Stashbusting 2013: A year in review

When I signed up for a stashbusting challenge earlier this year, I didn't have high hopes of using up much of my stash, but thought if I was documenting it then I'd have some incentive to try. My pledge recorded on Tumbleweeds in the Wind was a bit wishy washy,

"I, Andrea, commit to using as much of my stash as possible during 2013 when other work permits me the time. I also commit to not buying new fabric for my personal use during 2013 (unless it's an absolute bargain!) AFTER my trip to Paris in March."

So how did I go? Well, as far as not buying more fabric goes, I didn't buy any for myself (technically), but was given some fabric from both my mother and my mother in law. (Okay, so the stuff from my mother I actually went through some fabric she was given and picked out quite a lot of stretch off cuts that I haven't used any of yet). I did buy some fabric which I earmarked for making a dress for my daughter (still to come), so not really part of my stash. The only other fabric I bought was for curtains. The first of these was bought in Paris for our library, and the second lot will be for our lounge room. I'm sure I'll be showing them off when they're done!


The first challenge that I set myself was to work out what I actually had, and document my stash. That took a bit of time that I could have spent sewing! It took me 4 posts to document it all, Vietnamese fabrics, Cottons, wool, linens and silks, Stretch fabric, synthetics, etc and some more that I found in October. Of the fabric that I measured it totalled more than 100 metres. And that wasn't even all of it!

So what did I manage to make from my stash in 2013? In order of completion:

• Rib Knit Jumper

• Linen print dress

• February dress - two fabrics, neither of which managed to be documented as part of my stash, but I'm counting it anyway!

• Tailored jacket. Post 1, 2 and 3! I managed to use four separate pieces of fabric in this!

• Colette Sorbetto top - fashion fabric and lining both from stash

• Maxi Dress - Outer fabric and lining fabric both from stash

• Sun Dress

That brought me to a total of seven different articles of clothing, six of which were for me, and one for my daughter, using up 13 separate pieces of fabric in all, although a few of them still have a lot of fabric left over.

I still have a lot of fabric left to bust in my stash, and you know I'm going to keep trying to use up more in 2014! I've already made a start on it.