2023 DeStash-Along

I recently came to the realization that I will not likely be able to eliminate any type of craft from my repertoire or its supplies from my stash, but for some reason I am able to decide not to add any totally new crafts. No more new jewelry stuff - I just don’t do it, but I will commit to a couple projects to use what I have over the next couple of years and then purge. But it’s OK to deepen and expand on the crafts I already do using tools I already have - like doing more HTV with my Cricut. It’s not a solution for a lot of people, but it feels like a breakthrough for me!

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Yes, i am diving deeper into embroidery than ever before, and really enjoying exploring things i never thought i could do. Learning not only new stitching techniques, but the use of different tools & supplies. It feels good to let go of something where I was never “good enough” - and i don’t mean anyone was judging me, but more like my own body never got comfortable enough to let me get better at it. I have been knitting for decades but always had to look up how to purl left-handed continental! :rofl:

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Cyclical interest is exactly how I roll too! I have basic supplies for probably 15 different crafts, but am only into a couple of them at a time.

I feel like I’ve been pretty successful keeping to only purchasing supplies for the craft I’m currently doing, and my newest push is to be stricter about not buying new supplies until I actually get to the step where it’s required. Example from literally this morning - I theoretically want to make a knit wrap dress, which I need test fabric for, before I make it in my nice fabric. But I’m not allowed to buy it until I have the pattern traced and ready to go, because chances are I’ll get distracted before that point.

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That’s a great way to do it!

I always find that I get really caught up in the research/shopping stage for larger projects (just about everything is large to me) and then lose steam when it comes time to actually craft. Your strategy seems like a good way to keep the momentum going.

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That sounds like you have an amazing amount of restraint! That’s awesome.

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Crushing the stash! 3 scrappy baskets filled with 4 carrot treat bags each, almost entirely from stash! I’m so happy about this project!

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Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates, and Happy Day Before Half-Price Pastel Candy for those who don’t!

I completely forgot I had this fat eighth in my stash until this weekend. There’s still enough left over for maybe two more dresses depending on the size.

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Adorable little dresses. Are they sisters or best friends?

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@irid3sc3nt They’re buddies. Always fun to match your bestie.

Hazel needed a pastel dress for Easter too. Third variation of the Turin & Katten Lizbeth dress (off the shoulder version)

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Your tiny prints are just so adorable!

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Very cute print and look at those tiny shoes!

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I had an unexpected destash today. I was moving stuff to my new craft space, and found a fabric bin of acrylic yarn scraps that had a small amount of food crumbs in it - probably from a mouse. No other evidence of mouse habitation, but it got binned, just in case. I was planning on destashing everything in it anyway, just not into the garbage.

The big destash starts this week. The basement is almost finished, and stuff needs to move to the craft area or into backroom storage, and I am limiting myself to whatever fits.

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I am doing a spirit doll workshop on Sunday and I boxed everything up to haul to the site. Way too much stuff. This will be a good test on what is really needed and how do I slim down for another workshop in July. The July one involves packing everything in with the camping gear, which is already a full pack in our little Honda Fit. May have to haul out the roof bag. I don’t like the thing, but it’s useful.
The box up of supplies made such a small dent in the craft room. Sigh, stash really does multiply to overflow an area.

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:alarm_clock: :fly: :fly: :fly: TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE MAKING THINGS :yarn: :scroll: :sewing_needle: :art: :birthday:

We’ve just over a day and a half until the Peek Behind The Curtains Challenge closes! I just know some of you have made some stash-heavy projects that you have not given their own topic. Please share with us before Midnight on April 19 2023, US Pacific Time.

PeekChallengeApril2023

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My de-stash/de-clutter is putting along with the heady speed of a snail on decaf, but still moving forward so I’ll take it. I have a sweater for Kidlet and some socks on the needles and after a long stretch of the “crafty blahs” I seem to be coming back to the yarn daily again.

I canceled a subscription to a yarn of the month club ($10/month). I kept finding that while I usually liked the surprise yarn that came my way more often than not I couldnt find patterns I want to make with them.

I also have managed to keep myself to my embargo with the exception of a birthday splurge. My budget is still effed up from the medical bill adventures of last year so I want to be judicious in my craft purchases. (#AdultingIsBoring) I have a wish-list/virtual cart going on Hobbii that I keep a running list of yarns in quantity for projects I would like to make and don’t currently have the appropriate supplies and that seems to be holding me for now.

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Sounds like a good plan. I struggle to find patterns to fit the yarn I get as well. Much better to do it the opposite way of finding what I would like to make then get the yarn. Only, I don’t seem to operate that way. I have no idea what I want to make…I usually just see something and want to make it now.

But, I have found that I also waste a lot of time using the yarn I have and then hating the pattern or the color is not right or something. I am still trying to find a happy middle ground.

I have inherited so many beautiful yarns from others, but I am sure many of them are because they also struggled to know what to make from them!

I have been using Ravelry’s search tool based on the yarn type and it seems to be working well! I have about six patterns printed out and matched to yarn in my stash.

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Too many ‘pretty! Now what do I use it for?’ yarns in my stash, as well.

But, your post just made me realize that a pattern I want to make calls for some combination of yarns to get to worsted weight, and if I combine a few of those impulse yarns (I still might need to pick up some lace-weight for it), I can do it - and destash in the process! So, backstory time. I had this great, vintage 80s (?) cardigan…green cotton, mock neck, loose fit, fabulous drape…and, I wore it to death (or until my husband couldn’t stand the Kelly green anymore). Anyway, I was furiously searching ravelry the other day, and I found a pattern that, minus the pockets, is nearly identical. So, I’m a happy camper and it’s my next project (as soon as I get that lace to make gauge).

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That is a fabulous pattern! I have a similar red cardigan that has faded to a more pinkish color. I don’t wear it much because of the pink…I just can’t get rid of it until I make a new one! The pattern was from an old Japanese knitting book that I no longer have.

I need to finish the Whatever sweater I started…I like that pattern because it combines yarns as well!

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Curious: could you dye the pink sweater to something you like better? If the structure and fit is sound, I mean.

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I did dye it once with red. It has faded back to a pink/red. It is really too heavy weight to wear down here as well except for a few days…I was thinking of trying to dye it again and changing out the buttons to look less “frumpy” on me.

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