Upon the recommendation of one of my favorite colleagues and sister couturiers, Cheryl L., I’ve been reading a wonderful and thought-provoking book lately; The Point of the Needle, Why Sewing Matters, by Barbara Burman.
In her “A Material World” chapter, page 83, she writes about what many of us who sew things call our fabric “stash”. “Home sewers often keep quantities of unused fabric at home but rarely refer to this treasure trove of fabrics-in-waiting as a ‘reserve’, ‘store’, let alone a ‘library’. Instead, they mostly use the word ‘hoard’ or ‘stash’ to describe this precious resource, hinting at an addiction or illicit concealed bounty.”
In all the fifty-plus years I’ve been sewing, I haven’t really questioned this fabric storage label but as I read Ms. Burman’s thoughts and revelations on the subject, I’m wondering if viewing one’s curated fabric collection as a “stash” somehow promotes a secretive and guilt-inducing sense of indulgence. Maybe it’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek kind of description, but is this really a healthy and respectful way of viewing the supplies and tools of one’s chosen craft? Even if this is our hobby? I wonder. Would the same description be made of the unused lumber or an exotic wood collection for a woodworker? Or the paints collected by amateur artists?
While I can relate to the idea of perhaps having more fabric than I can or will use in this lifetime, I’m kind of done feeling guilty about it or playing into the mindset that my fabric collection is some sort of secretive indulgence, the quantity of which I should conceal, apologize for or feel embarrassed about. Maybe I’m missing the sense of fun and community, but for me, a shift in labeling mindset (not referring to my acquired fabric as a “stash”) has yielded not only as sense of joy and pleasure in the practice of collecting and “curating” fabric but also a measure of respect for what I’ve chosen to have in my home.
I’ve personally found great value in a periodical reassessment of what precious textiles I have on hand, maybe every one to two years, similar to the practice of going through one’s wardrobes after each season. For me, this fabric assessment activity has proven liberating and though a tad painful at times, ultimately yields a feeling that a weight has been lifted.
Many of us have made impressive and inspiring strides in categorizing, and organizing our fabric supplies by color, fiber content and lengths, especially my quilting friends. I’ve begun doing this myself, and what started off feeling like a chore at the beginning ended up yielding delightful surprises of uncovering forgotten pieces and new project inspiration.
I also tend to sew fabric that I’ve most recently acquired, so going through what I already have proves useful in reminding myself what I’ve previously invested in; “oh yeah, I already have a beautiful piece of taupe linen for those pants I wanted to make”. To help with the process, a really fun new “tool” I’ve started using with each new piece I buy is Fabric ID tape. Thanks to the folks at myconfidentstitch.com for stocking this handy product.
Check it out here:
https://www.theconfidentstitch.com/product/katm-fabric-id-tape/
Going through my fabric collection every year or so has proven a good opportunity to assess what I’ve grown out of regarding my personal taste, what seems dated or includes colors that no longer speak to me. I haven’t tried it myself but one might apply the Marie Kondo approach, asking if each piece of fabric continues to “spark joy”.
For the fabric I’ve decided needs to go to a new home, I found the following donation reference guide in the U.S.:
https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/places-to-donate-fabric/
There is also an intriguing fabric consignment resource in Seattle, WA that caught my eye:
There’s that “stash” term again!
My friend Gale, an avid quilter, recently shared a resource of where to purchase pre-owned, unused fabric; estate fabric sales.
In connection with my most recent review of what fabric I have on hand, or “shopping my stash” as referred to by some, I’ve started using a fun app on my iPad, “Freeform”. I’m really enjoying the visual aspect of it, similar to the benefits of creating boards on sites like Pinterest.
Here is a sample page I created from last Fall:
Regardless of what we choose to call our respective fabric collections, may those of us who enjoy making things with the variety of precious textiles we have available to us in our world, do so with love, respect, pleasure, meaning and a deep sense of satisfaction in the years to come.
PetiteSewSop 