Stitch from Stash 2014 - JOIN NOW

After much deliberation and input from many of you I have decided to host the first annual Stitch from Stash (2014).

Why Stitch from Stash? 
As I have personally taken on a new great job, that sadly pays much, much less than I used to make; corners need to be hacked. And the stitching budget, while painful, needs to be cut back, significantly.  That is what stitch from stash is going to be all about; stitching from stash and saving money.

Like all of you, I too have more than I could stitch in the next 2 lifetimes (and I'm only 30!); and like many of you I am always tempted by the latest and greatest. But really what's wrong with the 25 patterns you didn't stitch but bought the year before?
This is by no means meant to be a rebellion from buying, there will be a budget for 'new' stuff in the rules (and for needed supplies like needles, threads, etc.). The spirit here is to help encourage each other to save a little bit of money for the necessities like food or the mortgage (in my case).

Why participate?
Participate and stay to the $25 budget for 11 of the 12 months of the year and you will be entered for a gift certificate of $100 from a selection of online stores (ie: likely to be included are 123 Stitch, Wasatch Needleworks, HEAD, etc.).  Store will be of your choosing from my list of approved suppliers (why my list: to make sure you will get what you order for the value of course!)

Monthly draws for patterns & supplies from Mel's stash will also happen for each entry (ie: December cottage from Country Cottages, Lizzie Kate snippet, fabrics, threads & more!)

What are the 'rules/agreements' of Stitch from Stash?
It will of course be on an honor system, and I do hope that all stitchers who join will remain in the spirit of the group.
After much deliberation and input from the community the following are to be the 'rules/agreements' for the Stitch from Stash 2014 group:

1) All new items started in 2014 must be from your current stash or purchased within the monthly 'budget' as dictated by Stitch from Stash.

2) Your birthday or holiday money given to you is an exemption (but you cannot gift yourself!). Ie: you get a gift card to a stitching store for your bday, fair enough as it is "free" from the budget money it does not count.

3) Each month you can spend $25 to get supplies, or even a new pattern that you need/want. But do not exceed $25. So if you buy a pattern but needed threads you're out of luck and have to wait for next month. The $25 does not include shipping if online purchase (or those of us in 'international' locations would be spent already in shipping!)

4) Exemptions from the $25 include:
- gifted money (as indicated in rule )
- a monthly already paid for subscription to a magazine or fiber/thread club
- a monthly or semi-monthly program where you have committed to the project and are actively stitching it alongside another group (ie: Calendar Girls, Frosty Friends or another designers series). You must commit to the series/subscription/program before Jan 2, 2014 even if it hasn't started yet. (almost all designers have announced their 2014 early series by now).

5) Post to your blog about how much you spent that month (within the $25, if you go over please be honest!) and what you stitched on from stash (pictures are always great, at least 1 is appreciated). All posts and emails need to be completed by the 28th of each month to be eligible. I don't care when you post during the month (because life is busy) but you must do it in the month (ie: February's post must be posted between Feb. 1 and 28). I will likely post around the 20th of each month to remind everyone.

6) Then email your link to your blog to StitchFromStash@gmail.com for Mel (from Epic Stitching) to review and enter you in a draw for a stash giveaway that month!! Email and enter 11 of the 12 months of 2014 and be eligible to win the $100 stitching gift card.

7) By popular demand or on my own I may, and could change or relax the rules at any time to allow for an exemption... or 'free' weekend (ie: anticipate a free or budgeted amount that is okay to spend on Nashville Market new pattern announcements the weekend of Nashville Market)

Want in?
Email StitchFromStash@gmail.com (yep it's own email just in case I get bombarded) and let me know your name, blog address and confirm interest in joining! I will confirm each entry individually as received.
You must confirm you are participating by January 2, 2013 via email; following that an email will be sent to confirm the list and any further details needed.

Questions? 
Post them below in comments and I will respond here so everyone can see, or email me at StitchFromStash@gmail.com and I'll be happy to answer.

Anticipated Answers:
- The program is worked out that you will have one month to cheat in and still be eligible for the big prize, just don't email me about entering for that month. Feel free to post about how you didn't make it and need to then keep to it for the rest of the year!
- If you splurge in more than one month you will no longer be eligible for the yearly big prize, but can still participate in the monthly prizes if you keep to it for that individual month (blog and email me about it of course).
- Yes you can drop out at anytime. Life happens and there are (sometimes) more important things than a blogging group. However there will be no exceptions to the 11 of 12 months for the large prize. The committed members deserve their best chance to win and it's too hard to keep track of or 'decide' for me who to exempt.

I look forward to everyone who chooses to join in. 
And for those that don't we will all jealously watch your awesome purchases for the year!! :)

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Coming up on my blog later this week: A holiday ornament finished and two more started. Some work on December cottage as well. Dragons has been picked up and is more than halfway to another page finish, I anticipate closer to the end of the month to share this with everyone.