Maker vs Minimalist // Episode 51 // Taking Back Friday // a fibre arts vlog

[@PrettySouthern]

I am a maker and I am a minimalist. I started my having less journey in 2014 and it started with the minimalist Ted talk by the guy you talked about. I am a spinner, knitter, crocheter, quilter, and cross stitcher. I got rid of about 75% of the stuff I owned. I made thousands on Ebay. I dumped stash. I sold looms. I got rid of stuff on bookshelves and got rid of the shelves! I have my own youtube channel and everyone who watches knows I am a minimalist. I limit my stash to drawers. I also am excited by the next new project and don't follow through with finishing things I start. Limiting my stash to drawers (one for knitting, one for spinning fiber, one for cross stitch, etc. I will say DO NOT get rid of your equipment, especially if it a tool you use that replaces masking tape! I do often feel trapped by my stash and that limits my creative ability or I feel guilty by starting that next new thing I jsut saw and want to do. Having a limited stash has helped me feel less guilty and has freed me to grab the yarn for that next new thing. However, because I bought the yarn it takes up room in the drawer so I need to finish something to make more room for the next new thing! This helps me discern if I REALLY want to do something. I usually set out to finish something to make room and a week later I am over the project I wanted to buy. I only buy fabric/yarn/fiber for something I am making. I never buy something because it is pretty. Yes, it's gorgeous, but next week I'll see something else that is gorgeous and eventually I own too much. I am known for going to stores and buying nothing, even in Paris! You have to define what minimalism means to you and not follow someone else's rules. I truly regretted getting rid of tools but not getting rid of stash that I wasn't motivated by.

[@jennifergrant7671]

I have very few clothes and have been a capsule wardrobe person for some time which suits me. However I have about a decade of knitting/crochet shawls/sweaters/hats/gloves and socks, and a cupboard full of yarn and all kinds of needles and tools. I also like art and embroidery and other crafts. And books, and knitting books and magazines. I don’t feel guilty because these things don’t stop me from being a minimalist, they’re my life’s work. I’m proud of the things I have made and they document my history and display my progress as a crafts person. My house is small and we live simply, but we’re makers and I don’t feel any conflict with this. I like to be relaxed and if I don’t feel like making anything it’s okay. And if I am furiously finishing something likewise it’s amazing and like a high. It’s a great life, making things, cooking, keeping house, a life well spent.

[@kathleenkline4622]

I think the concept of minimalism has been taken to the extreme. Why feel guilty about owning tools you use for making? If owning something usable makes you happy, go for it! There is nothing wrong with having a stash if it makes you happy. It will probably be used at some point. Minimalism, in my mind, is getting rid of things that are no longer used or wanted. If an item bothers you, get rid of it....if you are content to own it, own it!

[@kendrao9647]

Kathleen Kline Agreed!

[@crystalh1402]

Well said, I was trying to articulate this and you nailed it.

[@qltygrl3187]

I agree completely!

[@amyangerer6966]

I have the same struggles sometimes - but I also know I am not a minimalist. I thrive on variety and color. I am more creative when I have texture in life. I love to fully immerse myself in whatever has caught my fancy. We need to work harder on acceptance and forgiveness of ourselves for being the crazy creators we are. Our bathrooms can be minimal.

[@sweetgeorgia]

LOVE it. I agree. Minimal closet, minimal bathroom... even minimal kitchen (someday!!), but the craft room needs to feed your imagination :)

[@Lisamakes]

This is so interesting, as I am having the same existential crisis right now! :) I am a sewing and knitting KZbinr, and I have a very large stash of fabric. I have only recently started to really deep dive into knitting, so I have less yarn- but not by much! At the same time, we had our house on the market here in Toronto, and so most of our stuff was put in storage while we staged the house for sale. After that happened, I did bring a small amount of sewing/knitting supplies back to the house- but there is still so much more that, at this point, I really don’t miss as requirements for my hobbies. I am also still figuring out how this affects my making going forward (have a look at Simplify Magazine, an on line mag, by the way!), but I do think it starts by shopping from my stash for the next while, and not mindlessly accruing stuff. If there is something i am going to make right away, fine, but buying things just because they are pretty or on sale is out. I also decided a year and half ago to not buy any more clothes for myself. If I want it, I make it. This makes me feel that my making is useful and relevant to my daily life. Anyway, SO many thought on this topic- thanks for sharing!

[@ning-ningshalom3266]

I so know what you are talking about when you say making time for what you love to do doing it Before the Dishes Housework etc. Because I do this I was knitting while watching your broadcast for me my making must be incorporated into my day to feed my whole person. yes you can be a minimalist and a maker. just give it to the shelters I don't think that people will mind that it is not perfect they will be warm and comforted I so enjoyed your program

[@KnittingsAndSewings]

Like you, the concept of minimalism appeals to me a lot. 4 years ago, we downsized our house and bought a smaller one, and I destashed a lot of my yarns. On the other hand, I think that having tools like the angel wings are fine since you use and enjoy them and they help you make the most of the time you have to warp. Feel free to enjoy the tools that help you create fiber art. On the other hand, I think it's fine and a good idea to "clear the decks" each year and reevaluate what you really don't use and feel free to gift away to others whatever has fallen by the wayside.

[@rdelineyt]

As you weigh what minimalism means to you, please don't forget your role in a larger maker community. That swatch you held up at the end of the video is not just an object in your life, but also an object in the lives of your video viewers, and in your classes -- it's an educational tool and an object of inspiration for lots of us. As an educator and community leader, you may end up saddled with more things than a solo maker, but those things have value in many more lives.

[@sweetgeorgia]

Thank you SO MUCH for this comment, Rob. I really appreciate the reminder. I was looking at my three plastic bins full of hand-dyed yarn samples and two plastic bins of swatches that I use for teaching, thinking... this is a bit much. But I think it's true, I will always have them because it's part of how I teach. Thanks for reminding me of their value :)

[@sandygrogg1203]

Very interesting topic. I once heard a very wise man...someone I truly respect...say that no matter what you are doing, you should use the best tools and materials yiu can afford... You want to give your very best to your task,,...regardless if what that task might be... So... I refuse to feel guilty about my stash, buying good knitting needles, crochet hooks, etc... Just looking at these “things” can make me smile... I’ve been cleaning out my closets, and multiple junk drawers, but continue to increase the number of yarns... and related tools...and that’s a good thing, because my knitting and crocheting....no matter how Simple they are...brings me joy, And who doesn’t need (or deserve) joy in his or her life? That scarf is nothing less than gorgeous... I love how it turned out...The colors are amazing...

[@TheMidnightDyery]

I've been watching Matt's videos too recently and am really keen to try and live more intentionally. Running a business from my dining room means my house is often in chaos and I have no proper storage - I'll be embarking on this in the new year and I think you can absolutely be a maker and a minimalist - the idea of minimalism seems to have become warped. Matt's perspective is refreshing!

[@Huniryder]

To me, if you're using the looms and the stash and all the things that you have, and you're enjoying all those things, then you shouldn't feel guilty having them. If the things were just 'there', taking space in your home and not being utilized and/or enjoyed, then you could re-evaluate whether those things should be let go.

[@ning-ningshalom3266]

The tools of making require that you have around you what you need makers are creative and when inspiration hits you are able to work you have what you need... don't feel guilty we use it when the time comes... and it is better to have what you need than to need it and not have it . I call that a well round maker room.

[@Jess-ix8do]

This is going to sound strange but my daughter is obsessed with your channel. She’s 2 but as soon as she hears your voice she immediately grabs my phone and sits and quietly watches (not always the first to get here but she still loves it) hopefully she takes after me and becomes a crafter and finds something she loves to do. By the way that scarf is absolutely stunning

[@jenniferr2057]

Many maker minimalists become great gifters.... It is my personal solution.

[@sandygrogg1203]

May 5th, 2019.... Watching again, because (1) that scarf is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, and (2), I think the topic is fascinating... I have been gradually paring down the “stuff” in my life...my house....that registers as useless clutter in my mind... I have three junk drawers in my kitchen, for Pete’s sake! I am 75, and thinking of moving into a smaller, more manageable space... Something cozy for me, and my two very small furbabies....but with room for the things that bring me joy. Joy...inner peace, and satisfaction....These intangibles are what I thunk are important to a good life. So... if my tools, my yarn (which is not the expensive, luxurious sort); my fabrics (which I am gifting to my daughter, as I no longer quilt), my books....bring me joy. ......even the quiet kind....I need to have them close at hand... and that is OK. I have a room where all of these things live, but I must confess that the area around my favorite place to sit...in my living room, is often filled with colorful projects... I periodically put them away, but they somehow creep back into my knitting/crocheting space. Evidently, my soul needs to have them nearby. So... My personal criteria for “decluttering my space, and my life, is to ask myself if the thing I am considering pitching give me joy....does it contribute to my sense of well being... if the answer is yes, it stays, with no apology.

[@handspun9976]

I am both a maker and a minimalist. Being able to spin and Color my own yarn to weave with actually minimalizes the need for a big stash. I always start with a specific project in mind and only then start to make that yarn that fits the requirements for the weaving project. I also love my basic hand tools. I have a floorloom and a rigid heddle loom but don’t feel the need to always have them filled with a project all the time. For me minimalisms isn’t always about having less stuff, but having stuff you actually use often and enjoy using.

[@MsUtuber2]

I only have a partial answer. As a long-time maker of stuff, I find the time I have toward the enjoyment of making my most valuable asset. I have tools which make the job more pleasurable and the product more full of love.

[@jennifermassello8670]

It’s all about balance. You can minimalist most of the house but not the kids’ rooms/stuff. Same with maker things. Even though you might not use those tools every day, you do use them. I feel it’s more about keeping things neat and organized so you can find them and they can inspire you to make more things. You can always do giveaways of the things in the “maker box”!!😉

[@sandygrogg1203]

Retreat... Self directed retreats are the best! I wish I could attend yours... but is is impossible... It sounds perfect... The concept of having facilitators, rather than classes, with instructors is genius... People will definitely enjoy the experience,, 💜👍

[@jenniferolson1948]

It's all useful. It allows you to have an outlet of expression. The freedom to make what you really want and not settle for something you make do with. And running a business requires samples/examples to sell the items you have. To give others a "vision" for what they can do. You have the opportunity to love the things you do have v.s. many things that are just o.k. 😀

[@BananaPantsChannel]

Just watching now, in May 2019. I think this is such an interesting question and one that I've been thinking about as well. I have just a little bit of hobby "stuff" but I'm always thinking of projects I'd like to do. I'm not making projects for anyone or for a business, so that probably makes a difference. For a single person working on creative projects, I imagine the minimalist aspect as me being very intentional. That I would spend more time thinking and brain storming my end goals before bring more objects or supplies into my space. I think it's okay to have a luxury item like you have if you're really going to use it a lot. Using that one item over and over might be better than using and disposing of tape, yarn, etc. for every project. So maybe it's about finding the balance specific to your needs.

[@elizabethnudd1982]

I really applaud you for bringing up this subject. I am a minimalist and a maker and I have let go of everything except my making supplies. I have over forty pairs of hand knit socks which I love but I don't need anymore. It is a real dilemma. I have tried to put all my supplies in a big closet and when I shut the doors I cant see them but it still causes me some anxiety knowing I have yarn, especially, that I could nt possible knit up in a lifetime. However, listening to you has shown me that I can get rid of some of my making supplies and feel happy as a result. Thanks for your wise words and insight.... I wish I had more answers....

[@opiatepix]

The very act of making means that you should have tools that make the craft enjoyable, to have supplies that inspire you. There's yarn and fabric in my stash that are my way of supporting indie dyeing friends, mills, companies and businesses. Minimalism is for people who are just buying without thought. Nothing that we do as makers is without thought or love or inspiration. The only time you should have a critical look is if it stops bringing you joy and instead turns into guilt or a burden. One of the things I did this season was to go through all my home knit cowls, scarves and mitts and drop off anything I wasn't wearing or using to the local women's shelters. The looks on their faces as they went through the creations was worth more than anything I could have sold it for. Anyhoo, just my two cents. Happy holidays!

[@jeanflores2242]

I don't know if I'll ever get the time right, so I missed the live, but my whole household flipped out when you said my name. LOL. I was watching you while pre-sleying the reed, so the volume was up and everyone was sitting around eating lunch. I have some table runners on my Glimakra, but I'm doing the blanket as soon as I finish them....

[@cherylcarlson3315]

You know, gifting a person who never could afford artisan pieces or having someone make expressly for them can really lift them. I have been publicly knitting and taught several the basics. Don't confuse material acquisition with byproduct of skill acquisition . Peace

[@RemotelyGrace]

As a frugal essentialist, I've dabbled in various hobbies, delving into them enough with basic tools or simply researching the heck out of them (e.g., bingeing on KZbin vids!) to get a sense of whether it's something I'd pursue long-term. This meant gauging whether I wanted to invest in the equipment, tools, space, time, and storage. Some interests were fascinating enough, but only met a couple of core values (e.g., leathercraft). Another example is natural dyeing... while I loved the concept of natural pigments, I couldn't bring myself to practice it on a large scale, even at home, so I scaled it down to ink making instead, which overlaps somewhat with the chemistry of creating colours. Currently, my main making activities are knitting and bookbinding, but even then they're more seasonal and on an as-needed basis. Since I prefer an essential lifestyle, I don't make such items often, but I develop new skills with each project. For year-round creativity and variety, gardening, foraging, and foodie projects (not sure I'd call these "making" activities?) keep me happy as the results are consumable, small-batch, colourful, experiential, AND address core values across the board (i.e., outdoor pursuits, health, wildlife, zero waste, circular economy). Very glad to have found your site as I'm becoming more interested in textile and fibre arts (apart from the home dyeing aspect). I understand how easy it can be to just DO the art and not have a bespoke home for the finished item, as beautiful as they are. I'm sure I'd enjoy weaving, but I'm also self-aware enough to recognize that the appeal is in being curious about it vs. wanting to do it all the time. That doesn't stop me from looking at all the gorgeous fibre arts out there, though! :)

[@eclecticlittledork3418]

I find that minimalism and being a maker go together very well for me. Having tons of stuff is fine, but it doesn't make me legitimately happy in a way that having a small yarn stash and being intentional with my projects does. That said, my stash is microscopic compared to many peoples. And I do plan on growing it simply for ease of use. So in keeping with my minimalist leanings, I've decided that I'm only allowed to own four small-medium baskets that fit on a shelf in my closet. I'm also considering a single fiber basket since I'm getting into spining but that is not definite. Making things is what makes me happy, having nice materials makes it a pleasure. Having things I will never use, on the other hand, isn't for me because I believe my stash deserves to be used. If I'm not using it, I don't feel I'm giving it the appreciation it deserves. Being a minimalist helps me avoid that.

[@marijedoeleman9083]

That is so cool! You used the dark color for the weaving I was so curious about. It is really gorgeous 😍

[@suemount6042]

Love the scarf and your arboreal sweater looks amazing

[@sweetgeorgia]

Thank you so much!

[@friendoblu]

maker AND minimalist. Great question! I keep wondering. It pulls on both aspects of myself. Holding two opposing ideas in our hands - an important life skill, I guess. @friendoblu

[@IslandLady76]

My interests are many and I have tools for each of them. If you have tools and use them why feel guilty. Felicia, I think your tests probably would be more perfect than some of my final projects and anyone receiving them probably would be thrilled with having them. Your business also gives you a good reason to have all those things in your attic. I have a big box full of yarn and a big box of finished objects I put aside for gifts. I have 1 large bag for my needles and 3 bags for my wips. A few months ago I decided I needed to use my stash and getting projects completed before buying any more for the reason of not wanting to be overrun with my knitting obsession, as I also do paper crafts, quilting, and most recently painting. I will not be buying acrylic painting supplies--that's my "minimalist"stand. lol

[@sandygrogg1203]

07-27-19.... Watching a second time, and I am still mesmerized by the lovely, gorgeous fabric you created...using the tools and materials you love. And.. I still think having those tools...the best you can afford...is a very good thing. Ask any good carpenter, and he/she will tell you that good tools are essential to good work.

[@sweetgeorgia]

Thanks so much Sandy! Yes I do agree that good tools are so important. They can make all the difference between enjoying something or feeling miserable about something.

[@gailjahn8303]

I know this is a few years old, but I LOVE this video. I always thought that some of your samples would make wonderfully framed art!!

[@sweetgeorgia]

Aww thank you so much! That’s such a lovely thought

[@zinniazen9923]

I love your attic! It’s my dream room, you are so blessed and shouldn’t feel guilty. I have a corner of my room I use for knitting, spinning, diamond painted and now I would love to set up my ridged heddle loom. That takes up most of my space. I have a folding table I love to use but always wished it was bigger same with my corner. My closet is stuffed with all craft stuff and a very small section for clothing. Lol I dream one day of having a large enough space I can have everything set up. I mostly knitting right now for Christmas. One thing i can’t live with out is my ott light and table. My ott light has recently broken and at a loss with out it at night. I have a temporary small one coming in the mail to help until I can replace my ott light. It’s a must have!

[@zinniazen9923]

PS as a maker I find it’s impossible for me to be a I dream of owning less but it’s hopeless for me.

[@ivlarz]

My approach to minimalism isn’t about guilt about owning too much, but how much joy and purpose I have is using this tools and materials. That threshold varies based on the person. Fiber arts are a huge part of your life and business. It makes sense to have those tools to use and experience. If there is a point where those items are not bringing you purpose/joy, then maybe it’s time to revisit those. Good luck!

[@christinatibblin1804]

Catching up on my youtube watching. I have been struggling with minimalism as I see my stash multiply. When my dad would see my mom coming back from shopping for clothes, given that she had more than one closet on the go, he would ask her how long she planned on living. I feel that way about my stash. I have hundreds of miles of yarn in my stash (I actually downloaded it from Ravelry)! I struggle with wanting to get yarn when it is less expensive, wanting to have just the right yarn in the right weight and colour, and trying to use up my stash. I haven't found the right balance yet, though I am trying more and more to only buy with specific projects in mind. Then I see your beautiful hand spun yarn and woven projects and want to get into that. I love to learn new things and then I have loads of supplies for the different hobbies I have acquired. So no words of wisdom from me, just a question: how much do spinning wheels and weaving looms cost???

[@jameswatts1485]

I have so many thoughts about this. This was my first time watching your channel and I love it btw, will subscribe and binge! Okay so I'm a knitter and a spinner (one day I'm sure I'll weave too, I'd love to get into it.) I'd also consider myself a minimalist. I watched lots of the applicable netflix documentaries and read Marie Kondo's book, loved all of it. The aesthetic of minimalism as a popular movement today really seems to value owning next to nothing, and getting rid of everything possible. I don't think that's what minimalism has to be, if that's what makes someone happy, then great, that's what being minimalist is for them. To me, minimalism is more about being a conscious consumer, and evaluating the possessions I already own, and being honest about what I need, or are using/enjoying. I have 7 shelves dedicated to spinning and knitting stash, tools, scraps, and WIPs, it takes up a lot of the visual real estate of one wall of my bedroom. I love my stash and I love the way it looks. For the kind of knitter I am, it is really nice to be able to have a stash to shop and to lay out color combos in person, rather than having to order online all the yarn I need everytime I start a project and just hoping I like it as much in person. I am passionate about fiber arts, and my supplies give me joy, so even though I'm a minimalist, I think it's okay that I have 100+ full skeins of yarn. On the flip side, the knitting community is really good/bad about enabling. I became interested in knitting before I became interested in minimalism. Early on I wanted to buy everything I saw on a podcast, every new indie dyer, ever new base or colorway. I bought too much too quickly, my tastes changed faster than I could knit through my stash, and I ended up with some yarns that eventually I had to destash because I knew even if they were pretty, I'd just never choose them over the yarns that I had acquired more recently and were more to my tastes of the moment. Sometimes when you have too much stash, you feel like you always have to knit from it and not buy new until you use some more of what you have, which it's good to have the mentality of wanting to use what you have first, but its also really nice when you have just the right amount that you feel like you can be creative with what you've got on hand, but don't have to feel guilty about buying a sweater's or shawl's quantity for a new pattern than you're ready to cast on right now. I think every knitter needs to find what works for their style and their space. I do think some crafters get caught up in all the consumer culture around social media and knitting festivals and all that good stuff, and unfortunately I've seen some who A) Spend more money than they can afford to, OR B)hoard more yarn than anyone could ever hope to knit in 3 lifetimes, to the point where their stash has entered every room in their living space. I think its obvious at those points that their consumption habits are unrealistic and have gotten out of hand. Sometimes I wish the fiber community enabled less!!(I'm afraid that might be a very unpopular opinion) Ok sorry for writing a full-ass essay but also thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[@charlottelee623]

I love your scarf!! A blanket with handspun sounds like a nice idea!

[@raggmopp857]

The key is "things that are meaningful to your life" . For most people being a minimalist means not buying plastic junk that only lasts a short while and then gets thrown away. The things you have for a serious craft or maker's life are the difference between dong without. In other words living as if you have taken a vow of poverty, rather than only buying non-necessity items if they will be in someway meaningful to your life.

[@rebekkah77]

My first thought is that if you have a tool that you use, and that adds joy and ease to your process, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it! I think that particularly with weaving, which has so many steps, we need to be open to finding the way that works best for us. Angel wings aren’t as minimalist as using string to tie your lease sticks, but they make the process easier for you. They are not expensive in the grand scheme of things and don’t take up much space. They are a tool you use every time you dress your loom, and are not anti minimalist. Especially if their presence means you are more likely to dress your loom and use them! People who make things need tools and supplies. I am more minimalist in my knitting and spinning because it’s slower and easier to make specific purchases for a project in amounts close to what I will actually be using. Weaving just doesn’t work that way. It has the potential to be less planned and more spontaneous. You often need to buy much more than you need because of yarn coming on larger cones. I think there is a balance to be found, and each person’s balance is different. I think it also helps to think about the learning and growth part of our crafts. In project planning for the next year of my own weaving I have tried to choose projects that I want to own or can use as gifts, but that also allow me to explore my loom’s potential and learn or refine techniques. I live in a small house and always want to be more minimal, however the value of learning and process are often higher than having less stuff. On the other hand, that also makes it easier for me to let go of finished projects or even yarn that is leftover or otherwise unwanted.

[@annahase]

Love your podcast!! 👍🏼😊 always full of thoughtful questions and interesting content. Next year I would like to knit from stash. I tend to buy more yarn than I need and would like to help our family budget by buying less. Merry Christmas!

[@elinarlowry7897]

There is a lot of evidence of extravagance in nature. I think extra thises and thats allow a maker to be creative. At the same time, using what I have instead of buying something new pushes me to use my ingenuity (more creativity). Just try to live joyfully and strike a balance.

[@robynt1673]

Have you considered taking all the swatches you have woven and having them sewing into a patchwork quilt? It would give you something priceless and unique, plus keep you warm!

[@cheekiemunkie1]

Maker vs Minimalist I'm not a minimalist nor do I foresee myself ever moving to that camp. Let me elaborate on my personal perspective. I've been a working artist and avid crafter for 20 years. Now I am a very organized person but I don't believe in hiding away my tools for creativity. I paint, draw, knit, sew and read. Now I live in a small studio apartment in NYC so a clean out on a regular basis and being thoughtful of what I bring into my home are essential. I've been going through a clean out process this fall. At the same time I don't believe in a minimal yarn stash or fabric stash as I don't know when inspiration will hit and the worst thing for my mojo is having to go shopping. I have made things digital where I can as in books (not reference books), music, movies, patterns and the like to keep my apartment from becoming a maze. And I just got rid of my storage unit and removing by giving to charity or throwing away things that will not get used. So to sum up besides a small collection of decorative items...if it's not useful or has some great sentimental attachment it goes. However this does not lead to minimalist but a happy sanctuary surrounded by my favorite things and tons of possibilities. Not sure if these are the thoughts you were looking for. Enjoyed reflecting on this topic. All the best Tonya kniitingspring podcast cheekiemunkie on ravelry

[@carolcorcoran9643]

Your scarf is gorgeous!!! OMG so so pretty.

[@samanthamacleod114]

If you were a maker in a traditional “masculine” sense: a woodworker, mechanic, home builder... do you think that you would be asking the same questions? (Or perhaps that society would be looking at their tools as “not necessary?”) I wonder if traditional women’s work is simply devalued so that it’s really tough to answer these questions. I see an enormous difference in a weaver who loves weaving and works with weaving as a profession compared, to, say, having a shoe horn for every guest. Or even an instant pit of you are hoping it will make you want to cook when you don’t love it. Or having a Ferrari but never driving it.

[@beloitrose]

i would say its like being a mechanic.. mechanics have lots of tools and don't use them all the time..they have some they use more often and some less often...and of course they are looked at as really good mechanics if they have the correct tool for the correct job...now if a mechanic has 4 wrenches but can only use them one at a time and really prefers one over the others then perhaps he should sell the others as they aren't as useful... =)

[@mountaincraftsstudio]

I think about this a lot. We have recently purchased a 900 sq ft cabin that we hope to retire to someday. The problem is we are currently living and working in 4,000 square feet. So how much is enough? I also quilt professionally in addition to my fiber arts hobbies. My looms and sewing machines alone nearly take up 1,000 sq ft. I can easily pare down my stash but the equipment is going to be the problem for me. I consider those needs.

[@joycegentile8552]

Not sure about minimalist sort of crafting...I have several frame !ooms and one RH loom I work on them as the muse strikes me and I crochet as well! It spurs my creativity!

[@crimesceneknits980]

I try to be minimalistic in terms of stuff with everything except my crafting items. My making is the one place I give myself a break from trying to pare down and have less, because it is what is really important to me, all the other things, not so much

[@kathrynnielsen8367]

To me minimalism is an attitude, and about living the life you want and getting rid of everything that has nothing to do with it. I have a minimalist attitude but anyone looking at my house would think I'm a hoarder, but everything I have is craft related. I sew, knit, crochet, just getting into weaving, beading, embroidery - the list could go o and on. I get given a lot of yarn and fabric that no-one wants and use it for charity work, and I can make just about anything I need with what is in my stash. Even though some tools don't get used too often I have them here when I need them, I don't see anything wrong with that. I think just follow your heart.

[@helendennis7662]

Kathryn Nielsen that’s exactly how I feel. I have just opened a LYS and am pushing hard to make this (and associated fibre arts) my life! I am a person who keeps everything “just in case”, my husband is too, but our house is small and very full, having just emptied out our furnished rental house when it sold. I am really enjoying giving useful household items to people who need them now, instead of keeping them indefinitely for us. At the same time I’m making space to organise my stash/equipment better, because I can hardly get into my craft rooms. I’m also looking forward to making more of what I wear and giving away the clothes I don’t need to hang on to.

[@enlightenedneeds1512]

I'll share this video with my friends!

[@susanhenry9730]

Great episode. Loved hearing about the scarf and seeing up close the myriad colors in the warp. The minimalist question is a thought-provoker. I do want to add to the previous responses that yarn and fabric stash have a purpose if you’re an innovator or improv worker. Also, the recent #makenine posts have made me think a lot about how much can I actually make in a given year, across my passions: weaving, quilting, and knitting. Can I make 9 finished objects? More? I am going to map this out over the year since I already have a full queue fir each craft area. Perhaps that will help me to frame my minimalist goals.

[@LindaBikesKnits]

That lease/warping stick holder is interesting. I wonder why I have yet to think I need that. Will pay attention to my warping technique. As for being a minimalist.. for me, it reducing clutter which are things that do not add value. (this is very subjective) . If I can store my things out of sight even in my craft room, they have a better chance of not being given away or tossed.

[@staceyros]

you are very lucky to have all those goodies..not everone can afford it..but i think a minimalist maker would be one that can keep their area clean (things packed in storage maybe) so that it doesnt look like a lot of clutter..do things you enjoy and not a lot of experimentation maybe

[@sharoncarpenter4658]

Can you tell me where you got the angel wings from. I have a Mighty wolf loom and the angel wings would help me a lot because of a neck condition.

[@puddleglum6617]

I like to ask my heart. Am I just buying stuff because I am caught up in the more more more? This type of stuff usually makes me unhappy. Or am I buying something intentional. Can I use what I am buying for someone else? Is this something I am buying to help me? I don't work in fiber arts, but it is definitely something I need to calm down and relax, so it does help me do my job. Does what I am buying have a particular purpose or function that I can't do without it? If I had to minimize down to the bare bones, it would be a 1-1.2g top whorl drop spindle and US size 3 knitting needles. Most of what I love making the most can happen on that.

[@kathleenchamp3764]

Oh my this scarf it's magnificent ! I don't know how to knit yet.. I would never ,typically , use/ or gravitate towards these colors. However. I SIMPLY ADORE THIS SCARF! texturally. Color.. the overall design.. ya! Bravo Ok my bad, not a knit lolol sry! Loom..I keep hearing loom and im thinking how dogs you get a flat fabric from a loom? This is nothing but my complete and total incompetence, in regards to all you do here bubbling up to the surface! I'm new to your channel thinking you do multi fiber weaving styles. I Chet(crochet)

[@raggmopp857]

Hmm? I do think stash should be limited. Maybe once a year you go through your stash and say, "I will use these things before I purchase more. These other things I no longer need or have a desire to us. I will pass them on to someone who will use it, rather than throwing it out."

[@richardschaffling9882]

All I can say to this look at the Shakers and there lives and they used all the tool at there disposal so if you have the tools use them to make your life easier

[@elizabethhughes1506]

Would you mind telling what the pattern is that you are wearing in this episode. Thank you Elizabeth H

[@sweetgeorgia]

OH yes, that's the Arboreal sweater designed by Jennifer Steingass at Love Knit Wool

[@sweetgeorgia]

I mean knit love wool :)

[@haileyparlette8083]

I have one bin for yarn, one bin for fiber, and one bin for sewing fabric and patterns. I try to only have one project of each type going at a given time. Then I go by what I feel. If I feel like knitting, I knit. If I feel like spinning, I spin. During the spring and summer I set the fiber arts aside and I garden and catch up on reading. I think it is impossible to be a minimalist and a maker, artist, or artisan. You need too much equipment and material on hand for creative purposes.

[@suegairns7647]

Minimalism, I think, means something different to different people. I feel that something brings you joy, falls into a slightly different category. I would look more at intent. Maybe one loom could do the work of two? After all, one can't really work on both at the same time. However, a large project cannot just be removed for a smaller quick project to be done... Yarn stash is the tool of the trade. Sure you can by yarn as you need it, but you loose some flexibility and creativity with that. Plus the yarn you want may not be available. I figure if you have a plan, an intention with your the items in your stash, that's ok. But if it just a Mish mash of "I'm not sure what I will do with this, but it's pretty," that would not be. I also feel we have a responsibility to "find good homes" for the left over bits. Or to properly recycle what we can. Great topic and food for thought!!!

[@margareteast9273]

I get rid of everything I weave or knit immediately they are finished. No stash here. Even small woven ends of say a run of tea towels is given away as facecloths or dish cloths. It irritates me to have stash build up…..

[@Paudeli1]

I love, love, LOVE your woven scarf !!!!! Absolutely stunning! Would you like to sell it :)

[@sweetgeorgia]

Aww thank you so much! I actually gave it to my dad for Christmas 😊

[@Paudeli1]

@@sweetgeorgia Your dad is a happy man!

[@melissagoetz8923]

What! No stash! No you need a stash for inspection and creativity.

[@jenm4721]

You should own your stuff, not your stuff own you. I think that looks different for everyone! Does your stuff make your life easier or bring you more stress?

[@elizabethcrawley6749]

Nope! Need a stash, need equipment.