Stash and Scraps

I found myself giddy like a fool while rummaging through my fabric scraps today.

I’m crafting most of the Christmas gifts this year—mostly to save some money, but more importantly, for the pure enjoyment of making something thoughtful for others. Naturally, the “saving money” part led me to my “scrap and stash bins.” I also used some plastic canvas that belonged to my grandmother before she passed away (I’ll tell you more about that in a future post).

My scrap bin was my mother’s travel vanity case. I can vividly remember how she stored her curlers in the bottom and can still smell the rose-scented powder that she kept in the top compartment. I was alarmed to see this travel case during a yard sale and quickly asked for it—even offered to pay for it. I don’t know if she was really intending to sell it since she was using it to store other things for sale. But I’m sure if the right offer came along for it, she wouldn’t refuse. So thankfully, I have it now and it’s safe and useful.

Not only did the travel case bring back memories, the scraps inside reminded me of past projects—mostly hand-made gifts. Like I said, I was giddy. I was smiling and gasping in excitement over bits of complimentary fabric that have been used in separate projects in the past. It was like my own mini fabric store.

I not only keep the larger scraps, I also have a few plastic bins that contain my fabric stash. These are all at least 1/2 yard of fabric. The bin below shows my cotton fabrics I have another that’s my “other” fabric. I’ve inherited quite a bit of fabric—I probably need to give some away since I know I won’t use them. I’m not a real floral print kind of person. Well, at least I don’t think I would use it—though my quilting friends tell me otherwise.

The stash is not as exciting as the scraps. Though there are fabrics in there that are screaming for a project. One day… one day…