The Sensational Seeded De-Stash
Nestled along the gorgeous Old Portsmouth architecture, the unassuming Square Tower is full of rich history. But on 2nd February 2020, it was also full of something else… Crafters!
The delightful building played host to the Seeded De-Stash, a notable event in the diaries of local crafters. Organised by Alexsis Seed of the Southsea haberdashery shop, Seeded, the De-Stash is an opportunity for stallholders to sell off excess materials, and for crafters to find great new items at bargain prices. There were stalls both upstairs and downstairs, with the upper level having a bigger focus on yarn-related hobbies like crochet and knitting, and the downstairs section having a greater range of general crafting supplies such as sewing threads, wooden stamps, and card stock.
The De-Stash had a great community feel, and the stallholders were incredibly friendly and eager to chat. There was a range of different reasons that people had come to take part on the day, and they were more than happy to share.
“I can create more space for new stuff!” Admitted Lorraine, laughing as she told me. It was an impulse I could understand only too well, having attended myself in the hope of finding new yarn to replace the skeins I’d used over the past few months.
“As a crafter, you accumulate a stash which you may or may not end up using, and this is a really nice opportunity to be able to move that stash on to other crafters,” Carol told me, her words in touch with the community spirit of the event. It was certainly a great feeling to be surrounded by so many likeminded people, and there was a beautiful sense of harmony at the idea of crafters finding beloved new projects using items that other crafters had forgotten about.
Others were there for philanthropic reasons, such as young Ruby who was hosting a stall downstairs. She was preparing for an upcoming trip to Gambia, where she will be travelling in April with around 20 of her classmates from Admiral Lord Nelson School. Whilst out there, they will be supporting an orphanage and maternity ward, and Ruby attended the De-Stash to fundraise for items such as stationery and baby blankets which will be taken with them.
“If people want to donate, they can drop stuff off to Seeded,” Ruby said, clearly passionate about the cause. If you’ve got some items you’d like to give, the address is 1a Albert Road, Southsea, PO5 2SE.
As the day went on, more and more prospective customers came to browse the stalls at the event, and you could feel the excitement in the air as people rummaged through piles of yarn or baskets of fabric, and flicked through vintage pattern books looking for their perfect items. Once they’d had a look around the stalls, people could take a break by relaxing with a delicious coffee and a cake in the quaint café that sits at the base of the building.
All in all, the event was a great success, and I came home feeling thrilled with my purchases and warmed by having met so many of my fellow crafters. When I asked why she chose to host the event, Alexsis told me:
“I do it because everyone has a massive stash, and it sits in a cupboard, and you look at it and feel guilty; you don’t know what to do with it. So this is a very good way of moving it along, making more space, and clearing that mental clutter.”
The De-Stash event is held thrice annually, and if you missed out this time, you can attend the next one which will once again be held in the Square Tower, on Sunday July 5th 2020, between 11am and 3pm.
From yarn to fabric, from baking equipment to card making materials, there is truly something for everyone at this fabulous local event.
Look out for more of these events by following Seeded on their social media here.
Photo credit to Seeded.
By Melika Jeddi
