Stash Busting or Building?

You can read a lot of articles and posts by sewists and crafters about stash busting projects - anything from strip quilting to bags and purses to just finally making up a pattern that you've had for months...even years!  While we love seeing people enjoy sewing of any type and using long-forgotten pieces of fabric, there's something intrinsically satisfying about the thoughtful "accumulation" of beautiful fabric.

We're not talking about "hoarding" here - such an ugly word - we're just thinking that 2016 might be the year for Stash "Building"! I am so excited about what's happening here at Stonemountain with respect to fabric buying.  For years I have spent hours and hours pouring over samples, going on buying trips, and trying to keep Stonemountain on top of the "best fabric stores" lists. But with the addition of several capable and creative young women, fabric buying has taken on a whole new fresh approach and I'm loving it!

This day is like most days - there's always something new arriving.  It's like having your birthday over and over, as the huge boxes are unloaded and placed at our doors.

 Then, it's all hands on deck...sorting, marking, pricing, and placing it up on the shelves.

What makes this process so fun is that our customers get to enjoy the show as well.  It's funny how some fabrics don't even make it to the shelves - one person will see a particular bolt and before you know it, three others are coveting the same fabric.

This beautiful crinkle fabric never made it to the shelves...gone in the blink of an eye!

My seamstress and friend Laurel was down yesterday and we collectively dubbed 2016 as the Year of Stash Building.  On fun garment fitting days like this, she spends considerable time scouring through the shelves to see what's new at Stonemountain. She says she is in the "building" stage this year, and from we can see, her stash at home is becoming quite impressive.

Are you Busting or Building? There's always an ebb and flow in creativity: sometimes our sewing is off the charts, and we use up a lot of fabric that has been languishing in our studios and closets for too long. (If it's been there "for years," maybe you should think about giving it away to someone who will enjoy it!) It's after those busy production times that we love to add back into our stash to keep it at a level that we can manage, yet continually fueling our imagination and creativity.

So...hoarding? No. Truthfully, excesses of any kind tend to weigh you down, so everything in moderation we say, and that includes your fabric stash. There's a balance in life that brings joy and peace, especially in the areas of nurturing your creative spirit. So, keep your stash organized and purposeful...just enough so that your imagination and creativity are constantly fed and your machines are humming.

Creatively Yours,

SuZan