This morning I seem to be more annoyed than usual about the use of the terms scrapbusting and stashbusting.
Does one make quilts merely as a way to use up fabric? Or does one use fabric to make the quilts one is inspired to make?
It might seem like a chicken-egg dilemma on the surface, but to suggest that one is “busting stash” is a pretty strong assumption. It’s not that I find it bad to “stashbust,” but it’s not a term to describe my motivations or methods.
Help. Please?
The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I bet that most of us have more inspiration than time, and that our stashes were purchased because of an inspiration. My efforts to work from my stash are about letting the materials that I already own inspire me to create, rather than accumulating them mindlessly.
I have ‘busted stash’ by using up fabrics that I’m not so keen on or I’d like to use up without any particular project in mind when I’ve made backings. But Scrap busting? – I’m more for scrap loving. Scrap hoarding. Scrap breeding. I wouldn’t want to bust those scraps, it sounds like it could hurt them – and I love them too much to do that.
I’m not a fan of the word ‘busting’ anyway – round these parts it means something is broken, or damaged. For example – I bust my nose, or I bust my knee open or Grace bust my toy (said by a small boy with very ginger, very curly hair on a regular basis when his much older and often annoying sister does something to upset him). Get my drift?)
I can’t say the terms annoy me, exactly. Usually when I browse patterns, yarns, fabrics, something inspires me to purchase. I hope that I will ultimately make something that is a pay off for that inspiration.
Well, I’m going to take a stab at describing the way I interpret the two terms because 1) an opinion was asked for and I can’t ever, ever back away from that and 2) it’s a way for me to avoid the things I have to do this morning.
Scrapbusting: v. To utilize a collection of scrap fabrics collected over time via projects geared toward the idea of scraps determining the design or outcome of said project. i.e. crazy quilts, insanely small pieced items, etc.
Stashbusting: v. To utilize a collection of purchased fabrics collected over time because when you bought them, you may not have had a specific project in mind but by God everyone else on the internet that quilts has bought it and you certainly can’t run the risk of facing what could be the Flea Market Fancy curse and not being able to get some for yourself so you bought it and now it’s there in a tub under your bed and it’s now been there for over a year and you’ve no idea what to do with it because now, it’s become so precious in your mind you can’t bring yourself to cut into it.
That’s what they mean to me, anyway. ;)
I was thinking about how I dislike that term recently as well. As well as the similar “slog-alongs” and the likes. I definitely like the idea of making sure you actually use the yarns you buy, but terming it “busting” or “slogging” makes it sound like you didn’t choose those yarns – like they were forced on you and now you have to get rid of them somehow. I don’t associate my craft with such feelings.
Slog along?
I also hate this idea that having a stash is a crime of some kind. I like having materials on hand to start a project when I’m ready to start it. I LOATHE having to go out and collect the materials just to get going on something. When I start something, I want to be as close to “just starting” as possible without having to go buy thread, or a zipper or interfacing or something just to keep going.
Oh, good. I think we are all agreeing pretty much. My annoyance this morning is two-fold: someone labeled me a “buster” (and I don’t like the suggestion) and, as Katy said, I don’t appreciate the terminology.
I guess I wonder what one does after busting? Don’t you just load up on more fabrics and begin again?
I don’t have a fabric stash but I do have a formidable yarn stash. The photo folder I set up to document and catalog the stash is labeled “Fuel”. I view the stash as fuel to ignite the fire of creativity. And as fuel, as one uses it up, the reserves need to be replenished.
I don’t know that I ever saw the terms as having a negative connotation, but I see what you mean. I think I’ll be more mindful of how I use those terms in the future.
While I am trying to use more from my stash this year, I’m not seeing it at a punishment. I did buy all this stuff myself. I would like to reduce the quantity of scrap bins that I have, but working from scraps is my favorite thing to do, so iIlove it. Which also makes me uneasy about trying to use some up. What if i run out of scraps? Probably not possible, but scary to think about.
No “busting” going on at my house. I’m not a fan of the term either. Many years ago, well before I was quilting, a friend referred to her large stash of fabric as her pallet of colour…….just as an artist needs a pallet of paints. That sort of stuck with me. Much of my “pallet of fabric” works together in crazy and wonderful ways….I’m not busting that up. In all honesty it’s the term UFO that makes me crazy.
Well, I’ve never really thought about the term “stashbust” in a negative way before (I used it in a very recent blog post, in fact)…but I have certainly thought about the idea of stashing in general and all the guilt we’re supposed to associate with it. I’m not immune to that, certainly! Just this morning I was putting away some odd skeins and leftovers, and as I opened the tubs of yarn, I thought to myself “Wow, I have a lot of yarn,” and for a minute or so I felt kind of guilty. And then I got over it. Because what’s the point of artful crafting if it’s only a way to use up yarn (or fabric, you name it)? Isn’t the real purpose to create something beautiful or useful or both?
Norwegian crafters frequently use terms like “yarn diet” and “stash dieting”. There’s also a lot of guilt talk and “I should finish this”, “I shouldn’t buy this” and “I should use up that”. I think it’s a turn-off.
I also can’t help thinking it’s a gender thing. Women feel guilty buying things for themselves, it should be useful, preferably for others, and least of all extravagant. They buy yarn and hide it from their partners, or smuggle it into the house. What’s with that?
Or is it just language? The way women like to talk about their stuff?
(I do see the problems with over spending, with hoarding or throwing away unused stuff. That’s not what I’m talking about. Sometimes the guilt part seems like a kind of an indulgence of itself.)
I see that “diet” is ambiguous here, as we are talking about slimming, not reduced intake :)
Wow C, if you’re not offering an artistic provocation here, you’re offering an intellectual one. :-)
Enjoying this discussion! I wonder what percentage of the talk is deeper than people using craftblog slang.
I don’t care for either term. Do artists say they are going to piantbust, or chalkbust? I am not sure I even like the term ‘stash’. I call my amassed fabric purchases my collection. I have moved beyond the point of buying just for the sake of buying. When my budget is too tight to squeeze out a bit of fabric, I go and drool over what I already have and challenge myself to get at my creative best. That said however, it took me awhile to give myself permission to play for the sake of playing.
I just don’t care for the rampant consumerism behind it all. I see so many people de-stashing just to re-stash. And going on fabric “diets.” And parading new purchases around, then never showing anything creative being done with them. Like the fabric is an end in itself, not a tool for creation. It’s dysfunctional.
Yes! I hadn’t clearly articulated it, but the notions bug me too!
I see the impatience of youth in it. I have decades of amassed fabric–more than I can use in the time left me. But I still buy more because it Gives Me Pleasure. I love it when a loved old fabric finds a perfect compliment with something I just brought home. A large part of my love of quilting is my love of fabric.
Check my entry today:
Better than a postcard
Coming out of lurk to say that I’m on the same page as Lisa. I’m a new knitter and my stash is as my friends would say “wowzers … outta control mannnn!!!!” But I see my stash as a source of creativity. Since the year began, I tried to go on a stash diet and do stash busting projects to no avail. It’s just not happening and I’m putting myself out of torture and giving me license to be inspired by my ever-growing stash :P
How provocative of you! I have always felt uncomfortable with term yarn “stash” and haven’t talked about stash much/ever on my own blog. I also don’t “stashbust” or hold off on knitting or fabric purchases because of some set amount I’m supposed to have. Granted, my budget keeps my purchases fairly small and infrequent, and it irritates me that people assume that if you’re a knitter, you have a stash. (See: practically mandatory stash section on Ravelry. If you have it filled out, it better be complete and accurate, and not because you want to link that yarn to a project or something… It’s like the stash section is up for grabs.) A lot of commenters have really insightful comments, such as Diane LoDico’s about painters and artists calling their supplies “stash”, and strikkelise’s about gender guilt. I’m certain to come back and see what else people come and write – more fuel for thought! :)
What a fascinating thread! I have used the turns “stashbusting” or “scrapbusting” without much introspection before. This is giving me reason to pause. Yes, there are negative connotations here that are not quite right. I do not have too much fabric. And, yet, at the same time, I rejoice when I make something entirely from my already owned fabrics – it feels so resourceful. Sometimes the fabric inspired a project. Sometimes a project requires a new fabric. But, when the two work hand in hand (when I have on hand what I need, as a previous commenter mentioned) the experience tends to make me happiest of all. There is a satisfaction to be gained in using what you have.
OK, I’ll also admit that my scrap accumulation does make me a little nervous. I don’t like the feeling that I may not be able to ever keep up with “using” all of the scraps that are created by my sewing. But, the simple solution is to give them away to someone less scrap-blessed. Is that scrapbusting? Let’s say we need a new word.
I call it stash consumption.
You’re right – nobody wants to be called a ‘buster’!
These are two words that are just not in my vocabulary. My ‘stash’ is pretty enormous by most people’s standards and so is my mountain of scraps. But both give me joy to see and neither instill a sense of anxiety that I’m starting to hear about from a lot of quilters. My stash gives me so much freedom and inspiration to create anything I have a notion to make, and I have lots of grand plans for all those scraps, someday. The only thing I really need more of is time. Did that answer your question? I don’t think so but my cold is making my head cloudy:)
your post inspired such ponderings that I had to post my musings today: http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/01/in-which-i-ponder.html. I linked up to your post, of course. Thanks for the prompt!
I don’t find anything wrong with either terms. I am “stashbusting” this year because my yarn consumption has far outpaced my yarn usage. I tend to purchase a lot of yarn, especially if it is on sale, without any particular project in mind therefore my stash has reached the bursting or “busting” point.
If you are like me and have enough yarn to knit over 150 pairs of socks alone then it is time to “bust” the stash open and see how more of it can be put to use. I am also “Cold Sheeping” and for me that means not purchasing any yarn this year. Yes my stash is just that big and yes I am a stashbuster.
I don’t know if I have used the terms scrap or stash busting (I may have, I talk lots and it’s hard to remember everything I’ve said) I think I use the phrase “leftovers” more. Like if you eat an excellent dinner and then there’s a bit left, you put it in the fridge and eat it for lunch tomorrow. That’s what my scraps are like, a little extra taste of something I enjoyed before.
I will be disappointed if you get to zero stash. I see you as an artist. Fabric is the tool you use to create. Stash is the collection of tools. I’d go all Momma bear if someone told you to destash because you have too much.
I have been thinking, often, of your destash philosophy – to finish things and understand why things don’t get done. I’m working hard to find a level of satisfaction in finishing things that matches the gratification I get in starting them.
I’ve been thinking about this all day, and want to thank you for putting this out there. I am having a hard time working on my current project because I’m not using scraps (for the first time in awhile) and the idea of cutting into larger yardage gave me pause. There is something much more final about cutting into fat quarters of “prized” fabric and half yard cuts that I got for a project such as this. I almost feel paralyzed but it, which is pretty embarrassing. I’ve been called “scrappy” in the past, and see it as a compliment. I see the scraps as full of possibility, and love the challenge of putting them together. (perhaps my answer to this cutting conundrum is to just cut and create scraps?)
I don’t like the terms either. They make me think of my hobby in a negative perspective instead of the positive. I am doing the StashPact thing this year, which could maybe be categorized as “stashbusting” but I prefer to mark my progress through the year not on how much stash I’ve used up but on how much I’ve accomplished in terms of finished objects. My goal is to fill up my grandmother’s bridal chest with hand made goodies.
The end result in my case is the same of course but it is that small shift in perspective that makes the project positive instead of negative. In a way it’s just wrangling over terminology but I still prefer the more positive approach. I really want to enjoy my time with crafting and not burden it with guilt.
Oh goodnesss. I could write for miles about this topic. I won’t. But I will stick to one part of this conversation that bothers me most!
It has always slightly irked me when people write things like: “This pattern is a great stashbuster.” To me, that means that the motivation for making something is simply to use up your materials. I really don’t see the point in that. When I make something, I want each and every item to be as beautiful as it can be. I want to use the pattern (or design my own) that is most appealing to me. I want to chose fabrics that are going to be perfect. (For some projects, perfect could mean old flannel shirts etc.) I don’t think I make choices regarding the materials I use based on wanting to get rid of something. Maybe this would be different if I had more free time to craft? I don’t know. Probably not.
Interesting post, C! And great thoughtful comments here, too.
I use neither term much, unless it’s the given name of something I’m working on (like the Stashbuster Blocks for my quilting bee month). I never really thought of the terms as having to do with getting rid of stash so much as dealing with the scraps that are left over after having completed the project the yarn/fabric was originally bought for. So I’ve mostly associate the terms with projects that allow a person to use the little oddments of yarn or fabric that might not otherwise get used.
Beyond that, it’s not a useful term for me. I love my yarn, fiber, and fabric collections, and find them useful and inspiring. When they threaten to get out-of-hand (such as when I can no longer find a place to store what I’ve accumulated), I cut back on purchases, use what I love, and/or sell what I no longer want. I don’t go on stash diets and am not participating in StashPact. I know from experience that putting strict limits on myself with such things leads to anxiety and/or guilt for me, and that leads me into compulsive pendulum-swinging ways (buy overmuch then crack down overmuch). I don’t need that kind of disordered thinking/feeling/action in my craft life.
Great comments. I, too, find the idea of stash “busting” to be too negative. It implies that you are making something less than ideal just to use up surplus materials. (And sometimes that is exactly what people are doing when they “stashbust.”)
But I love it when a quilt or knit is described as “scrappy”–perhaps because of the double meaning.
I also find, as I knit and quilt over the years, that a deep stash is absolutely necessary for patchwork quilting, and not at all necessary or useful for knitting. Even if I’m knitting “scrappy” projects, it works better, for me, if I get to choose the yarn for a specific project instead of trying to make my existing stash work. I never EVER buy “a sweater’s worth” of yarn unless I know the exact sweater and am ready to cast it on. (Wish I didn’t have to learn this by buying bags of yarn!)
Fabulous thoughts above. Wow. And many definitions of “stash”. I wonder what Nancy Crow calls her fabric on hand? Wouldn’t that be interesting to know LOL!
I use the word stash because that is what we all seem to call what we have. I am proud to say that although I have PLENTY of yarn, when I look at it I know what I will make with it. But MY issues are the (not) finishing and why I let things linger so long — I’m too old to have such a short attention span LOL. While I was cleaning my sewing room yesterday I did frog a couple of things — I liked them actually, but realized it might be a long while before I get back to them.
But although I boast that I know what I will do with my yarn stash, it has become large enough to be “Stuff” — too much to think about.
But what has prompted you on all of this — too many scraps that you feel you MUST use?
Such an interesting thread! I have an *almost* embarrassing fabric stash, but prefer to consider it my palette. My version of stashbusting is donating fabric I know I will never use to Project Linus.
I refer to the items as my resources. Stash in and of it’s self sounds like something you have to hide. Agree with the negativity of ‘busting’ and definitely bringing the word ‘diet’ into the discussion. Hasn’t that word caused enough pain already? I have lots of resources because there are times when I don’t have the time to make but have the time (and $$) to shop, I feel connected to my art if I am at least gathering resources. And one day, GLWATCDR, I will retire and have the time to use my resources as I suspect I won’t have as much $$ to gather them!!
I like to think of my fabric as my paintbox. When I used to draw a lot, I had a set of 72 pencil crayons and a similarly large set of pastels. I still have a lot of them drifting around, but at the time, they were necessary to get the effects I was looking for in my work. In my first year painting class in university (the only one I ever took) our teacher encouraged us to practice colour mixing by only having three primary colours and white. And then we got to our self portrait project, and she told those of us with peachy skin tones that we were going to need to get a different colour of paint, as the shade she had restricted us to before would not make anything close to our skin colour. There is a reason for having a large variety of fabrics on hand, so you have the resources to obtain the effect you are looking for.
I think the problem comes when the quilt fabric companies choose to only do limited runs of their fabric collections, so that if you don’t buy it the first time you see it it is virtually gone. It creates a sense of false urgency, especially if its a “hot” fabric. You think to yourself, “Well, I don’t really REALLY love it or need it, but what if I want it in six months and I can’t find it?”. But I know this little bit of scarcity is better for me than buying in a panic and spending hundreds of dollars on fabrics I don’t abseloutely love just because they were “cool”. For me, that is when I feel guilty.
As i’ve become a more saavy fabric buyer, I find that I don’t tend to buy a whole collection. If I really love something I will buy one colourway in fat quarters, or I’ll buy one print in several colours or I’ll buy enough to be the main backing fabric on a quilt in one print. Otherwise, I try to think about what i need to round out my fabric supplies (am I low on reds? so I have enough background fabrics? Do I need some small scale prints?) and buy a few half yards out of collections that I love that meet my needs at the moment. I’m not on the stash pact because I”m learning to be more selective in what I buy, and think differently about the fabrics that i have.
I too am a bit wary of the connotations of “stashing” and “dieting” (especially when I’m struggling with my weight and refuse to use the word ‘diet’ in that avenue) when it comes to yarn. I take such joy in working with needles and yarn. Yes, I have a large yarn “stash,” but since I started crafting, I’ve become a lot more mindful in how I purchase things and how I use them.
Hm. Never thought the terms were negative, though I can see what you’re saying.
I am thrilled about the new way I’m seeing my stashes through the Stashpact group, and I know there’s talk of “busting” in there, but I don’t think anyone thinks of it negatively- I wonder if there’s a term that would better match what folks really mean when they say stashbusting? For instance, Stacey’s One Shiny Bee blocks were the “stashbuster” blocks. But in that case, all it meant was “blocks that allow you to use up tiny sweet scraps you may have in abundance but haven’t yet figured out a use for.” And we all loved the blocks and Stacey’s quilt will be beautiful! So no negativity there.
I have never particularly liked either term, although I do use them for lack of anything better. I don’t find the notion of either stash or scrap busting as a negative thing. I love my stash of pretty fabrics, and I love my scrap box, full of precious little pieces. For me, a stash buster project is one that is perfect for fabric I have had in my stash for a while. Fabric that was waiting for the perfect project. In fact, I’m about to begin such a project, and am just thrilled about it. This year I will be doing a lot of stash/scrap busting, because my fabric budget has taken a huge hit (10% rise in college tuition. . . ). While I know I’ll be sad about that, I know that I have lots of lovely things to play with just waiting in my closet, because STASH is not a dirty word, it is a wonderful thing!
What an interesting discussion. I’ve never thought of stash-busting as negative, but I have noticed some quilts that were scrap busting that just look like an ugly mish-mash of leftovers. None of your scrap quilts could be described that way, though.
I have quite a quilt fabric stash, which has languished the past few years while I have re-united with knitting. I’ve recently discovered something about my yarn stash. I like all of the yarn in it. I’ve been trying to knit a hat for my niece and wanted to use something I already have, since there is so much. But as I’ve started a few things and am just not feeling it, I realized it is because I LIKE this yarn and don’t want to give it away. I shouldn’t feel this selfish and really enjoy giving knitted gifts. It just works better if I buy something with the other person in mind.
Another reason a “stash diet” has a negative connotation is if we have to go on one due to financial restrictions. It is much easier to choose that route because you have many sources of inspiration in the stuff you already have.
Very interesting! I think I’m with lots of people here on the idea that the stash does not primarily exist to be “busted” and if you’re crafting just to get rid of fabric or yarn… what’s the point? But there is a point at which the stash begins to take over the universe in a way. My stash is literally in my way – I can’t get to the stuff I want because there’s too much of it to hunt through and move to get out of the way. If I spend half of my craft time gathering and clearing and putting away materials because there’s too much of them… it’s not so great. So if a stashbuster project is conceived to help approach the stash, help create ways to combine things and enable a project to happen from what may be a mish-mosh of existing materials without adding new ones, hooray! Or a way to enable small bits to be well-utilized rather than kept endlessly because we still value them as materials but don’t have enough to make up a specific pattern, yay! Use up the yarn bits and bobs and create something new but also wonderful, not just an “I guess I should use this” – great!
But I think there is also an aspect of purchasing and hoarding and not knowing what to do with your stash, which is not only coming from crafters excited to make things, but helped along by the motives of the craft industry to get you to BUY MORE SUPPLIES, PLEASE and then USE THEM UP SOMEHOW SO YOU WILL BUY MORE, PLEASE by doing a “stash-buster” of a project, then bleh.
It all comes down to making things with love and care, whether or not there’s a little push to design creatively with existing materials.
For what it’s worth, I think there’s something great about the design restrictions of using stash – so much more interesting to my eye to see something put together from bits and bobs from all over than from one charm pack from one collection, where all the colors match exactly, and the prints are designed to coordinate exactly. So I make the things I’m inspired to make, but the inspiration for some of the design choices is partly from the challenge of using the stash and not buying more new stuff.
Another just a thought – my mom has finally quit a quilt group that was hanging over her head for a long time, because it had become about using up fabrics that someone was getting as donations, but they often didn’t have a good home for the quilts that were being made, and little inspiration to continue. I have some fabric still hanging about just because I don’t know how to find a good home for it, and somehow I’ve let my responsibility to what I consider to be a useable good get in the way of moving on with some of the rest of my crafting. So maybe I should do some stashbusters? Or just landfill it? Or spend more hours of my life finding good homes for it?
my son was the recipient of a baby blanket that was crocheted from bits and pieces of leftover yarn- it was a hot mess- colors that didn’t necesarily clash, but that didn’t go together either- the time that was put into it was just a waste, IMO, because the maker didn’t put time into coordinating it- her object was to get rid of all the little balls of yarn left over from other afghans. It went to the thrift store.
I don’t quilt (unless you count the patchwork draught exluder I made in October – salvaged from old clothes, scraps of fabric from other projects etc etc) but I do papercrafts. And I guess the same rings true.
I am a ‘stasher without means’…I magpie…I pretty much hoard stuff in case I can use it in a project. I can’t remember the last time I actually bought anything for my project box…must be about 2 years ago, and I’m reguarly churning stuff out. No birthday wrapping paper goes unwasted in our house!
I think as long as you are enjoying the project you are working on, and the money spent is worth the enjoyment you are getting out of it, what the heck…bust all you like!