I love the idea, but don’t think there are weigh scales made that would even begin to hold my stash!! However, I do like the idea of the photos on our blogs or on Flickr and the weekly post of progress made on our UFO’s. Some form of accountability to someone would be a great incentive. Great idea Sharon!
Cheers
Mary Anne
Mary Anne yes I thought of the scale problem too but we can break it up, put stuff in plastic bags to weigh them – do the deed weigh things then out with the calculator to add it all up!
I certainly have been de-stashing this year and plan on continuing it next year, BUT I have literally hundreds of pounds of fabric. I could make a dozen large quilts and still not use 50% of it (not to mention the fashion fabrics I also have). I have given some of it away, but I also picked up five more pieces in Japan (how could I resist at only 100 yen per meter!!) Still, it’s a good idea to at least make some attempt to organize and de-stash. I’ll just have to figure out what part of this challenge I can reasonably do.
Great idea Sharon–I thought of taking my stash to one of those weighbridge places where they weigh trucks.
BTW you aren’t going to believe it but I am culling at present -bits that I have kept for years and I don’t even do that type of craft anymore–making room for more–I hope not.
Yes a weigh in of what was actually made and blogged through out the year might work for those that are totally put off by the idea of starting the year with studio clean out and weigh in.
You would miss out on seeing exactly what you had, what you needed and what you had forgotten about but it might work better for some. I guess I like the idea because it actually makes me dig into the cupboards, drag out the boxes and really take stock of what I have with a realistic eye. A sort of get real moment- but if the majority wanted to weigh completed projects I would go with that.
I have recently organized and cleaned up my workroom, so I have that part finished. (mostly)…Just thinking of weighing all this stuff is almost overwhelming!..*L*
And I know myself well enough to realize that I would end up with more next year.
It’s like Weight Watchers for your stash, lol. I have 2 different categories actually, fashion fabrics and notions, and embroidery and quilting fabrics and notions. Now I’ll never use all the fashion stuff if I live to be 200, but there is some hope for the embroidery gear. I think I’d like to participate, since another child left home I’ve tried to turn her room into a craft supplies room with empty storage just waiting to be filled. This could be my incentive, lol. What are you going to call it, Sharon? Stash Diet or something along those lines might be fun.
The Embroiderers’ Guild 50th Exhibition was last week and I did some TAST stitching one day, just have to finish it and blog it. Taking a while to recover from 6 days in a row at the Exhibition including set up and take down. Whew, I don’t think I want to be a gallery curator after all (actually that would be my dream job I think)
Hooroo,
Christine http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/ http://ytfgmembers.blogspot.com/
It sounds extremely challenging and very very scary. I guess we could start nowish and do a little bit each day or set a target for each week to weigh and record. Kitchen scales are an idea (or bathroom scales, but must be accurate!) using them to weigh in small portions.
LOL yes it is scary! Very scary as it would make a destash – use up your bits type challenge very real. So far we have 4 brave souls who like the idea another 3 that like it but are scared of the scales and one who doesnt like it
Jess I went scurrying to your blog as I did not recognise your email addy. I thought I had missed you as TAST challenge participant – not that you have to be to comment or anything like that I just thought I had missed seeing what you had done – anyway I gave a sigh of relief when I realised you were not – please let me know if I am wrong
People like Jess who are not involved in TAST or have been involved with previous challenges feel free to voice your opinion its all taken on board
If people really fear the weigh in I suppose we could have two sections Brave challengers and Trembling challengers
If we were going to do it that way we would have to be consistent about blogging work in progress and stash reduction strategies – she says as one who hardly ever gets around to actually blogging what I am stitching. (Hangs head in shame)
I think the weight-in is too much of a hassle. I’m also not sure what I have that counts as “stash” versus “basic supplies” – I think of some of every color of stranded cotton and crewel wool is “basic supplies”, while the unstitched linen tablecloth I bought at the thrift store this weekend is “stash”, but you could argue for all of the above.
I do like the idea of some kind of finishing WISPs/UFOs/etc challenge. Also, there are two kinds of finishing, finishing the stitching and actually doing something with the object. You might want to think about what “finished” means. I’ve been working on the later lately, because I have quite a few stitched pieces just sitting in a drawer unused. Someone else might want that tablecloth I just bought, but I doubt anyone would like the unblocked stitched pieces…
I think this is a great idea. I’ve been challenging myself with destashing and using what I already have for a while now. Having just moved, I’ve gone through everything and given some away. I will be moving again when we buy our first house in a few months, we just started looking. So, stash reduction will be extremely helpful with regard to having less to move. Weighing things would be challenging, but not too bad for me. My biggest obstacle is clearance sales and bargains. They’re just so hard to resist, but I’m working on it.
Hi Sharon,
I’m not too tempted by destashing, and as I had new stuff as I used old, it would be a neverending story for me.
But something about UFO or WISP would be nice, but mine do not necessarily involve hand embroidery.
In short, I would not play that game. But I have not better idea either.
Anyway, thanks for already thinking of a new challenge.
Vero and all the destash can be any textile related project not just embroidery projects. Same goes for UFOs and Wisps – any project you have on the go and is cluttering up the cupboards, shelving etc
I am open to all ideas on this. Any body got any other ideas for this or another challenge?
Sharon I need to de stash but and there is a big but, I would have no hope of weighing all that I have, I have just moved into another room of the house to hold the paper stuff, let alone a mountain of beads and a wall of shelving that holds some fabrics, more in plastic conatainers, i suppose I could weigh those, and the embroidery stuff is some where else, I think I am glad you didnt actually mention paint supplies. I would love a challenge that saw me finish a few things in the year but like Doreen I havent a hope of weighing it.
OK we can wipe the weigh in idea if it puts people off. Is there anyway we could measure what we achieved throughout the year other than blogging it? It has to be suitable for all types of textile practice so no one feels left out and no matter what you make people feel welcome. Number of projects? But that puts those working on large or complex time consuming projects at a disadvantage. Perhaps we don’t need a measure as such. Open to ideas here
Like Quiltpixie and Vero, I wondered about my incoming stash for the coming year and how that would be managed.
I’d have to think more about the weighing, which wouldn’t be tooo hard but I would even be happy to be able to publicly announce one item at a time and stick with it until it is completed.
Your idea is quite revolutionary.
BTW there is nothing selfish about keeping back some time for yourself. I am constantly amazed how you manage to find time to keep us playing with fabric and needles. You are a blooming marvel.
I find my UFO’s either one day leap out and say “Finish Me” or they get re-cycled into something else and I am quite happy for them to await their fate. What I would like is a challenge where I, hand on heart, make something new using only items from my Stash. Perhaps once a month. If I had to sort and weigh it would probably take me a year!!!
I have not taken part in your TAST challenge but I would like to take part in this one. I hope this will give me a REALISTIC chance to destash, something I wanted to do for the past year. If only I didn’t have heeps of new ideas in my head!
Been doing some de-stashing myself and i feel attracted to the idea, the weigh-in sounds like a major hassle to me.
i’ve been recently using my weaving samples in an attempt to de-clutter so
count me in for any challenge whose main
objective is slimming down.
How about taking x number of pieces of fabric or skeins or something quantifiable and work with them and blog about it every week? when that’s finished on with another batch? Is that too loose of a challenge? Maybe it could be a round robin activity so as to involve others.
On with other things. Thanks for the break on this weeks TAST.i want to learn last week’s stitch, but no matter what i do i end up with a row of cabagges.Nice round ones.
Evidently i’m not Elisabeth LOL!
er …
2 things:
1: Anyone want to hire a truck, load all my stuff into it, and take it to the local weighbridge? (and hire an armed guard to make sure my DH does not hijack the truck and send it’s contents to places unknown/unreachable) … and then you can help me organise it better when you put it back in my sewing room!
2: Can I play Misère? (if u don’t know what it means see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mis%C3%A8re)
… come on – it has taken me more than 10 years to build up my treasure trove of “might be useful some day” stuff … why would I want to part with it? LOL … fabric and/or threads might become an endangerd species one day … and one can never have enough beads!
What I need is another 50 hours in each day so that I have time to USE my stash and finish all those UFOs and make all the “projects in mind” and other weird ideas I have …
Andrea,
disorganised in Dunlop (a suburb of Canberra, Australia)
Sorry, Sharon, I usually find your ideas brilliant, but this time the light bulb blew. Although well intended, your proposal seems a mission impossible. A pain to declutter, destash and weigh you ask? Excruciating anguish comes to mind. To spare myself guilt, frustration and possibly humiliation I would have to decline.
I would much prefer a monthly challenge, under your guidance (maybe sets of combination stitches or stitching surface exploration or theme or whatever). A stipulation could be only stash on hand can be used — or as much so as possible.
I like this idea too, except the weigh-in bit! I think I have a fairly good idea of what I’ve got since I seem to spend more time reorganising the stash than actually using it these days… whether that’s procrastination or not yet hitting on the ideal storage solution is not quite clear but it’s not a good idea for me because each time I move things I forget where they are again and end up wasting more time!! But I like the idea of blogging it and trying to use some of it up… the challenge part. The accountability part….
Another thing I thought was, a lot of my stash consists of paints and stuff like that, which would end up on the fabric hopefully….
Hi Sharon, personally, I don’t want to destash. I love my stash! And I know I have way more than I’ll ever use but I don’t care. I’m thankful for my things and do enjoy sharing a bit if it now and then with my online CQ friends but overall, I want to keep it all.
Hallo Sharon, I couple of times I thought of a challenge I will probably set for myself in the coming year: I will try not to buy but to make all the presents which I want to give to my family and friends (in my case not a huge number of people since we have moved abroad recently…) and use mainly my stash. I will certainly watch your challenge whatever it will be but as it was said already I also love my stash: sometimes I even regret using “that” fabric…
I am not a UFO type person…I plod along monogamously from one project to another. I don’t have false starts generally or get diverted from my task at hand.
Plus I am with Pam…I love my stash and don’t feel a need to cut it back…it’s actually not that big.
What I do like about your idea is seeing photographs of peoples’ stashes. We could all do a January posting of our “stashsites”. That would be a rather intimate act, but it would be utterly fascinating for me.
I’ve learned that personally I am project-focused, and that challenges need to relate to a project for me to go with them (as the 100 Details did). I think it is one reason TAST did not “stick” for me, though I’ve been following it avidly. It didn’t relate to a project.
Whatever you come up with will be awesome, I am sure….
Wow…lots of comments on this one Sharon! I guess I’m one of the ‘trembling’ ones because I really don’t want to weigh everything, mostly because it would take me days. However, here’s another idea – what if we each made a pile of our UFO’s at the beginning of the year along with making (and publishing!) a list of the items within, posting both on our blogs. Keep posting our progress throughout the year (weekly, bi-weekly, or whatever) and then take a followup picture (and a new list) at the end of the year?
I’ve just finished a huge de-stash and really don’t see myself getting rid of much more, other than by using it up.
I’m really loving the idea of having some accountability in order to get some of my outstanding projects completed and it would be fun to know that others are doing the same thing.
Just another 2 cents worth from me.
Cheers
Mary Anne
Sounds like a fun idea…. though I’m pretty sure that no one wants the stuff I need to get rid of!
Perhaps in lieu of a weigh in, folks could photograph their studios, before and after the clean out. About once a year, I have to do a major de-clutter/reorganize campaign. My space is so much more functional and pleasant after I do this. I would probably be ashamed to post my before photo… the dog also uses my studio as his lair. Anytime he gets hold of something tasty or fun to savage, he drags it up there and shreds it onto the carpet.
A January challenge to get organized and clean out, then a monthly challenge to complete one project that we’ve kept from our stash would be a good bet.
Whilst I’m currently on a self imposed stash embargo, I’m not sure I would want to weigh it all…
I am currently trying to work through my UFOs, WIPs and kitted items (I’m a cross stitched and embroiderer, mainly, not a quilter) and I have lists in my blog http://beebarfsblog.blogspot.com of these, so that I can see them and decide what I want to work on at any particular time. Once these are done, it will be time to start on the charts and books… LOL
Perhaps the non-weighers would like to do something similar, and then maybe set a target number of projects to reduce the pile by, be it 10%, 25%, 50% …
Hi Sharon,
I like what I have and i give away now and than in little baggies on special occasions.
I just building up the variety of threads and laces because I was a “sane ” quilter 😉
So, your next challenge is not for me.
Thank you.
Sharon — I’m not an “official” TAST-er, but have been working my way through your stitches on my own. Haven’t posted pictures ’cause I’m lazy and a perfectionist.
I’m also taking one of your Joggles classes in November. 😉
Hi Sharon,
It´d be a HUGE challenge weighting all the stash and to be honest, I don’t believe I´d do it. But I love the idea of a “being creative with your own stash” challenge, and also the idea of finishing UFO’s, WIPs, WISPs and so. Maybe, we could find a way to make sure we are using our stash, like every project’s supplies should come, at least, 50% from our stash, or something like that. At the beggining of each, we could take a pic of the supplies, showing what comes from the stash and what not.
It would be easier to loose personal body weight. I’ve got at least 50 pounds I need to loose.
I am toying with felting projects though. A chipmunk, squirrel, mice, something got into some of my yarns out in my storage barn and chewed some of the spools of wools that I have. I am knitting fabrics, and adding these short pieces into the fabric as I go, and am planning on adding still more embellishments on top of this.
This is how bad it’s gotten though, I had to buy a barn from HomeDepot to put all this stuff in, and because “it” got moved outside, I found all this room to haul in more “stuff” to fill in the house. *shakes head sadly, but with wonder…*
More salad, more salad…seriously, this Challenge made me laugh!
Sharon:
I am with Nancilyn….I really need to organize and use and give away, but taking it all out to weigh and then return or whatever, sounds deadly…..I do think that the challenge of doing a monthly project, using specific stitches/colors/subject sounds like great fun…and that is why I like to stitch…fun that is!
I rather like the idea of this challenge, Sharon. Of course, I must admit it would go along swimmingly with my need to pull everything out of my sewing room (I don’t feel quite right calling it a studio), pull out the carpet, paint it, and put everything back in! So, if you run this challenge, I’m in. If you run another challenge, I’m still in. ;0)
Thanks for this feedback. It looks as if some people like the idea of a general clean out and declutter but some of those more organised folks don’t need need. We could all learn from them so take a look at who they are as both get stitching done regularly.I am serious look at the comments and you can see who I am pointing to they are both very successful in their fields!
Most times I am pretty organised but I have had one of those not so good years starting off with being sick for the first couple of months and then sickness in the family too. I need to declutter a bit and get back on track. So I freely admit this is perhaps selfish.
People don’t like the weigh in idea so we can ditch this idea.
I like the idea of sharing photos of studios, work areas and stash shared would be fun. What do people think?
Decluttering could be defined as using stash, finishing projects of any sort – even current ones because that keeps cluttter from developing – pointing the finger again at those two I admire. I suppose that turns decluttering into a “getting things done” year
What do people think? Leave comments I will collate together the responses and write a post about in a few days so everyone has a chance to take part in the conversation. We have time to decided how the challenge can be shaped so that it fits the needs of most people.
My studio is fairly organized, too. The idea of taking everything out just to put it back … yikes! I’d feel really sorry for all the families out there that would have to put up with stash all over the house while their moms fix up the studio. Seems pretty unfair to the rest of the family to have to live with those piles and piles.
I tried to have a UFO, WISP and PILL (projects in long lines) year THIS year. It only sort of worked. I was really hoping to do a bunch of the finishing work on pieces that are stitched (and then make tutorials of the process for Cameo’s Completions to share with the stitching community). But there they remain, in their boxes.
Mostly, I’ve been working on the PILLs … because they are basically new-to-me projects made with stash of patterns I have on file and have been looking for an excuse to work on!
It will be interesting to see what kinds of ‘rules’ we can come up with that really help us get our projects stitched and ready for display.
i love the whole idea. what i found dsiturbing is how i would keep up with the accounting of new items coming in. so i stopped there for a minute and went on with the energy of hwo much i love seeing other peoples rooms, shelves with fabrics and books and walls covered with various inspirations. it’s always been fascinating for me to observe. like your recent tower of babblin’ journals of vision. on my own i have been collecting all of mine and intend to send a photo so you can see tower if it doesn’t fall over in the process : )
i recently moved and forced myself to regroup everything. i am still in that process. i have found severals items that just don’t speak to me anymore and would LOVE to pass them on to another person. i also use the idea when i buy a new piece of cloth or something…one piece in means one piece out. when i remember…it works well. : )
anyway this idea has inspired me to continue and it would be fun to share with others. thank you for your constant source of inspiration. shake, rattle and roll ! ~kate in vermont
As someone quite new to sewing, I’m still trying to create a stash so I was very pleased with the idea of a list of people happy to take things people don’t want..
I guess from my point of view a weigh out of things produced over the year might be best?
Well Sharon you sure have got us all thinking haven’t you.
I was going to ask Andrea in Dunlop to drop by my place in Flynn and collect my stuff when she goes to the weighbridge but you have given that idea away thank goodness.
I’m a bit like Liz Plummer in that I re-organize my craft room regularly find things that I had forgotten about and loose other things in the process.
I will gladly participate in anything that you
decide to do as long as it makes me (a)use the things that I have –(b)finish off what I have started–and (c)start and finish all the kits that I have accumulated over the years.
I will photograph my stash/room embarrassing as it will be as long as it brings in the end result that I so much require.
Doreen http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
Sharon, much as I have enjoyed your classes and TAST, I don’t think I’m up for a challenge next year. There are too many projects I would like to work on. Like Allie, I’m project-oriented and get most satisfaction from completed work. However, I’ll be following along the blogs and showing what I’m up to as well. Thanks so much for getting this virtual community going. It means a lot to me!
I have just spent almost a month moving my supplies to a new room where everything is organized as a walk up supply room. The only supplies left in my actual studio are the daily supplies I always use or the supplies needed for my major projects next year. There is no way I would go through my supply room and weigh it all. I just finished trudging up a flight of stairs to the discomfort of my knees and actually hired help to get it all moved. So, nada on the weigh-in.
On the Quilt Studio webring we started a Wed Work in Progress day that was quite helpful to get people posting their work mid-week. Maybe you could host something like that.
I know there are some webrings that have a No Fabric Buying Diet as a way to limit new fabric buys. I guess it is a personal thing–I was just given 4 huge trunkloads of fabric and no way was I going to refuse it for some diet! So, I would say that fabric stashes are pretty personal & need to be managed in a personal way.
Lastly, Quilt Studio webring has a blog called Trader’s Village where members are able to post Trades/Get Rid ofs/Wants and for those that have used it, it has been a good feature. It would be open to anyone who joins Quilt Studio webring.
About 2 years ago, I began to put a sewing and computer room together when my son came back to live with us. I tried to co-exist with him in the same room, but neither one of us got the privacy we craved. So last year I moved all my stuff into my bedroom, except for the computer. It’s extremely crowded, but it does function for me. Because of the tight quarters, I am constantly reorganizing. I had shoulder surgery 3 weeks ago, and I am starting to get back into the swing of things, so everything is a mess again. I love neatness, but hardly ever seem to achieve it for long!!
I really don’t know that I have a lot to get rid of as I just started crazy quilting about a year ago. But what is interesting to me is that during my recovery period I have had a lot of time to think about future projects, and I made myself a promise that starting now and for the next year, I am only going to use my stash. The only time I will deviate is to buy something specific that I need to finish a project. Not randomly buying stuff will be worse than losing weight, but I am determined!! LOL So I love the idea of a challenge. Weighing in would probably be a real pain, but I like the idea of taking photos of our “domains.” Perhaps each month we could cull a bunch of stuff from our stashes, photo and post it, and at the end of the month post photos of whatever it is that we made. We could list anything that we bought extra to finish it.
Whatever you come up with sounds like a challenge I would be most interested in. See you in the San Francisco Bay Area next year!!!!!!!!
I have really been enjoying the sense of aquiring and sharing skills and ideas involved in TAST as a challenge. I can see that the de-stash idea has merit but I was thinking about some kind of monthly theam or shared idea. One of the problems with clutrer is its general rather than specific purpose and so I guess a linking structure of some sort might help. De stashing itself isn’t quite enough of an aim for me.
regards
Helen
I did try this week stitch, with a little modification:)
I like to finish my UFO’s, but I do not know if I can really do it. Maybe a challenge will help:)
Sharon, I have to laugh, although I’m not good at numbering my days, your TaST Challenge has certainly made me number my weeks this year. But now instead of counting up, it seems like I’m counting down.
Almost to the end, I have loved every minute. Illness and old age keep me off balence, LOLbut I try, here is my TAST 42
Because I do every thing to be a part of something else, this week the stitch is part of a larger work. But just added the right touch for the wall quilt.
I posted to the Flickr pool Rene
Sharon, this was a fun stitch and although I didn’t try to do too much (recovering from cataract surgery) I do plan on using this one often. May even add more to this sample later. You can find my Twisted Satin and with beads here: http://normasneedlez.blogspot.com
October 16, 2007 at 8:42 am
I love the idea, but don’t think there are weigh scales made that would even begin to hold my stash!! However, I do like the idea of the photos on our blogs or on Flickr and the weekly post of progress made on our UFO’s. Some form of accountability to someone would be a great incentive. Great idea Sharon!
Cheers
Mary Anne
October 16, 2007 at 8:47 am
Mary Anne yes I thought of the scale problem too but we can break it up, put stuff in plastic bags to weigh them – do the deed weigh things then out with the calculator to add it all up!
October 16, 2007 at 8:58 am
I certainly have been de-stashing this year and plan on continuing it next year, BUT I have literally hundreds of pounds of fabric. I could make a dozen large quilts and still not use 50% of it (not to mention the fashion fabrics I also have). I have given some of it away, but I also picked up five more pieces in Japan (how could I resist at only 100 yen per meter!!) Still, it’s a good idea to at least make some attempt to organize and de-stash. I’ll just have to figure out what part of this challenge I can reasonably do.
October 16, 2007 at 9:04 am
Great idea Sharon–I thought of taking my stash to one of those weighbridge places where they weigh trucks.
BTW you aren’t going to believe it but I am culling at present -bits that I have kept for years and I don’t even do that type of craft anymore–making room for more–I hope not.
October 16, 2007 at 9:11 am
How about just weighing just the things we finish/get rid of/destash?
October 16, 2007 at 9:21 am
Yes a weigh in of what was actually made and blogged through out the year might work for those that are totally put off by the idea of starting the year with studio clean out and weigh in.
You would miss out on seeing exactly what you had, what you needed and what you had forgotten about but it might work better for some. I guess I like the idea because it actually makes me dig into the cupboards, drag out the boxes and really take stock of what I have with a realistic eye. A sort of get real moment- but if the majority wanted to weigh completed projects I would go with that.
October 16, 2007 at 10:23 am
I have recently organized and cleaned up my workroom, so I have that part finished. (mostly)…Just thinking of weighing all this stuff is almost overwhelming!..*L*
And I know myself well enough to realize that I would end up with more next year.
I’ll think on it some more tho. *S*
October 16, 2007 at 10:46 am
Personally, I need a challenge with a lot more structure than you propose. And I don’t own a scale. 😉
October 16, 2007 at 11:07 am
It’s like Weight Watchers for your stash, lol. I have 2 different categories actually, fashion fabrics and notions, and embroidery and quilting fabrics and notions. Now I’ll never use all the fashion stuff if I live to be 200, but there is some hope for the embroidery gear. I think I’d like to participate, since another child left home I’ve tried to turn her room into a craft supplies room with empty storage just waiting to be filled. This could be my incentive, lol. What are you going to call it, Sharon? Stash Diet or something along those lines might be fun.
The Embroiderers’ Guild 50th Exhibition was last week and I did some TAST stitching one day, just have to finish it and blog it. Taking a while to recover from 6 days in a row at the Exhibition including set up and take down. Whew, I don’t think I want to be a gallery curator after all (actually that would be my dream job I think)
Hooroo,
Christine
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/
http://ytfgmembers.blogspot.com/
October 16, 2007 at 11:42 am
I love your challenge — the problem for me would be the new things I add to my stash… I suppose I’d have to weigh all that through the year too……
October 16, 2007 at 11:43 am
It sounds extremely challenging and very very scary. I guess we could start nowish and do a little bit each day or set a target for each week to weigh and record. Kitchen scales are an idea (or bathroom scales, but must be accurate!) using them to weigh in small portions.
October 16, 2007 at 12:03 pm
LOL yes it is scary! Very scary as it would make a destash – use up your bits type challenge very real. So far we have 4 brave souls who like the idea another 3 that like it but are scared of the scales and one who doesnt like it
Jess I went scurrying to your blog as I did not recognise your email addy. I thought I had missed you as TAST challenge participant – not that you have to be to comment or anything like that I just thought I had missed seeing what you had done – anyway I gave a sigh of relief when I realised you were not – please let me know if I am wrong
People like Jess who are not involved in TAST or have been involved with previous challenges feel free to voice your opinion its all taken on board
If people really fear the weigh in I suppose we could have two sections Brave challengers and Trembling challengers
If we were going to do it that way we would have to be consistent about blogging work in progress and stash reduction strategies – she says as one who hardly ever gets around to actually blogging what I am stitching. (Hangs head in shame)
October 16, 2007 at 12:57 pm
I think the weight-in is too much of a hassle. I’m also not sure what I have that counts as “stash” versus “basic supplies” – I think of some of every color of stranded cotton and crewel wool is “basic supplies”, while the unstitched linen tablecloth I bought at the thrift store this weekend is “stash”, but you could argue for all of the above.
I do like the idea of some kind of finishing WISPs/UFOs/etc challenge. Also, there are two kinds of finishing, finishing the stitching and actually doing something with the object. You might want to think about what “finished” means. I’ve been working on the later lately, because I have quite a few stitched pieces just sitting in a drawer unused. Someone else might want that tablecloth I just bought, but I doubt anyone would like the unblocked stitched pieces…
October 16, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I think this is a great idea. I’ve been challenging myself with destashing and using what I already have for a while now. Having just moved, I’ve gone through everything and given some away. I will be moving again when we buy our first house in a few months, we just started looking. So, stash reduction will be extremely helpful with regard to having less to move. Weighing things would be challenging, but not too bad for me. My biggest obstacle is clearance sales and bargains. They’re just so hard to resist, but I’m working on it.
October 16, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Hi Sharon,
I’m not too tempted by destashing, and as I had new stuff as I used old, it would be a neverending story for me.
But something about UFO or WISP would be nice, but mine do not necessarily involve hand embroidery.
In short, I would not play that game. But I have not better idea either.
Anyway, thanks for already thinking of a new challenge.
October 16, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Vero and all the destash can be any textile related project not just embroidery projects. Same goes for UFOs and Wisps – any project you have on the go and is cluttering up the cupboards, shelving etc
I am open to all ideas on this. Any body got any other ideas for this or another challenge?
October 16, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Sharon I need to de stash but and there is a big but, I would have no hope of weighing all that I have, I have just moved into another room of the house to hold the paper stuff, let alone a mountain of beads and a wall of shelving that holds some fabrics, more in plastic conatainers, i suppose I could weigh those, and the embroidery stuff is some where else, I think I am glad you didnt actually mention paint supplies. I would love a challenge that saw me finish a few things in the year but like Doreen I havent a hope of weighing it.
October 16, 2007 at 4:40 pm
OK we can wipe the weigh in idea if it puts people off. Is there anyway we could measure what we achieved throughout the year other than blogging it? It has to be suitable for all types of textile practice so no one feels left out and no matter what you make people feel welcome. Number of projects? But that puts those working on large or complex time consuming projects at a disadvantage. Perhaps we don’t need a measure as such. Open to ideas here
October 16, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Like Quiltpixie and Vero, I wondered about my incoming stash for the coming year and how that would be managed.
I’d have to think more about the weighing, which wouldn’t be tooo hard but I would even be happy to be able to publicly announce one item at a time and stick with it until it is completed.
Your idea is quite revolutionary.
BTW there is nothing selfish about keeping back some time for yourself. I am constantly amazed how you manage to find time to keep us playing with fabric and needles. You are a blooming marvel.
October 16, 2007 at 5:13 pm
I find my UFO’s either one day leap out and say “Finish Me” or they get re-cycled into something else and I am quite happy for them to await their fate. What I would like is a challenge where I, hand on heart, make something new using only items from my Stash. Perhaps once a month. If I had to sort and weigh it would probably take me a year!!!
October 16, 2007 at 5:54 pm
I have not taken part in your TAST challenge but I would like to take part in this one. I hope this will give me a REALISTIC chance to destash, something I wanted to do for the past year. If only I didn’t have heeps of new ideas in my head!
October 16, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Been doing some de-stashing myself and i feel attracted to the idea, the weigh-in sounds like a major hassle to me.
i’ve been recently using my weaving samples in an attempt to de-clutter so
count me in for any challenge whose main
objective is slimming down.
How about taking x number of pieces of fabric or skeins or something quantifiable and work with them and blog about it every week? when that’s finished on with another batch? Is that too loose of a challenge? Maybe it could be a round robin activity so as to involve others.
On with other things. Thanks for the break on this weeks TAST.i want to learn last week’s stitch, but no matter what i do i end up with a row of cabagges.Nice round ones.
Evidently i’m not Elisabeth LOL!
cheers
neki desu
October 16, 2007 at 6:19 pm
er …
2 things:
1: Anyone want to hire a truck, load all my stuff into it, and take it to the local weighbridge? (and hire an armed guard to make sure my DH does not hijack the truck and send it’s contents to places unknown/unreachable) … and then you can help me organise it better when you put it back in my sewing room!
2: Can I play Misère? (if u don’t know what it means see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mis%C3%A8re)
… come on – it has taken me more than 10 years to build up my treasure trove of “might be useful some day” stuff … why would I want to part with it? LOL … fabric and/or threads might become an endangerd species one day … and one can never have enough beads!
What I need is another 50 hours in each day so that I have time to USE my stash and finish all those UFOs and make all the “projects in mind” and other weird ideas I have …
Andrea,
disorganised in Dunlop (a suburb of Canberra, Australia)
October 16, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Sorry, Sharon, I usually find your ideas brilliant, but this time the light bulb blew. Although well intended, your proposal seems a mission impossible. A pain to declutter, destash and weigh you ask? Excruciating anguish comes to mind. To spare myself guilt, frustration and possibly humiliation I would have to decline.
I would much prefer a monthly challenge, under your guidance (maybe sets of combination stitches or stitching surface exploration or theme or whatever). A stipulation could be only stash on hand can be used — or as much so as possible.
October 16, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I like this idea too, except the weigh-in bit! I think I have a fairly good idea of what I’ve got since I seem to spend more time reorganising the stash than actually using it these days… whether that’s procrastination or not yet hitting on the ideal storage solution is not quite clear but it’s not a good idea for me because each time I move things I forget where they are again and end up wasting more time!! But I like the idea of blogging it and trying to use some of it up… the challenge part. The accountability part….
Another thing I thought was, a lot of my stash consists of paints and stuff like that, which would end up on the fabric hopefully….
October 16, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Hi Sharon, personally, I don’t want to destash. I love my stash! And I know I have way more than I’ll ever use but I don’t care. I’m thankful for my things and do enjoy sharing a bit if it now and then with my online CQ friends but overall, I want to keep it all.
October 16, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Hallo Sharon, I couple of times I thought of a challenge I will probably set for myself in the coming year: I will try not to buy but to make all the presents which I want to give to my family and friends (in my case not a huge number of people since we have moved abroad recently…) and use mainly my stash. I will certainly watch your challenge whatever it will be but as it was said already I also love my stash: sometimes I even regret using “that” fabric…
October 16, 2007 at 11:59 pm
I am not a UFO type person…I plod along monogamously from one project to another. I don’t have false starts generally or get diverted from my task at hand.
Plus I am with Pam…I love my stash and don’t feel a need to cut it back…it’s actually not that big.
What I do like about your idea is seeing photographs of peoples’ stashes. We could all do a January posting of our “stashsites”. That would be a rather intimate act, but it would be utterly fascinating for me.
I’ve learned that personally I am project-focused, and that challenges need to relate to a project for me to go with them (as the 100 Details did). I think it is one reason TAST did not “stick” for me, though I’ve been following it avidly. It didn’t relate to a project.
Whatever you come up with will be awesome, I am sure….
October 17, 2007 at 12:18 am
Wow…lots of comments on this one Sharon! I guess I’m one of the ‘trembling’ ones because I really don’t want to weigh everything, mostly because it would take me days. However, here’s another idea – what if we each made a pile of our UFO’s at the beginning of the year along with making (and publishing!) a list of the items within, posting both on our blogs. Keep posting our progress throughout the year (weekly, bi-weekly, or whatever) and then take a followup picture (and a new list) at the end of the year?
I’ve just finished a huge de-stash and really don’t see myself getting rid of much more, other than by using it up.
I’m really loving the idea of having some accountability in order to get some of my outstanding projects completed and it would be fun to know that others are doing the same thing.
Just another 2 cents worth from me.
Cheers
Mary Anne
October 17, 2007 at 12:22 am
Sounds like a fun idea…. though I’m pretty sure that no one wants the stuff I need to get rid of!
Perhaps in lieu of a weigh in, folks could photograph their studios, before and after the clean out. About once a year, I have to do a major de-clutter/reorganize campaign. My space is so much more functional and pleasant after I do this. I would probably be ashamed to post my before photo… the dog also uses my studio as his lair. Anytime he gets hold of something tasty or fun to savage, he drags it up there and shreds it onto the carpet.
A January challenge to get organized and clean out, then a monthly challenge to complete one project that we’ve kept from our stash would be a good bet.
October 17, 2007 at 12:40 am
This sounds great. I’m just preparing to move into new studio space, so the timing is perfect.
pdc
October 17, 2007 at 1:26 am
Whilst I’m currently on a self imposed stash embargo, I’m not sure I would want to weigh it all…
I am currently trying to work through my UFOs, WIPs and kitted items (I’m a cross stitched and embroiderer, mainly, not a quilter) and I have lists in my blog http://beebarfsblog.blogspot.com of these, so that I can see them and decide what I want to work on at any particular time. Once these are done, it will be time to start on the charts and books… LOL
Perhaps the non-weighers would like to do something similar, and then maybe set a target number of projects to reduce the pile by, be it 10%, 25%, 50% …
October 17, 2007 at 3:19 am
Hi Sharon,
I like what I have and i give away now and than in little baggies on special occasions.
I just building up the variety of threads and laces because I was a “sane ” quilter 😉
So, your next challenge is not for me.
Thank you.
October 17, 2007 at 4:05 am
Sharon — I’m not an “official” TAST-er, but have been working my way through your stitches on my own. Haven’t posted pictures ’cause I’m lazy and a perfectionist.
I’m also taking one of your Joggles classes in November. 😉
October 17, 2007 at 4:26 am
Hi Sharon,
It´d be a HUGE challenge weighting all the stash and to be honest, I don’t believe I´d do it. But I love the idea of a “being creative with your own stash” challenge, and also the idea of finishing UFO’s, WIPs, WISPs and so. Maybe, we could find a way to make sure we are using our stash, like every project’s supplies should come, at least, 50% from our stash, or something like that. At the beggining of each, we could take a pic of the supplies, showing what comes from the stash and what not.
October 17, 2007 at 4:30 am
It would be easier to loose personal body weight. I’ve got at least 50 pounds I need to loose.
I am toying with felting projects though. A chipmunk, squirrel, mice, something got into some of my yarns out in my storage barn and chewed some of the spools of wools that I have. I am knitting fabrics, and adding these short pieces into the fabric as I go, and am planning on adding still more embellishments on top of this.
This is how bad it’s gotten though, I had to buy a barn from HomeDepot to put all this stuff in, and because “it” got moved outside, I found all this room to haul in more “stuff” to fill in the house. *shakes head sadly, but with wonder…*
More salad, more salad…seriously, this Challenge made me laugh!
October 17, 2007 at 4:52 am
Sharon:
I am with Nancilyn….I really need to organize and use and give away, but taking it all out to weigh and then return or whatever, sounds deadly…..I do think that the challenge of doing a monthly project, using specific stitches/colors/subject sounds like great fun…and that is why I like to stitch…fun that is!
October 17, 2007 at 5:22 am
I added this weeks stitch to last weeks sampler. It’s here
http://mindblogglings.blogspot.com/2007/10/tast-41-42-lace-border-twisted-satin.html
October 17, 2007 at 6:19 am
I rather like the idea of this challenge, Sharon. Of course, I must admit it would go along swimmingly with my need to pull everything out of my sewing room (I don’t feel quite right calling it a studio), pull out the carpet, paint it, and put everything back in! So, if you run this challenge, I’m in. If you run another challenge, I’m still in. ;0)
October 17, 2007 at 8:30 am
Thanks for this feedback. It looks as if some people like the idea of a general clean out and declutter but some of those more organised folks don’t need need. We could all learn from them so take a look at who they are as both get stitching done regularly.I am serious look at the comments and you can see who I am pointing to they are both very successful in their fields!
Most times I am pretty organised but I have had one of those not so good years starting off with being sick for the first couple of months and then sickness in the family too. I need to declutter a bit and get back on track. So I freely admit this is perhaps selfish.
People don’t like the weigh in idea so we can ditch this idea.
I like the idea of sharing photos of studios, work areas and stash shared would be fun. What do people think?
Decluttering could be defined as using stash, finishing projects of any sort – even current ones because that keeps cluttter from developing – pointing the finger again at those two I admire. I suppose that turns decluttering into a “getting things done” year
What do people think? Leave comments I will collate together the responses and write a post about in a few days so everyone has a chance to take part in the conversation. We have time to decided how the challenge can be shaped so that it fits the needs of most people.
October 17, 2007 at 10:30 am
My studio is fairly organized, too. The idea of taking everything out just to put it back … yikes! I’d feel really sorry for all the families out there that would have to put up with stash all over the house while their moms fix up the studio. Seems pretty unfair to the rest of the family to have to live with those piles and piles.
I tried to have a UFO, WISP and PILL (projects in long lines) year THIS year. It only sort of worked. I was really hoping to do a bunch of the finishing work on pieces that are stitched (and then make tutorials of the process for Cameo’s Completions to share with the stitching community). But there they remain, in their boxes.
Mostly, I’ve been working on the PILLs … because they are basically new-to-me projects made with stash of patterns I have on file and have been looking for an excuse to work on!
It will be interesting to see what kinds of ‘rules’ we can come up with that really help us get our projects stitched and ready for display.
Cameo @–>–>—
October 17, 2007 at 12:56 pm
i love the whole idea. what i found dsiturbing is how i would keep up with the accounting of new items coming in. so i stopped there for a minute and went on with the energy of hwo much i love seeing other peoples rooms, shelves with fabrics and books and walls covered with various inspirations. it’s always been fascinating for me to observe. like your recent tower of babblin’ journals of vision. on my own i have been collecting all of mine and intend to send a photo so you can see tower if it doesn’t fall over in the process : )
i recently moved and forced myself to regroup everything. i am still in that process. i have found severals items that just don’t speak to me anymore and would LOVE to pass them on to another person. i also use the idea when i buy a new piece of cloth or something…one piece in means one piece out. when i remember…it works well. : )
anyway this idea has inspired me to continue and it would be fun to share with others. thank you for your constant source of inspiration. shake, rattle and roll ! ~kate in vermont
October 17, 2007 at 4:55 pm
As someone quite new to sewing, I’m still trying to create a stash so I was very pleased with the idea of a list of people happy to take things people don’t want..
I guess from my point of view a weigh out of things produced over the year might be best?
October 17, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Well Sharon you sure have got us all thinking haven’t you.
I was going to ask Andrea in Dunlop to drop by my place in Flynn and collect my stuff when she goes to the weighbridge but you have given that idea away thank goodness.
I’m a bit like Liz Plummer in that I re-organize my craft room regularly find things that I had forgotten about and loose other things in the process.
I will gladly participate in anything that you
decide to do as long as it makes me (a)use the things that I have –(b)finish off what I have started–and (c)start and finish all the kits that I have accumulated over the years.
I will photograph my stash/room embarrassing as it will be as long as it brings in the end result that I so much require.
Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
October 17, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Sharon, much as I have enjoyed your classes and TAST, I don’t think I’m up for a challenge next year. There are too many projects I would like to work on. Like Allie, I’m project-oriented and get most satisfaction from completed work. However, I’ll be following along the blogs and showing what I’m up to as well. Thanks so much for getting this virtual community going. It means a lot to me!
October 18, 2007 at 2:12 am
I have just spent almost a month moving my supplies to a new room where everything is organized as a walk up supply room. The only supplies left in my actual studio are the daily supplies I always use or the supplies needed for my major projects next year. There is no way I would go through my supply room and weigh it all. I just finished trudging up a flight of stairs to the discomfort of my knees and actually hired help to get it all moved. So, nada on the weigh-in.
On the Quilt Studio webring we started a Wed Work in Progress day that was quite helpful to get people posting their work mid-week. Maybe you could host something like that.
I know there are some webrings that have a No Fabric Buying Diet as a way to limit new fabric buys. I guess it is a personal thing–I was just given 4 huge trunkloads of fabric and no way was I going to refuse it for some diet! So, I would say that fabric stashes are pretty personal & need to be managed in a personal way.
Lastly, Quilt Studio webring has a blog called Trader’s Village where members are able to post Trades/Get Rid ofs/Wants and for those that have used it, it has been a good feature. It would be open to anyone who joins Quilt Studio webring.
Anyway, that is my 5¢!
October 18, 2007 at 4:42 am
About 2 years ago, I began to put a sewing and computer room together when my son came back to live with us. I tried to co-exist with him in the same room, but neither one of us got the privacy we craved. So last year I moved all my stuff into my bedroom, except for the computer. It’s extremely crowded, but it does function for me. Because of the tight quarters, I am constantly reorganizing. I had shoulder surgery 3 weeks ago, and I am starting to get back into the swing of things, so everything is a mess again. I love neatness, but hardly ever seem to achieve it for long!!
I really don’t know that I have a lot to get rid of as I just started crazy quilting about a year ago. But what is interesting to me is that during my recovery period I have had a lot of time to think about future projects, and I made myself a promise that starting now and for the next year, I am only going to use my stash. The only time I will deviate is to buy something specific that I need to finish a project. Not randomly buying stuff will be worse than losing weight, but I am determined!! LOL So I love the idea of a challenge. Weighing in would probably be a real pain, but I like the idea of taking photos of our “domains.” Perhaps each month we could cull a bunch of stuff from our stashes, photo and post it, and at the end of the month post photos of whatever it is that we made. We could list anything that we bought extra to finish it.
Whatever you come up with sounds like a challenge I would be most interested in. See you in the San Francisco Bay Area next year!!!!!!!!
October 18, 2007 at 6:48 am
I have really been enjoying the sense of aquiring and sharing skills and ideas involved in TAST as a challenge. I can see that the de-stash idea has merit but I was thinking about some kind of monthly theam or shared idea. One of the problems with clutrer is its general rather than specific purpose and so I guess a linking structure of some sort might help. De stashing itself isn’t quite enough of an aim for me.
regards
Helen
October 19, 2007 at 1:49 am
The initial weighing thingie discourages me. I’m trying to declutter sure enough but am more amenable to a less rigorous strategy.
So I will be posting progress in my blog, but it will be less structured.
October 19, 2007 at 5:42 am
I did try this week stitch, with a little modification:)
I like to finish my UFO’s, but I do not know if I can really do it. Maybe a challenge will help:)
October 20, 2007 at 1:09 am
Hi Sharon
Just posted my week 42 on my blog. Really like this stitch! Thanks, as always
Cheers
Mary Anne
http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com
October 21, 2007 at 6:26 am
Here are my week 41 and 42:
http://www.isetegija.net/index.php?ind=blog&op=home&idu=2796&singlepost=21140
Sad to think that there’s only ten stitches to go…
As always, thank You!
October 21, 2007 at 9:28 am
Sharon, I have to laugh, although I’m not good at numbering my days, your TaST Challenge has certainly made me number my weeks this year. But now instead of counting up, it seems like I’m counting down.
This week I’ve posted some samples of work on the 42nd TSTC stitch at quietermoments.wordpress.com
October 21, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Running late with week 42 but I have finally posted my Twisted Satin Stitch.
I enjoyed seeing Elizabeth of Quieter Moments’ stitches.
Maureen
http://crazyqstitcher.wordpress.com/
October 21, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Hurray I’m all caught up with TAST. Thanks for the new stitches you’ve introduced me to.
October 22, 2007 at 3:25 am
Almost to the end, I have loved every minute. Illness and old age keep me off balence, LOLbut I try, here is my TAST 42
Because I do every thing to be a part of something else, this week the stitch is part of a larger work. But just added the right touch for the wall quilt.
I posted to the Flickr pool Rene
October 22, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Hi all,
i really liked this one. you can visit my blog http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com and see my sample.
cheers,
neki desu
October 23, 2007 at 4:36 am
Sharon, this was a fun stitch and although I didn’t try to do too much (recovering from cataract surgery) I do plan on using this one often. May even add more to this sample later. You can find my Twisted Satin and with beads here:
http://normasneedlez.blogspot.com
October 25, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Hi Sharon
Twisted Satin stitch is now on my blog-I enjoyed this stitch very much–and now on to Drizzle stitch