I think I have a stash problem…
So, I’ve been trying to organize my cross stitch stash lately. Part of this stems from moving into the new house and finally having space to organize everything. The other part comes from the realization that I shouldn’t *need* a big house to store my stash, and that I probably have too much. Therefore, I should resolve to stop buying stash…..for a while at least.
I decided to start with my collection of magazine because, intellectually, I knew I had a lot of magazines. The problem all started with a lovely shop in upstate NY called Craft Bits and Pieces. It’s a thrift store specifically for crafts, and it sells cross stitch magazines for 10 cents a piece. I used to go there pretty much every other weekend and drop $5 on magazines. Which, you know, starts to add up, and I had accepted the fact that I had a lot of magazines.
It’s one thing to know it and another to see it spread out across the floor of your office 
The worst part? I know there’s a box or two that I haven’t unpacked yet. And this is just one of the many reasons why I never need to buy stash again for as long as I live 
November 7th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Oh, Lauren, those pictures look soooo familiar! LOL I had the very same problem when we moved to Naples, FL, a couple of years ago. I’m still ashamed to say that when I started trying to winnow it down…I didn’t get far. Just so you know: we love our stash and our stitching…and it’s OKAY! Love ya,
Deb
November 8th, 2007 at 7:26 am
You don’t really believe you can just stop buying stash, do you? I gave up long ago. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I have two stitch-related hobbies: one is collecting charts in all shapes and sizes and the other is stitching. I know I can never stitch them all, but it’s a comfort that if I wanted to stitch, say, a goat being hit by lightening, I will always know I have a chart of that subject somewhere in my house
November 8th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Wow! That’s a LOT of magazines! I’m horrible about collecting charts. If I like it, I buy it, even if I don’t have any chance of getting the time to stitch it. I’m just as bad about collecting cookbooks.
November 8th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I had the same problem, so recently I went through all my magazines and clipped out the charts that I liked, sorta-liked, and even vaguely liked. Put them in page protectors and into 3-ring binders. The rest of the magazine I tossed. Even if you kept every pattern in every magazine, you still end up saving space from throwing out ad pages, covers and spines, redundant “Here’s how you stitch” pages, etc.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I don’t think I could resist magazines at those prices either. When I don’t feel like stitching (which I admit is rare) then I love to browse stitching magazines. And I have a huge selection. I use the stand-up magazine cardboard holders, hubby brings them home for me from work. That way I can sort them according to issues and they are somewhat in order. I also have some plastic ones from Ikea that I keep the more current issues in. Gosh I love magazines!
November 10th, 2007 at 4:47 am
I know how it feels to have a stash problem!
November 11th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Okay that’s a lot of magazines! Wow! Honestly never buy stash again? I don’t beleive it!
November 12th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Awe… that’s not that many. I’m *sure* you’ll stitch at least one thing from each and every magazine sometime soon =D
November 12th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Oh my. That is a lot of magazines!! LOL - yeah, wouldn’t a larger house be nice for a studio or something. I can only dream on.
Enjoy the day
November 13th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Hello, my name is Deb & I’m a stitch-a-holic (lol). There is no 12 step program for us but they make pretty magazine boxes that you can go thru one-at-a-time so you never have to see the whole thing spread out ever again. I’m hopeless but nothing makes me happier……
November 13th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
What a great stash of magazines, you can lose yourself in there for hours and hours. I don’t worry about my stash anymore. I know I have more than I’ll ever use, but I figure it just means I’ll always have a wonderful selection. Also, hopefully I’ll not have that awful sinking feeling of really wanting to do a pattern and finding I waited to long to get it and it is no longer available. Enjoy your stash, every piece of it.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I love reading through magazines for ideas. If you can get them at a decent price, why not collect them all..
November 14th, 2007 at 4:44 am
WOWW!!!! WHAT BEAUTIFUL OF MAGAZINES POINT CROSS STITCH !!
CIAO
November 16th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Hi Lauren, thanks for visiting my blog…As for all of those wonderful magazines that you have so honestly displayed…It’s quite normal, ask any avid stitcher/needleworker/quilter/spinner/weaver,and so on, and so on…You’re in good company!
November 17th, 2007 at 12:38 am
I would love to have a cup of tea in hand and just sit on the floor and browse through those magazines. I am sure I can find at least 25 things to stitch of which I might stitch 1 if I have time. LOL
Hey, stash is stash - be it magazines, fabric, threads or charts. I think all we stitch lovers fall into this after a while so just enjoy!!
November 20th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Oooh! I am green with envy! I wouldn’t be able to resist shopping at that price either! Have fun organizing. I’m going through this phase myself (only I’m trying to organize my floss).
November 20th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
I have a magazine problem too - but they’re so much fun to browse through when your eyes are tired; when your sick; when you need inspiration. To make myself feel better I put little post-it notes on all the charts in the magazines I would “probably stitch if I had the time”. Needless to say the pages were full of pot-its, but I felt I justified their purchase!
November 21st, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I, too am guilty of the too much stash disease! Especially the magazines!!! You never know when a pattern will come in handy, and with mags, you get such a variety! It’s addicting, but oh so much fun!
November 25th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Wow… that sounds like a marvelous kind of thrift shop!
November 29th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
I hardly need any more stash myself, but I can’t see that stopping my buying it…..=)