looking at my crafts...

....and spending. I have many crafts which I love doing, each has a cost to them, but also a huge amount of enjoyment, in this post I am looking at each craft to try and work out my spending this year, I would like to shave about £300 off last years figure. 

Cross stitch, this is something I have done for the whole of my life, I have had long periods it when I don't stitch at all, the break I am taking has been for 2 years, I do have projects to finish. I have a huge stash of threads, mostly DMC and enough fabric to do many projects. So no planned spending this year.

Knitting & Crochet, I am putting these together as they both use yarn, I do love crochet, but can only do basic projects, I have a good yarn stash, and have no plans to purchase any yarn, but as always this can change. 

Sewing, I have owned a sewing machine since I was 16, and love to sew, I would like to make clothes for myself again, but I really don't need anything. I have a huge stash of fabrics, so I don't plan to purchase much this year. I also have loads of patchwork hexagons, which could be used for more projects. 

These 1st 4 crafts were started as a child, my mum taught me how to do them. 

Card making, My stash has been shrinking, which is good, I now have loads of die cutting and embossing shapes, so I can use plain card to build my designs, I have a huge stock of cards, so again I should not need much. I do keep the nicer fronts of our Christmas cards to reuse. 

Weaving, I started this last year, and I have been very pleased with my 1st attempts, I now need to make something useful, rather than just weaving long thin strips of fabric, I also have loads of yarn purchased for my loom. 

Glass Fusion, Another new craft, which I truly love, seeing my shapes fuse into a design is just magical, I am restricted to making small items, due to using my microwave, but I have many designs to try. I would like a day in a studio to make a bigger piece, but I need more pratice before I can book one. I have loads of various glass, so whilst I will need to purchase some items, I do have a good stash.

Needle felting, I have a small stash for this craft, but as yet I have not used any of it, I had a course booked last year which was cancelled, I'm happy for it to sit and wait for it's moment to shine. 

I should also add here gardening and reading, both have a cost, which if not watched can cost me more than they should. I do pop to our local library for books, as I can read up to 4 books a week, if I need to purchase a book, I do always look at 2nd hand firstly, I don't record my spending on books because it is small. Gardening, is harder, I love my garden, it gives both hubby and I pleasure every day of the year, even here in January there is something to look at. The whole of the garden has been sorted, but each year there will be area's which need work, looking at it now, there is nowhere which requires a huge spend on, but I do like colour and interest out there.

The two big spends are yarn and gardening, yarn is in fact 3 hobbies all in 1 (knitting, crochet and weaving), so is my spend that bad, and I can always make excuses for the garden.