To buy, or not to buy – that is the question.

It’s that time of year again where it feels like we’re heading into the 7,924th day of January, and we’re still getting ping after ping via emails and apps about snapping up the barg of the year. Treating yourself can feel like a great way to tick the days off, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, many of our purses and wallets can feel a little lighter than usual after a potentially hectic December.

At this time of the year, payday can feel a century away, yet the want for something new to plonk on the mat to brighten those grey days, is an understandable feeling. However, for the crafty folk among us, those stashes of squishy yarns, folders of patterns and bobbins full of floss can hold a brand new project – you just may not be able to see it yet.

We thought we’d bring you this post to encourage you to have a forage through what you have, before heading straight to checkout. Now, like we said, there’s nothing wrong with a treat, but looking after the pennies this month is a great way to spend those pounds another time. So with that said, let’s take a dive into our WIP bags, first.

Picking Things Up Where You Left Off 🧶

We all know the feeling of working on those projects that feel like a bit of a climb. We start out with lofty plans, trying a new design that steps up our game, and then one day – poof. It’s in the project bag, shoved under the sofa, never to see daylight again. Looking at that bag can fill you with dread, as even a mere glance can have you thinking of its contents and just how much further you’ve got to go. Yet this is the horse we’re encouraging you to get back on this side of January!

I’ve mentioned in numerous posts at just how long I’ve been working on two Tomb Raider cross stitches: the left being Alicia Vikander’s portrayal of reboot Lara for the 2018 film; the other is based on a popular render from Tomb Raider III, back in 1998. Alicia is still under my sofa after starts, stops, continues and its current stalled status, even though I started it in 2018. Yet after a strong word with myself, I decided to take RX-Tech Lara from TRIII and put her in a hoop to try and encourage myself to head closer to that finish line.

I went through a phase of only wanting to do massive cross stitch pieces, and while that’s fine, I’ve learned that having multiples of these kicking around the house just isn’t a good idea when it comes to picking them back up again. These bigger pieces were on frames to fix onto my Lowery workstand, so when working on these, there’s a fair amount of faff to get out of the way in order to get stitches onto the fabric – especially with where I’m able to work in the house with my stand.

I was reluctant to take the one piece off of the frame for having to add creases to areas by using one of my Nurge hoops. But the reality of leaving it on the frame was to continue to do what I had been for years – nothing. Since swapping it and having it as my current ‘mobile’ kit as you can see above, I’m able to cart this piece around much easier, which makes me want to work on it more.

Of course, with many of us working with different diciplines, I understand this may not be as simple for some of you, yet it’s more the reframe that’s the key, here. Pushing away those negative thoughts to one side as best you can, taking that WIP and refamiliarising yourself with it without scolding yourself is an important step. To head into your project bag and look at what you’ve done with a little more mental freedom allows you to look at things from a different angle. It will hopefully allow you to understand why you fell in love with that pattern or project in the first place.

You might take another look at your materials and get excited to pick it up again. Perhaps you’ve been using a stunning shade of Malabrigo yarn; you might have treated yourself way back when to some fun accessories and, with everything being tucked away, had forgetten all about them! So if you’re feeling up to it, grab yourself a cuppa, take a deep breath and open that bag!

A Good Head-Start 💻

WIPs or no WIPs, the want for something fresh, this time of year especially, feels rife. Wanting to start a new project and grab all you need to get started is very tempting, yet we thought we’d offer an idea for a good, alternative head-start.

Whether you’re new or have been with us for some time now, we offer thousands of free patterns for you to download and enjoy. Whether you knit, crochet, embroider, cross stitch or more, there’s something to inspire any crafter out there. Before you begin, make yourself a nice drink, maybe grab a snack and, please-oh-please, use the filters on the left hand side of the site as a key tool. When we say we have thousands, we are not kidding – you’ll be here until 2027.

Filtering your options and taking a nice relaxed meander through the forest of freebies can prove fruitful. Depending your own stash’s stock at home, it may be worth shopping through what you already have to see if any of the materials required are already ‘in stock’ in your craft boxes. It’s a great way to use up what you have, especially for those smaller projects, as well as bringing a little more individuality to the piece if you’re flexible to deviate from the pattern’s palette or otherwise.

Simply click HERE to get started on your free pattern browsing journey!

A Final Thought…

That’s it from us for this week! We hope these couple of reframes may help you take another look through your wonderful collections of crafting goodies. But if you’re able to and you really can’t stop thinking about that one thing in the sale, then that’s okay, too 💗

Take it easy, readers, and happy stash shopping!