The overhead photo doesn't show the depth of the box - this is 30 years' worth of crafting magazines, about to go down the road to the charity table in Tesco, which is always a good way to pass books and magazines on (local charity shops don't take magazines and one of the charity shops in Llandeilo doesn't take books).
I may list the Fons and Porter's magazines on eBay, as that's where I bought them, but the other patchwork magazines will probably be offered round at my class (that's where I got rid of a big pile recently).
A small pile stayed for me to go through a 2nd time and try to harden my heart. They might just have one project in I particularly like, or as is the case with the Australian Inspirations embroidery magazine, just be so useful for techniques etc that they are staying on as reference books. Some of the magazines were harder to shed - the Just X-Stitch mags ARE 30 years old and I got Keith to pay for a year's subscription as a Christmas present for me. Several of those I am still keeping (the Christmas issue for one) but most I have decided to move on. Some of the Quilter's Newsletter magazines are from the same era, and I have had to break the emotional attachment to them as they represented rare purchases (when we were skint) - several copies having been bought in the Blandford Patchwork shop one year - and I have the clearest memory of sitting in a supermarket car park in Shaftesbury whilst Keith took the kids in to get food for the journey back to Wales, and I had a blissful, peaceful quarter of an hour just diving into my patchwork magazines without 3 small children (all under 5 then I think) wanting my attention.
I did start making a prototype of this for a cushion front, but my leaves were much smaller. This picture's from the Belle Armoire magazine, which will probably go on eBay.
I also hardened my heart over material - I had quite a bit stashed away on the shelves and went through it yesterday with the result that 3 bags went to the Green (Charity) Shop in Llandeilo. However, there is a fairly big pile of material to list on eBay - some of it Laura Ashley, and some vintage fabrics. It takes time to take photos and make the listings, but it's good to get some money back for that you have spent on things down the years.
There is also a big book-swop going on as the big unit at the back of the junk room which held my crafting magazines and material is now reverting to a bookcase again, and upstairs I am emptying the biggest of the bookcases in my sewing room and putting all my craft books in there. A handful have gone up so far, and - below - some have moved down. There will be a cull of these at some point, but the Phil Rickmans, Barbara Erskines, Diana Gabaldons, and Philippa Gregorys are all staying.
Right, this won't do. I must attend to my eBay empire!
Wow! 30 years of craft mags!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, crafting's been an interest of mine for a long long time. It started off with making ends meet and turning nothing into something . . .
DeleteYour book shelves are ingrained on my memory from the day we came to visit you Sue.
ReplyDeleteYou'd struggle to remember mine Pat, we have a few, erm, books here . . .
DeleteI made a start on the yarn stash this morning, a box is on it,s way to Norfolk. 2.5 Kg of assorted Aran weight yarn that my sister will love. I put some magazines and straight needles in as well, it will keep her out of mischief. One step nearer to making room for a wheel, or a loom. The fabric is next, I am sewing less large things now so need to have a cull.
ReplyDeleteWell done Pam. I feel so much better for having much of my stuff and all my crafting books and magazines all in the same room now. However, I still have the material to list on eBay and will be glad when that is done and it's all out of the way, there or charity shop.
DeleteWell done for such a huge clearout.
ReplyDeleteWell Jill, it's a start. Still MUCH more to do.
DeleteI think a lot of us are at the age when we're getting rid of " stuff"....I have a growing pile for the charity shop.....
ReplyDeleteThe charity shops have done well from us lately - today we took some of the girls' old ball gowns and unwanted dresses which had lingered in a spare wardrobe, and the Salvation Army now have quite a few bits of clothing and bedding etc. Very therapeutic.
DeleteIt has been almost three years since I did a big cleanout. I still miss some of the things I let go and would get them back in a heartbeat if I could. Other things, I haven't missed. I am thinking it is about time to go at it again. I think this time I will be a bit more careful with what I toss. It will be wonderful to have all of your crafting things in one room. My sewing room is a small room, so if I add anything new, something else has to go. I am careful what I buy. As I get older I don't seem to do well with change, so just hang on to our old stuff.
ReplyDeleteIn the normal way of things, you have a huge clear out and dang me, a fortnight later you are looking for JUST the thing which was in that clear out! I wish I knew in advance which thing that would be!! My crafting room looks HUGE now as furniture has been moved around. The table I wanted to keep is now up there for cutting out on etc and two drop-leaf tables are off to auction, along with a stack of other unwanted things.
DeleteMy eldest daughter is getting savvy now, and if she buys one thing, then two things have to go to make space for it!
I love the new header photo :) Over the last 5 years I have gradually got rid of hundreds of old magazines - mainly things like BBC Wildlife, Birdwatching, Countryfile and Knitting and cooking magazines. Although not before going through each one and pulling out stuff I wanted to keep - not good as now have files in storage boxes full of stuff I will probably never read again. I can't tell you how much I regret getting rid of some of my old fiction paperbacks a couple of years ago - fancied reading a Norah Lofts recently and then realised they had all gone to the charity shop :( Sadly, I am a hoarder and expect I always will be much to OH's disgust! IF we ever move I will have to consider a really big clear out though but I refuse point blank to get rid of any more books!
ReplyDeleteThose really are the most artistically-positioned molluscs!! Sorry you are missing your Norah Lofts books - I remember reading every one of hers when they were first published, along with all of Georgette Heyer's too. I hope you can find some Norah Lofts in charity shops. Hoarding - yup, books I definitely have a problem with. It dates back to my childhood when there was no money for books, and there was me, a bookworm from birth.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, some more books (mostly Keith's this time) went to the charity table at Tesco's today, and I was delighted to see all bar half a dozen of my sewing magazines had flown out over the past two days, so that is a positive thing - to bring pleasure to others this way, and help a charity too.