The Sewing Place

The Sewing Place’s year-long stash-busting challenge - 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2020

Ann

I hope it is okay for me to start this thread. I'm ready to begin, not as a contest but as a way to be accountable to sew down the stash.

My goal this year is to sew 50 meters or more from the stash. My first smaller goal is to sew Christmas fabrics in January. I am ready to begin cutting out today. I can't sew until I get my machines back from being serviced on Friday or Saturday.

Ann was quicker than me, so I added a title post to hers:)


Welcome to The Sewing Place’s year-long stash-busting challenge.
There are no rules or regulations. This is about you deciding how you want to stashbust, defining your own goals and cheering others on along the way.

This thread will run all year, and conclude at the end of 2020. Whether you choose to diligently stashbust along and record your numbers or just join in the thread is up to you.

I'd recommend if you want to take this seriously, defining your goal statement in a post here, and keeping track of your numbers either in a spreadsheet or in your signature. If you want to copy my signature, here is the code, just copy & paste it into the "signature" field on "Profile > Forum profile"

Code: [Select]
<b>Stash Busting 2020</b>
Goal: 100 metres
So far: 0m metres

Alternatively, you could just track it here, for example:

Existing stash:
Used up: (hopefully with pictures, because we are nosy  ;))
Newly added: (hopefully less than used up  ;))
Updated stash:



« Last Edit: January 03, 2020, 22:38:17 PM by Manuela »
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Starryfish

I am planning to make a top for the January competition from my stash. I don't know exactly how big it is so I can't resolve to sew so many metres.
6 more metres arrived by post yesterday. :ninja: Sorry, it was the sales.
A day without sewing is a day wasted.

Ann

@Starryfish, I don't know how much fabric I have in the stash nor do I plan on inventorying it prior to sewing it. I keep track as I sew it. I know I have more than 50 meters of fabric as I measured 30 meters of Christmas fabric as DD asked how much of it I had.

I may take part in the January competition as I want to try a new bag pattern and have a horse print for it. I have my fingers crossed I won't have to buy any fabric but I have a feeling I may have to. I want to make my own piping and may not have enough of that fabric. I may not have enough of the horse fabric if I have to fussy cut it.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Ellabella

I was doing reasonably well with last year’s challenge until I had a bit of a December buying frenzy.

Aiming not to buy anything for a few months (We’ll see how long that lasts!) so am just going to record fabric used.

Otherwise I may have to start a support group for fabric addicts,  any joiners? :ninja:

Acorn

When you say 'support', do you mean 'encouragement'?   ;)
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Helen M

Thank you for the reminder to change my signature @Ann ! I only managed 8.5m out of the 30 I'd aimed for in 2019 but I hardly sewed at all.

This year I've upped it to 35 metres so we'll see if I can get a bit closer.........

Being small it doesn't take much fabric to make a top or pants, well that's my excuse!
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
Items decluttered: 55

Bodgeitandscarper

I've no idea how much stash I have, but I'm going to try to reduce it.  It actually annoys me to have fabric sitting there, not used.  I'd love to be like @Lowena and only have fabric for the current project, nothing else.
Trouble is, at the moment, my part of the walk-in wardrobe is full...

snoozi soozi

I too have no idea how much I have, but it is a lot. I succumbed to a couple of set pieces reduced in price from Croftmill last week - 2019  :P  -  but I'm going to really try to use up a lot of the stash this year    :sew:   :trousers:  :frock:   =   :angel:
Let it sew, let it sew, let it sew

Vezelay

No problem  :) Good to know I'm not the worst.
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SewRuthieSews

My fabric is overflowing again so I think I'll do the spreadsheet again.

https://sewjourners.net/2018/01/02/stash-shrinker/

I found this very helpful as I will not be doing an inventory. I did this in 2018 and it helped me sew 128 metres of fabric (but only buy half that). 2019 was much less disciplined. So back to counting what I buy and sew for 2020.

Starryfish

@Vezelay your stash is tidier than mine! I think I need to refold and categorise mine then it might fit in the boxes.
A day without sewing is a day wasted.

Vezelay

My fabric is overflowing again so I think I'll do the spreadsheet again.

https://sewjourners.net/2018/01/02/stash-shrinker/

I found this very helpful as I will not be doing an inventory. I did this in 2018 and it helped me sew 128 metres of fabric (but only buy half that). 2019 was much less disciplined. So back to counting what I buy and sew for 2020.

@SewRuthieSews where on earth do you put it all? Your wardrobe must be positively overflowing!

Marniesews

I'm not really a joiner but this has me thinking I want to, rather than just need to. I'll probably try out the spreadsheet idea too although I really do want to cut right back on the buying and only get new fabric when it's needed for a project in hand (I've got some dance dresses coming up so I can't avoid that entirely). I sew far fewer now – good thing, but I can't resist lovely fabric when I see it at an irresistible price – bad thing in the circumstances.

I'm also intending to sew up some of my stash to sell as ready-to-wear in standard sizes in place of the custom fit dresses that I stopped making for the dance school as a whole some time ago because the demand overwhelmed me and became a burden. I shall strongly resist getting sucked back into that. I've already decided that I'll use my stash for the new venture so this all seems like good timing. I'll add it to my signature at the first use of the stash.

I also wish my stash fitted as compactly as that @Vezelay:o
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Ellabella

When you say 'support', do you mean 'encouragement'?   ;)

@Acorn I’d be surprised if you needed encouragement  :D but far be it from me to stifle anybody’s urges. I’m going to buy vicariously through you lot. Admire everybody’s purchases then go and root through what I already have. I keep finding things I have no recollection of buying.  :S

Tim Sr

@SewRuthieSews
I being new to the joys of sewing, have seen how the equipment multiplies (Like bunnies) and since I have only bought one section of fabric for sewing, realize this is a problem I will adopt in time. So to get off to a good start, I must say I am in. I will have to modify the spreadsheet for use with Libre-calc, as it gives an error on save and requires a password to do a modify to the document. Done
I will have to measure everything I got from Mom to know what the total is.

Tim
Sew it up, Rip it out, Sew it up, Rip it out, Sew it up...check the pattern..Rip it out!