Monday, February 11, 2008

Stash -- The good the bad and the expensive

Ok here's a long-overdue round up of recent stash! Yes, I need no stash. Yes, I have too much stash. That has yet to stop me and I doubt it stops you either. What is the compulsion? I have too much stitching and other art now for any amount of walls. I fear giving people things for fear they end up in a yard sale or the laugh stock of happy hour. But still I stash. Yeah, that 10-20-30-50-143.7 item challenge sounds great, but I just can't stop myself. Possibly I'm too much of a mood stitcher -- I want to start something green and I want to start it now [at lunch today I started a new ornament based on my overwhelming "need" to work in red and silver), or I see the latest whoseywhatsit and I have to have it because it's "just perfect."

Are any of you mood stitchers? How do you pick your next project? Are you able to stay on track of "I'm stitching this until I'm finished and then I'm stitching that."

I know I'm not alone in this insane compulsion. There's a woman I used to needlepoint with frequently who at last estimate had about 50 medium- to large-sized canvases completed kitted and ready to work in her house. I mean completely kitten -- and with nothing cheap -- she's fondest of Silk and Ivory at something like $6.50 a skein. A canvas might take 20 skeins. She always said it was because when she wants to start, she WANTS TO START. I also remember the discussion right after the 1994 Northridge Quake about the misc freeway closures and if that was going to impact the supply of threads. There was serious discussion at my LNS as to whether or not "serious" stitchers should hoard standard colors of their favorite threads in case shipments couldn't get through. I remember thinking that with all my xs bits around my hovel I didn't really need to hoard... yet.

Are we all insane on the stash front? Could it be the old maxim revised -- I stash, therefore I am????

Anyway, here's some recent hauls:
Fabric from Wichelt -- white, amber, and brown 32-count linens, pearl grey jobelan, and lugana Christmas red2_5_2008 027

Some patterns:
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2_5_2008 049
2_5_2008 051
2_5_2008 094
2_5_2008 096
2_5_2008 099
2_5_2008 101

And some fresh canvases from TNNA:
The first three are from Gimmies
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The following little guy is trapped in an ice cube:
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Damn! Missing another picture. Where the heck are they going?????

from Sandy Gilmore:
2_7_2008 014

A couple finds from my LNSes beginning of year sale:
A large Lee purse where you stitch an insert for the front.
2_5_2008 109
2_5_2008 112
Yeah, like I needed another of Susan Treglown's quilt canvases! This makes 5 I think that I have collected to stitch.

Ok, that covers it for now.

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Currently trying to finish: Christie's Partners in Crime. -- I really like Tommy and Tuppence, but it's just not worthy of much time or acclaim
Guilty pleasure of the weekend: watching the MSNBC marathon of Lockup. I know, I know. How weird, but I love that series.

9 comments:

Linen Stitcher said...

Count me in as a mood stitcher. I can so identify with your description of needing to start a new project NOW!! And I've noticed that I keep a larger stash of supplies on hand now that my LNS stores aren't so local anymore. Can't afford to kit everything all at once. Only my next five projects or so . . .

Jennifer said...

I am loving that red fabric. So much so that I am sorely tempted to look for some on my next trip to the LNS. I usually stitch on neutral colors, but that red is really calling to me (and I don't even like the color red that much!!)

Those Valerie Pfeiffer ones are so cute, aren't they?

Mel said...

Ruth my dear, you can never have too much stash!!! I don't think I'm a mood stitcher, more like a stash buyer! I have my project's that I've started and I've noticed I'm actually getting really good at rotating them. (Psst...you may be right about liking big projects, I noticed I have 3 huge projects started right now!!!). It's so hard not to go to the Lazy Daizy every weekend and splurge! I've been holding out for this weekend since Sarah will be back from Nashville with my new stash! I can't wait (I still have to decide how I'm going to pay for all the stuff!!)

Karen said...

Ruth, i am an impulse buyer, i see it, like it, buy it! not always kitted as that gets quite pricey. And you can never have too much stash! Never! But, yes, I too am a mood stitcher. I have quite a few bigger projects started then tons of smaller ones. You never know what i am going to pull out of one of the 3 or so bags next to my chair. DH just rolls his eyes at me, especially when it is a new project. Silly man! LOL

Barb said...

That is a stash haul. Right now I'm on a Stash Diet. I have way too many books and leaflets I haven't stitched from, I need to do something from them first. I am a mood stitcher, or a seasonal stitcher. I do a lot of stitching for charity though but there again I tend to stay in season as far as what I pick to stitch.

Kate said...

I'm on the 10 project challenge, and believe it or not after a while not buying stash feels just as good as shopping! But I have tumbled off the wagon a few (dozen) times. I'm kinda an impulse stitcher. I'm very strict with my rotation, but when it comes time to have a new start I pick whatever I feel like starting. This means that of the dozen or so new starts I've had in the last six months none have been from my 10 Project Challenge list... so I'm going nowhere fast!

Sue said...

Ooooh, wonderful stash. I have more stash than could ever be stitched, especially hand-dyed linens. I'm obscessed with them. I have pretty good restraint on starting projects though. I have a list of projects that need to be stiched this year because they're birthday and Christmas gifts. Once those are done, I will start a BIG project and I'm pretty sure I already know what it will be because it's been calling to me for a long time now ;)

Michele said...

love your new stash! I'm not a mood stitcher I don't think .. sometimes I want to start something new, but when I starting looking I get overwhelmed because I have soo much I want to stitch .. crazy isn't it! lol

Cheryl said...

Ooooh great stash! I have a startitis problem, i love starting new projects...but finishes seem few and far between. Reading blogs doesnt help the problem, it contributes hugely to my insane stash buying. I always see something someone else is stitching and want the chart straight away!!