Mama Africa: Making Good Use of My Stash's Treasures

I recently gave away one of my favorite things I've ever made, a green and white polka-dot shift, because it no longer fit me. I get excited about using up the last dregs in a jar of mustard to free up space in the door of the fridge. And when a friend covets a bag or scarf I rarely use, I hand it over to them, knowing they'll love it more than I ever did. . . I don't think of myself as a hoarder, but when it comes to my fabric stash I have a much harder time letting go. The bins under my bed are stuffed so full of everything from Guatemalan weft ikat to exotic Red Hook (Ikea) canvas that the idea of adding fabric to my stash is unthinkable.


I managed to delve into my resources a bit this Christmas, when I made zippered toiletry bags, a la these beauties from Design*Sponge, and tiny pouches to hold homemade lip balm. I even used up some of my beloved kitenge from my stint in Uganda when I made yoga mat bags for some of my yogi friends. When you think about it, it's kind of a great way to integrate my love of yoga, DIY and travel into my gifts. . .


My dear friend, Liz, is living in Kenya until July, where she works for Village Hopecore, providing basic public health services to her community. Her boyfriend Jacob is visiting her, and I spent part of the morning looking at his pictures of their trip. I'm hoping to visit her this spring, and my resolution to make it there was redoubled looking at his photos. In seeing these, it occurred to me that I should turn my African fabric into beautiful, useful things instead of letting it take up precious space in my life. Once I run out, I'll have even more of a reason to make it back to East Africa so I can get more. . . or at least I'll have a great excuse for replenishing my stash when I visit Liz!