I hate being left out.

Sewing blog-land has moved from "how we starting sewing", and I did post my fascinating adventure, to "let's discuss our stash. And, like my title says, I have to be part of the crowd, here's my $0.02.

To start, since I've really only been sewing for a year, my stash is pretty small. I don't have it folded in closets, in boxes under the bed, in the attic or **gasp** in the barn. It fits tidily on my Ikea shelf, pretty much folded and even grouped together in some type of BeeBee-Random- self-imposed order that actually works for me most of the time. I did have a wake-up call just a couple of weeks ago, when I found some fabric I honestly didn't know I had or where I got it (I can guess and will probably be right, but that's not the point). And I found my long-lost waist band stabilizer at the same time (yea!) . But I was surprised to find the fabric and a little concerned that I no longer know what's crammed in those shelves (and yes, I am aware that just a few lines up this was folded tidily - times change, let it go). It did start me thinking about my fabric collection and buying habits. Then, this topic came around in such a timely manner.

Of course, a year ago (December, actually) I owned no stash. Nothing, not even a remnent of an old Halloween print. Well, that's not quite true, but I was in Washington, D.C. and the black-cat fabric was in Detroit. I bought my new machine in mid-December in Woodbridge, VA and there was (**sniff** past tense, WAS) a G Street in the same area. So that I would have something to start with on my new machine and because I hadn't sewn a stitch in about 10 years (a little bad home-dec aside) and because I'd heard the G Street was good and because I wanted to check out Bernina's before making a final purchasing decision, I wandered in. And much to my amazement, surprise, extreme delight and downfall, I discover it: the $2.97/yard wall of glory. Just right up my alley. Variety and price. I bought 2 patterns from the Kwik-sew rack (I was out of practice enough to be intimidated by the books, how bad it that!) and about 10 yards of various fabrics from THE WALL. Including my very first ever knit in an awful plum heather (oddly, I loved the shirt I made from that stuff, though). And thus began, THE STASH.

Next stop was Hancock's, only about a mile from our Townhouse and and easy run to grab thread, needles, sewing basket, pins, pin catcher, pressing ham..... AND a clearance table. Ta-da! And even closer way to find cheap fabric to use. And THE STASH grew. And grew.

The next step involved my BFF. She came up in February and discovered a new concept in fabric purchasing and a whole new world of fabric. Oh my oh my. This was going to be good. And dangerous and more than just a tad scary. We hit G Street and while we did spend some time at THE WALL, my BFF has a much better eye for "the good stuff" and we spend some time combing through the tweeds, linens and wools. Yes, they let you touch that stuff! She spent some dough there, but I still mostly drug off the THE WALL. Next day we went to A Fabric Place (http://www.michaelsfabrics.com/ this is the on line store link) and it was like walking into a different world. One I didn't know was out there. Having spent my childhood at The Piece-Goods store and Grant's, I didn't know you could buy Valentino fabric. Period. I was way to intimidated to buy much (I do have a very nice Zegna wool that I'm eying for a pair of slacks) , my skills just didn't rate this kind of purchase (BFF had no qualms, however and is now on a first-name basis with Sherri) . But now I knew it was out there.

And the last piece was a trip to NYC last summer. HOLY WOVEN COW! Not only was this stuff great, there was a ton (or 20) of it, and it was cheap. MECCA! I broke out of my "I'm afraid to buy" mode and did. It was fun and I got some nice stuff and I've really enjoyed sewing and wearing it. We (me and BFF, again) hit around 10 stores, plus some trim/notions places and a bookstore or two. Woo-hoo! I have enough clear elastic to last a lifetime (if I can find the stuff).
And that's how I got THE STASH.

And now, how do I organize it? Like I said in a kind of randomness that sort of works. Starting with putting all the "WTF?" stuff in a banker box. This includes some on-line purchases (did I mention I discovered Internet fabric shopping??? No??? I left part out??? hmmmm), some free-bees (mostly FabricMart http://fabricmartfabrics.com/controller/index.php ) that is just odd, and some junk from Hancock's and G Street that I just don't know what I was thinking. Plus some cheap stuff that is SOOO cheap that it falls into the WTF pile. Mostly purchased early on and sometimes used for trials, though is sometimes too bad even for that. Then I have my "winter fabric" and my "summer fabric" and the "stuff I bought at G Street last week fabric" and the "NYC purchases fabric" and the "where should I put this fabric" and maybe I'm beginning to see how I loose things.... I should work on this.

And finally, how do I feel about THE STASH and stashing in general. Well, I'm starting to like THE STASH more and more. I'm refining and curbing my buying habits so that I am buying better fabric and fabric I am more likely to use. Acknowledging that some of my favorites will likely never get sewn, but I still like them and take them out from time-to-time and pet them and look at them. Maybe I should make them into a blanket and carry around like a little kid? It's a thought.

And I see the absolute need for a stash. I love Love LOVE spending time in my sewing room pulling the stuff out and matching up with patterns (um, a discussion for another day, I think). Sometimes it happens and sometimes it all gets put back. Not the point. I rarely pick out a pattern and then purchase the fabric/notions for it, though that is how we did it at my house as a kid. I pull out a pattern and see what I have that will work. Or pull out a fabric and see what pattern I can use. So you can see that buying what I use is important. Both color and makeup-wise. When I shop, now, I keep this in mind and do fairly well. The downside is that it is boring. In the sewing, shopping and wearing worlds. I'm not sure how to remedy this without buying a bunch of bizarre (to me) stuff that I will either never use or never wear. But maybe it's just the winter talking? Spring will be here and I can sew color again, right?

As for using it up? Maybe because I don't have SABLE (stash beyond life expectancy), I don't see the point in "using it up". Making something just to "get it off the shelf" or from under the bed or out of the barn (still, **gasp!**). Or changing pattern views because view B uses 4 yards and view C only uses 3. Or making dog beds out of wool or whatever. Now making for charity is completely different. That's a valid use to both the fabric and the time spent. But shelter dogs can sleep on old bathroom rugs and I don't need (any more - see below, yikes) skirts that take 5 yards for the circle. I have some fabric (remember the WTF box) that I would like to be rid of, but I'm sure as heck not going to spend my precious sewing time on it. I'm thinking local drama group or something. Collecting and hanging on to stuff I don't want just isn't in my nature - my MIL's nature, yes - mine, no. If I'm not going to use, not matter how much I paid for it, I don't want it anymore. Flip side? Can't throw it away. Maybe my dog would like a nice Anna Sui bed?

Now I did panic for a while last summer when I had no summer fabric. Fortunately, the Internet was still there. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to sew it. Fortunately, summer will come again.