Tag: banish stash

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Next Podcast Installment Dropped

In this episode, I talk about visiting, really visiting your collection. This is the first step to go from shame to love! I know that some of you have a pretty big collection that may not just be a few bins but a roomful? There’s a strategy for that as well.

Just the beginning of the FGF yarn business

Last year, just before the pandemic hit, I went through my quilt stash and changed it to a collection of fabric that I truly love. I did 1 bin a day. It took a week as I recall. I went through each bin and really visited each piece of fabric. I did KonMari** on it. If it brought me joy, I kept it. If it was just “meh”. I put it aside to donate. I am so glad that I spent that time. I’m so glad that I did a little a day. I just spent an hour or so. But did it day after day. That way I avoided overwhelm. So I’m suggesting that you do that too.

I know that after you listen to this episode and doing the simple steps that I suggest, you will feel the excitement and yes, the LOVE of your collection!

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** The KonMari method was pioneered by Marie Kondo, the Japanese Organizational expert

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Banish This Word in the New Year

At this time of year, I like many people are thinking about their word of the year. It is a North Star or value or resolution. It marks how you want to spend your year. That is all good and I do come up with my word of the year each January.

But I want to talk to you about banishing a word this year. Let’s banish the word….stash. I’ve spoken to many of you in person about ejecting this word and concept from your vocabulary. When I hear people talking about their stash it is not out of pride. I don’t hear “You should see my stash! It is lovely.” More often I hear, “I can’t buy anything until I use my stash.” It is said in a kind of Eeyore voice. It is said with shame. Let’s banish that word! Let’s trash the shame!

 

I propose that we use the word, “collection” instead. You are the curator. It is your collection. Each skein and ball that is in your collection was lovingly acquired. Some with a specific project in mind and others just thrilled you with color or texture or softness. I think that if we change our language, we can change our outlook or attitude about the yarn that we have collected. We will be able to see those threads in a different light. We may even go through them and realize, “Hey! I’ve grown out of using this yarn, or this color!” Those parts of your collection can be donated or gifted. You have the power to make the choices, after all it is YOUR collection.

This year, let’s make the commitment to value our collections, to explore them anew and discover what you love about them and which ones need to find a new home. Let’s find some new ways of using what we have and making room to buy new skeins to augment the collection. If you would like to explore your collection in an organized way, you can subscribe to our Color Explorer eCourse. It is a 4 lesson course that helps you look at your collection from the viewpoint of color and allows you to make choices about what stays and what need to be removed from your collection.

What do you think?