Members of the newly formed club meet and encourage each other to use fabric or “stash” they already have and avoid unnecessary spending on new fabric. They also earn “Stash Buster Bucks” by attending meetings, sharing an idea, recruiting a friend, trading fabric and other easy tasks in order to use their “bucks” at a year-end auction held by Susan Hyder, founder of Stash Busters in Cleveland.
Hyder, who started the social club in April, said she got the name from a woman in Boise, Idaho, Karen Winston, but is not affiliated with her club or any other club bearing a similar name.
“I’m a member of the quilt trade association and Karen did a webinar (Web-based seminar) on quilt shops in the entertainment industry,” Hyder said. “And one of the things she had done was a Stash Busters club. Our Stash Busters club is loosely based on her idea. She told us what she did and said we were welcome to use the idea. So I started this club.”
Susan Monk, a local member, said, “Stash Busters, to me, is a fun way to get together with other quilters and people who sew. We share ideas, trade fabric and work with the charity quilts.
“Then she (Hyder) provides us with Stash Buster Bucks for doing all these things and at the end of the year she’ll have an auction [where] you can only buy things by using your Stash Buster Bucks.”
Monk said many people who sew quilts — herself included — love fabric and hate to throw away even small scraps. Stash Busters offers a social group of fabric lovers the chance to make each piece count in a variety of ways.
“I brought a bag of scraps that I’m thinking of doing something with, but I don’t know what yet,” Monk admits. “I’m sorry, I can’t throw it away. I love fabric. I can come to this group and ask for ideas. If I decide what I want to do I can tell them what I’m doing and they may pitch in.”
Monk, who has been quilting for nearly a year, said when she told Stash Busters what she was doing with an Alzheimer’s quilt, club members “flooded me with purple fabrics.”
Group discussion may include projects finished, scrap quilt patterns, creative ways to use stash, reminders related to finishing projects, getting organized and charitable ways to use fabric.
According to Hyder, owner of Hyder Hangout in downtown Cleveland, Stash Busters has a twofold benefit for her since meeting are held in her quilts shop.
“Stash Busters brings people into the store and they see things they want — and that’s good for business,” Hyder said. “But the social aspect of it is that I feel like they’re all my friends. It also helps with the charity quilts. It makes you feel good to give to people who need something.”
Monk agreed, adding, “I love Stash Busters. I started quilting about a year ago, but I was right in the middle of dealing with my mother who had Alzheimer’s. She has since died.
“One of the first quilts I did was a quilt for her. In the process of doing that I was here (at Hyder Hangout), getting to know Susan. I got a lot of my material from her. Then she did Stash Busters.
“It came at the right time. I needed something to take my mind off all the worry and all the stuff I was doing with my mom. Like Susan, these people have all become my friends. We just have a great time and it’s a chance to do good works.”
Hyder said there is a yearly membership fee that covers the club’s books and a gift received every month, but members say it’s worth it.
“We’re just a social group of sewers and quilters who come together and have a lot of fun figuring out what to do with our stash.” Monk said. “We still have room for a few more,” members, she added.
Stash Busters meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at Hyder Hangout, 219 First St.
For further information, call Susan Hyder at 715-2908.
