Stash less challenge #1

I’ve found the the Stash Less series of posts at The Craft Sessions thought provoking and decided to  take part in the Stash Less Challenge

In 2016 we invite you to join us in your own personal Stash Less project. Stash Less is a project whereby we work towards having a mindful stash. Each month we will be posting a challenge for you to use in your own journey of discovery and change. 

  The first challenge is to take stock of your stash, document it, and think about why you bought that fabric.  I have a spreadsheet for my fabric, and currently I have about 120 metres, plus a few UFOs and some fabric I have designated as muslin fabric…… Gulp!   I find the spreadsheet doesn’t convey the amount I have, it’s just numbers. So I decided to photograph it in categories that make sense to me.  Carrying it to be photographed, I realise the volume of fabric I have, it’s heavy, and takes up a considerable amount of space. 

This is my jersey stash, isn’t it lovely? But I reckon half of it I bought because of FOMO.  Jersey is the fabric I am most likely to sew, it’s quick, doesn’t require that much fitting. 

Him indoors came when I was photographing, and said “is that all fabric?”  I think he sees fabric as not in a  useable state, as it’s not items of clothing. There was the inevitable comment about how much I must have spent.

This is my vintage stash, some from charity vintage fairs, how can you not support a charity??

The navy blue wool even had a hand written note on it, stating it was made at a Bradford mill, and at least 50 years old. The grey barkcloth with poppies on, was £20, and is at least 6 yards. Some day I will make some curtains from it!

These are my cottons for dresses and shirts, at least half the purchases influenced by blogs, as were the flannels and linens below.

Do we sense a colour theme here? 

This wool purchase is for a suit, that won’t get made for a least a year. I am aiming for the 1688 Cynthia Rowley jacket, with 2 Maria Denmark Yasmin Yoke skirts. 

These are my fabrics to make special tops and blouses, two pieces of Liberty fabric in there. 

So? It’s all mostly lovely, but I don’t want to have this much. There are lots of reasons I buy fabric, because buying is quicker and easier than making something, the  hope I can turn the fabric into a beautiful item of clothing to wear, fear of missing out (FOMO) linked to seeing things on blogs. It also feels easier to justify buying fabric rather than clothes somehow. When I started sewing again in 2013 I was determined, to buy fabric just for my wardrobe needs. But I got pulled into the vintage, floral, indie patterns, what bloggers are sewing etc.  

But, this is where I am now, I can’t get my money back. I do like all of the above fabric, and wish I had more time to sew it. 

I’ll blog next time about my plans and thoughts for future stashing.