Whatever Wednesday 062718

The impromptu sorting/purging/reorganizing of my work space is as done as it is likely to get.

Removed all the little boxes, bins and baskets from on top of and underneath the cutting table.  More work space on top and I'm able to fit the scrapbook paper underneath now instead of being in the middle of the room.

 Where most of the action takes place!

The shelf that is closest to where I work is better, but still holds things that do not need to be front and center.  At least I can get to the things without having to move 5 other boxes.  The bins under the window are non-quilty things.

 This area still need works, but is better.

The shelf for photos is much better.  I even have a little bit of "decor" happening on top!

A good reminder that I need to get some photos in albums - then they'll be more space for sewing!

Shelf #1 in the closet.  The bottom shelf is still exclusively my mother's stash.  Yes, after 5 years I still keep it separate.  Second from the bottom is all flannel - how did I get that much flannel? Third from the bottom is Christmas, my mother's sewing notes & ideas, and black & gray cotton that didn't fit on shelf #2.  Top shelf and top of shelf is misc sewing/craft stuff organized by like items.

Shelf #1

Shelf #2 is my quilting cotton with a small 1/2 section of felt.  I took it all off and put it all back on and purged fabrics that were not appropriate for quilting or I was very unlikely to ever use.  (Check out the June Giveaway!) You would think this would keep me busy for a while!!  Since I got several piles of fabric off the closet floor I can now fit the borrowed sewing machines in there and out from underfoot.

Shelf #2

More stuff.  Some has sentimental value, some is for random crafts/sewing.  The bins had already been organized on a previous reorganization of the room, but this is a better place for them - I think.

Misc supplies

I can actually see the sewing table.  Got rid of all the little boxes, bins and baskets from here too.  The mending pile underneath still needs attention as does the machine my neighbor gave me a few months ago.  I am hoping to have it up and running for the sewing class this afternoon.

Work can happen here.

I use Bonnie Hunter's scrap saver system to manage 90% of my scraps.  It helps a lot to be able to just reach in and pull the right size strip or precut squares.  Those are the bins on the left - 1.5", 2", 2.5" strips and squares.  I already had a drawer for smaller strips as well.  But now I also have a drawer for larger strips and squares and all sizes of triangles.  I moved over the drawers of larger scraps (approx FQ size) and corralled all the WIPs into 2 drawers along with orphan blocks.  So all the scrap fabric options are mostly within an arm's reach of each other.

Usable Scraps

Then there are the drawers of ribbon, trim, lace, Dear Jane, bulky craft stuff and scrapbook makings.

Craft supplies

And this odd assortment of containers needs to find a new home.  Woo hoo!

Heading out!

Now that I have work space on the table and on the floor and have easy access to all of my supplies I need to settle down and get something finished.  Either that or cook dinner for my family!

Linking up to Jo's Country Junction Whatever Wednesday to show something we have done.

The Tip of the Iceberg - a box of whites!

It was not my intent to completely reorganize my sewing/project room.  It really wasn't.  Even though I was having a very hard time doing anything because I had to go through layers and layers of other projects and supplies to get to what I needed I had not figured out what to do about it except wait for College E to go back to college in August so I could use her room again.

Supposedly for photos.

I was just trying to clean up and put things away.  We had a yard sale 2 weeks ago so that College E could do a deep cleaning of things she doesn't need now that she has successfully completed her freshman year and knows what she needs to move forward.  But that left me to deal with the remains and the reality that she is still back home and I still can't use her room to store my scrapbooking supplies.  Don't get me wrong - I would MUCH MUCH rather have her than space.

Empty boxes and empty shelf space.

So I was trying to figure out how to incorporate some of the storage pieces that she was no longer using that I thought I might use.  One thing led to another ...  If I had known where this was heading I would have taken some before photos (these are halfway photos)!

I can see the top of the table again.

In finding a place for the small plastic drawer units (I love plastic drawer units!!) I took out odd plastic shoe boxes to make space.  One box had assorted white scraps.  I must have thought that if whites were separate I would be able to use them more easily.  They were odd sizes and I know the Dear Jane quilt uses odd sizes, so I would guess it was related to that.  But ... it was tucked away and I had no memory of it being there so it wasn't being used.

A work in progress, but definitely making progress.

Little S and I watch movies in the evenings in the summer when we can, but I can not sit still while watching.  So I took the box of whites and ironed and cut them down to usable sizes to get added to my drawers of precut strips and squares.  You can see off to the right the progression of sizes.  I mostly use 1.5", 2", and 2.5" but if the scrap is just enough for a 3" - 5" square I will just trim to size and save that size as well.  I can cut those down later to smaller if needed or use them large. I also keep strips that are just under 1.5" to use for strip piecing.

The tip of the iceberg - dealing with the "white" box!

I was also able to destash some fabrics that were not appropriate for quilting (left of the iron) and lots of slivers. Every little bit out helps, right?

Mending & "what do I do with this?" goes under this table.

48 hours later I have a bigger mess than ever, but I now have a plan and I think sewing and scrapbooking are going to be able to coexist in one room.  I also think I'm really going to like it. 

Linking up to Jo's Country Junction to show whatever we are working on! 

Whatever Wednesday 061318

Do you like mending?  My mending tends to pile up and then some rainy day I will pull it out and work on it, but by then I am uninterested in the item. Recently, Senor G asked me to replace a zipper in his work shorts.  I said no.  I don't mind putting in a zipper, but replacing - no thanks.

This was a special mending job, so I said yes.  My friend's daughter was to be in a wedding and wear a dress that the bride (her cousin?) had worn as a child.  How sweet is that!  But the dress didn't fit quite right.  I took a look at it and yes it hung too low in the front, but it was because the elastic was shot, not because it was too big.  They just wanted a tuck in the sleeves, but in good conscience I had to do better than that.

The old elastic - no wonder the sleeves weren't fitting correctly.

It turned out to be not too difficult to unsew the spot where the elastic entered the bodice, run new elastic through and then hand sew it closed again.  My biggest concern was getting the new elastic the correct length.

Running the new elastic through.

It came out great and they were very pleased. 

Pretty flower girl.

Before you go - go check out my June Giveaway.  Over 2 yards of a fun vacation fabric.

Linking up to Jo's Country Junction to show whatever it is that we are working on.