The series where we talk about having a thoughtful stash.

Stash Less began as a challenge to myself last year - to regain consciousness over my stash over the course of a year. And because I made it up, then I got to make up the rules. And so I'm giving myself a gold star this week - the highest achievement possible of the challenge! "What did I do to achieve it?" I hear you ask? I finally cut the Nani Iro! Not just any Iro but the Iro.

Those of you who have been around since The Craft Sessions began will remember the image below. It was our homepage image on the day we launched in June of 2013. And the blue Nani Iro is still on our homepage as part of the new stack. But my history (and attachment) with this piece of fabric goes back much further than that. I looked up my Etsy purchasing history and can see that I purchased it way back in Janurary of 2011. In a strange way it is not as bad as I thought. So I've held on to it for four years. Loving it way to much to cut into it. Waiting for the perfect pattern. Too special to do anything but sit there. I just think it is beautiful. 

My hope for Stash Less was that I would start to use my stash. I would stop the purchasing that had me avoiding cutting my favourite fabrics and I would use it. Because I had to. Because in order to make pretty things, I had no other option. No avoidance mechanisms at my disposal….

This week I achieved it - so GOLD star for me!

"OK….but Stash Less has been going for six months already and you hadn't touched it. There must have been a final driver that got you there?" I hear you say. Well you would be right…. I did need a push.

Last week I was asked to do interview about Stash_Less for an ace publication. It was lovely they thought of me, and I was feeling pretty chuffed about it, until they sent a second email which stated that they needed to have someone take a photo of me. OK….. so just a little confronting - I've been pretty happy running around in a headless fashion for the last two years - so I was feeling pretty awkward. Knowing I was going to do the interview however, got me to thinking about Stash_Less, and how it was starting to change me and my habits. I sat and went through my original thought process. I thought about what I was trying to achieve, what I had achieved, and I realised there was one thing I hadn't done yet. I'd skirted around the edges using less precious Iro here and there. But not the big guns. The blue Iro was my white whale. …..Alright, maybe that is taking it a little too far. But it is big none the less.

I decided to make an effort. Y'know you have some big event, you make a frock - right? Well this was that for me. I was going to be talking about this project I created - I should try to achieve all it's aims right? I would make something to wear for the photo! As we have been talking Simple Sewing a lot lately, so I decided I should go with what I love, and I love a woven Hemlock. The woven Hemlock fits my everyday wardrobe like a glove, and who wouldn't want to wear the blue Iro everyday. The simple shape of the pattern was made for beautiful fabric. 

Lucky for me the actual photo taking was a dream due to the skill, generosity and kindness of Emma Byrnes from Heartland Projects. We had such a great day, full of ideas and joy, and she had me totally comfortable. I'll show you some of her photos as soon as they get published. Emma's photos are totally stunning and some photos even have heads. You can find her gorgeous instagram feed here. 

Your stories always make me happy so to celebrate with me, tell me what is the thing/s that you are avoiding using. Or if you used it, how did you get there. 

Felicia x