Why Do I Have That? The Sewing Box Version

If you do any kind of crafting on a regular basis, you know the allure of stuff. Walk into a craft store and acres of stuff call your name, silently. "Buy me. I'm ever so pretty." "Buy me. I'll go with that one project you started in 1995 and never finished." You know the feeling.

"Can I help you with anything?"

No, thanks. I'll just take it all.

As I look ahead to the crafts and the sewing for Christmas, the temptation, when I find the pattern I need, is to buy everything listed to complete that project. That's how stashes are born. You can't remember if you have 1/2 inch snaps so you add a package only to find out you've done that, oh, 5 times in the past.

Once the curtains were finished and the next project appeared on the table, I took a look at what I needed. I needed fishing line. I have some. I just couldn't remember where it was. But then the thought comes over me, "maybe I used it all up". What harm would it be to run over to the hardware store, since I need garbage stickers anyway, and pick up another spool. The harm is that I'd have yet another spool of fishing line that I'll never use. I did find the spool, after thinking about where I usually keep it. It was right there. Waiting for the next project. I have a 3/4ths of a spool left, too; plenty for whatever projects lie ahead, or, if I really do want to go fishing.

But it got me thinking about my sewing box.

This is the top shelf. Yes, there are multiple spools of white thread. Quilt pins, which I use for rare occasions in pinning large or delicate hems, are strewn about, their container not on this level. I have sewing needles and metal bobbins for a sewing machine I don't own anymore. There are multiple scissors and I don't think the presser feet are for this sewing machine either. Need some jingle bells on a project? I have some. Ah, there's the seam ripper. Remind me when I can't find it. And I do need a pencil sharpener for my chalk pencils. I seem to have lost the one that was in here.

Hand sewing needles, packages and packages of hand sewing needles. Fasteners, including hooks and eyes and snaps of multiple sizes are here. The container for the quilting pins in the top level is here and I have some labels which read, "Hand made by " and my name. I used to put those in all the garments I made for friends and family. I don't have many left which causes the "Oh, I should get more" to rise up. Realistically, unless I'm really sewing a lot, I don't need any more than I have. I counted 8 cards of sewing needles. Seriously.

The bottom. Iron on patches and interfacing strips. Velcro in all sorts of sizes and colors. Elastic. Good heavens. You could probably bungee jump using all the elastic I have in this level. There's a button that plays a sad, tinny, "Jingle Bells". What was I going to use that for? The battery in it is dying. I should toss it. Zippers, a whole rubber banded collection of zippers. Lace and ribbon had found themselves at the bottom of the box. I'd move them to the trim box I have but that box is full, too.

If you sew, is your sewing box like this? Why is it so hard to get rid of things like a dying button that plays "Jingle Bells"? I bought this stuff because I thought I didn't have it for whatever project I was doing. I looked through the zippers and wondered what I had intended to make that probably never got done, hence the reason for a zipper in the bottom of my sewing box. As I head into the next batch of projects, I looked at what the patterns required for notions. I told myself, "No. You're not buying thread or bias tape. Use what you have."

I really need to sort and critically assess if I would be using pieces of iron on fabric for anything. It may be time to let go, to pat myself on the head when the inner voice says, "No, wait! I can totally make something out of this." Possibly I could, but probably not in this lifetime.

Beverage:  Scottish Breakfast tea

Deb