Swap your stash – THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS

Show us your Stash…. Lizzy!

It’s Wednesday – again – which means time for another instalment of Stash Reveals! The lovely Ginger from GingerMakes kindly showed Kat the extent of her fabric collections over the weekend.

I love seeing how everyone stores their stuff, although it has made me book a trip to Ikea with the husband this weekend, I think I should be taking better stock of what I have! I wonder if any of these reveals have made any of you think about how you store and keep track of your patterns and fabric. Rachel and Pia use computer programmes, Kat lists the contents of her boxes & suitcases….

So for today’s sneeky peek into the stashing habits of a sewist, I give you SewBusyLizzy!

How long have you been sewing & stashing? How big is the stash?

I’ve been sewing over 15 years – however is was largely patchwork sewing for a long long time. So I have a patchwork fabric stash (that I’m not sure what to do with!) and a fairly new dressmaking stash.

The patchwork fabric pile (on the right)

Where do you keep your stash? How do you store it, etc.

I am lucky enough to have a sewing room – my guests are unlucky enough to have lost the guest bed… I came to the sensible conclusion that I sew every week, visitors only appear every few months! Our house is for us to live in so I decided it was more important for me to have a sewing space than a guest bedroom. The children now have trundle beds to accommodate any strays that might need to sleep over at my house.

Lizzy's knit fabrics "breeding" — Lizzy’s knit fabrics “breeding”

I have a couple of tubs, two mini sulo bins and an antique wardrobe that houses my two stashes. I’ve started to categorise the stash into piles of fabric based on types/weight/drape. So my lawns and voiles live together, sateens are happily coexisting in their tub, my knits appear to be breeding in their sulo bin, office fabrics (ie boring and sensible types) and I have a pile of fabrics which are ‘muslin’ candidates.

What is the oldest piece in your stash? What was your original plan for this piece, and why hasn’t it happened?

Hmmm, for dressmaking I don’t really have a particularly old piece as I’ve only been sewing for over a year. I do have lots of old pieces of fabric that I have picked up in op/charity stores. I estimate a couple of those pieces to be at least 20+ years old! It’s time for them to meet their destiny!

I think it’s important to use even the bits you love. Over time our tastes change and we should enjoy our precious things while we still love them.

What’s you favourite piece in the stash? Where did you get it, what do you love about it, what do you think you might do with it?

At the moment I have a mad crush on a piece of emerald wool crepe that I got at an op shop for $2. It’s 1.5m in length and is New Zealand merino. It’s a divine rich shade and it’s just been announced as the colour of 2013! It’s going to be a pencil skirt – paired with a black lace blouse and heels it is going to be gorgeous (I hope)!! Discovering the By Hand London pencil skirt sealed the fate of this fabric.

I have many cotton sateens I adore. At some point they will become dresses or skirts.

Does the fabric you buy go straight into hiding, or do you wash it first?

It usually gets stashed and then washed as required. I really should wash first but I tend to wash when I don’t have a glut of family washing to deal with!

How do you add to your stash? Do you buy with a purpose in mind, or is it fabric lust?

When I see fabric I often immediately imagine it as a dress, skirt, top etc. I never buy something without a project in mind. I think certain prints lend themselves to certain shapes and styles. If you can’t look at a fabric and see it as a garment then you probably never will. Just being pretty does not merit a place in my stash…

Do you have something in your stash that you cannot bear to cut into? Why?

I thought it would be hard to cut into the lovely emerald green crepe and it only cost me $2! Simply because it is lovely and even though it was very cheap, it’s still great quality and I hate to waste things!

I suspect that it will be hard to cut into my black/purple wool jacket fabric – it was a gift but it is expensive fabric. I think when people gift you fabric and patterns they carry with them a weight of expectation, it adds a bit of pressure!

I’m also deeply in love with a length of cotton sateen that GingerMakes sent me at Christmas – it’s a deep navy with mauve/purple flowers – just gorgeous. I can’t wait to wear it, I can’t bear to cut it – but I will as what’s the point otherwise!

Do you just stash fabric, or does the problem include patterns and notions?

I’m also a pattern stasher. Patterns and fabrics are my weakness. Not notions. I’m not much into frippery and frills so I am less inclination to buy laces, trims and whatnot.

Have you decided to do a “Stash-busting” resolution this year? If so, what have you decided to do?

I didn’t formally enter into a ‘stash-busting’ pledge. I love what Cation Designs is doing, however my life is full of personal and work commitments and that’s enough. Mentally I am committed to using more of my stash this year. I’m already seeing a drop in my purchases of floral fabrics and I’m resisting more rolls on the bargain table. I’m not sure this will continue on my London trip though!

Thanks for answering our questions Lizzy, I just love those birdie prints! I wish you all the best for resisting buying fabric in London though… Maybe you could consider bringing an extra bag?? 😉 If you are in the UK and would like to meet Lizzy (and a fair few other bloggers), Rachel is hosting a meet-up. Pop over to her blog and read all about it!

The stash swap is continuing, there are still lots of patterns and fabric pieces available on the Pinterest board. If you have already signed up and have arranged a swap, make sure you get it posted before the end of the month. For more guidelines, etc, check out Kat’s fab Guidelines page.

Show us your Stash…. Rachel!

One more brave blogger has held up her hand and admitted stashing. Rachel from House of Pinheiro has graciously answered Kat & my questions about her stashing habits, and sent us some lovely photos as evidence. The longer we do this, the more I am ashamed about my organisation – or lack thereof!

How long have you been sewing & stashing? How big is the stash?

I first threaded a machine in Sept 2009, completing my 1st ever project (a denim skirt) early December. By then, I was hooked by the sewing bug and my fellow had no choice but to get me a machine for Christmas.

For the 1st year, I only bought what I needed for each project. That meant fabric, threads, zippers… nothing extra, very controlled. My stash actually started building when my sewing books started to take space out from my baking bookshelf. As I enjoy quilting too, those little fat quarters sure know how to multiply….

By mid 2011, when I started to engage with other sewists and the blogsphere, my fabric shopping attitude changed and I started to buy a lot more fabric, specially during meet ups. Blogging is the biggest stash enabler. That’s why I loved your idea to community de-stashing. Last year my stash has grown from 10 pieces of fabrics to 40. That’s not considering my quilting fabrics.

I’m trying to avoid shopping online and only buy maximum of 3 pieces during meet ups shopping trips and that seems to do the trick and stabilise my fabric stash growth.

I don’t know how many sewing magazines or haberdashery I own. I like to keep it all tidy into boxes and dive in when I need something. I only recently stated cataloguing my stash using APP Evernote. It’s fantastic. I used it often at work. I use it for adding blog post ideas, general notes and visual photo and info of my stash. I’m hoping to catalogue everything I own by the end of the year. I have been meaning to blog my progress as a means of getting me doing it. My last pattern count was a bit over 130… Scarily growing.

Books, fabrics, notions... — Books, fabrics, notions…

My sewing addiction is actually stashing a bit of everything. I hate when I am in the middle of a project or at the start of an idea and I got to go out to buy something. My buying reflects that… I have at least something of everything I would need – like running a small shop! Now that I tidied all my equipment in one place I found I had a bit more than one, lol. My current pincushion collection count is 10.

Where do you keep your stash? How do you store it, etc?

I keep my dressmaking fabrics divided into sections inside the bottom of a wardrobe. It’s sectioned by left side being summer and right side being winter. Every few months I pull the fabrics out and check what I want to sew with. Then I arrange the ones I want to use first at the top of the pile for easy access. I would love to have separate drawers so I could also separate by season and content. My more expensive fabrics are also in a transparent plastic bag. Some fabrics have note with description of size and content. That’s another problem I hope Evernote will fix. When you have a small stash, it’s so easy to control what you have but now, I feel if I don’t get organised immediately my stash will explode and I will really loose time digging in.

My daily sewing equipment is kept in 2 drawers on the sewing table. Everything else on my bookshelf, he bookshelf arrangement keeps changing as I buy more stuff and try to fit in.

My patterns are kept in 2 big baskets, the light colour is the patterns already cut and the blue are the uncut patterns. All the cut patterns are stored in individual plastic folders.

What is the oldest piece in your stash? What was your original plan for this piece, and why hasn’t it happened?

My oldest piece is this beautiful and flimsy Diane Von Furstenberg inspired silk. It was on sale, and I bought it by the end of 2009.

I like to find special fabrics for special projects. At the time I didn’t have anything in mind for it or even now, I don’t… so it’s back to the stash. That fabric will have it’s time to shine sometime in the future.

What’s you favourite piece in the stash? Where did you get it, what do you love about it and what do you think you might do with it?

That all time favourite piece has been transformed into V8674, version C and recently I used the left over on Cynthia Rowley Tulip Skirt 2512. This beautiful Mohair wool from Macculloch & Wallis cost me £30 per metre. I had bought 3m of it and don’t regret at all. I love wearing it. It’s warm, soft, elegant and looks very expensive!

The next one, it’s a lovely black and white houndstooth wool that I bought back in 2011 and It’s going to be Colette Anise. Very Chanel inspired. I love it for the same reason of the mohair wool above.

Does the fabric you buy go straight into hiding, or do you wash it first?

Confession time, with all my good sewing habits, I don’t like pre-washing my fabrics… (Horror face???) They go into storage. When I wash them (If I do… I overlock the edges before…)

How do you add to your stash? Do you buy with a purpose in mind, or is it fabric lust?

I have Poly-phobia. I don’t like to buy polyester (knowingly) and rarely will buy man made fabrics unless blended on natural fabrics like cotton satin. I have a passion for wools and linen.

For my wools and more expensive fabrics, I buy them when they are on sale out of season. Linen, cottons and knits I buy when I find a nice drape and colour. Well, recently I have been buying loads on the cheap markets (and maybe turning a blind eye on the content…)

Do you have something in your stash that you cannot bear to cut into? Why?

No, everything is fair game.

Do you just stash fabric, or does the problem include patterns and notions?

What you guys think? lol

Have you decided to do a “Stash-busting” resolution this year? If so, what have you decided to do?

I will rarely buy fabric for a specific project. I will always try my stash first, so I am constant stash busting mode, but to help the cause I’m on a fabric shopping ban until my birthday. That’s 6 months away!

Thank you so much, Rachel, for letting us have a peek at your sewing room. I think it’s time I did some re-organising of my own! Don’t forget, if you’d like to take part in our stash swap, leave a comment below. Check out the guidelines etc on Kat’s blog.

Show us your Stash……. Anne!

In our ongoing investigation into the sewist’s tendency to hoard fabrics, patterns and shiny, pretty things, I can now reveal what goes on in Anne‘s fabric room – yes, you read that right, she has a room!!!

How long have you been sewing & stashing? How big is the stash?

Gracious- I would say that my stash is anywhere from 2 days to 15 years old. I’ve sewn off and on forever, but stopped and started again when I moved to SC. My stash is safely contained in 1 room in a variety of boxes and (cue sinister music) the closet of infinite textile hoarding

Where do you keep your stash? How do you store it, etc.

I hang all dress fabrics after pre-washing on hangers in almost no order (although current season in the front) in the closet already mentioned with reverence, fat quarters are all in tubs under the love seat (thought of as beds by some less-respectful 4 leggers) and upholstery and quilty stuff is in a series of giant totes stored in dangerous teetery stacks in said closet. One day a cat will pull the wrong thing jenga style and the entire side of the house will collapse in a black hole style vacuum of fabric doom. But I’m sure it’s fine. You aren’t a fire marshall, right?

What is the oldest piece in your stash? What was your original plan for this piece, and why hasn’t it happened?My friend Deanna gave me a ton of fabulous sheer fripperies and I have used them almost- almost. This brown sheer floral print is my fave and it must be used just right- so it’s been supervising the closet for at least 8 years.

What’s you favourite piece in the stash? Where did you get it, what do you love about it, what do you think you might do with it?

Honestly, I am shallow- they are all my favourite pieces, because I think of this as textile fostering and wouldn’t want any of my charges to feel like I didn’t love them and nurture them equally. This helps me with the guilt when I swap. I’ve sending them to permanent homes where they will be loved and each given an invisible zipper and a pony.

Does the fabric you buy go straight into hiding, or do you wash it first?

I’m rewash gal. It goes right into the laundry room. I think the husband thinks that sometimes I only do his laundry if I haven’t bought enough to fill an entire load.

How do you add to your stash? Do you buy with a purpose in mind, or is it fabric lust?

Ok, sometimes I have an idea, a grail project, sometimes…ok, most of the time, it’s just lust. What if it goes to the wrong home? What if they don’t love it as I do? What if they use it to make shortalls or something? I just can’t have that!!!

Do you have something in your stash that you cannot bear to cut into? Why?

The first time I saw the generosity of the sewing planet in action was over a year ago. I coo’d at a piece of fabric and that gorgeous blogger sent it to me! It’s the most distinctive and lovely plaid fabric and it screams Vivienne Westwood. It must be the perfect pattern and I would curl up and die if I didn’t do it justice in form and finish. ElleC– I haven’t forgotten my treasure- you sweetie!

Do you just stash fabric, or does the problem include patterns and notions?

I think I am part crow on my Father’s side. No, not the tribe- the birds that like shiny, tacky objects. I have an obscene amount of potential use items- covered button kits, bias tape, buttons, ribbon roses, rulers and lets not even talk about patterns. That part of the fire hazard is pretty scary!

Have you decided to do a “Stash-busting” resolution this year? If so, what have you decided to do?

Um, well, I mentioned it briefly to the husband and he took great umbrage with the whole idea. His shopping for his hobby out-costs mine, so his guilt is assuaged every time fabricmart comes a creeping up to the door. You don’t want him to feel bad, do you? I mean really, have a heart! Also, I must say that now that I have seen a particular young ladies walls of catalogued pretties, I feel like I’m still in the minor leagues, so I think I’ll do a little shopping when we are done here!

anne b Flannery is bored — Flannery is bored

Wow, I think I need a wardrobe for my fabrics too now that I’ve seen yours all hung up like that! I wonder if husband will swap his cupboard space for a few plastic boxes.. Thank you, Anne for letting us into your sewing space! A reminder that you can see the list of participants here, and check out the offerings on the Pinterest board. If you’d like to take part in our great swap, have a quick look at the guidelines and then join the fun.

Show us Your Stash….. Kat!

The stash swapping party seems to have go off to a very good start over the weekend, it’s been great to see some of the lovely things up for grabs on Pinterest and blog posts. A reminder that you can see a lits of all the participants here. If you’d like to join in the swap, just leave a comment below with a link to your blog, and we’ll add you to the list so that other sewists can find you easily.

As promised, Kat and I have decided to reveal our stashes to the world. You can see mine on Kat’s blog, but here we are revealing Kat’s collection of fabrics etc. I set her the same questions as I answered, and demanded photographic evidence too!

How long have you been sewing and stashing? How big is your stash?

Oh gosh, do I really need to answer this?!? (*Goes and hides in a corner in embarrassment.*)

Um, well, I got into sewing again back when I was in the early days of university, so around about 14 years ago now. And I’ve been stashing since then. I come from a long line of stashers – my mother has a nice big stash (part of which has migrated to my stash, haha!) and my grandmother apparently has a stash of sewing and knitting patterns (which I hope to be able to see one day soon, she keeps them hidden away). So you could say I come by my stashing tendancies naturally, and there wasn’t really any way to avoid stashing. I’ve also inherited a few stashes from friend’s mothers when they found out I sew.

*gulp*

Yes, my stash is out of control. It’s bigger than I want to contemplate. Here’s some of it…..

Where do you keep your stash? How do you store it?

Anywhere there’s space! 😉

About half of it is stored in boxes lined up against the wall of our spare bedroom. The rest is stored in my bedroom (which is quite large, and half of it is my sewing area).

The fabric in boxes is all labelled to make it easy to find – I group it by knit or woven, and often by season as well. I list all the contents on a label on the outside of the box, and cross it off when I’ve used it. (And write in when things get added, naturally! 😉

I’ve got three suitcases full of fabric as well – I’ve got labels written out and attached to the suitcase handles to tell me what’s in there. Having labels on the outside of the fabric storage containers is great – I can browse my stash at a glance and easily find what I’m looking for. (And yes, I know pretty much all of what I have in there, so usually I’m just looking for a specific piece for a project.)

I also have a cupboard full – patterns (grouped by era) on the top shelf, and fabric on the bottom shelf.

And three shelves in my wardrobe have ended up being fabric. And one shelf is patterns.

And there are a few bolts of fabric in the wardrobe in our spare room.

(Yes, I have a fabric “problem”. *sigh* But it’s all so purty!!)

Pattern shelf - or is that shelves? — Pattern shelf – or is that shelves?

What is the oldest piece in your stash? What was your original plan for this piece and why hasn’t it happened?

Eek! Good question. I have no idea. The oldest by age would be some I inherited from other people’s stashes. Oldest I bought myself? Probably one of these crazy bright synthetic knit things – I went through a stage in early university years of dressing in crazy bright 1970’s print fabrics and flared jeans. I still have some fabric left over from those days, heck knows what I’ll do with it as it so isn’t my style any more…… (Maybe swap it??) Pretty much as soon as I started sewing I started accumulating fabric faster than I could use it!

What’s your favourite piece in your stash? Where did you get it, what do you love about it, what do you think you might do with it?

Oooh, so many options! I love most of my stash, it makes me happy and I see ideas and pretty things whenever I look at it. 🙂

Some of my favourites are:

This cotton fabric with retro swimming ladies printed on it. I got it as part of the Sewists Secret Santa swap – whoever sent it to me totally nailed my style! (And I really want to know who it was!!) I’m going to turn it into a 1950’s shirt at some point soon.

My mother just gave me this Mondrian-style cotton drill. Ain’t it fabulous? It’s going to be a 1950’s full skirted dress, to make the most of that awesome bright print.

I’ve had this stitchbird printed quilting cotton for a couple of years now. I absolutely adore it, and I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to turn it into a dress. 1950’s or 1940’s style? One or the other…..

Does the fabric you buy go straight into hiding or do you wash it first?

I always wash it as soon as I get it home. When I want to start a project, I want to start straightaway, so everything needs to be ready to use as soon as I want to use it! (Impatient? Perhaps.)

How do you add to your stash? Do you buy with a purpose in mind, or is it fabric lust?

A bit of both. I stash patterns as well, and sometimes I find fabric that I know will be perfect for a pattern I’m wanting to make up. Most of the time, the fabric is what dictates a project for me though – I see something, it calls my name, whispers in my ear that it wants to be a dress or a shirt or a skirt, and next thing I know I’ve bought it home and it’s sitting on my desk while I try and find space for it. Oops!

Do you have something in your stash that you cannot bear to cut into? Why?

I bought a length of gorgeous lightweight dark green silk, with gold metallic thread spirals on it, a few years ago. (Read: about 9-10 years ago. Oops.) I love it – it was one of those (very very few) times when I bought fabric without knowing what it was going to be turned into. And I’ve never used it. It’s so pretty, it seems it needs to be an evening dress, but I never wear those so see no point in making one. And so, it languishes in my stash. Every so often I bring it out to look at it and admire it, and feel a little bit guilty that I still have no idea what to make out of it….

Do you just stash fabric, or does the problem include patterns and notions?

Oh no, I’m a nice well-rounded individual. My problem includes everything. I have boxes and drawers full of patterns and notions. I even have two sewing machines sitting around unused, both vintage ones I’ve picked up somewhere, intending to get them working and try them out. So many plans, so little time…..

Have you decided to do a “stash-busting” resolution this year? If so, what have you decided to do?

Hah, yes indeed! No fabric or patterns or notions buy for me. At all. (Unless it’s something I need to finish off a project, like interfacing or a zip.)

(You will note, however, that there are a couple of little loopholes in this. I’m allowed to be given fabric etc, win it, or swap for it. All permissible activities. I need some way to refresh my stash, even if I’m not allowed to purchase things, after all! 😉

Thanks Kat for letting us have a glimpse into your fabric hoard! I love your vintage suitcases, and I think I may have to start labelling my boxes, like you do. You certainly do have a lot of fabric, good luck with the swapping!

The Stash I need to Swap

After going through my boxes, bags, drawers and hidey-holes, I have grudgingly put together the following to swap in the great stash swap party…

There are also a heap of patterns, please check out the Pinterest board for more. If you fancy a piece, leave me a comment and I will reserve the fabric for you. I will remove the item when we have done a swap. Comments can also be left on the pinterest board.

Black jersey with spotty circles - detail — Black jersey with spotty circles – detail

Black wool with sparkly stripe. 55cm x 150cm wide

Black jersey with high elastane content. Drapes very well, cool to wear. 1.6m x 150cm wide.

Stripe cotton seersucker 1.5m x 140cm wide

Black cotton corduroy. 50cm x 120cm wide

Very dark blue wide wale cotton cord. 50cm x 150cm

Black & white wool/poly blend. 50cm x 140cm wide

Join the Party!

Fabrics. Patterns. Buttons. Ribbons. Boxes, drawers, cupboards and bags full of lovely things. That’s what is hiding in my sewing space. Some aren’t doing a terribly good job at being discrete. Just about every year I tell myself I have to make more from what I have before picking up a delectable new something or other.

This time I decided I’d have to use two pieces of fabric from the stash before being allowed to purchase anything new. So far, so good, but I have to admit that some of what’s “hiding” just isn’t me anymore. And because I bought it for me, it won’t suit the girls either. What to do? SWAP!!

Kat from Modern Vintage Cupcakes and I have been planning a swap. One person’s unsuitable fabrics or patterns could be just up someone else’s street. And there’s no buying involved! A win-win if you ask me! Join us to Swap Your Stash this February – yes, just for February!! We even have a button! Thanks to Kat for this part, I’m hoplessly low tech on that front!

<div align="center"><a href="http://macskakat.wordpress.com/swap-your-stash/" title="Didyoumakethat"><img src="http://macskakat.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/swapbutton180.jpg" alt="Swap Your Stash" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

We’ll be revealing our own swap items in the next day or so, along with interviews from bloggers about their own stashes, how much they have, how they ~~hide~~ store it and how they add to it. We have set up a Pinterest board for you to browse, and to add your own pictures of swap items.

Join us – it’s easy! Read the guidelines, write a blog post showing all the things you want to swap, pin to Pinterest and let us know in comments on one of our blogs (Kat‘s or mine) what the URL of your swap blog post is. We’ll add you to the participant list, so other swappers can find you.

Get digging! 😀

Swap Your Stash!!

Welcome to the Swap Your Stash party! Want to join in? We’d love to have you!

Here are the guidelines on how to take part. We’ve designed them so that everything runs nice and smoothly and awesome swaps are made by all. (If you’re looking for other details, you can find pretty much everything via the Swap Your Stash page.)

What can I swap?
Stash Swapping is open to everything stash-related – fabric, patterns, and notions. (Heck, even sewing tools, if you feel that way inclined!) It’s up to you and the person you’re swapping with what you feel is a good swap for what.

How do I get added to the participant list?
Joining in is easy – just do a blog post (or two, or three…) featuring the things you want to swap, link back to the master list by leaving a comment on it or one of the stash swap pages with the link to your swap blog post (we’ll see your comment and add your post to the list), and start swapping!

I see there’s a Pinterest board – what’s that about?
There’s a Pinterest board set up as well so that people who are participating can see all that is being swapped in one place. It’s a good idea to add things you’re swapping to the Pinterest board, as it means it’s a lot easier for people to find things they like and want to swap for. Leave a comment below with you Pinterest handle/name and we’ll find you and add you to the group board so you can pin away. Once you’re added, it’s nice and easy to add things to the board – simply pin each of the images from your blog post.

What should I include in my blog post?
The more details you put about what you’re wanting to swap, the fewer questions you’re likely to have to answer – it makes things easier for both you and your swap partner/s too!

If you’re swapping fabric, tell people:
– the size of the fabric (length and width)
– if there are any flaws/odd bits cut out/etc
– fibre content (if you know it)
Ideally, photograph fabric with a tape measure included in the picture, so people can get an idea of the size of any texture or print.

If you’re swapping patterns, let people know:
– the size of the pattern
– whether it’s complete/pieces are missing

If you’re swapping notions like lace or ribbon, say:
– length and width

With everything, the better the pictures and descriptions, the more they’ll appeal to people!

What about sending things?
It’s up to you whether you’re happy to send internationally or not. (Or maybe you’re happy to post patterns overseas, but not fabric?) Either way, make it clear on your blog post so there’s no confusion.

The swapping finishes on 24 February. Aim to have all of your swap items posted off by 3 March.

What do I do once something has been swapped?
Once you’ve swapped something, make it clear that it’s no longer available. Update your blog post to say it’s been swapped, and (if you put it on) remove it from the Pinterest board. That way, there’ll be no confusion!

And the most important thing of all?
Have fun!! This is all about making friends, and reinvigorating your stash. Enjoy it!