Sort of subletting time in the stash. 
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They’re there just long enough to get the others on their feet and moving.
I’ve made it just about halfway through my fabric inventory. I still have three drawers, two shoeboxes, and all the fabric that doesn’t have a home. And the Christmas box. So, maybe halfway is being overly optimistic. Sigh…
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I ran the numbers for everything I used up last year. I produced 40g of thread ends (which can now be discarded - I don’t even know why I keep track of them), 7 spools of thread, a pack of sewing machine needles, a disappearing ink pen, 1 spool of quarter inch satin ribbon, and 6 rolls of washi tape. If my calculations are right, and I am pretty sure they are not, I also used around 15 yards of fabric, all but three of which would be from stash. However! I am really skeptical about that last stat, honestly, and need to run the math for a second third time.
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I’ve been analyzing my yarn stash the last few weeks. There’s not really anything I would like to just be rid of - I want to use it - but, so many things didn’t have an intended project (a lot did at one time, but plans were abandoned). So, I searched Ravelry for patterns to match stash and got almost everything assigned to a pattern, and then queued it all up.
Last night, I cast on a stash-busting throw that should use up a good chunk of my sport weight cottons.
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I’m so impressed that you found patterns for all your undeclared yarns! That’s always my downfall. Good for you!
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Not all, but most. It might take a couple years to get through it all, though. 
Why is yarn soooo pretty?!
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What a great idea! I have used Ravelry’s pattern search before for random things, but I know you can put in yardage and type of yarn as well.
I am going to get some large ziplock bags to sort pattern and yarn into kits. It would help when I don’t know what to make. Maybe I will do a few patterns for each yarn…oh boy, a big project for sure!
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I love the 2 gallon ziplok bags for projects. I haven’t seen them in a while, but i think i used to get them from staples or the like when I was a production manager.
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You can get them from Target. I buy them regularly for storing all kinds of things when I’m doing a pickup order.
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I managed to find three patterns to knit with stash before I went down the rabbit hole of finding patterns where I would have to buy more yarn…ugh…I stopped myself and will just have to do a few at a time…
Casting on a project using up some butter colored DK yarn that was supposed to be used in an blanket that I let go of…
I also need more totes to hold this ongoing projects…lol…
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Storage is a huge issue for me; I just bought a new 12-cubby storage unit, to add onto my existing 20-cubby unit. The 60% increase in storage was filled immediately–almost entirely fabric and sewing related; beads, buttons, paints, paper, resin supplies are all stored elsewhere (on the floor, on the tables, in a drawer unit under the table…)
But I had a revelation while cramming stuff into cubbies…
“If I used this, I wouldn’t have to store it.”
Genius, huh?
So I grabbed the bulkiest thing–a big bag of cotton batting–and used it as intended, to cover my ironing board.
Then I went on to another bulky item, a big piece of eye-searingly bright yellow-green fleece. Today, my legs are warm, and I won’t get lost in traffic. I have one other piece of fleece big enough for pants, so that’s on the list for today.
Next up is the flannel cubby; I could use some warm tunics…oooh, if I made them reversible, it would use twice as much fabric!
shoot, now I’m going to need a bigger closet.
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So true, and so motivating!
Since I’m on a no-buy this year, I’ve declared that everything craftable is stash, even if it arrived on Dec. 31 2022. So technically I’ve been making tiny inroads into my sticker stash, although I’ve been using more recent acquisitions in addition to some that have been hanging around for a couple months. It’s not anything I would normally share here, but I used up two whole sheets! Woohoo! Only 314,159 to go.
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I cannot tell y’all how much I’ve had to fight the urge to buy more yarn for this sweater I’m currently working on…
I’m following the Mondrian Pullover pattern, and I kept thinking I was not going to have enough of the yellow yarn to do at least the back and front. I literally have yarn in an Amazon cart waiting for me to push a button. Joke is on me though, I finished the front and back and still have a big and medium sized ball leftover that should definitely be enough for two cuffs.
So far this is all from stash and I’m going to incorporate another yarn in stash as well! These are not colors I would have chosen to put together if I was shopping, but it’s growing on me.
(Also first time for instarsia too!)
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I like those colors together. I think a bit of odd coloring adds to the charm of that pattern.
I feel you, though…I had 55 skeins of yarn in my shopping cart to make a shawl and at the last minute, realized it was going to be over $100 and I had every color I needed in my scrap/small amounts basket! It won’t be exactly like the pattern, but, that is a good thing as well.
Restraint! Good for you!!!
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It’s awesome! Can’t wait to see it done.
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I have made a destash decision…
I have 2 large RUBs* full of denim. Y’know how it is when you aspire to making something and let the word out and get everyone’s dead jeans… that happened.
I made a quilt out of a bunch, but I have loads of denim left that is sitting there and has been for a long time. I need to set it freeeeee.
The decision feels good, now to action it!!!
*RUB e.g. https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/really-useful-62l-nestable-storage-box-clear
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I love those boxes! I use smaller ones to organize tons of different craft supplies.
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I have various sizes to try and organise, but the denim kept on coming and has not been used in years.
There are many WIPs hanging around that could be neatly tidies into these boxes!!
They are great though
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I have tons of fabric in pieces too small for garments (fat quarters to about a yard). My plan was to make pretty patchwork clothes, but I get overwhelmed with choices. Yesterday, I sorted out my favorite colors and spread them all over the living room floor to see what could be done.
Then I separated out “hero” fabrics, ones with lots of colors and a bold design (quilters call them focus fabrics).
Next, I chose fabrics that went with each of the hero fabrics, and chose one set to work with (the less bold peacock feather group).
I tore the companion fabrics into various widths, and stitched them end to end to make long strips. I pressed all the seam allowances open!
Then I stitched them together to make new fabric. Several hours later, I had a piece 88" long by 20" wide. I had to stop because I spilled a glass of water all over it, and didn’t want to sew wet fabric.
hero fabric on top, constructed fabric below:
It’s so freaking boring!
I think my issues are:
- The hero fabric is rather dull and uses similar values throughout. Although I deliberately included some darker and lighter fabrics, it’s not exciting.
- The companion prints all read as small scale; I need some bolder prints for interest.
- That pink… There is lavender in the hero, but this is too pink, and the stripes of it are too wide.
- I don’t really like stripes, and that’s what I made.
So basically, I spent yesterday turning small pieces of fabric into smaller pieces of fabric, and wound up with something I wouldn’t buy at a thrift store for a buck.
fortunately, my scrappy hangings use narrow strips of fabric, so I can use the skinny bits. And now I won’t feel bad about tearing up fat quarters instead of just using scraps…
And I separated the big-enough-for-clothes fabrics from the rest. That can be inspiration to use that instead of getting bogged down by the idea of using the bits and pieces.
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Thank you for sharing your thought process, I really liked the walk through of your thinking. I’ve been trying to work on value and contrast in my own work and get better at studying things to see what I like/don’t like so this was really interesting to read (and I agree with all of your points). I think you have some good contrast on the right side with both the darker teal and pink and the stripe widths but agree that the left side and the hero fabric is all of a similar value and reads same same.
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