I relate to this so much. Lately I’ve been trying to be more honest with myself about the crafts I enjoy doing and the supplies I enjoy using.
I recently watched a video and she was talking about finding your crafting style. There might be projects you love to look at and would love to have in your home but you don’t enjoy the process of making them. And that’s ok. But by having all of the supplies around that you’ll never use, it makes less room and functional space for the supplies and crafts you do love. She also talked about not feeling bad about acquiring something and later realizing that it’s not for you. You still got joy out of it - picking it out, waiting for it to arrive (if it was shipped), looking at it, etc. Something about that really hit home for me and I’ve been thinking much more objectively about am I really going to use/make this if it’s been sitting in my closet for 10 years untouched?
This is super hard; I know I am bad at daydream acquisition when my brain is tapped out for actually sitting down and making stuff; the project by the couch (or wherever you’re going to find yourself settled for a bit) is helpful; I also have a floating mending bag with the basic supplies for fixing in it, and then a box of mending projects where I’ll add a few to the bag before we go someplace, which works especially well for patching knees of kid clothes and suchlike.
For me the important distinction is between things I want to do, and things I want to want to do. It can be really hard to tell what category something falls into, especially when shopping or looking at pinterest, but once you start forcing your brain to categorize things that way it can help a bit with culling stuff you’re realistically never actually going to get to ever. (and then things I want to have done is a third angle for which gathering supplies & taking them to a place where you’re stuck with nothing else to do is helpful!)
Also re: “but I might have to re-buy this later!” think about the longevity of the supply… If it’s something that wears out/dries up/etc but is easy to replace, it’s better to send it on to be used before it dies and then get just what you need next time (if there is a next time) rather than filling up your spaces with it. Sometimes the craft store (or the library!) is a better storage space for things than your house is.
Daydream acquisition…yup that’s me! I have become stricter about what I allow myself to buy the past few years but I have still managed to add to my stash. This year I am doing a no buy challenge on my crafting. So far I have been successful AND I have destashed through crafting and passing items on.
This discussion has been great you guys. I really appreciate everyone’s insight and willing to share.
It doesn’t use much, but it used the last wee ball of this yarn. It is one of my all time favorite acrylic variegated colorways from too many years ago. When AIMR and I were making hearts back in Jan/February I thought a garland or something of the last litgle bits of a favorite yarn or one from an important project/event would be a fun timeline in a craft space and this is the first one done. It is currently hanging off the apothecary jar of Vanna’s Choice remnants.
AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
205
A garland using up the last of favorite bits of yarn would be nice to have!
You just gave me my “traveling on the road” project! I can make a bunch of hearts with the rainbow yarn we got from DGY. I do not need another rainbow shawl…lol.
I’m counting all these materials as stash since everything has been sitting in my craft room for so long. Some items I purchased in January with the intention of making a lightbox then of course didn’t. Some of them are from @AIMR that she generously sent me from the use it or lose it thread. The items are for a good friend of mine as part of a thank you box for a friend of mine who gave me an adorable puppy several months ago.
Ya’ can’t lose when you’re catching up on a thread and the last image is happy puppoh!
I’ve been “having” to buy more new materials lately, but pretty much entirely for specific projects and those projects are getting done. Sadly, I bought some fabric for a commission and it is totally not going to work as I hoped. Luckily, I didn’t even get a whole yard.
I have been having better luck at culling at non-craft stashes. Not in big feel swoops but in small spurts and that’s fine. Each little project gears me up to do a little more.
I co-hosted a celebration of life gathering for a neighbor that died in May - it was lightly western/cowboy themed and the main hostess bought these rolls of table covering. So I used some to tie around these cans which I destashed** of the recycling and rusted using mostly salt and H2O2. There were 5 in all - enough for all the tables, but I didn’t get any pics until after I went back down again this morning to help with the very last of the picking up and she “made” me bring some home.
** And I gotta say that since recycling around here is a bit of a chore, it really is kind of a stash of cans! It’s probably been two years since I took the steels to the metal recycling place so I have A LOT of steel stuff. It’s part of what I am inspired to tackle in the next few weeks.
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AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
209
I love the rust on the old cans…with the fresh flowers, it is a nice contrast and has some meaning to your friend’s life celebration…what a nice simple project…
Thank you! I like the contrast, too, and it was informal enough for this event, but still a nice little touch. I tried hard to get flowers that were wild-flower-like and think these worked out. Our own wildflowers are pretty much all dried out this time of year, but espeically this year as we are about 3 weeks ahead on “fuel” for forest fires.
I’ve finally been organizing and clearing space. The Use it or Lose it thread has been really helpful. So far I’ve sent out at least 5 mailings and have another 2 packed up to go to the post office this week. Feeling like it is going “to good homes” is helping me to let it go.
That helps me too. I’m about to send a huge box of super special stuff away & another smaller box across the border. I still owe fabric bits to a couple people & some other stuff. It feels good letting go, especially knowing it’s going to a happy recipient.
Hemp from ollllldddd stash, like pre-kids. Gingham from 2nd hand kid pants, in stash for at least a decade. Same for the zipper & even the thread, wooden spool - still good!l
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AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
216
I love that you took old and made it modern and cute-oooo!
I didn’t make it up, I just googled little pouches & cases I liked the look of to create my own versions. I feel like sewing after a long dry spell, it’s great!
