Cleaning up my sewing space! January 2010

First off, Every person here, should own a crock-pot! LOL!

(Ya never know, you may get carried away, and loose track of time,
We don’t need any hungry significiant others going hungry..
including ourselves!

Can you set aside 20 to 30 minutes on your area? a day or a week? whatever works for you and your circumstances..

Use a timer if it helps keep you on the project at hand.

Can you take pictures, share ideas with each other, what works,
what doesn’t work?

Let’s Start with Bonnie Hunters “Quilters Prayer”
http://quiltville.com/quiltersprayer.shtml

And her Article on Stash:

Paralyzed By The Stash?
http://quiltville.com/stashing.shtml

ONE way to fold your fabric. U tube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkTlaMqRlwo

What way do you do it? I like the thought of cutting up cardboard, and stacking my fabric upright..maybe it will stay neater, for longer if i am not pulling out of the middle or bottom of a pile..
Whoever does it that way..please give us directions, and dimensions that work for you..pictures would be nice too!

Organizing Tips on U tube by women quilters: 5 short videos Day 1 of 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_tQ...eature=related

to the right of the first clip, you will see days 2 thru 5!

Post your tips! Ask Questions..
even us messy people have ideas we would like to utilize!
I am in the middle of organizing pictures..i am not to crazy about flicker..
I have used Picasa so long, that i am spoiled with that program..bear with me on this...

Ready now or next week?
I think today, i am going to just work on the bookshelf/books,magazines and patterns..

Question: How do you store your patterns? and in What?

Also..
1.Remember to use coupons if you decide to get items for storage,(NO FABRIC! LOL!) from Joanns or Michaels..
2. Google "Current Joann fabrics Printable coupons" they will come up..print them and keep them in your purse!
3. Do any of you Freecycle? A great place to get book shelves, desks etc...you can paint them in the spring..if needed. Also, remember , you can get rid of items there too..! I moderate my group in my city. it is wonderful!
www.freecycle.org

Happy Healthy,Organized New Year Everyone!!

wow, this is a cool thread...... thanks

Bev, i have a box of stuff to send you already. i am going to mail it out tomorrow, the price of shipping goes up monday..
"Stashbusting" counts as less to organizing..!

Ladies, when you find you have more than one notion or tool, or even magazine..

think about trading/selling or gifting it here on this message board..
there is a thread to do that!

Planning to enter my sewing room later today. Great tips so far. Just found out my DH actually is expecting me to take over the den downstairs! I agreed but mainly for storage. I like my sewing room - bright and cheery. Where are we posting our before/after photos?
Good luck everyong.

This is so cool!!! I started going thru my box of scraps this morning. Am working on getting different size strips and squares put in order. I must create caos to clear caos! Does that make any sense??? LOL

Oh thanks hun. Your such an angel (((HUGS)))

Thanks for sharing the links. When a project is finished or ready to be put away I take the time to reorganize and put away whats not needed for the next project. I also brush out my machine and delint it. A quick swipe of surfaces goes a long way also specially on the cutting table. I'm ready for the next mess to begin!

Cleaning up our sewing areas! Let's Start!

When I first read the title, I laughed and laughed.

But seriously I do need to clean up and organize my room a little better.

Thanks for the tips and links.

OK Girls, I have always been accused of being too organized. But, I never let the quilt room get away from me. When I finish a project, I clean and put everything away!!! I hand quilt in there and I am not a happy camper if things are not in order. Not to say it may take a long time when I am working on something. DH comes in sometimes to watch TV with me and I have to have a place for him to sit. Most of the time. LOL

Kim, I love the quilt pictured below your name. I am a Mi. native living in the mts. of N.Ga.
Your idea of tackling the messy sewing room is a favorite of mine too. The task is less daunting when broken up in small chunks of time. It is amazing what you can get done in just 40 minutes.

How envious I am of you who have sewing rooms!!

Last year, our Red Hats group toured a Hutterite colony and one of our guides took us into her personal home. The curtains and drapes were gorgeous, braided/crocheted rugs and quilts were just lovely but the thing that impressed me most was her sewing room. It was the largest room in her house and one entire wall was huge cupboards for storing material. Her sewing table was about 8' long and she had a serger and a deep-throat sewing machine; she told us that each girls gets one of each when she gets married. She also had a large table with leaves that folded down almost to the floor on 3 sides with storage underneath. I was GREEN!! lol

Two days ago, I went into the sewing room to get something and that wonderful space has turned into a nightmare. I could not find a thing, there were scraps and pins on the floor and the bed in the corned has turned into a dumping ground. I therefore have already started.

But one thing always leads to another, I wanted to fold the large scraps and put them away. That led to refolding the FQs that had been drug out and putting them back in their boxes. The big yardage was folded next - but that led me to reorganize the folded stash. Today - that blasted bed and then the cutting table.

It will be neat before I start another project (I hope :roll: )

I sure like the idea of cleaning up after each project, and now need to stick to it. I did start cutting up the "scraps" in predetermined sizes and storing like sizes together. Last year I found an easy baby quilt pattern and so my scraps were cut up into "kits" for that quilt. Now I have a selection to just grab and sew when I need a new gift. I plan on doing more of those this year. Over Christmas my son & DIL asked if I had any baby quilts on hand they could give one to a friend. I brought out 5 to chose from, and GAVE it to them (they offered to buy it). It brought me joy to share and they promise to send me a picture of baby on her quilt for my Quilt Journal. Just another way of sharing the love and keeping my space a little cleaner.

I am joining you all on this journey. I may not have my room finished yet, but I do have boxes of stash and quilting tools. I can certainly work on those! All of this great advice and motivation will help me with my new room in the end. Thanks for the "comraderie" Best of success to everyone!

ok, i have been sorting through and cleaning out the book shelf! First i had to get to it.. :hunf:

First i got a box..to put scraps in for Bev,
then i got another box for items to sell,trade or gift
Then i went to the basement..and found these..cool huh?!
i decided to put small projects in them..with all the items that go with it..
I am keeping a pad of paper and pen near me, to jot things down that i want/need. Like as soon as i run out of these cool zipper bags, i will head to the dollar store to get the cheap ziplocks in different sizes..snack,sandwich,and gallon size

how is everyone doing? anyone working on your stash or area?
Football game will be on soon..i have a tv in the there, so i won't miss it!

Guess what i found...My fabric label Panel..been missing for a while! Yippee! In a baggie they go! With a bright orange post it on the front, so i can find them easY! lol

Tips (maybe???):

1. I have a small plastic file box, which exactly fits on the bottom shelf of my 14" x 34" shelf unit. The file box is only about 11" high and the space between the shelves is about 16", so I'm not scraping my knuckles (I'm a klutz) when I get the box off the shelf. The full box is heavy and shelf unit is inexpensive and somewhat flimsy, so the box serves as ballast on the bottom shelf. It is full of acrylic templates that are small enough to fit into a file folder (which is most of my templates). Each file folder tab identifies the template(s) that are in it (also, any instructions that pertain to that template are in that folder).

2. I have another shelf unit in that room; it is much sturdier, same width, but 2' deep. Fortunately for me, it exactly fits in the corner and butts up against the window frame. It goes almost to the ceiling, but has enough space on the top shelf for 2 huge RubberMaid storage boxes. This large shelf unit lends itself well to storing very large plastic boxes. I keep several there filled with stuff I rarely need, such as pillow forms, fake fur for plush toys, etc., and my box of smallish scraps for applique. On another shelf I keep my magazines in large 3-ring binders (using plastic magazine inserts); I occasionally mark pages of interest in the magazines with either little post-it tabs or a small plastic paper clip. I acquired some shoe storage units (pressed wood) from my daughter and these are on my 3-ring binder shelf, used as dividers between the binders. Once the binder is full of magazines, it weighs a lot, so using the pressed wood dividers, I don't have the binders sitting on top of each other, thus making it easy to just grab a binder without having to dig and shuffle. I also have a 3-ring binder with print-outs ... oodles of patterns collected over the years from various sources with each page in a 3-hole plastic protector. (Unfortunately, all my bazillion catalog pictures that I've been accumulating for years are just dropped into zippered food storage bags ... no organization whatsoever there.)

On the wall between those 2 shelf units just fits a vinyl tablecloth with fuzzy back for auditioning blocks, etc.

3. The closet in that former bedroom has the doors removed and an old solid wood chest of drawers is in there. I can't even remember what's stored in that chest, but the main thing is that whatever is in there is out my way and out of sight; there is room on top of the chest for another large storage box or more, if push came to shove. On the top shelf of the closet is a collection of quilt battings of various sizes. Across the door of the closet are 2 spring-action shower curtain rods. On those rods is where I hang long strips of fabric, such as sashing, borders, and the 2" I cut off of every piece of fabric, if I have a big enough piece of fabric and can spare the 2"; I am trying to get together a large collection of 2" strips for a future scrap quilt. I have all these cut strips covered with a large piece of light-weight plastic (dry cleaner bag).

You only get 3 tips from me today. Aren't you glad???

ya know what, i went to flicker thinking we could add photos, all of us..but i can't figure it out either..i have picasa

"watterstide" is the sign in name
"sewingroom" is the password

to add pictures:
Go to "you" (under flickr)
then "upload photos and videos"

step 1
Choose photos(get your picture up)

when you have all your photos in there..
click on UpLoad Photos

when you see the "finished" add description next..
once that screen comes up..on the top right, there will be a box, that says"add to a set" or in smaller print..it says "Create a new set"..
if you see your name on the drop down list..add your photos there..IF YOU DO NOT SEE YOUR Name.."creat a new set"
with just your screen.board name"
Clear as mud?!
..to see if other can get thier own pictures in..If not i will do it later..when i am done doing a little organizing..


Thanks for the tips weezie...later in the week, i am going to copy and paste the tips to a word document,print them out..and when i am quiet, i will sit and read them..
I appreciate all the postings..wether you are in the grove with us already, or have your areas all cleaned up..it really helps..your all a Cheering section!

I decided my sewing room needed reorganized when I couldn't find any of my "sharps" needles to do some minor clothing repairs. After I finish reading the board today, I'm headed to the room. Just hope I don't get distracted by all the fabric! Pretty, so pretty!

I store my purchased patterns in a round basket and the ones I print are in 3 ring binders.

thanks

Thanks for the idea on the patterns and such..

i was looking more for a filing thing for them..baby quilts,totes,etc..do they still sell the cardboard pattern holders? they are tall and narrow..with dividers? Grandma used to have one.
it doesn't look like it,but i got alot done today..I am going to break for the night..hubby gets home at 7pm, and i have not eaten much today.
I am geeked up! cleaning up and clearing out!

I spent two hours yesterday sorting my bookcases and wood cubes that have my magazines in.

My wood cubes are the ones from AC Moore, I live in a cape so my ceilings slant down and I don't have much wall space. My son cut a hole in the wall to the rafter space and built in the cubes. TIP #1. Each cube will hold three of the cardboard magazine holders. I used a coupon on the cube boxex, the ones in the wall are 4 stacked and they are laid sideways. Clear as mud?

Like someone else mentioned my printed patterns are in page protectors and 3 ring binders.
TIP # 2; scrapbooking department sells $1.99? sort of a plastic 12 x 12 and 9 x 11 envelope with closure, I put projects in these. When shopping for additional fabrics to match I take these with me and a photo copy of the pattern and supply list, cuts down on the weight of the book, etc.

been working on that scrap bin off and on all day. Only down to 1/2 of bin!!! Where/when on earth did I accumalate (sp) all this stuff!!! And that's just the scrap bin!!! UGH...

My dear dad and his wife were paying attention when I told them at Thanksgiving that I was moving and reorganizing my sewing stuff. They gave me one of those plastic five drawer units that roll. I went through all of my old quilting magazines. Some were saved,some had patterns ripped out of them and they went into the bottom deep drawer of the organizer. Sometime soon, I'll sort them into a binder. BUT my rule is that if the drawer gets full, I can't save any more.
A small step but a step indeed.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Oh, and I like the tip about hanging strips from a tension rod.
:)lots2do

I didn't get to the sewing room today. Other things going on, the DD and SIL came for dinner. I have to work tomorrow so resting and looking here and in quilting books. I'll post my room pick later this week, and help with tips.
You all are a great inspiration.

Great tips everyone!
when i do string quilts, i use a wooden stand dryer thing,back in the day, you would hang otems to dry on them..i keep it by my machine, when i am sewing the strips.otherwise it fold flat..it only stands a few feet high.. i will take a picture another time..

Aren't they great? I still have one of those from the days of yester-year. When I looked in the stores a few years ago for another one, I only saw metal vinyl-coated ones with 1/4"-diameter rods. The old wooden ones are about 3/4" in diameter (I'm guessing) and perfect for hanging just washed and ironed fabric so that it can completely dry before cutting or storing.

I can't wait to get started folding my fabric so I can ORGANIZE. It needs badly to be done.

Tip for magazine storage:

I have a cupboard shelf in the loungeroom that hold approx 100 mags/books (in date order). When the shelf is full I take out the oldest 25 and sort them. I tear out (or photocopy) patterns I want to keep - these go into plastic pockets in binders (in my sewing room) and pass the remainder on to a quilty friend who goes through them, then passes them on etc. etc.

I then have room to collect more current books.

My mag/book stash stays up-to-date without increasing the space used and my unwanted mags do the rounds to a multitude of other quilty people.

I spent about 3 hours in my room today.
** Cleaned off desk and floor by desk
** Setup two of my filing cabinet drawers
** Started clearing off my cutting table, about 1/2 way done

Gonna try to clear off sewing table & ironing board tomorrow

WOW!!! You are all very ambitious :D:D:D

Good Morning Everyone!


Good for you PAM G! Awesome, i spent hours in my room too, it doesn't look like i did..but the room is about 25 pounds lighter!
I plan on going back in there again today. My son is cheering me on from Afghanistan! (i just got an email from him)

Re:Magazine storage.DeeCee, Great idea, i think i am addicted to magazines. I let all my subscriptions run out ,but one. I try to use a coupon for any i "gotta have".

I have one of the wooden drying racks, I store quilt tops that are waiting to be loaded on the frame. I covered the wood poles with a piece of batting and muslin.

YAY!!! One little victory! The scrap bin is empty, strips all sorted by size, squares all sorted by size, now to find something to store them all in! Off to my favorite Quilting Coop in Asheboro, NC to 'loiter'! LOL Spend my Sat. mornings there and Tuesday nights. Have a great day organizing/quilting! Ciao!

my downstairs studio/classroom
Needs to be cleaned up for classes resuming Monday.
I teach quilting on Mon nights, and painting on Thur nights.

And do remember to look your best, keep your lipstick handy. lol

I have most of my fabric in the plastic drawer carts, but I keep finding more in other places. I want to use the folding tip using the ruler for folding. I don't know if I can find them but at a place I worked we used plastic dividers with tabs that were about the size of the folded fabric. I think it was from a medical chart supply company. Better get moving if I want to get anything accomplished.

OH I love Freecycle. It is where i have received most of the fabrics that i have for all my projects!

Craigslist.com is a great place also!

Happy Quilting!

Sherri :)