Craft stash hoarder and collector

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Doodledog
I've just come back from Yarndale in the North of England ( a fabulous break in a lovely part of the country), and was bowled over by the amount of wonderful yarn I could have added to the already ridiculous amount I already have in the spare room.

Just had a senior moment! I've googled accommodation in Yarndale 😁

It's in Skipton, N Yorkshire.

We have two Rowan's Craft shops near us and they have been the beneficiaries of quite a lot of stuff I will never use. The trouble is, when I go in to donate stuff, I find myself buying more stuff! 🤷🏼‍♀️

I often see mountains of stash on youtube `influencers` the ones that do youtube after knitting or sewing for a few years. I don`t feel at all guilty about my stashes, in fact they are very good investments, if it can be translated into money

Everything in my fabric stash is catalogued and I have been slowly using the cheaper fabrics as toiles and have given away metres of quilting fabrics eg latest was 3m of cotton and steel.

I never make a song and dance about giving stuff away, I just bide my time until I see a need. It is karma. I have also recently given away most of my wood carving stash, to a community project

The fabric stash now is all good quality eg linens. If I want to sew, if I need a garment, then I look first at my catalogue, then the fabric and then I marry up a pattern. None of it will ever be wasted and I will never let any more of the fabric go. Toiles will go from my wardrobe but they are all well-made and other people can have them

My fluff stash is very good quality fluff eg cashmere silk blends. Fluff is the word we spinners use for tops for spinning. I had many good blends made in the old days and still have them, all away from moths and airtight. It is a slow process to get through my fluff stashes but spinning is a slow process too. I will not be buying any more and will not be giving any away. I also bought blends ready made from a Devon artisan, I like to support local companies. I am spinning one of theirs at the moment, merino/alpaca, very soft and for a shawl

My last stash is knitting wool, my downfall was not labelling some properly so now matching to a project is a tad more difficult. Again part in sealed vacuum bags and the rest in big sealed airtight drums

Allira

whywhywhy

My latest haul. It will see me through winter plus my stash until long after I’ve gone. Happy crafting and buying!

I like buying yarn for the bags whywhywhy! 😂😂😂

Must say the Wool Warehouse bags often come in useful.

What a lovely thread (s'cuse the pun) this is. Funnily enough, rocketstop, I thought the same thing. However as somebody who took a load of stuff along to a "destash" event but came back with more plus a brand new, expensive sewing machine, I am obviously somebody who mustn't be allowed near somebody else's stash!

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Doodledog
I've just come back from Yarndale in the North of England ( a fabulous break in a lovely part of the country), and was bowled over by the amount of wonderful yarn I could have added to the already ridiculous amount I already have in the spare room.

Just had a senior moment! I've googled accommodation in Yarndale 😁

FranP, well done for all you do. Our fire service take our trauma teddies.

What a comforting thread!

Ha the trouble is, just reading about all this makes me too interested in OTHER PEOPLE'S stashes and even though I'm guilty of having my own I was thinking 'Ooh it would be great if you lived near and they were selling some stuff off' -NO..it gets silly doesn't it ?!!!

I am exactly the same.

Me too!

But, my stash is going down a little, because I now have contact with:
People who send medical supplies to Ukraine, who use small soft toys, mitts and hats to pack them with
Our local push driver charity who do choc oranges with covers for Christmas and Easter stalls
Our local defib charity who run a win a scarecrow stall in the autumn
A MND charity that I knit keyrings and Christmas decorations
And the Innocent smoothie campaign.
I did a couple of trauma teddies but could not find a taker.

The DDs and I have had several sessions at clearing my loft. We found mountains and mountains of knitting yarn, I could knit socks for the Russian army and still have yarn left over. Also lots of skirts and dresses, alas too small for me now, made from Liberty's lawn and veruna. Beautiful fabric and patterns, all home-made - I had completely forgotten how many garments I've made in the past. Hundreds of buttons - many of them sets from Liberty's. Yards and yards of fabrics of various weights. There are a lot of large offcuts of quilted fabric in lovely patterns, no idea what I had in mind for those. There are also some huge blocks of foam, I think they were for a DIY sofa I saw in a library book. Lace making bobbins, crochet thread for tatting and lace. A weaving loom turned up. So much other stuff stashed away for future (and unrealised!) projects.

Ps I just like looking at it and planning what I might do when I finish my present project - if I get off Gransnet!!

Love these posts 😂

I suffer from SBACLX (Stash Beyond All Conceivable Life eXpectancy) and still I occasionally buy more. I don't know what it is that my subconscious fears....

Pity my poor children when I pop my clogs.

I don'tcraft, but do jigsaws and word puzzles. I got to charity shops and buy jigsaws, and Smiths for puzzle mags. I have plenty, but still get more!

I have a room full of fabric,patterns,wool and art supplies...I love every bit of it! I need to use more of it but I don't think I'll ever retire( am 76)
I'm really obsessed with beautiful fabric and have all sorts of plans for it,I think it will outlive me though.

Oh I'm downsizing, it was going quite well until I reached my material co!lection (pile!)
Over the years I been given, found & brought some beautiful pieces of material. I look at them longingly, thinking of what I'll make from them when I retire. I have now decided that I'm going to keep them all ! Fold them up small & compress them because I'll really regret it f I dont. It's no use throwing the baby- out with the bathwater is it? 🤔

This is me. I seem to spend more time buying things than creating! I have every hobby known to man.

A friend works with an immigrant charity. She asked for a sewing machine so the refugees could make/mend clothes She received at least 12 sewing machines.
I have donated fabric to our local primary school. Still have boxes full but I have just bought some more for my cushion covers. I am still trying to use up my MIL's lace. GGD's love sorting through my stashes.

I've been told that crafting and collecting the craft materials are 2 entirely different hobbies.
I love sewing, knitting etc but the biggest thrill comes from but the material/ yarn in the first place then regularly admiring my beautiful stash.

Witzend

My yarn stash fills two large drawers in a spare room chest - I still often have to order more of a particular colour. And my store of stuffing for the items has to go at the bottom of a wardrobe.

But having decided on a ‘rainbow’ octopus for my next make, I was pleased to find enough of 16 suitably bright colours in my stash - 2 for each tentacle, tops and undersides in different colours and stitches (tops SS, undersides GS.)

Thank you! You have just inspired my next project. A rainbow octopus is just what I need to make to use up some of my stash.

DaisyAnneReturns

So how of those who destashed gone about it?

I've had a big sort out. I thought I might find out if the company I bought my sewing machine from would sell it on for me but oh! so much fabric!

I don't much like my new(ish) sewing machine but I use it so rarely now it's not worth trading it in for a new one.

Fabric: are there any local craft groups or U3A groups near you who make items for charity? They might be glad of fabric, even smaller pieces. Ours made quilts for care leavers and there have been other projects. Fabric is expensive so any contributions are gratefully received!

So how of those who destashed gone about it?

I've had a big sort out. I thought I might find out if the company I bought my sewing machine from would sell it on for me but oh! so much fabric!

Rosie51 that reminded me that I have some lovely deep red Tasmanian wool which I bought to make a hat (for myself!).

Must try to find where I put it!