2012 Craft & Hobby Supplies Use It Up Challenge

**Sumacaroni** · 12-13-2011, 09:49 PM

Started going through my stash, got through the entire chest of drawers in the dining room where I keep one drawer of essential notions and have now designated one drawer for several UFO's I found and supplies to finish them. They're bagged and listed on my Use-It-Up To-Do List. Found a few things I no longer care to finish and started a To Donate bag to bless other thrift shoppers. Sorted through the miscellaneous and threw out what will never be used.

That was the easy part, the more challenging part will be getting through my craft room - it's been a dumping grounds while we worked on some remodeling in the basement. But I am determined to head down there on my day off!

**peanut** · 12-14-2011, 12:02 AM

Got the binding sewn onto the quilt. Now to hand stitch it tomorrow.

**Spirit Deer** · 12-14-2011, 12:05 AM

I gotta get through some of the utility sewing I have to do so I can get to the fun stuff.

**madhen** · 12-14-2011, 12:42 PM

I went a step backward in this challenge. I promised a friend of mine that I would knit her a new belt for her sweater, and I didn't have any black yarn, so I had to buy a skein of it yesterday. I'll probably use up about 1/4 of it for the belt.

**dcompton** · 12-14-2011, 01:15 PM

Used up another half skein of yarn last night.

Madhen - I imagine this will be one step back, then a few forward for several of us. I may have to get another skein to finish the border on one of the lapghans I've started, but I'll be using up several other skeins in the process.

Black yarn is something that can always be used. At least it isn't fright night fluorescent orange or something like that.

**Spirit Deer** · 12-14-2011, 01:31 PM

I finished up the last two sweaters that needed to be frogged for re-use, and sewed two storage bags, one for the swift and one for the blocking board.

This afternoon's project will be to try to get the last of the yarn out of the living room and work on one of the sleeping bag enlargement modifications.

So far in my sewing room I'm starting to be able to see the tops of two sewing tables. Progress!

**Labontet** · 12-14-2011, 02:13 PM

This will validate why I need to straighten up my craft closet.

While rummaging through it, I found a Christmas present I purchased 2 years ago. When that Christmas came I could not find the gift so I had to buy another one. Not a very frugal position to be in.

So frustrating!

**dean** · 12-14-2011, 03:20 PM

Last night I repaired one of my work shirts. Needed a button and after much much rummaging in my stash, there it was. perfect match.
Then on to some red jersey fabric and patched a knee blowout in dhs red union suit long underwear. He's getting a new pair from The Vermont Country Store for Christmas, but he doesn't know that and these are in pretty good shape otherwise.
Then I made two Christmas cards with all my holiday paper stash. Feels great to use these things up at no cost and get a useful finished product in return.
I'm lovin' this thread.

**Spirit Deer** · 12-14-2011, 03:38 PM

I'm loving it, too. Thanks again, D!

I got one of the sleeping bag alterations done. It wasn't a bad job once I started using the right tool. Now it's eight inches longer and eight inches wider so should be much more comfy rather than making us feel squished in. I doubt we'll ever use these or if we do it'll be rarely, so I couldn't make myself spend $80 or more EACH for two new ones. (Our tent camping gear is a back-up plan.) If we start using them a lot, then we can think about putting more money into new ones. I picked up a suitable quilted bedspread a couple years ago for $2, which should be enough to do both of them. As I was sewing today I realized the spread batting is Thinsulate! So it should be at least as warm as the original sleeping bags.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get the second one done. Then I'll just have to make two stuff sacks to put them in and they can go into the camping gear where they belong.

So today I put four items to use from my sewing room chaos: A pair of worn-out pants for the swift bag, a scrap of recycled canvas for the blocker board bag, the sleeping bag, and half of a bedspread. Okay, three and a half items. Getting the big chunks like the sleeping bags out of there is going to help ssooooooo much!

**dcompton** · 12-14-2011, 04:20 PM

I try to keep several lapghans going at once, so when I get tired of one I can switch off to another. Tonight I'm going to pull yarn for #3 in the current bunch. I have so dark blue in a shade I don't really like that much, that I picked up at the Hobby Lobby clearance. There were nine skeins of it, so apparently a lot of people weren't keen on it. It's ok, just not my choice of dark blues. I have a pattern I've been wanting to try that needs to be a single color, and I know there is enough of this, so I'm going to get that underway.

What's sad is that I am so programmed after a lifetime to eat spinach before the desert, my impulse is to use the things I don't like as well first - to get them out of the way. After that one, I'm going to use some favorites - my promise to myself!

**Sumacaroni** · 12-14-2011, 04:22 PM

Man o man, SD, you are cruisin right along! Good work. I'm slowly working through collecting all the crafts and such from various hiding spots around the house as I declutter all the other rooms today. Going to take all that stuff and trek into the deep dark abyss formerly known as my craft room now

**AliciaKnits** · 12-14-2011, 06:12 PM

DH helped me today and we organized my Ikea Expedit yarn storage area to clear out some miscellaneous bags that were in front of it. We organized the bins and now I have lots more room than I thought I had. Still have some bags to organize and my stashlets in the two other rooms, but I hope by the 1st of January I'll have all of my stash fitting in the original 8 bins I thought it would fit in

We also organized the stash into the bins by color rather than weight. I found I have lots of blue (my favorite color), followed next by red, green and purple. Not much white or black, and about half a box of brown. Gives me an idea when I'm ready to knit with my stash again about how I choose my yarn, which is generally by color, then by weight.

**Debbie-cat** · 12-14-2011, 06:44 PM

Wow, everyone is purging, cleaning and using things up! It's great! We will all have the cleanest and organized stashes!

Cleaned out three drawers in my 'craft/junk' drawer today. Threw out a bunch of things that were .... in essence...useless. Now I have more room..BUT...will not be filling the space until everything is used up!

**Spirit Deer** · 12-14-2011, 08:07 PM

I crocheted two Snuggles blankets today for shelter pets, thereby using up some of the yarn stash.

My plan in my sewing room is to sort everything into whatever space it goes into, then start sorting through each container and dump what I don't want. Mostly I'm thinking of zippers, buttons, seam bindings, my bead cabinet, and stuff like that. I know there are things I'll never use, which could be donated, and stuff no one would ever use, which I can just pitch. I really need to sort and dispose of a bunch of fur and leather, too.

It's going to be a dang short winter.

**pinecone** · 12-14-2011, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by peanut

Unearthed the wool I was spinning...but can't remember for sure if it's the one!!! I'm going to have to get out the magnifying glass and check the fibre. Or the microscope! Maybe I can find someone who can tell by feel...

Try the "burn" test over the sink. How to determine fabric content

piney