I’ve been watching quite a bit of youtube lately and am currently trapped in a minimalism algorithm. Fortunately it is quite nice one – less of the white dude bros, more of the interesting, thoughtful women.

Emboldened by all this inspiration I decided to declutter my craft supplies. I’ve had desultory attempts at this in the past, but thanks to the excellent Celia I’m now aware of The Sewing Basket – a very worthwhile place to donate all manner of crafty things.

My life as it is now, or in the future, doesn’t need a ton of craft supplies for those impromptu costumes, outfits or last-minute projects – or “just in case”.

And there were many (many!) items sitting around silently guilting me for doing nothing with them. I don’t need that kind of judgement from inanimate objects.

So I cast off lots of fabric, boxes of pins, ribbons, way too many hotel sewing kits, bobbins from school sewing (that don’t fit my machine), Bessie’s old mostly empty sewing box, dressmaking patterns, packets of press-studs and tons of other stuff – and most of the contents of my button box!

I’ve had some of these buttons since I was 10 years old – having scored an awesome button jar when the Brownies’ craft cupboard was being cleared out – but it really was time.

In shocking news, I didn’t even count them before I set them free – but there were a lot.

hundreds and hundreds

All that remains:

Also shockingly, I didn’t take any photos of of the quite large box we delivered to the Balmain Sewing Basket today.

I asked Don to ensure that I adhered to the quick in-and-out – no possibility of browsing and bringing home more. I’m on a self-imposed buy no more supplies until you have finished or abandon current projects programme.

It was incredibly freeing!

I’m motivated to have a second crack – because surely there are more things I will never touch.