Simplify, create, downsize

[clevermanka]

I'm late on the bandwagon, but Happy New Year, folks. Seems like nearly everyone and their dog had a crappy 2005. As I scrolled through my friends page today, it was a similar refrain: That sucked. Let's have a better one this time. And to my few and lucky friends who did have a great year, here's hoping for more of the same for you. For the rest of us, brush off and move on.

In the spirit of moving on, I'm simplifying my life in a few different ways.

The number one way: Getting Rid Of Crap. Now, some of this is pretty cool crap, so I'm not pitching it, but rather redistributing the wealth. I'm getting rid of a fair amount of my fabrics and patterns. I've got everything from vintage dotted swiss to novelty cottons. If any of you crafty/sewing types want a preview before this stuff goes up on eBay, let me know. Patterns are free to a good home. Fabric is either $3 or $5/yd but with few exceptions you gotta buy the whole cut--five yards at the most. Email me (chernobylred at livejournal dot com) if you're interested in stopping by for a viewing. Out-of-towners, I'll send you a photo of stuff you're interested in.

I've also gone through a bit of yardage by actually (gasp!) making some things. I did up a couple crib quilts and a few knitting needle cases that came out really nice. I'm thinking about making the needle cases to sell. Contact me if you're interested in seeing those. The straight needle case has a slot for one each pair of needles size 1 to 15. The circular needle case holds fifteen circular needles, pretty much any size or length up to 13. Straight needle case $20, circular case $30.

I was gonna get started on some clothes (yes, I see you looking at me, professormass) but I realized: I don't want to deal with pinking raw hems (gross). It was bad enough to do that for the chemises, but for clothes that are going to be worn and laundered for more than just the run of a play? I'd like to have serged edges. And screw doing frech seams on everything. So all you who said "you can use my serger sometime" I'm calling in a favor. I'd prefer to borrow one for a weekend so I wouldn't have to haul my fabrics around town. If that's possible, again, email please. I tried to go shopping for a serger, something small and basic to get me through until I can afford the one I want, but Lawrence Vac and Sewing was closed yesterday. Of course! Probably just as well since I'm broke (hence the fabric sale).

The number two way is a tie-in with the simplification. I've got a lot of creativity and a lot of stuff to be creative with. I need to use them both. There's no sense in keeping this stuff if I'm not going to use it. So use it I will. This year I'm going to try to branch out in some arty areas I haven't tried before. Non-textile stuff like portable shrines and such. Enough of this cool stuff just hibernating in my craft room. Time to use it or lose it.

Finally, number three, which is stop eating junk and get off my increasingly large ass. Eat right. Move more. That one, I worry, will be the most difficult of all.

OK, so let's get this new year started.

Comments

[renfestlady.livejournal.com]

i would love to look at/purchase the stuff before it goes on ebay sundays are my only day that i could drive too lawrence

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Email me w/contact info. Thanks.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Aw, crap! Wish you'd've posted the need for a serger last weekend! Now that I've got Williams nifty industrial serger, mine can travel a bit. I doubt if I'll be up to KC throughout January, but if you can wait until early February, you can certainly borrow mine.

[solan-t.livejournal.com]

Well, I have the serger that Harold gave me. It only uses three threads, rather than four, but it does serge, if you want to borrow it. It's portable and it's not been used as much as it should be, recently.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

Me, too, on all counts - getting rid of crap (I still have stuff to pitch even after throwing away what I swear felt like half of my earthly possessions), using both my creativity and the absurd amount of stuff I have with which to do just that, and re-reform my eating habits + ass movement. Yes. You've nailed it.

Best of luck to us both!

[black-king.livejournal.com]

Ya know, I so need to make a good house Shrine. I don't have one, and probably wouldn't use it that often, but I've been trying to pay more attention to the spiritual side of things of late.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I didn't think about then, of course. Thanks for the offer. If solan_t's offer doesn't work out, I'll email ya.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Emailing you 'bout this.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Here's to us!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

A house shrine or altar is an excellent point of focus, even if you don't actively use it very often.

I think it's more difficult for those of us who come to our spiritual natures more...innately...than others. Since our spiritual mechanisms are so internalized, it's difficult for us to remember that external actions also have merit. I know it's a long and never-ending process for me, too. Best of luck to you.

[black-king.livejournal.com]

That is so true about internalized spirituality. I routinely forget/ignore outward signs. It's one of the things the japan trip helped with a little. I do little things more often now, like the simple act of wearing a bead string

[acommonreader.livejournal.com]

Quite often, while reading, I think, I like the way L's mind works.

I also began attempting simplification yesterday and filled two large "shopper" (large bags with large handles) and one small with pants and shirts and socks and skirts that never leave my closet. The dude at Goodwill looked at me as though I were insane. Still, there is much much more that could leave my home and be put to good use elsewhere...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Quite often, while reading, I think, I like the way L's mind works

I like it when my mind works... =)

[radcliffe.livejournal.com]

I would like to look at fabrics yes yes, and I have a spare old serger :>

[tattooedartgirl.livejournal.com]

yes, she who said "get rid of stuff" now says, "oohhhhh lemme see some patterns and fabric please!"

yes I have a problem..
yes.....

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

You bet!

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Oh, so do I (she who has about 40 or so 25-gallon tubs of fabric....

But the only 12 step program I'm interested in is the twelve steps between one rack of fabric and the next!

Hello, my name is Rowan and I'm a fabri-holic!

[slinka.livejournal.com]

What sort of patterns are you getting rid of?

[malinear.livejournal.com]

ooh...well lots of people beat me to the punch on the serger, but I do have one if you ever need to borrow it. and I would love to play in your fabric/pattern collection :) I'll email ya!

[professormass.livejournal.com]

Dude. I wasn't looking at you! Anyhow, it's the wrong time of year for the type of shirts you're making. So take your time! I'd rather have fine chernobylred quality to wear this summer than feeling all guilty that you're rushing.

Now, sending me the Box of Stuff™...that can happen anytime. It'll keep me from hearing the cries of "I'm boooooooooored!" for a month or three.

;^)

As for the ass...well...I LIKE BIG BUTTS! *gets jiggy widdit*

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I found a pattern that I KNOW I'm gonna send you (a coat! bust 38!) but all my other patterns are 36 bust or smaller. Still interested?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Mostly 50s stuff, some 60s. A very few modern patterns that I bought and decided I didn't like but couldn't return...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Check yer email. =)

[starstraf.livejournal.com]

I've decided I do want a needle case, so can I see some fabric samples sometime?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Sure! I'll bring 'em to the Wednesday Knit & Crochet meeting.