What to do with Stash

You could call up your local school and see if the art department teacher could us it for the students. Nothing like keeping a craft alive. Barbara

We are thinking of donating whatever is left over from our silent auction and yard sale to a local women's shelter. As we all know, needlework can be a wonderful comfort, and many women in shelters left abusive situations with only the clothes on their backs.

MargW

Thats a great cause... barbara

Well, I have to decide on a stash executor - my first choice is now way to far away. I think I'd ask that if my family didn't need the cash, that what ever people here and on another group wanted would go to them and the rest be dropped off at a shelter or in the Stitcher's Lounge at the next Celebration of Needlework.

Otherwise, sell the good stuff for DD's college fund.

Cheryl

This is a terrible idea!!!! Many thrift stores have piles of crap near their dumpsters because the people who sort and price items know that the stuff won't sell or because it's in bad shape.

Craig's list, which has electronic 'outlets' in many places, is a great way to recycle no longer needed/loved items.

At the risk of being a heretic, I don't care about what happens to any of my stuff when I die. The things I have give me pleasure now, in my life. That's why I have them. I assume that when I go, my kids will keep a few things of mine as remembrances; what those will be will be their choice. There is no telling what will speak to them of the time we had, but it will be something they value then, not something I value now.

I have seen far too many bitter quarrels and ugliness about things when someone died. I have also seen people burdened with boxes of stuff they do not need or even like, but which they feel they must keep (or their siblings feel they should!!) "because they were mother's" or because mother paid $x for that (in 1956). The stuff I have donated to church sales would make some of my kin spin in their graves--but it has no value to me, and I would rather see it do some good. If someone finds a "treasure" that I have discarded, and it makes their day, good for them.

No matter how much we love the stuff we love, it is still only stuff.

Dawne

Amen to that, or as they used to say at the Women's Organization I worked at Awomenl

Lucille

I don't care, but I do care - I'd like to see that which gave me joy give some one else joy

I agree completely, Dawne. I have told my kids that when I die, anything they want, take and treasure. Anything else is junk. Take it down to our Guild, and offer it to whoever is in charge. Anything they can use, please do so, and anything else throw it in the garbage. Jim.

I agree with that, I am not seeking to control from the grave but I know if one of the kids calls my friend in the Guild it will all be divvied out to people who will enjoy using it. It will give pleasure to the recipients.

I have some stamped stuff I want to finish for the family of a dear friend. Bringing myself to work on that tacky (to the touch) fabric is pure hell.

Cheryl

I feel for you - but not enough to offer to help - not after that tablecloth. It was a stamped one, giving no thought to which way the threads of the polyester ran.

I agree with Cheryl too. I hope someone else will get joy from some of my stuff. And some of that joy might happen from someone finding something I donated to a church sale and getting a bargain, whatever I paid for it.

To me, its sort of the flip side of the conversation we have here sometimes when a stitcher pours heart and soul into a piece of work, and gives it to someone who places no value on it at all. One answer that comes up is to knit, or quilt, or stitch, for good causes, where, even if the nature of your work isn't always understood, the results are gratefully accepted.

One of the things that still makes me laugh is when my daughter and I were clearing out my mum's house (and pondering the deep question of how many cut glass pickle dishes any one woman needs), we noticed a yard sale on the next block, with proceeds going to care for stray and feral cats. We carried loads of stuff down there. They were delighted, and we were entirely gleeful because while DD and I love cats my mum disliked them intensely. So heaven knows where my kids might donate my stuff!!!!

Dawne

Oh Dawne, what a great since of the ironic there. Mind you, the one thing I never really figured out is why there were 4 copies of the book the Hari Krishna types used to hand out at airports....

Turns out my FIL was a great one for accepting the "gift book" and then refusing to "donate". They were trophies to him.

Why we need to keep all four copies I still don't know...

I recently went through all of my mother's many collections and that included lots of stash. She had both quality and quantity so it all had to be sorted. She and I both do multiple crafts so I had use for the: quilting cottons - in the colors I liked, floss - in quality brands, yarn - in particular shades and weights and quality, tools and accessories.

We are fortunate to know a lady who is plugged in to all the charities around, I think. She took the lowest quality yarns to people who make dog blankets and beds for rescued dogs. Better quality went to an Indian reservation where they teach knitting and weaving. Some other floss and yarns went to inner city schools who are teaching crafts to help instruct the kids with needlework.

If that wasn't enough, she took Mom's dog since she's an animal advocate!! I've tried to tell my kids that I have a fortune tied up in stash of all kinds, and I hope they will not just dump it off at a charity without at least running it through some crafter's groups. My youngest daughter is a professional charitable fundraiser, so I think she'll have some ideas of making it worthwhile to somebody. The other daughter is a teacher and would be able to find a place for the paints and brushes and art supplies. Neither girl does any needlework - what a shame.

I do an occasional purge and send my unwanted things to people who have a place for them. I don't care about the money, just give the crafts some respect!! Moni

I have told dh and kids that when I die, they are to contact the American Sewing Guild, Crescent City Needlework Guild and New Orleans Weavers and Spinners Guild (numbers are on this computer) and tell them to come on over, go through my studio, and select what they can use.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

The simple answer to gifting handwork, is be sure to whom you give it. My eldest SIL is enamoured with the wool socks I knit, so he has as many pairs as he can use and I love knitting them for him because I know he really appreciates them.

Now that was evil lololol

Every so often I get tempted to try making socks - they sound so wonderful

Cheryl

I have a great pattern I can send you, very easy to adjust if need be, so you make socks that are a perfect fit. The thing I like about them is that when you finish the sock you have two bits of yarn to weave in and that's it. There are great sock yarns available now, fully machine washable and drier proof.