craft, whatever your heart desires to make. Make things for your home. Make things for your family. Make things for charity. Make things for yourself. Start making gifts for birthdays, weddings, new babies, housewarmings and of course, next Christmas.
We can do it! Let’s work at reducing our stash in 2010. Life is so much more pleasant without all that’s involved in trying to organize and corral stash. It’s also a lot more pleasant if you don’t have to try to hide it from your spouse, children, friends and others who just don’t understand about stashes.