Thursday, December 3, 2009

Confessions of an addict

So this is a stash, spread out on a bed. How will I be able to justify this on judgement day? I know what to say: This material is no longer produced in Europe. Crewel embroidery is dead on the continent. I had to salvage what I need.
I bought these boxes at about 0.35 $ per skein online. I bought larger stashes for almost no money, because the embroiderers gave up using it or passed away. I sort them out, collect them in groups of reds, greens, blues. I separate bundles. Just got a parcel with wonderful new and used wool skeins. Danish wool. Love it!
And I tell you: never make bundles by tying them together with rubber strings. Never ever. The leftovers after 10 or 20 years are just icky.

11 comments:

mokkakissa said...

Ha-ha. That is small compared to my knitting yarn and fabric stash. Besides I do not think we need to worry about the judgement day. God is for all creativity and it was originally His idea to give us the capacity and all the colors etc. Go for it! :)

Pat said...

great coup, that purchase. and a great bargain too even considering the ones that were clasped in rubber bindings.

thank you for mentioning the HEN. i visited their website and discovered the most beautiful fabulous wondrous online magazine called, Needle. and i was in heaven.....

jude said...

we forgive you

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

I think you were smart to buy it when you could find it. You wouldn't want to stop the spontaneous flow of art because you didn't have the right yarn.

Anonymous said...

That is a lot of embroidery yarn, but what a bargain! How could you think of passing it up. Someday I should post a picture of my buttons--including the ones I got on ebay for a song. Now I tell you, I rarely even use buttons anymore; so why do I have so many?

mokkakissa said...

Hei, how many hours daylight do you have there? We have about 6 h here in the south of Finland but in the north the sun does not come up at all... And even here it is really difficult to take any photos because it is dim all day. And all the colors are gone... In the summertime we have the opposite situation :) balance... haha.

Diane Cransac said...

Dont you just love spreading it out and soaking in all the color! I just love playing with mine!

Marie said...

I always say..."Some girls collect jewels but,
I collect thread and fabric scraps!".
Besides, a girl can not pass up a good deal.
Right?
Enjoy...guilt-free.
: )

angela recada said...

Hallo Eva!

Your stash is lovely! I can understand why you want to collect as much as possible while you can find it. I'm the same.

It really is a shame that even hand-embroidery is becoming a lost art. I still have a lovely collection of hand-embroidered tablecloths that I bought in Germany many years ago. Each one is a little work of art, and I adore them. I'm starting to embroider again, too. Machine-made, mass-produced items will never equal something hand-made, in my opinion.

The photo of your quilt in the sunlight in your previous post is beautiful! I love the dramatic highlights and shadows, and the warm colors.

Alles Gute,
Bis bald,
Angela

Unknown said...

LOL I love this, someone with addictions and obsessions rivaling my own! :D

Judy said...

Your stash is nothing to be justified on Judgement Day: Fear Not! You are just fine! After all, you are recycling (#1) and, more importantly, you are of fine character (#2)!!!

I think it is simply grand that you are using the castoffs of others....and they are/would be so pleased to know that!

Love You!