I learned a new word last year from a knitting/spinning blog that fits me to a tee The word is "Sable". It means: "Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy". This, as I am seeing more and more clearly, defines me.
Everyone in life goes through stages. For crafters or "Fiber Artisans" as I now prefer to be called, this is visually evident. In my quilting/sewing stages, when my kids were young and homemade clothes were acceptable, and quilting was a natural outpouring of that period of my life, my collection of all things cotton became sizeable. Because each piece of cotton brought back memories, it was hard to give the leftovers away. Yes, I do have pictures of the kids running around in those homemade clothes (and why YES, they DID look great!) but I'm a tactile person. I can't touch the fabric those pictures show. I can however go to my cotton bin (who am I kidding? Bin should always have an "S" at the end) and hunt through to find the leftover fabric. See I was a visionary way back then. I always bought 1 yard more than the pattern called for, so I'd have a leftover piece for "later". Or "the addiction started here", take your pick. This gave me an excuse to make a quilt with their clothes fabric. Always thinking ahead. Since I preferred cotton for their clothes (wrinkles be damned), I have amassed a rather large stash. Yes, I did make them quilts but they've put them away as they prefer comforters and our daughter prefers a color co-ordinated room that comes out of Target.
Next came my needle work period. I received a computer software program to make counted cross stitch. I already had the first two computer programs that Electric Quilt had made. You design your quilt on the computer, then fill in the pieces with actual computer scanned fabric samples that you could then go to places like Joann's and purchase. This guaranteed a successful quilt. Now here is a computer program that allows you to use your DMC/Anchor floss to design your own samplers, stitchery projects. Terrific! I can so do this! I now have the professional version of Hobbyware's Counted Cross Stitch Maker and a copy of the PCSTITCH cross stitch software. I collected all sizes/counts of Aida cloth, both packaged and by the yard, frames to hold the fabric, the necessary needles, at least 2 of every DMC (the floss I prefer) color they make), and enough kits (my "kitting" stage) to see me through to my next life.
Then knitting. Now Spinning and weaving. I have amassed a substantial amount of "stash". More than I can use in this life. Hubby dearest says more than any three people can use in their lifetimes. I am not pointing this out as if I'm bragging, but as a way to remind myself that having all this also ties and binds me. I feel a little guilt if I purchase 1 more item as I have so much now that I haven't done anything with. I feel chained to holding onto stuff due to the memories that I have of the who/what/when/where of that period of my life. I have enough bins to build my own fortress. Coincidentally, those bins have become my fortress. A wonderful comment in "A Christmas Carol" is said to Scrooge that we forge link upon link, miles of heavy chain, that hold us down. In my case I can always come up with a good reason to purchase just one more item, but the reality is, I don't have a good reason. Not until I use what I have. Or give it away. As I see bin upon bin of acquired stash empty and leave, I can feel my load get lighter. I feel better. I know I am undoing the chain I've forged.
This is also not a "only me" issue. Many, many of my friends and those on the web that I am friends forged by hobby (groups like Ravelry, and Knitting Paradise come to mind) have exactly the same issue. You know it's bad when someone on those sites issues the challenge "how do you sneak your latest purchase into the house or what money did you rob Peter from to pay for your latest purchase" and the answers are numerous. Or like me, when you sit down to give away bin upon bin of magazines and you do a quick mathematical assessment and realize you could have purchased something more tangible than a "here today, gone tomorrow" reading material, something you could have Googled online for free. Or as hubby dearest says, you could have, ahem, SAVED the money. Yeah, like THAT is ever going to happen. We've been married since Noah built the ark and I admit right now, I am so not a saver of cash. I can save sippy cups from my "baby" (although said baby is now almost 15) but for me to save $1.00 would require me to be chained to a bed in a steel cage, with a multi-locked door attached. Yes, I do coupon and do so pretty well I can tell you, but only to fund my fiber addiction. Hello, my name is Deborah and I am a fiber-aholic. Don't judge.
But like almost every addict can attest, if we live long enough, are honest with ourselves enough, we come to a point where we acknowledge our issues, and start mending our fences. My fences are in dire need. They sag, they've rusted through and I've got the scratch marks to prove it. But they are getting fixed. One step at a time.....
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