The above pictures show only part of my extensive stash. the rest is in various under-the-bed containers and on shelving in other parts of the house.
Now I know there are frequent discussions about stash in the sewing blog world. Some sewers feel that one can never have too big a stash while others don't condone the stash that is, well, shall I say uncontrolled.
Mine is absolutely out of control to the point of nausea. I mean I sometimes can't sleep wondering and worrying over what I'll ever do with all that fabric. And what if I die suddenly? Will my stash find a good home?
Now you probably think that I've made a resolution to not buy any more fabric, right?
Wrong! But I have a new rule. It's this: I can't buy a fabric unless I know exactly what it will become and when it will become!
So there. The problem is solved as far as limiting the growth of my stash.Now what to do about decreasing the stash as it stands now?
That brings me to another problem. Too many clothes! Sewing from my stash shouldn't be too hard but I'm running out of hangers!Now I hear some of you thinking
"Why don't you give away some of your clothes to Goodwill?"
I've already done that many times and already have the next bag half full. I still can't wear all the clothes that are left in my closets.
And someone else is saying
"Sew for your family"
I do sew for my daughter but I don't always get feedback and I often wonder if I'm just wasting my time or does she really wear the things I make for her.My grand-daughter is 12 and she suggested that I could make her pretty tops and capris so you can bet they are in the works.
But, let's face it. I could go on and on and who am I trying to kid. I'll always be happiest sewing for myself because my creations are my babies and I love almost all of them. No one appreciates them as well as me.
Ok.I feel better now. I think I'll go start on Jessie's top which I'm making with the leftovers from my DD's last dress.
Is there anyone else out there who is feeling overwhelmed or greedy or maybe a little nauseous over too much something? I'd love to hear from you if there is.
18 comments:
I used to think that my stash was excessive. I've seen a few posts recently that make me look very minimalist. Mine is down to 10 pieces - but not as neatly stored!
Your stash is VERY neat!!!!
Yes sometimes! And I have so many clothes too! I will be giving a fair bit away with my move to a new house..but not all of it. BTW, you need to do what my DD used to do when she was about 3 or 4 - change several times a day. She would just come back into the kitchen with completely different clothes on. She still loves her clothes and when we go out shopping or whereever, she is always the best dresses!
Oops I meant "best dressed". And she is now 15.
Oh Diana, tu n'as pas à t'inquiéter, Tamara porte les vêtements que tu lui fais. Au bureau, elle est toujours fière de nous montrer ce que tu fais pour elle. Je pense, entre autres, à la robe de son anniversaire; elle est magnifique =) Passe un bon week-end! J'espère qu'il fait beau dans ton coin =)
Too much fabric and too many clothes? Nah! It's our happiness, which one cannot have too much of!
Actually, this week I have been feeling very overwhelmed by my stash. It's just become disorganized during the last several projects.
After I finish my current project, I am going to spend a day with every single piece in the same room and resort it.
And I vow to put pieces back where they came from when I have decided it's NOT the next project!
Yes ma'am. I could have written this post myself. I go through times where I just want to get rid of everything and start with a clean slate--and then one day I find "just the perfect fabric" for a new idea that popped into my head. I would sew more for my DGD, but she is 600 miles away and fitting the way I would like is just not feasible. I do make knit tops every now and then as they are more "fit" forgiving. I sew more than I need. But it is my hobby and makes me happy. Now that I am retired, I don't need the amount of clothes I once did. I was doing well with (not) buying fabric until this past Wednesday when I brought home much too much (BUT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD DEAL AND I HAD SO MUCH FUN). I think sometimes it is my "entertainment." Perhaps I need some counseling??
Can I sent you a plane ticket to come to Baltimore and organize my stash LOL
I recently de-stashed by giving a lot of fabric that had been her for ever to a co-worker. That lasted about 3 weeks! Now I have even more than I had when I de-stashed. In my defense...it was all on sale or at a ridiculously low price ;-}
I would think you DD and grand daughter probably appreciate what you make for them more than they let on. Shame on them for not letting you know how much. They probably take for granted that since you are so talented that everything you make is going to be awesome so it goes without saying it. They probably don't realize how much you need to hear it as well.
On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with having beautiful clothes for yourself. Just enjoy making them and wear them with pride.
I have a big stash, but it is mostly vintage things like tablecloths, tea towels, etc... waiting to tell me what to do with them.
I always buy too much fabric so I have lots of short pieces that I'm not sure what to make from them. I know that they will come in handy when I need to trim something. I just recently started saving all of my little bitty scraps. Hum, I don't quilt, but surely they will come in handy for something. Maybe I should give them to a quilter.
Reading your post made me feel so much better. lol Honestly, I could open my own fabric store using my stash. I too, have been awake at night wondering what would happen to all of my lovelies if something should happen to me. I admire your newly organized stash, keep buying! :) There are worse things we could be doing in life, than buying fabric.
I am in need of reorganizing my "collection" and it is on my schedule to do. I'm sure I'm going to find some things in there that I've totally forgotten about so I'm kind of looking forward to that unknown element!
And I totally understand about the too many clothes situation, however, I can usually take care of that with one good giveaway. Actually I need to be more like my mother and just take over another closet in the apt...but that means then that one of my daughters would have to move out...
Mmmm, I wonder which one I should ask to leave! ROTFLOL!
My apparel fabric stash is pretty small (but growing), my quilting stash was another story. I said was, because every once in a while I get brave and go through it all and pull out what I know I won't use and give it away or use some of it for muslin samples.
I think we all just love fabric and that is why we sew or quilt. The fabrics themselves can be a work of art.
If I ever move again, I will have an apartment sale and get rid of as much fabric, books and magazine as I can. I'm not packing my stash and moving it ever again. But for now I don't worry about how much I have or of buying more. I just wish I would sew more. I really need some more clothing.
If I worked at a fabric place, I would probably buy MUCH MORE fabric than I do these days. I did a lot of buying in the beginning, and don't so much now - as I have come to think of the quality (no cheap stuff anymore). Buying something (for me) expensive lets me think twice before getting it. I did a fabric cleanout recently and gave away 20kg of fabric to a fellow sewist- and felt much better afterwards. Because I got rid of the fabric I wouldn't have sewn anyway.
About having too much to wear and sewing nevertheless: sewing is not just about having something to wear - it is the sewing itself that we need! So go ahead as sew sew sew, buy beautiful fabric for this and feel good about it.
Hey look - we all got our stashes...I like to think it's better than a lot of other things...drugs, alcohol (well at least not while we're sewing) and some other things. If your stash is the worst thing about you, you should be up for sainthood!!!
Don't worry, there will come a time with the filling in the stash will abate and you will enjoy going through it and pulling out things to do up decades later.
I finally started sewing for people - that's how I keep my closet it check...have you thought about teaching?...it's a great way to sew and not have it all end up cluttering your closet. Another thing I like about sewing for people is that I get to sew on colors and fabrics I would never use for myself, but are fun and worth sewing on.
I have been doing custom sewing for a few people. One of them comes in and starts looking at my fabric and says, "oooh, can I have a _______ out of this?" some of these pieces I really wanted for myself. But we all know we will always find more. Maybe not the same, but we will find more things to love. It can be hard and a couple of things I've said no to. She always likes the ones I LOVE, never the ones that later I look at and wonder what I was thinking. This is a nice arrangement, I get to sew up great pieces of fabric and someone else pays me and also loves it as much as I do. And it's not some ugly thing someone brought to me asking that I sew up something that won't work in that fabric. It's a good thing!
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