More sewing from the stash!

It was dark inside the stash cupboard. Fabrics that normally wouldn't have been friends in real life, let alone deign to sit next to each other on a fabric quilt for all of eternity, were squished uncomfortably together in overflowing bags. Liberties sat next to stripy cotton prints from the '70s gifted by goodness knows who's mother, and tried to turn their aristocratic noses away from the mothball smell.

Normally the cupboard was quiet, but of late the murmurs and rumours were becoming louder. "She's sewing from stash!" some said, shocked by the very thought. "It's the mortgage, you see!" others kindly explained (usually those who had been there the longest, and been through austerity-fuelled crafting binges before). "The money is tight, so she's mending and making do. It's the new green!"

"Oh puh-lease!" tutted a rather gaudy patchwork cotton. "Let's get this straight: Crafting is the new green, which is the new black, which is the new ridiculous!" "Hush!", said an older and rather staid poplin. "Do you want to be chosen, or not?"

Despite the assurances, the sense of disquiet was palpable. Each sat quietly with their thoughts. Did they actually want to be the chosen one? When next would the bright light of day come flooding into the cupboard? Who would be removed? Would they be ironed, and made nice once more, or would they be used as play fabric by grubby and sticky fingers? Was it better to be taken out, or to stay safe and still with the one's one knew...

Then the day came. Quickly and decisively a bag was removed. Fabric was loaded onto the table, and scrutinised intently. Deep inside their cotton weaves, fibres shook with fear. Suddenly, two were chosen, and the rest were cast back into the darkness. As they soothed their troubled souls, the sound of the sewing machine could be heard. Straining in the dark, the stash fabrics listened for sounds of distress but none were heard. Then night fell, and all once more was silent.

The next morning, they heard familiar voices call to them in the magic language of fabric. "She's made us up!" the selected two cried out in joy. "We are now a party dress for a dear, sweet girl, and we have been ironed, and trimmed, and made up with love. We are so happy! Goodbye, dear pals - we are off to see the world!"

"You see!", exclaimed the older stash fabrics to the bewildered newer ones, "it's good to be used. Let us hope that there is much more stash hunting to come!"

Project Details

Pattern: Three Way Dress from Ottobre Magazine 3/2009, size 110cm

Fabric: Amy Butler I think? Who cares, it's from the stash and it's all good (and it saved traisping around in the heat yesterday looking for a birthday gift!)

Notions: 130cm grosgrain ribbon, once again from stash