Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not a fan of clutter. For me, I can't relax or concentrate if my desk is scattered with objects, or if I have things piled up in corners ready to be tidied away. Don't get me wrong, with two children and a crazy cocker spaniel, the house is NOT immaculate in the slightest, but my biggest bug bear is having objects that aren't tidied away. Which, as you can imagine, with two young children this is a lot of the time. Hehe!
As a fabric designer I often accumulate a LOT of fabric. With every collection I design I receive two strike offs (which are preliminary fabric samples to show how the colours are printed and any corrections which need to be made) and a final shipping sample (where the colours can't be adjusted as this is what will be printed and arrive in the shops. After twelve collections, in collaboration with Lewis and Irene, you can imagine my stash pile is pretty large! I'm a big believer in not always holding on to things too, which is why I love to make things with my fabrics, giving them a new lease of life to either be used or gifted to friends.
For most of the below projects, you don't need a lot of fabric. Even I'm guilty of holding on to small remnants because they are too pretty to throw away. These projects are aimed at clearing away some of those smaller pieces, so your stash is more manageable. Without further a-do, here are my top five go-to projects to use up my stash:
5. Key Fobs
At number five it has to be these key fobs. These so simple to make and a perfect way to spruce up your keys, so that you never lose them! All you need is the metal key fob hardware which can be purchased from your local craft shop and two strips of fabric. These make great gifts, favours and even stocking fillers at Christmas. I love making a batch of these and alternating them on my own keys so that I always have something to accessorize with my outfit.
4. Lavender Bags
I can vividly remember making lavender bags when I was a child and have a feeling that they were some of my first ever sewing projects. There's something about the sweet scent which takes me back to my childhood and even now I love making a batch of these, if only so that the house smells amazing afterwards. If you'd like to try making these ones in particular you can follow the link HERE for my downloadable template.
3. Pouches and Purses
I am a big fan of purses and pouches and think they are a fab way to organise clutter, especially sewing paraphernalia. You can never have enough pouches to stash those little bits and pieces away and to stop them from getting lost. From boxy zipper bags to elegant purses, these accessories are a great way to show off the fabrics in your stash. As William Morris once said: 'Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful' and these are both.
2. Fabric Butterflies
If there's one thing I'm obsessed with making at the moment, it's these little fabric butterflies. There are infinite combinations you can create and playing around with all of the possible outcomes is only half the fun. You can make these into badges, hair accessories, notecards, keyrings or applique them onto cushions and bags. The list is endless and so is the fun!
1. English Paper Piecing
At number one it has to be English Paper Piecing. This is such a versatile way to use up those little scraps of fabric which are just too dear to throw away, but not quite big enough for a full size project. I could spend hours playing around with tessellating shapes to make designs. For me, this is a fantastic way to see how my fabrics sit together as a collection in different proportions. EPP can be made into an infinite number of larger scale projects, from full sized quilts to cushions, door stops, bags, jackets; the possibilities are endless.
For more EPP inspiration you can browse my blog HERE. Or if you'd like to have a go at making these tessellating hearts, you can download the template HERE.
I hope you have as much fun making these as and using up your stash as I did. I'd love to see your creations. Please tag me in any photos on Facebook and Instagram using #CassandraConnolly or @cass_connolly .
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