Is there an Island of Unwanted Projects?

Updated November 10, 2020.
I was thinking about this post yesterday because I learned some trivia about this production of Rudolph. The first year it was on Santa did not stop of the Island & pick upthe toys. Kids were disappointed. The folks who made the show added a scene where Santa picks up thr unwanted toys & gives them to children who will love them. It got me thinking.

Remember how in Rudolph there was an Island of Unwanted Toys?

The toys there were unloved or missing something.

We have unwanted projects too. Maybe it was a class and we learned what we wanted to and never finished the project. Maybe your taste or decor changed. Maybe it’s too late to give that gift.

Whatever the reason we all have projects that have been started but won’t ever be finished.

Marlene asked about what to do with them. Here are some ides:

Do you have stitching friends? Arrange a “needlepoint swap.” Everyone bring 5 items to trade. The hostess should arrange for food and maybe goodie bags to entice people to come. This is like a pot luck, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Are you in a guild chapter? Donate these projects to your guild for a chapter auction. My chapter has funded our education auction with these for decades. Chapters take different tacks with this. Our chapter goes with bargain basement pricing, but other guilds go with higher prices. If you aren’t in a chapter, look for one nearby and ask.

Work with a local shop to have a garage sale. People buy tables, with the money going to charity, and on a given day the sale is held. The shop does some of the marketing so there are plenty of sellers and plenty of buyers.

Sell it in eBay. There are some shops, such as Fireside Stitchery and The World in Stitches, who will sell your items on eBay for a commission. They will take most things (email or call to ask) and have better luck than you would yourself.

SSell it through and independent reseller or consignor. From what I see as a buyer, they are more strict about what they take, but I’ve found great bargains in both places. Many stitchers visit their sites.

Donate it to a thrift store. I sometimes see needlepoint at local thrift shops and Northern California has one thrift shop that only has craft items.

Donate it to charity. You might know of a local charity looking for craft items. There are also some organizations that take donations from everywhere.

If it isn’t a UFO, you have more options for donation. Rittenhouse Needlepoint has a wonderful charitable program for teaching needlepoint. Local youth organizations and schools might welcome yarn and thread. Knitters who knit for charity might love uncut skeins of yarn.

There are enough places to place those unwanted projects that maybe we don’t need an island after all.