Back to Stash-Busting

I’ve had a few stash-busting projects with pictures sitting around waiting to be posted for quite a while. These are more practical than exciting/inspiring, but still a good use of my stashed fabric, so they merit a post.

Purple Hoodie 1

First up is a hoodie for Guinevere. I succumbed to the lure of a McCall’s pattern sale at some point and picked up McCalls 6158 in both the little-kids’ and the big-kids’ size ranges. I realize this was a risky thing to do, as notoriously bad as the sizing for knit patterns from Big 4 tends to be at times, but if you take a closer look at this now out-of-print pattern, you might see what I saw. It’s a really basic hoodie, very close to what one might find in the average Old Navy/Gap/Children’s Place store. My thoughts in grabbing the pattern in all sizes was that if I could figure out what size to make initially, then I could just keep using the next size up for the next 6-7+ years as the kids (yes, even the boys) out grew them, assuming that the pattern is graded correctly. I made this first one in size 6, and while it fits Guinevere just a tiny big, the ease and sizing for this pattern in this size does seem to be remarkably close to certain ready-to-wear brands (who only offer thin/polyester hoodies most of the time anymore). I’ll be making more of these for sure.

Purple Hoodie 2

This one used cotton sweatshirt fleece for the main body, but stashed ribbing for the cuffs and a stashed piece of jersey knit for the hood lining. The hood lining fabric is leftover from cami-making for myself back in my nursing school days. I thought there would be more of it, from the size of the bunch of rolled up fabric I had, but it turned out to be mostly strips of fabric with only one piece just large enough for the hood. I cut out the hood and threw the rest of the scraps out. Total stash-busting for that piece!

Apron 1

The other project, finished this summer, was an apron for me. I had bought some quilting cotton specifically for an apron for myself, and used Butterick 4945. I’m fairly certain that there are easier ways to put together an apron than what this pattern directs, but I still would recommend this pattern for it’s nice size range/female sizing. This one covers my chest without pulling oddly in any direction, something that isn’t always the case when trying to use a unisex pattern (as I’ve found from wearing my husband’s apron).

Apron 2

I don’t know what else to say about the apron. It does what it’s supposed to in protecting my other clothes, and looks decent if we happen to have people over for lunch (which was my motivation for finishing it up this summer)

Stashbusting stats 21/25 and 22/25. I just might make it to my stash-busting goal for the year. (Unfortunately, this does highlight how many  of my recent makes have been from fabric acquired this year rather than using what I have from the stash–in my defense, I didn’t have cotton sweatshirting fabric to stashbust for hoodies, so had to buy some of that)


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3 responses to “Back to Stash-Busting”

  1. Lynn Avatar

    Both very cute! I love the apron. It looks perfect with the red mini-gingham dress.

  2. Susan Avatar

    I want a hoodie like Guinevere’s for myself… the weather just took a dramatic (for TX) cold turn here and I am pulling out the fleece wherever it exists. 😉 Oh and I have to say, from what I can see of your kitchen, it looks *gorgeous* — and with lots of natural light, too… 😀

  3. EmSewCrazy` Avatar

    Ooh two very nice pieces. How exciting you’re so close to finishing your goal. I’m wishing I had set a more measurable goal with my stash busting. Keep up the good work!

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