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

[Ann]

I started March slowly as I got caught up in doll clothes. 1.65 meters in a week and still not finished one doll outfit. The pattern pieces were not correct.  I had to set it aside while the pattern was fixed by the designer.

I bought the fabric for a reading pillow on Monday and it was done by Wednesday. It goes to the library on Saturday.

I also bought .7 meter of fabric to make 2 wall hangings. One is on the machine and will be done tomorrow. That is my monthly purchased fabric used up. The rest of the month is from the stash. I do enjoy buying for projects that I will be making immediately. I quite happily dig back into the stash and sew.

[MitchOfTheNorth]

All I've managed to do is buy more fabric!

[b15erk]

Used up yet more fabric making sheets and pillowslips for Theo's new big-boy bed.  Both were made from new sheets I had bought for yardage when they were in the sale a few years ago, and they have made up beautifully.

The first set is already on Theo's bed, the second set will be going at some point this week.  I'm a little disappointed with the name on the 2nd set, as it has 'whiskers'.  The stabiliser I used to stop it fraying, also stopped the applique adhesive sticking, so that when I sewed it, the edges just shredded.  I was going to put this in the Selfless Sewing comp, but it just looks messy - and yes I have trimmed it, but the 'whiskers' keep peeking out.

Jessie

[snoozi soozi]

Confession: think I'm buying more than I'm using. Another delivery from the Dutch enabler this morning 

[Ann]

I haven't bought since the beginning of March. All fabric stores are closed. My favorite one is doing drive by. You email or mail what you want and pay by credit card and it gets put in your car when you're notified to pick it up. This month will probably be no purchases.

I cut out 9.25 meters of fabric and sewed 6+ meters. I stalled on the burlap Christmas tree skirt. The burlap started to fray so I need an underlining of the same color or a shade lighter. The ruffle is cut, roll hemmed, and gathered waiting for me to finish it.

Including the skirt, I have sewn 30.95 meters in the first quarter of this year. I'm hoping I get 90 meters sewn up this year.

[MitchOfTheNorth]

Umm, I'm washing piles of fabric since Mr. Mitch filled the sewing room with smoke. 

[Ann]

I'm sewing masks right now. I did 18 masks and now have an order for 34. I will be laundering fabric today, sewing two masks that are cut out and starting assembly line cutting tomorrow. I have figured out that 6 pleated masks take .8 meter of fabric.

The main stash and doll stash will be raided today. I'm even going to raid the Christmas fabric as I have some that will work either for lining or outer fabric. Thread may or may not match. These are for people who wear them in a shop as they are essential services. I'm hoping this will be it for mask sewing.

[elisep]

Well this pandemic has been for one thing, and that’s stash busting.  I’m setting myself a challenge of 50 metres this year, hopefully it’s realistic!

I used 5 metres in February for a formal dress (+1 metres of new fabric) to start the year off!
I’ve used a further 5 metres on my Chanel jacket and 2 metres on my vogue shirt, both works in progress so I won’t count them until they’re finished!

I’m anticipating the rest of my 6pac challenge to use another 8.5 metres so all going well, I’ll be under 30 metres remaining by the end of May! My goal WAS to not buy any fabric this year... unfortunately I “accidentally” just bought another 7 metres 

Goal: 50 metres
Used: 5 metres
Remaining: 45 metres

[elisep]

Here's a question for you all -
If I make a shirt that takes 1.5 metres, and I cut it out of a 2 metre piece, do I count it as 2 metres used or 1.5? Half a metre left over is rarely enough to make anything else unless the piece is suitable for a very basic short sleeve top. If I buy fabric with a blouse or shirt in mind I usually get 2m unless it's expensive.

[Ann]

@elisep, I count it as 1.5 meters as I use the other .5 meter for doll clothes.

By the end of the month, I will have sewn 40.65 meters of fabric. DH stated it didn't look like I had taken that much fabric off the shelves. I refrained from strangling him. I do keep larger scraps of fabric for doll clothes and those pieces do take up space.

I started to worry about thread but am trying not to be over worried. We aren't shopping at all and the fabric stores are closed. I could order online but am trying to refrain from that as Canada post is experiencing volumes equal to Christmas.

Stay safe and take care.

[BrendaP]

I've been using the spreadsheet linked posted by @SewRuthieSews
https://sewjourners.net/2018/01/02/stash-shrinker/

But all the scrubs sewing is playing havoc with the stashbusting.  I'm supposed to sew more than I buy, but stash didn't have any fabric suitable for scrubs so I bought 14m and sewed 14m so that didn't dent the stash.  Then I sewed the precuts which were from donated fabric (paid for by crowd funding) so do I include that? and the next lot will be fabric paid for by the practice who will be receiving them. Lots of sewing but not reducing stash.

[SewRuthieSews]

If you want to record your scrubs achievement then perhaps a completely separate spreadsheet showing what you've sewn and how much fabric that used would be the best bet.

I have not been using the stash shrinker this year, and I have probably bought more than I've sewn.

[Ann]

I've been busy in the sewing room with a new attitude about sewing. I've decided to enjoy the journey with less of "sew down that stash" attitude. It has made sewing a lot more enjoyable. I've also been outside more as the weather has improved considerably.

By the end of the month, I will have sewn 45.5 meters or 49 yards. I should be over my goal of 50 meters by the end of June.

I've bought no fabric since the beginning of March and hope to stay that way for the next 3 months. If I've survived this long, I can go longer. I do need some notions though (thread, zippers, snaps, bees wax, cording and some buttons). Our fabric stores have just started to reopen and have a restrictions about shopping; masks, limited number in at one time, 30 minutes shopping time.

[Ann]

I didn't meet the 50 meter goal at the end of June. Got to 47.4 meters. I spent the month making doll clothes for one of my dolls.

I then decided to try and draft a bodice pattern for another doll and am back to the drawing board on that one. Today I will work on it again and see if I can draft a better fitting muslin.

[Ann]

July almost became a bust as I had only sewn .9 meters on July 30. I then got to sew a banner that used up 5.2 meters of fabric so ended up sewing 6.1 meters of fabric. Total sewn this year is 53.5 meters or 58.4 yards.

I did buy some fabric in July but I've sewn enough that I could. I hope to have the yardage sewn up by the end of the year. This month I have to make 2 bags for DD as she is donating them as prizes at a dog trial. I am looking forward to that. I also hope to sew another bag and more doll clothes.