Stash Challenge 2011

[bridesmom]

fabric-flowchart.jpg (31.84 KB) Viewed 5872 times

I hope Gina doesn't mind that I just copy and pasted the rules from last year.

The challenge will run Friday, October 7, 2011 through Friday, December 31, 2011. Get ready to ring in the New Year with a lighter stash and a slew of finished projects!

This is an opportunity for everyone to have fun sewing and engage in a little friendly competition to see who can sew up the most fabric from their stash. Just like last year - yardage entries must be accompanied by photos of the completed projects! The photos will be a great way to motivate and inspire your fellow participants.

What is stash? Stash is your "collection" of fabric that you might have accumulated for one reason or another. Maybe you planned out a project but haven't quite gotten around to it yet. Or maybe you've bought fabric because you liked it but had no particular purpose in mind. Perhaps you have "inherited" fabric from friends or family members. One way or another, it seems to be easy for sewers to accumulate a fabric stash, large or small. The purpose of this contest is to motivate you to get sewing and put some of that fabric to good use!

The person with the highest yardage will get a special image that will be displayed under their avatar and username to the right of their posts.

Rules

For the purposes of this contest, stash is considered to be fabric that was in your possession before the start of the contest, Friday October 7, 2011. Any fabrics that came from your stash and are used to complete a project can be counted toward your yardage. If you need new fabric or lining to finish a project, that's totally ok, just only count the portion of the fabric that came from your stash. Interfacings, batting, ribbons and notions from stash do not count toward your total.

Projects that count toward your yardage must be finished and ready to serve their intended purpose. For garments, they should be hemmed, buttoned, etc. Garments for the purposes of fitting are ok and do not need to be hemmed, lined, etc, as long as they have served that purpose. Quilts should be batted, backed, bound, and quilted (or whatever is necessary for the project to be "finished").

Reconstructed garments from old clothing (yours, or thrifted) will be allowed, as long you have significantly changed the piece. For example, hemming a pair of pants does not qualify, but remaking a men's sweater into a women's cardigan would count. All entered yardage should involve a significant amount of sewing. Sorry, no-sew projects are not allowed.

Unfinished projects also count toward your yardage, provided they were started before October 7th. (fixed it!)

How do you figure out your yardage? If you used a pattern, you can just use the number of yards on the back of the envelope. Or you can actually measure the linear yards of fabric that you cut into. If you're doing quilting or crafts that use small pieces, just give your best guess based on the size of the finished project. For simplicity (since there will probably be a lot of guessing involved!), round your yardage to the nearest .25 yard (1/4). Round up if you are over the 1/8 yard mark, round down if you are below 1/8 yard.

PHOTOS! In order for your yardage to count, you must post a photo of each item you make. If you are making something in quantity -- for example, 100 duffel bags -- you need not post a picture of each item individually. You could post a close-up shot of one bag, then another image of the stack of 100. If you are not very savvy with posting pictures on the internet ask one of your SWU friends who seem to know what they are doing to help you out.

NEW - You are responsible for recording your own yardage here on Google Docs https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsQOgehkxbzpdE8xYVNyY2ZkQTd5WXVBMkZ3R0hGcnc&hl=en_US
Please record your measurement in 2 decimal places ie: 1/4 yd = .25
DON'T FORGET TO SAVE!!!

Can someone please try this link to see if it works?????
Questions? Ask!
I'll post a note on the general sewing in case there are others that want to join. I have listed the names that Lennie listed, if more join they can add on to the end. Gina, I did put your name in JIC!!
Hope you are all ok with me going ahead and starting it, I'm one of those ocd people who needs it done now!!
Have fun everyone!!

[DorothyL]

It works Laura. Good job.

Dorothy

[lendube]

That is so cool, Laura. Thanks.

[Mom of Six]

Friday, October 7, 2011 through Friday, December 31, 2012.

Don't you mean Dec 31, 2011

[Mule]

Friday, October 7, 2011 through Friday, December 31, 2012.

Don't you mean Dec 31, 2011

If I sign up, I might need till Dec 31, 2012! I'm pretty slow!

One question -- if we make up a muslin of a pattern to fit it, does that count towards yardage? (I'm thinking of the 20 yards of ugly fabric I just bought for that purpose....)

I doubt I'll post any significant numbers since I am pretty slow, but if it motivates me to get going it's a good thing!

[bridesmom]

You know, I did have Dec 31 2011 written, then changed it . Duh! I'll change it back. And Beth, yes, your muslin will count as long as the garment is finished, so that you could wear it out, that means, finished completely. Now being that it's a muslin, I'm pretty sure none of us would complain, if you choose to sew up the hem with a straight stitch or just a serged edge - what does everyone think??

Oh, and I have to apologize for forgetting to tell everyone that I created the document and was going to post it all. I kind of jumped the gun. . I was just so excited to do another challenge !

[Magot]

Thanks Laura - good job! Google docs is a a good way to reduce the load on counting it up. What a star! All I have to do now is SEW something!!

[DorothyL]

I doubt I'll post any significant numbers since I am pretty slow, but if it motivates me to get going it's a good thing!

I don't post much because I'm slow too but since everything I sew is from stash anyway I always play along although I'm generally pretty near the bottom of the list. Don't worry about it -- it's just fun.

Dorothy

[temom]

One question -- if we make up a muslin of a pattern to fit it, does that count towards yardage? (I'm thinking of the 20 yards of ugly fabric I just bought for that purpose....)

I doubt I'll post any significant numbers since I am pretty slow, but if it motivates me to get going it's a good thing!

This is according to the rules: Projects that count toward your yardage must be finished and ready to serve their intended purpose. For garments, they should be hemmed, buttoned, etc. Garments for the purposes of fitting are ok and do not need to be hemmed, lined, etc, as long as they have served that purpose. Quilts should be batted, backed, bound, and quilted (or whatever is necessary for the project to be "finished").

Beth, I never come even close to winning, but joining in is fun and motivating.

My dd is thinking of participating, although technically we share our stash, since she is only 10. I thought if she completed something I would go ahead and add her to the spreadsheet, that way she would feel like she was a part. Is that OK with everyone?

[lendube]

Absolutely, Theresa!! Please tell her I hope she joins us and maybe she can even post to tell us about her project.

I'm also always way at the bottom. I don't even try to really compete. It's fun anyway. ( Beth, the ones to watch out for are Laura and Barb. They're our previous two winners and man, are they good. I imagine you've picked up on their prolific natures by now anyway.)

I regularly volunteer with the library bookstore and I've just yesterday volunteered to make bookcovers to sell for the holidays. We've been paying some church ladies in the next town over some minimal amount to make them and I told the lady in charge that I'd be happy to donate labor and fabric making them myself. I love working with the library. I don't know exactly how much holiday-ish fabric I still have but whatever I do have and use can count here as well.