on making (a subject I never tire of)
I’ve read some fascinating pieces lately on stashing thoughtfully, slow fashion, and creating a handmade wardrobe; all things that are catnip to me at the best of times. If you’d like to take a trip down the rabbit hole, you could always start with the Stash Less series over at The Craft Sessions. I appreciate just how honest she is about what she finds difficult, and where she’s (for want of a better term) fallen down.
Some time back, I had started my own challenge here, to use up a certain amount of items from my various stashes. Problem is, it was a pretty nebulous thing; what counts as an item? And how would I account for the very differing work involved in using up one hank of 1200m of laceweight yarn versus a single focal bead, or a piece of cardstock? And so, it fell by the wayside.
However, there was another, larger reason that it didn’t come to pass. The challenge came about because I felt I was not making enough, somehow (what counts as enough?) and because I felt guilty about the size of my stash. Not out of joy or wanting to push myself to do something new, but out of guilt.
Funny thing, though. Once I let go of the "I have too much stuff" guilt surrounding my craft stash, I started making again in earnest. Once I took a little step back to consider how other people approached making and stashing, I was able to see what resonated with me, and act accordingly. Life is too damned short for guilt around a feckin’ hobby.
So, for the year ahead, there are three rules:
- work from stash wherever possible (kinda the guiding principle of the year, truth be told)
- have some fun with it
- take the occasional risk; mistakes may be inevitable, but they’re also helpful
There’s no one right approach to any of this, bar the one that doesn’t make you tie yourself in knots, I suppose. If numbers/rules/pure whim/caffeine help you, then have at ‘em all. I wish you joy in the making!
