Stitch from Stash - Now Closed

Stitch from Stash is now closed. The group is (sadly) no longer running. I was finding it overwhelming to continue and just didn't have my heart in it anymore.

A huge thanks to all of my volunteers and helpers over the last two years!!! And to those who participated. :)

I've left up the primary "rules" that we ran the group by for any that want to continue to track their own Stitch From Stash progress. This is just for legacy or reference.

Happy Stitching!
Mel.

 

1) Budgets (the core to SFS)

a-- $25 a month budget in place for each month. This is a total of $150 over the 6 months that you can buy guilt free on any stash you choose.

b-- NO exemptions if you spend the money on stash items (it no longer matters if it's a gift piece or not, stash is stash). ONLY exemption is if you are given (for free) or win stash. Ie: Birthday gifts, gifted cash meant for stitching stuff or spending gift cards is okay. But if you use $5 in any way from your own pocket then it counts.

c-- Stash items are: Patterns, pattern books, magazines (see subscription exemption below), threads (including Anchor, DMC, overdyed, silk, metallic, etc), beads used for stitching, stitching fabric (ie: Aida, linen, evenweave, etc.), and scissors. (why scissors? because they have become a "collection" item and most of us own dozens of pairs... no one 'needs' that many scissors, lol).

d-- Items that are exempt: Needles.  Qsnaps, hoops, stands or scroll rods (items that can be used over again for different projects). Thimbles, finger covers, lights or other reusable items used on multiple projects. Framing and finishing supplies (includes sewing fabric for ornaments, toggles, trims, etc.). Shipping is also exempt! 

e-- Subscription Exemption: Subscriptions are completely exempt from budget. This includes: magazine subscriptions (must be bought as a subscription not occasional purchases of magazine), fabric/thread monthly clubs (must be on subscription), a series or subscription of charts or sets---You must be signed-up with a shop of some kind to purchase the series prior to 2nd pattern being released (ie: LHN monthly ornaments, LK Mystery Series, SALs released page by page, etc.). Please note: your project supplies still count on subscription patterns/magazines (ie: fabric, thread, etc.); only the pattern is exempt.

f-- If you are ever at all unsure if something counts or not please email Mel at StitchFromStash@gmail.com and ask! :)

g-- Budget conversions into your own currency. Please use your discretion. If you feel 25 euros, pounds, yen or whatnot is a reasonable equivalent for $25 then please use that amount just be consistent. When logging in the first time please indicate your "budget" amount and currency. (ie: I live in Canada but buy everything online so I use US dollars because it's easier. If I buy from UK I convert amount to US dollars and count it that way).

h-- Carry Over: budget amount can be carried over into the next month

i-- CHANGED: Borrow from: Re-instated for 2015-B you can use your budget from future months towards purchases. So if you are in the "red" for July, but in August you buy nothing you can use the August budget to get back into the "black". However, NO budgets or finishing credit can carry forward from A to B. 
j-- If you blow the budget so far out of the water there is no coming back you may still be a member of the group but become ineligible for prizes unless you can "earn back" from budget or finishing dollars to be in the positive again.

2)  "Stitching from Stash" Extra Credit

a-- You will get extra money to spend when you finish items from your stash!!!

b-- CHANGED: the confusing 6 month rule is gone! Any stitching finishing of any sort, no matter how long ago you bought the pattern counts towards your extra credit. No more "hold" for 6 months!

d-- If you half-cross an item (ie: needlepoint or do half crosses on a large piece) then you must cut the finish value in HALF as you really only did half the work a full cross stitcher would have). 

e-- Specialty stitches like eyelets, hardanger, etc. count as DOUBLE as they generally take longer than a standard cross stitch X. If the pattern is a combination please average the stitches as you feel appropriate. 

f-- ONLY cross stitch or embroidery of some sort counts. Sorry no knitting, quilting, crocheting, etc. Ribbon work, specialty stitching or embroidery (ie: petit point, etc.) can count.

g-- If you don't know what your finish counts as then please email Mel at stitchfromstash@gmail.com for advisement OR open it up to a discussion on your blog in the comments! 

h-- Stitch counting is NOT permitted. This group counts finished pieces only.

i--  Grid values are all based on an average coverage of about 75% which is most patterns.  j-- How to calculate/breakdown. If you take the width and height stitch count for any project, add them together and then divide by 2 you will get a "square" number to match up to the grid.

For example: 165 high by 100 wide (stitches), to calculate the 'square number':

165 + 100 = 265 / 2 = 132.5 stitches square. Therefore total would be $12 credit for finish based on breakdown above.

Part B UPDATED

FINISH GRID: 

40 x40 stitches or less - $2  

40 x 40 stitches to 60 x 60 stitches - $4

60 x 60 stitches to 80 x 80 stitches - $6

80 x 80 stitches to 100 x 100 stitches - $8

*

100 x 100 stitches to 120 x 120 stitches - $12

120 x 120 stitches to 140 x 140 stitches - $14

140 x 140 stitches to 160 x 160 stitches - $16

160 x 160 stitches to 200 x 200 stitches - $18

200+ stitches please contact Mel at stitchfromstash@gmail.com for review.

**Full Page 100 x 70 stitches - 100% coverage - $15

* Yep there sure is a breakpoint at 10,000 stitch pieces.
Why? Because it takes longer, and you have to keep motivation up so the reward is higher!

** If your project is "by page" please feel free to collect a "finish" for each page based on the size of the page relative to the above. However, you can ONLY claim the stitch amount once. Therefore, if you count finishes by page then you are not eligible for a final total stitch count.

*** UPDATED: Only 2015 stitching can be counted for. Previous stitching prior to Jan 1, 2015 does not count. What does this mean for most people? If you've been burning the needles away on a finish you didn't get to count in first half of 2015 you will still get to count it into Part Bof 2015. However, year to year no stitching roll-overs will be permitted.

Keep in mind this means that a piece you did some stitching on in 1999 or 2014 you only count the new stitching for finish credit.