Stash Busting

Well I must confess that the stash is getting out of control. 

 So I am going to be engaged in some serious stash busting in the next few weeks.  I don't think it actually qualifies as hoarding since it all in contained with in a closet, well, actually there is a bit of overflow, but it is all contained with in one room.J

Seriously, it seems that if you like to sew and knit you acquire a bit of a stash.  All of those impulse buys for a project that seemed to be calling your name but life happened after you left the store and the project never got finished.  Time passes and now you can't remember what you bought that nice little piece of fabric for.   This is just a view of one closet and not the boxes of patterns in in the other closet.  It is time for some serious stash busting.   I must admit it is kind of fun finding hidden treasures when some inspiration hits and it doesn't cost a dime.  The trouble is without some order it is hard to know what treasure you have.  I will be searching for stash busting ideas along with organizing ideas and sharing some of my finds here so join me; maybe you'll be inspired to do some stash busting of your own.

Another Messenger Bag

I revised the embroidery design for this one, making it a bit larger so the script is easier to read.  This one was a gift to my sister for her birthday.  Not sure which one I like better.  It makes me anxious to try some more embroidery designs. 

Custom Chair Cover

Although the old office chair we had was functional for the sewing room, it really did not match.  I had a fun piece of fabric that matched the room color so well that I thought I needed to use it somewhere so I fashioned covers for the seat and back of the chair and I really love the change. 

I simply cut the pieces a bit larger than the cushion size and trimmed the edges with bias tape then inserted a ribbon for a draw string, gathered the edges to fit and tied a bow.  

Tenney Hat

When my 4 year old grandson was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his kidney in January of this year our whole family was in shock.  You see, my 18 year old grandson was diagnosed with a brain tumor only 6 months before that was also malignant.  We had just watched him go through all kinds of treatment from successful surgery to radiation and chemo.  He has had a lot of set backs with his recovery stemming from the surgery itself and the effects of some of the chemo drugs.  We were now facing watching another child go through cancer treatment and all that comes with it.  They are cousins so 2 of my daughters, Sylvia's sisters, are dealing with sick children while caring for the rest of their family.  With chemo taking most of his hair, the 4 year old needed some hats to wear when out in the sun this summer.  I found this "bucket" hat pattern on line and this is my 3rd, and best, attempt to fill the void for a comfortable, soft, and cool hat for a little boy.  Knit hats work fine for the Minnesota winters but summer can get rather warm here in the midwest.  His dad liked my choice of fabric for this one, the other two were more "little boy" looks.  I used the sleeve of an old t-shirt that I didn't wear anymore for the lining as the knit fabic would be soft against his skin.  I used a larger seam allowance for the top seam as I wanted it to be a little bit shorter for this one.  Doing what you can to make some difference when times are tough is comforting.  I can't fix all that is going on but a can make a small difference for a sweet little boy.  It has been fun to bring him a new hat when he is in the hospital along with an endless supply of stickers. 

Graduation Messenger Bag

In keeping with the graduation theme I made this messenger bag for another graduate.  I think the size of the bag will be very versatile for any young lady.  Large enough for a small laptop it will easily carry supplies for college classes or a day out with girl friends.  Sylvia did some quick original artwork that we converted into embroidery to add a whimsical touch to the bag.  The line "I sing because I'm free" is from the hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow".  This is for a young lady that plays the piano wonderfully and I know she will appreciate the musical reference.  The inside has pockets on both sides so she will have lots of room for accessories like cell phones and makeup.  I like the simple linen look with a colorful lining.  It gives the bag a classic but up to date style.  We will fill the bag with some goodies and of course some cash for this graduates future plans.  Best Wishes Anna!

Graduation Gift

We were invited to a graduation party for a wonderful young woman.  We have watched her grow from an infant into the precious young lady we she is today.  Although a gift of money was appropiate to help with her future plans I wanted to add something a little more personal so I set to work on this little purse and included a tissue cozy to match.  I attached pockets to the lining for an ID or cash card and tucked in a gift card.  Just a little something to for her to use long after the money is spent. 

 I didn't use a pattern and just made this up as I went and I think it turned out pretty cute.  Hope the new graduate thinks so too. 

The Stash

Following through on what I started, I am building up my stash making a number of tissue cozies adding a simple tag a Bible verse from Revelation 21:4 KJV "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  I've passed a few on to friends who have helped me through some tough times.   Feels so good to complete a number of small projects and see the stash being used!  My stash has been growing for years and I am resolving to begin to use it up...or at least make use of some of those treasures.  I will be posting more stash busters soon.