The Big November Destashing week 1: Sorting & Organising
08:00Hello and welcome to week 1 of the The Big November Destashing here, At home with Mrs H.
This month we’re going to try and inspire you bust some of your stash and challenge yourself not to buy any new fabric for the entire month of November. You are free to swap fabric with your friends!
The first thing we’re going to do this week is take a good long look at our fabric stash. I know that some of you will have a shelf or a box and others will have a separate room and maybe half a dozen shelves. It still applies to you.
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| Fabric salad by Erin Singleton shared with CC BY 2.0 |
But what’s the point in buying all this fabric if we’re not sewing with it? So this week we’re going to take everything out from the shelves, boxes, bags, under the bed :) or wherever you are stashing your fabric.
First of all, make sure you unfold and touch every piece of fabric you own. Make 3 piles: fabric you love/inspiring, fabric you can’t remember why you have it/uninspiring and fabric you’re 90% sure you’re never going to use.
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| Jan:10 by Kim Love shared with CC BY SA 2.0 |
Fold your fabric from the first two piles and put it back in storage (ideally you should have access to a storage solution where you can see your fabric, like an open shelf). If necessary wash and iron your fabric before folding it carefully.
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| Stash by Merete Veian shared with CC BY SA 2.0 |
Put the uninspiring fabric away and consider donating it, creating a swap with your friends, donating it or even selling it. After you’re finished (or while you organise) sit down and write any ideas for new projects that the organisation of fabric has sparked.
Make a list of things you’d like to sew or ideas for using the fabrics you love most.
Now it’s time to give yourself a big pat on the back! You’ve done it! What have you noticed when you were organising your fabric? What percentage of fabric went into each of your piles?
12 comments
So. What happens if I have fabric I love but that I'm 90% sure I'm never going to use? This is a timely post for me, a prospective house move next year means the sewing room being packed up!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a friend who loves sewing, @Lynz? You could considering giving it away!
DeleteAnd good luck with the house move :)
Many churches have quilting ministries and would love to have your fabric!
DeleteThank you for your suggestion, Kim!
DeleteI'm similar to Lynz, I don't have much left that I don't love or won't use after I despatched earlier this year, it's just there's never enough time to actually use it before something else comes out that's a must buy!
ReplyDeleteI know! But then it should be cut and stitched, I say :)
DeleteArgh, the getting rid of stuff part is so hard! I haven't even looked at my fabrics yet but know off the top of my head that I've surely got some I can get rid of... It will be hard, though!
ReplyDeleteWe never said it would be easy! But it will make your sewing room/space more organised and hopefully will inspire you to actually use more of the fabric you once liked enough to buy and bring home!
DeleteUnfold and touch? Lovely idea!
ReplyDeleteSometimes the best ideas come when one's actually touching the fabric, seeing the drape, imagining what it will become, don't you think? :)
DeleteI have my fabric stored in clear bins, but as I went through it, I realized there were many more fabrics than I could see through the box. I took pictures of each piece of fabric, and now I have a record of it in my computer. I am so glad I did this, Samantha! It saved me from going to the store and buying new fabric to make Christmas stockings this year. I had a bunch of lovely Christmas fabric I had forgotten!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, Kim!
DeleteYou actually took this a step further and created a created a digital archive for your fabric. I would love to know more about this is you're interested in sharing!
I want to see those finished Christmas stockings!