Introducing #makeyourstash

Today I am very happy to be inviting you to use a new Instagram hashtag that Pilar and I have come up with: #makeyourstash! We would love for you to sew with us this spring and summer using this hashtag. You will have guessed that the clue is in the name, so we will be using #makeyourstash when we follow this one rule:

We will make garment(s) that we will love and wear, using fabric that has been in the stash for more than 6 months 

Who are you and why are you doing this? 

We are two sewists who met on Instagram. As well as being 30 somethings with toddlers that love to sew, we found a mutual interest in sustainability, using less and wasting less. The number of sewists connected on Instagram means there is an endless source of inspiration! But the intensity can be overwhelming and we don’t think we are alone in buying a lot more fabric and making a lot more clothes that we would otherwise have done. So we made a pact for the next few months to sew slowly and thoughtfully – with the starting being to use what we have. When we are finished, we will have some things that we will love to wear for a long time.

Why should I join you?

If looking into your own existing fabric boxes to see what love you can give to a once-loved piece of fabric isn’t enough, here are a few more reasons:

• You will have a garment that you will love to wear.
• It costs you nothing except time, and it doesn’t cost the planet anything.
• Its fun to be a part of the Instagram sewing community.
• Finally, and best of all, sewing with us does not put a spanner in your sewing plans!

We know there are a lot of sewing challenges out there. Which is why we wanted #makeyourstash to be combined with any other sewing you have planned and any other sewing challenge that you are participating in, as long as you follow the rule.

Sounds great, how do I join?

Between March and May, we will monitor the #makeyourstash hashtag on Instagram Entering is simple:

1. Make something following the fabric rule above.
2. Upload a picture at anytime of the finished garment to Instagram using the hashtag #makeyourstash. Please tag @timetosew and @pilar_bear so we don’t miss your picture.

Do you have prizes? 

We have teamed up with pattern designers who share our passion for sustainable sewing, consuming less and reducing our waste. We will be profiling each of them as the challenge progresses:

The prize schedule

• If your final garment picture is posted in March, you will be in the draw for 2 PDF patterns by Wendy Ward.
• If it is posted in April, then you will be in the draw for 1 PDF pattern by Half Moon Atelier; and 1 by Blueprints for Sewing
• If it is posted in May, then you will be in the draw for 2 PDF patterns by Valentine and Stitch and 1 PDF by Megan Nielsen.

But wait, there’s probably not much in my stash I like anymore…

We would suggest really taking the time to really look at your stash and see whether there is in fact something usable that you think you would like. We do not encourage making something that you won’t wear just to use something up – that is not the point. Wendy Ward has a great article on shopping your stash if you would like a helping hand.

That’s it, we hope to see you on Instagram! For now, sew on!

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