Decluttering my Sewing Supplies + Future Sewing Plans
How I'll be using what's left and sewing going forward.
When I started sewing in 2020, I only bought the fabric that I needed when I had decided what piece of clothing I was going to make. But, the more I sewed, the more intrigued I became with the idea of having a fabric stash. I was fascinated by the idea of finding a pattern and just being able to create it right away with the perfect fabric from my stash!
Buying new fabric can be pretty expensive so it wasn’t until I realized the potential in thrifted fabric and household linens that I was able to realize my fabric stash dreams - most of the items that I have made have been created out of denim curtains, cotton tablecloths, cotton shower curtains, quilts and blankets.
But just as thrifting led me to over-consume clothing, it also led me to over-consume fabric for sewing. When things are cheaper, it’s so easy to justify buying more. And just like clothes, once that dopamine hit of finding something unexpected wears off, so too does the excitement, until the next fun discovery!
Since those early days of sewing, my attitude has shifted. In the beginning, I was just so excited to be able to make my own clothes that I used to make clothes simply to make clothes and a lot of my ideas came from seeing what other sewists were making on Instagram. Sadly, I don’t own a lot of those items anymore because they weren’t really my style or I made the wrong fabric choice. And while I don’t regret anything that I’ve made because I learned a lot and it has made me a better sewist, I want to be more intentional with my sewing journey going forward.
As a result of my no buy and low buy years, I’ve become much more intentional with what I add to my wardrobe and I’ve also become very clear on the clothing that I feel my best in and like to wear the most. I would like to eventually make the majority of my clothes (excluding jeans and coats because they’re both a level of difficulty that I can’t imagine I’ll ever want to take on again).
I also want to feel excited to sew again, and a part of that process is decluttering my current sewing supplies and changing how I approach sewing in the future, all of which I’ve detailed in this newsletter.
How I currently store my sewing supplies
For the past few years, I’ve kept all of my sewing supplies in a 3-drawer dresser from Ikea. It used to be my daughter’s but when she no longer needed it, I found another use for it. The dresser currently lives in a corner in the basement.
My goal was to remove all of the fabric and sewing supplies and either get rid of the dresser or find some other storage use for it. I think that I will most likely get rid of it though as I honestly can’t think of a use for it.
In the top drawer, I stored all of my patterns that I’ve printed from a PDF and those that I have purchased paper copies of, a couple of sewing books and some sewing notions. In the middle drawer, I stored mostly thrifted fabric. In the bottom drawer, I kept a couple of blankets that I had used to make clothes, part of a cut shower curtain, and a work in progress (WIP) sewing project, which I’ll talk about later.
What I’m Decluttering from my Fabric Stash
After spending about an hour going through everything and being really honest about whether or not I would actually use it, I decided to get rid of the following fabrics:
Clockwise from top left:
A set of black and white pillowcases that I though I’d sew together to make a top or a pair of shorts. I won’t - I prefer solids or more subtle patterns, not large abstract floral patterns.
A green tablecloth that I bought in 2023 because I wanted to add more color to my wardrobe and I thought I’d make a top or short dress out of it.
I thrifted a set of denim curtains in 2021 and I used one panel to make my two-toned jeans in that same year. This is the remaining fabric that was left from that panel, which I cut into one large square and some smaller squares in the hopes someone could use it for a project, such as a quilt.
A piece of green cotton fabric that I thrifted years ago and while I do like the color, it’s a pretty thin cotton and I don’t think I’d use it for a warm weather garment.
A small piece of green ribbed cotton/spandex that I used for a tank top a few years back. This is what is remaining.
A large piece of black cotton that I bought years ago, thinking I would make a black backdrop for photos. I didn’t. Then I kept it around thinking that I could make a lot of black clothing from it, but I never have and the reason why was really cemented for me today - everything sticks to it! And I have a white cat and I really don’t want to have to constantly de-fur my clothes!
A piece of fuchsia fabric that I thrifted a few years ago in my color phase that I never did get around to using, and honestly, I think that even if I had sewn something with it, I would have eventually decluttered it.
A large piece of black ribbed cotton/spandex that I bought at the same time as the green one from #5. I had intended to make 2 tank tops when I bought these 2 pieces but after sewing the first one, I decided that I didn’t like sewing with stretchy fabrics, so I have no need to keep this piece. I’m quite happy to buy tank tops that someone else has sewn!
A piece of rainbow checked fabric that I thrifted following the end of my no buy year. I don’t even know what my intention was here. This doesn’t feel like “me” at all!
A piece of gold plaid fabric that I thrifted at the same time as #9. I thrifted it in November and I thought it would be great for a pair of Christmas pants. I never did get around to making them and I can’t imagine I’d wear them outside of the holiday season and I don’t more occasion wear!
On the left are the leftovers of 2 blankets that I used to make a pair of pants (top) and a vest (bottom). These were both beautiful blankets that I feel very guilty about cutting up. I also feel very guilty about not using them further to make more clothing, but I’m being very honest with myself and I know that I don’t want to use them for anything else and I also don’t want to hang onto them for even more years out of guilt.
I called the local animal shelter to inquire if they take blankets, and they do, so I will be sending them there (they are both still large blankets and I made a clean cur so that they also look nice).
On the right is some of the fabric scraps from cleaning up the pieces of fabric for donation. In all transparency, I will not use these scraps for anything and I did throw them away.
Other Sewing Supplies I’m Decluttering
I also decided to get rid of a few other things while I was going through the fabric as I knew that I wanted to minimize my sewing supplies as much as possible so that I could store them in a smaller space.
Clockwise from top:
Interfacing for stretchy material - I’m decluttering the stretchy material that I have and I have never used this in any other sewing project, so I think it’s okay to let this go.
Pins - I have so many pins, as well as clips, so this seems excessive.
Merchant & Mills Ellis & Hattie pattern - I made a really fun dress out of plaid fleece using this pattern. It’s a little tight across the back so I would want to make it a size bigger if I ever did make it again. This one is cut to a certain size, but I’ll donate it in the hope that it finds its way to someone who’s the cut size or smaller wants it.
A dress pattern that my daughter picked out when she was younger that I never did get around to making and it isn’t her style anymore.
A vintage simplicity pattern that I love but know I will never make so I’d love for someone else to find it and enjoy it!
3 zippers - I don’t think I’ll make anything that requires zippers, especially as I’ve had these in my stash for years and haven’t used them yet!
The New Way I’m Storing My Sewing Supplies
My goal with this project was to have all of my sewing supplies in the den as this is where I like to sew. I already have a spot for my sewing machine on a shelf and there was a storage drawer that my husband had been using to store some painting supplies that he hasn’t used in a while, so he was fine with my relocating them so that I could have it to contain my sewing stuff.
After relocating the painting supplies, I cleaned the drawer out. I put all of the paper patterns at the bottom and then I added 5 of the pieces of fabric that I’m keeping and 2 WIPs in a way where I could see everything when I opened the drawer. I added notions such as thread, elastic and interfacing, which are all contained in a large plastic bag.
I added the bin that holds my most commonly used sewing supplies on top of the storage drawer, as well as a roll of tracing paper and the leftovers of a quilt that I used to make a reversible quilt coat back in 2021 - I think I’m going to try to make a reversible tote bag from what’s left, if there’s enough.
Fabric I’m Keeping and Future Sewing Plans
I currently have 6 pieces of fabric to use up and then I intend to go back to sewing the way that I did in the beginning:
Find a pattern that I really love and that works for my everyday life.
Select the best material for the pattern that I want to sew.
Order the perfect amount to ensure less wastage, preferably from small pattern companies.
Make the garment and find ways to utilize any leftover fabric.
I haven’t felt excited about sewing for a while and I think it’s because of the way I’ve been buying fabric - I see something I like, I buy it, there’s a dopamine hit, then I put it away and for most of them, the excitement is gone and I can’t seem to get it back (the fabric that I’ve kept is the exception). I also feel more confident in my style now than when I started sewing and my ability to choose patterns/fabric that are best suited for me and my life, which is something that I think I needed to learn.
Here is the fabric that I chose to keep and what I plan to do with them:
Clockwise from top left:
Round, white vintage tablecloth - after confirming that I don’t enjoy this as a tablecloth, I’m going to use this to make a top. I think I will make The Syd Tie Top, but I think that the Makyla Creates Camille Top (a pattern that I already own could) would work as well.
A piece of thrifted chambray-like material that I used to make a Peony Dress by Agnes and Co a few years ago. I think the remainder, which is still a pretty big piece, would be perfect for a pair of Pomona Pants, which is a pattern that I own and have made 4 times (2 pants, 2 shorts).
The remainder of a cotton plaid shower curtain that I used to make a Camille Top back in 2022. I really love the colors in this fabric and I’d like to use it to make a pair of Pomona Pants (or shorts if I don’t have enough) for a matching set. Would that be too much for one outfit?? 😅
I thrifted this gorgeous large swath of denim years ago and I love it! I really want to make something with it but I’m so scared that I’ll mess it up. What I’d really like to make with it is the Versa Pants from Puff and Pencil and if I had enough fabric left over, the Topstitch Vest x Box Sleeve by them as well.
The remainder of the quilt that I mentioned making a tote bag out of above.
The second denim curtain panel that is a medium denim on one side and a light denim on the other. I’m not sure what to use this for. I had originally thought that I’d make a pair of jeans, but just like tank tops, I think I’d rather buy them! Maybe I’ll make another pair of Pomona Pants, although I think I’d like to try a different pant pattern at some point. Ooo, maybe Bob pants would be cool! If you sew and you have a good pant pattern, or if you have another idea for a denim garment, I’d love to hear about it!
I have 2 WIP projects that I’d like to finish:
I’ve cut out all of the pattern pieces to make a pair of Persephone Pants. The last time I made these was with the denim curtain and I ended up having to make them two-toned because of a cutting error (which I actually love) and I made them too big so I feel limited with how I can wear them. Also, there were so many steps! I did cut these pieces out to be a bit smaller but I might reevaluate the size chart and see if I should reduce one size further.
A pair of vintage Levi jeans that have the most perfect fading but that were way too big for me, so I cut some of the excess out of the back, sized them and got them ready for sewing and then I chickened out. Hoping to get this done at some point this year.
I hope you enjoyed coming along with me as I simplified my sewing supplies and made plans for future sewing. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, so it’s really nice to finally get it off the proverbial to-do list!
It’s amazing how spending just a little bit of time clearing a space can make such a big difference - now I can get rid of a bulky dresser and I can finally let go of the guilt around not wanting to use any of these fabrics. At the same time, I have a renewed excitement about the fabric that I’ve kept as well as the sewing plans that I’ve made!
Is there any small project that you’ve been wanting to get done? Will you tackle it this weekend?
Thanks so much for reading!
x Gillian
I completely admire sewists, and am lucky to have a couple in my friends circle. While I know how to sew on a machine, I am far too scattered to take on large projects like those (I'm a bit of a dabbler). I loved seeing the things you made, Gillian! You're so talented!
For that large dark denim, I'd be tempted to make the perfect denim skirt (which I've never found!). Long length - ankle/ shoe skimming for me), a circular or a-line shape, and, of course, lovely pockets bit enough to fit stuff in.