Friday, April 18, 2008

Unintentional stash reduction

I'm always looking for projects for the parent group at CDR to work on. I am a group facilitator there three days a week. Everything we do is geared towards enhancing their parenting skills. An upcoming event is related to literacy and includes a gift of a bag with books, props for the books, and other activities enclosed. All the goodies for inside the kit are ready, but we need bags. That's where the stash reduction comes in. I volunteered to make about 100 bags. Each one uses about 18" x 36" of fabric, so I went through everything I have and started grabbing pieces of fabric that fit the bill.
One week in parent group, I set up two sewing machines and put the parents to work cutting, pinning, and sewing the bags. I decided to do the handles myself. As it turns out, only about 8 were sewn in group, so I've been sewing bags over and over and over and over .... AAAAA!
This is frugal sewing at its best. I'm using excess fabric that I don't dare get rid of because I might need it some day, excess threads that I've been collecting also because I might need them some day, and making bag after bag. I have bought nothing. Not only that, I'm giving them all away.
I'm far from done, but the moral of the story is that there are sewing opportunities out there for all of us that can include stash reduction. Check around and see if there is a school or early intervention center like CDR that needs your help. Do the sewing for them or take a bit of time and teach them to do it for themselves. It's a great way to pass on the lessons we have inside us to teach and it's a great frugal lesson for those who may not have the money to buy fancy schmancy bags on their own.

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