Janine wrote - What has really helped me keep my purchases down is documenting every piece of fabric I own - I was quite surprised the first time I did this which took 2 days - I had over 200 meters. In the four years since I have done this I have reduced my stash by 25% - I have bought a lot of fabric over those 4 years but not more than I sewed. I still have enough material to create a whole complete and very full wardrobe and knowing those figures just makes me stop and think - do I really need this and mostly I don't.
It always surprised me when - with all the fabric I have in stash - I don't have the piece I want at that particular moment. It's equivalent to opening up your closet and exclaiming that you have NOTHING to wear. I have lots to sew just not the thing I want to sew.
Last year, I tracked how much money I spent each week on books, fabric, and studio related expenses and this year my goal is to lower that amount. So far, I'm doing good. Several years ago - like Janine - I measured and documented my fabric purchases. At that time, there was 238 meters in stash. While I'm an attention to details kind of person, I'm not an attention to those kinds of details person and documenting things like fabric flow drives me crazy. I never kept up with the sheets. Flipping through them, very few of these pieces are still in stash but a whole lot has replaced them.
Telling myself I can't spend money is a sure fire guarantee that I'll spend money. Telling myself that I can't buy more fabric is a sure fire guarantee that I'll buy more fabric. Telling myself that I can't have more books or more yarn or more notions or more potential is like being on a diet. Suddenly, all I can think about is "food" and I'm shoving it down my "throat" as fast as I can.
Since clutter completely overwhelms me, the most guaranteed way for me to limit stash has been the assigned space method. Considering that there is less storage space in my new studio, adding a pay cash only criteria - with a budget to match - may be the only change I need to slow things down although I really like the idea of output exceeding input while reducing the stash over the remainder of my sewing years. PLUS... I want to consider higher quality and more unique fabrics. Since those aren't available in town and I rarely buy online, shopping basics here and gourmet away could work too. We'll see. It sounds good. In theory. Real life is entirely different.
I've been knitting steadily on the wrap-scarf and it's long enough now to loop from my neck to the floor. That makes one nice drape and too long of a tail at the back so it either needs to be longer or shorter. Since I have a lot of this yarn, I've decided to go longer one skein at a time. I love how the knitted fabric feels. Linen is a wonderful yarn to knit with. Finishing this is my weekend goal. Hopefully by Monday I can show you how it looks done and draped.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - healthy again
It's interesting at how many of us have switched from "build" into "control" in regards to our craft supplies. I suspect part of it has to do with our age. I know I'm approaching the end of the road and don't want to leave my son a burden - which my stash would be to him. But there is also the effect of the economy which challenges us to best practices. Now I see you've added a third, that of decluttering which also is that of beautifying our environment through order and grace.
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