Friday 27 January 2012

The UFO/Stash Busting Project! Why not join me?


Hello there lovely readers! I am so excited about this post it's not even true, this is something I've been planning for a while and I cannot wait to get started!

One of the typical problems that most home sewers face (myself in particular!) is the ever growing stash. When you love making clothes it's so easy to get over excited by fabric stores and buy things that you don't really need or fabrics that you don't have a project in mind for. And there's nothing wrong with this of course, we all deserve a little treat now and then, but I've started to look at my stash and feel a bit guilty. 

I have piles of beautiful fabric, heaps of unused vintage sewing patterns, and, being a knitter, I also have an obscene amount of left over wool, all of which are just crying out to be turned into something beautiful. I also have a selection of UFO projects, both sewing and knitting, that for some reason or other have fallen by the wayside over the past year. I could have almost doubled the amount of clothes I created last year if I had finished some of these UFOs! My sewing space has become overrun, so much so that something has to be done and pronto, or pretty soon I'll have no space to do any actual sewing! 

And so the UFO/Stash Busting Project was born!

This year I have decided to tackle my stash head on and also finish all the UFOs that I've been meaning to work on for months. The main idea of this project is to take note of all the fabric, patterns, wool etc. that I have stored up simply make use of them. I will also gather together all my UFOs and either complete them or turn them into something new and exciting. 

Now I'm the type of person was needs to set myself some guidelines when it comes to big projects, so here they are for your viewing pleasure!

UFO/Stash Busting Project Guidelines:
  1. Projects must use at least one item from the stash, for example one pattern or one piece of fabric. A combination of items can of course be used too!
  2. New elements may be bought but they must be used with an item from the stash. For example I can buy fabric and notions for a particular pattern in the stash, but I can't just buy fabric all willy nilly!
  3. For every new project I start a UFO project must be completed. I added this because I know that personally I get carried away with new projects rather than finishing older ones. This way I'm giving myself a bit of structure and discipline!
  4. I will find and/or create projects that use leftovers from the stash. I find very often that I have pieces of material and balls of wool leftover when I have finished a project, that aren't enough to make an item of clothing on their own. I want to find ways of using these leftovers to make useful and beautiful things.

Excited? I sure am! If you are, perhaps you fancy joining me? As always this kind of a project is so much more fun if you're not going it alone! If you feel like taking part then add this badge to your blog and add the following url to link back here: 


http://misskatie-littleredsquirrel.blogspot.com/search/label/UFO%2FStash%20Busting%20Project


Don't forget to let me know if you do want to take part, I'd love to see how your stash busting goes! If enough people want to get involved I'd love to start a group where we could all share our projects and ideas, think of the stash busting we could achieve together!

I really am so excited to get started, I've already lined up some projects to finish and I can't wait to try out some of my leftovers project ideas. And don't worry, I will of course be sharing everything that I do right here on my blog!

Bye for now!

18 comments:

Sarah Rooftops said...

Ooh, great idea! I'm pretty strict with myself about not starting one project until I've finished the last, but I COULD do with some way of using up all the little scraps of fabric I've got left over.

Lieke said...

Nice! I'm a novice seamstress, with a growing pile of fabric, but I give myself the chance first to experiment with several patterns. I did join the IntSweMoDo2012 group (International Sweater-a-Month Dodecathon) on Ravelry to bust some stash! I have way too much yarn, enough to knit about 12 sweaters!

Casey said...

How fun! I wish I could join... if it were summer here and I was busy whipping up pretty warm-weather clothes, I'd be joining in lickety-split. But alas, my current problem is a lack of winter/early spring fabrics, so using up stash stuff is slow-going. Darn my over-efficientness and clearing out the stash before I  moved! lol. Good luck on your stash busting, though! ;)

Jessica Lucas said...

Ohh I am the worst for this!! I am so impatient I always end up moving onto other things before I finish:) I am definitely up for this challenge. . . .I am also a novice seamstress but have a bunch of fabrics that my nan gave me and would really love some ideas for them that I could tackle!
Jess x

Liz Bullock said...

I'm planning to do some stash busting this year - although I did have a slight accident in the yarn shop the other day - so I'd love to join in.

Rhinestonesandtelephones said...

I'm in!

Wendy Bayford said...

Fabulous idea!! Count me in with bells on!!!

Liz Bullock said...

I have now blogged about this and added the badge. http://lizmakesit.blogspot.com/2012/01/stash-busting-gets-serious.html

kate dickinson said...

Aaaaargh, I daren't! I started a dress a year ago but don't dare finish it without my mum!

mala_14 said...

I think I've actually been inadvertently following these rules for the most part lately. I guess I should be in!

Wendy Wildermoth said...

I'm in!    I did have to buy some fabric to use one I already have, but that's in the spirit of this busting.

Nicoleneedles said...

Like Mala, I think I've been doing this already, so count me in!

Lynne Williams said...

Just discovered you through Rhinestonesandtelephones.  Would love to join in the stash busting, have already started working through my ufo's this year.  My first project....a sweater and now I am wrapping up a bed jacket.  Will grab your badge and follow:)

www.sewingcafewithlynne.blogspot.com

Lynne Williams said...

Just completed my ufo for February.  So thrilled with it, please come by and check it out.

Alyssa said...

Just found your blog through Rhinestones & Telephones. I will be stash busting and have added your button to my blog. Good Luck!

Alyssa
hems2dolls.blogspot.com

Ms. Awesome Girl said...

I am in! I don't have many UFO's but I have a massive stash!
http://crafty-woman.blogspot.com/

Janette said...

I would love to join, I have sent a request to the flickr group.   Love the blog!  Janette

http://quilttherapy-janette.blogspot.co.uk 

Red Point Tailor said...

I am in ... I really need this to bust my stash so I can colloect new one with less guilt feeling ;-)

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