All jokes aside, I did make a stash busting pledge last year and did really well with it. Yes I still bought plenty of fabric, *cough* 154 yards *cough*. However I sewed up/give away/trashed a lot more then that. Thanks to my trusty excel spread sheet, I can confirm that my stash is now 97.5 yards lighter than it was at the beginning of the year. Cue balloon drop and the donning of party hats. Froggie has cake for everyone on the side board and you can also admire the 2014 purchase of a Bernina 350 sewing machine. (Big thanks to my immediate family who also contributed a good chunk of the sewing machine money.)
But now it's time to wipe the cake crumbs from my mouth and commit to another year of stash busting. Yes the stash is lighter, but somehow uses up the same amount of storage space. At least I don't have to sit on the rubber maids bins to get them to lock anymore. They're "only" filled to the brim now. Baby steps, baby steps. Good news for me is that the Stash Busting Sew-a-long is in it's 3rd year and we have a great bunch of ladies in the facebook group. So without further ado here is my stash busting pledge for 2015
I, Heather Beckley, commit to stash busting enough fabric so that one of these containers can be removed from the floor of my bedroom.
Froggie felt this whole plan needed his expert help, so he jumped in and asked me a few questions.
Right now I'm sewing all the garments that were planned in November/December. News flash Heather, there's no time to sew all those red/plaid/Christmas print garments in December. If you want to theme dress you've got to get beat your sewing elves into productivity right now! In December they run off to bake cookies. Stupid elf union.
"How are you going to limit purchasing pretty new fabric?"
Well thanks to the snazzy excel spread sheet, I now know that my monthly sewing average is around 12 yards. I'm going to try to buy less than what I can sew in a month. You should also change my paypal password when my back is turned.
"What types of fabric will you buy with abandon, conveniently forgetting your stash
busting pledge?"
Florals on black back grounds, anything with a fruit on it and probably any sort of red solid. Snow leopard of course, cause that's a neutral and lobster prints, lots of lobsters. Oh and frog fabric, you are the top animal in the house.
"Sometimes that guy you married tells you that you have enough fabric. Does this help with stash busting?"
No, I then go spite buy fabric. I'm a horrible person.
You are more than welcome to make a frog nest in any fabric. I would ask that you restrict cake eating to on top of the sewing patterns. I can't fault you about that cause I'm doing it too.
"How can I convince you to spend your fabric money on frog shoes instead?"
What do this shoes look like? Are they red with white polka dots? Can I also get a new pair of human sized shoes? If so we might have a deal.
"I think I hear the oven timer. Can we go eat some cake now?"
Yes, yes we can.
P.S. The Stash busting facebook group is a closed group only because we didn't want to clog up our main FB feeds. We'll happily accept any new members who want to join the stash busting effort.
Bahaha - I love a good frog interview. Happy stashing and stash-busting!
ReplyDeleteWhenever my husband says I have enough fabric, I immediately feel the need to buy more - what is it about that? Eating cake in a pile of fabric sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your stashbusting :)
ReplyDeleteLove this! Good luck with the stash busting!!
ReplyDeleteLove the frog interview also! We have the same stash fabric containers! My satellite area is behind the family room couch, and oh yeah, the guest room closet; oh and the garage. :-)
ReplyDeleteFroggie is just awesome. As is the amount of fabric you busted last year! I'll play along too I think, but on the sidelines as I'm not on FB and ,ta know, impending small person!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with this. It seems hard for me, but maybe you are stronger. The frog interview was really fun. You should give him more cake.
ReplyDeleteI do not have many fabric stashed because I decided I want to sew for my self at the end of 2014, but I've been sewing for my dolls arround 6 years and I have a lot of small fabric pieces hoarded for their dresses, so I can imagine the same is gonna happen with my fabric.
Oh man, I so need to stash bust! I used up more than I bought last year, but only just- 16 yards! I just can't buy any more fabric!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the froggy interview! I need to do some stash-busting of my own this year; my stash fills two big bins (which I have to sit on to close!) plus 5 small boxes which are strategically hidden around the house to create confusion. Perhaps it's time for my own snazzy Excel file? =) Good luck with your stash-busting in 2015!
ReplyDeleteHaha, spite fabric...love it! Froggy is a good interviewer.
ReplyDelete(If it makes you feel better, my husband recently attempted to fabric-shame me on Facebook by posting a picture of a large piece of fabric I'd recently purchased taking over our couch. But in my defense, it's for baby stuff, and he'll thank me in the end!)
Cool! 12 yards seems like a lot! I've got to keep track of my yardage this year!
ReplyDeleteFroggie is one perceptive cookie! I think he should do all the interviews from now on.
I thought I had a problem with maybe 30 yards stashed... I'm assuming you live in a 3000 sqft house and not a 900 sqft apt.
ReplyDeleteHahaha and here I thought stash busting was a ban on buying! I should really do this because I had to clean out cupboards in the laundry this year to store fabric and there is simply no more space, so either find a new stash storage space or .... I'm in denial about the or option! But now I realise I just have to sew more than I buy :-)
ReplyDeleteYay, you did really well!! Good luck with your efforts - and wishing you lots of willpower - in 2015. I'm kind of scared to work out how much fabric I buy vs how much I use - I know the numbers will make me feel guilty, and I too have too many of those plastic bins of fabric (as well as secret bags of fabric masquerading as other non-fabric stuff!)
ReplyDeleteMy problem is also being desperate I don't miss out, buying it and then a year later not even liking it! I love the idea of doing it by the yard!
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated to see the size of your full stash!!! Looking forward to seeing what you make :)
ReplyDeleteI've just started having a satellite stash because I went a bit crazy fabric buying at a fabric fair in October. I salute your great stashbusting efforts and will try to do the same. Love the froggy interview
ReplyDeleteI think that Froggie needs to come see me and put his Hardcore Barbara Walters questions to me. I cant get my stash pledge anymore concrete than 'I will try not to buy anything that doesnt match somethng I own, sometimes this means buying 2 things.....'
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that you have a spreadsheet - that is certainly a way to keep track of your stash/yardage/buying/sewing. Maybe I'll start doing that with fabric I get this year. I like your pledge - satellite stash indeed. ;) I'd like to commit to stashbusting but I could see coming up with a lame pledge like not ending the year with more fabric that I began, which doesn't seem quite the point. Heheh.
ReplyDeleteI need a frog friend like yours.. But no matter how much I try to use my stash, it keeps growing... I totally live your story every day:) For me fabric stores are heaven and I must go to heaven at least once a week??? Maybe twice??
ReplyDeleteThat completely justifies your spending. You need those pretty new fabrics in your closet.
ReplyDeleteFroggie says he has to keep me in line some times. After all I should be buying more frog shoes.
ReplyDeleteHee hee, no one can cap our fabric stashes but us!! Pass the credit card.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bryanna. Hopefully froggie will keep me on the plan.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margo. I'll try and get that pesky stash in line. Sounds like Froggie needs to do more interviews. I'll see if I can't get him to pencil that into his busy schedule.
ReplyDeleteFroggie is so very helpful. I'm lucky to have him crashing with me. The fabric store is a wonderful place! Too bad we can't live there. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, I know exactly what you mean about doing the opposite of what you've just pledged.
ReplyDeleteAfter 2013 I realized there was no way to tell if my stash was an smaller. Realized records were needed even though record keeping isn't my favorite. ;)
Froggie says he won't make you cry with his hardcore style.....maybe. It depends how many cookies are there to distract him.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - There's no reason to make pledges you know know you're gonna break.
Those satellite stashes have a way of spawning, don't they? I've got to neuter mine or something. ;)
ReplyDeleteHey you get to buy as much fabric as you want with the impending small person in the picture. :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the "for you" fabric pile will grow just like the doll stuff. It's the way of fabric. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your stash busting Starry. Sewing up all the fun fabric you purchased in October makes it all OK. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's some what amazing how much fabric I can stuff in a small space. Guess that's what happens when you stack it to the ceiling ;)
ReplyDeleteThat isn't too much more than what you started with Sonja. I'm sure you just need the Pugs to prod you into sewing more. ;)
ReplyDeleteHAA HAA HAA! The part about hiding the small boxes around to create confusion is hilarious and true.
ReplyDeleteAs much as record keeping isn't my thing, I have found the snazzy excel file helpful. Sometimes seeing the numbers in black and white does curb my spending.
Fabric shaming never works. We're like, "Yeah I bought that and it's awesome!!." Besides you're being selfless with baby fabric shopping right now. Totally doesn't count as stash.
ReplyDeleteUgghhhh it sucks when you don't like stuff later. I've recently found that I'm no longer liking stuff in my stash because my tastes are changing. Guess that's another good reason not to stash as much.
ReplyDeleteTwelve yards seems like a total I can stick too. All about realistic goals here....kind of. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll tell froggie his interviewing skills are needed more often.
:) Only 30 yards? Hee hee. Well everyone has a personal stash comfort level. Mine is on the high side, but I do need to keep it in check because my house is more like 1400 sqft instead of 3000. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteA buying ban? Heaven forbid!!! That's the best way to get me to buy a shit ton of fabric. :)
ReplyDeleteBuying less than I sewed did seem to work pretty well last year. I wasn't too strict about it month to month. Just tried to sew more things next month if I bought a lot of fabric the month before.
Yeah the numbers in black and white are sometimes sobering. I'm all for managing your stash in a way that works for you personally. One thing I didn't do is measure all the fabric I have. I'm only keeping track of what gets bought or sewn now.
ReplyDeleteI'm really trying to see through a good chunk of my stash this year, too. Since I've been sewing for less than two years, it isn't giant...but my condo is even less giant :)
ReplyDeleteAnd by "see" I mean sew. Darn autocorrect. Hopefully most of my stash isn't see through. That could get awkward.
ReplyDelete