I think I am willing....I might be willing....I could be willing....My horror as I stand in the doorway is overwhelming..I'm not sure I'm willing, but I'll try to get over it (besides it needs to be cleaned up to do anything this year!)

Dear sunkistmi:

There really is no pattern. It all depends on the size of your shelves.

My book shelf measured:12" deep x 40" long.

I wanted 3 "stacks" per shelf with a little "wiggle room" between the stacks. The cardboard dimensions I used were: 11" x 12".

The cardboard doesn't have to be thick. Most of mine were from
cereal boxes and soft drink cartons.

I've recycled a few of my many plastic boxes to store seam binding, bias tape, trims, etc. The rest found homes as containers for off season clothing and shoes.

Good luck!
Marveen in Sunny Tucson

Marveen
in Sunny Tucson

I have to admit I used the pictures on here to prove to my DH that I am not alone in my mess!! He keeps telling me I could get SSSSOOOOO much more done if I would just be more organized!!! LOL

Hi, My youngest granddaughter has started cleaning up my back room so I can find all of my stash. Maybe if I can get her over here again I can get it cleaned up enough to move my sewing machine back in there. Please give me some motivation and the energy to do it. At 78 it gets harder and harder to want to go work where you have to be on your feet a lot.

Henri

:roll: How did you know mine looked just like that :lol:

I use my plastic cutting ruler to fold all my fabric. My ruler is 6" wide and 23" long. I start with the fabric folded to be 22" wide and put the ruler near the end of the length with about 2 inches of fabric overlapping the ruler. Then, keeping the fabric taut, roll or flip the ruler from one end of the length to the other. Then fold the 6" x 22" in half to be 6" x 11". This fits most standard shelves and the fabric looks really neat being folded all to a uniform size. Then just sort by color.

When we decided to redo our house this fall, I asked that we do my sewing room first. Silly husband thought I'd forget the rest of the house. Now we've finished the whole place and I love the downsized, redecorated house, and especially my ROOM. It's my sewing, scrapbooking, computing, etc. Happy Place. I've posted some picture on previous threads. It's alot of work but so worth it. Still having trouble finding the new places I've stored things, but trying to use a database on computer for directions to look in. Good luck everyone!

Thanks Marveen, I'll have to start saving cardboard. I'm using metal shelves in a closet that I plan to take the doors off. I never close them anyways and they just make it more difficult to get to the shelves. The fabric that is stacked there is really random. I had them all sorted at one time but had to use the room for an exchange student. All my fabric got put in plastic bins and my son "helped" me move it back to the shelves after she left. It didn't quite go back the same way it came off so it's really caotic and makes it hard to find things. The fabric in the plastic bins is even less organized. I'm trying to figure out how I want to organize it, Should it be by color, by design, i.e., music, cats, flowers, etc. I go in there with all kinds of good intentions and end up leaving totally overwhelmed, without getting much done. Does that happen to anyone else? I really want to get it set up so I can use my new Phaff and do some of the embroidery with the discs I got for Christmas. I also got a Fab-U-Motion that should make it easier to do some of the free motion quilting without so much stress on my joints. Anyways, maybe with all of us supporting each other, I can get something done. Thanks for the motivation and affirmation.
Wendy

Wendy, you're not alone in being overwhelmed. I went for months saying I was going to organize. And I finally just took it a little at a time. After 2 months, I finally finished. I'm so happy with it now that I love going in there. And because it did take me so long, I have managed to keep it organized so I won't have to go through all that again.

Sounds like a great idea. I clean it and it gets messy again.
It is comforting to know that I am not alone. :)

maryellen

Waterstide, that is just what my room looked like before I cleaned it last summer :oops: :oops: It took me about 2 months to finish. It has been so great working in a clean AND organized room. My DD can't believe that it has stayed this way. (She and my Mom were both super organized. I think it skipped a generation) Now, as I look around I see some things that I want to rearrange a little more. Good luch on your plans everyone and know that there is hope. :thumbup: If I can do it, anyone can : :lol:

YIPPEE! Look at all the Creative people we have! LOL! I am with you all...
I went to walmart yesterday, and they have storage bins on sale..who cares if they are red..they had some clear ones too. JUST use a Labeler, or print out labels on your computer..cheap cheap.. Dollor store zip lock bags..

Things that you use only occasionally..Like the batting and muslins..can be stored under a bed, out of the way..

i don't recommend storing fabric like that..you will forget what you have..

Joanns has thier bins on clearance also.
We are so lucky to have rooms we can sew in..i know alot of people have an area, or have to pull thier machaine out to sew at the table..

Even getting your on going projects, and UFO's organized it a big start!

This all sounds great but I get so side-tracked, I think I have ADDQ, the Q dealing with new quilt projects I see. I'll keep checking with this topic and maybe I can see knew ideas to keep my "mess" in some kind of order. I have about 14 bins of fabric and the colors are all mixed up again.

I had to clean up my sewing area as I was using most of my dining room, the whole large table, all 6 chairs, etc. etc. It looks so clean I am uncomfortable. I am waiting until after midnight and then I'll put it all back. So there! Maybe I should take a picture of the before version so I know what it is supposed to look like when I have to do it again. lol

I want to leave early to go home and take photos of my 'quilting studio'! Sure hope they let us leave early today. Am anxious to get started!

Trish - I just returned from your web site and oh my what a woman you are. All must go and seek refuge. Artist describes you finger tip to finger tip! Wonderful...

Weezie - if you change your mind about seeking employment, I bet there are many of us here that would hire you immediately. It could be a little mini-vacation for you since we live not to far from each other....

Man ya'll are lucky! All of the fabric I own fits into one little tub...ok... 1 and 1/2. I am totally jealous of all the fabrics....I would be happy with my "mess" if I had a stash like that!! :D :D

I'll try to post some pics of my sewing retreat. Can't find a place to upload them. Need tech help.

trust me, momto4, it will GROW!!! :o)

PineyRiver..are you using the "quick reply"? you have to click on "reply" inside the post. that will allow you the option to post pictures..

OR are you trying to get them in your computer?

I am going to join this adventure, my room was used as a dump all after some remodeling, before it was ever officially designated as Mom's Sewing Room. So, it still remains the Spare Room. I am now going to pick up the camera at my elbow and cautiously proceed down the hall to the doorway, there is no entry!

hahahahahahahahaha! Mini-vacation, indeed! First I'd have to find a substitute for me to keep my sickly husband and lazy dog company. In addition to all my other aforementioned stumbling blocks to this delightful employment opportunity, I'd get REALLY bossy (e.g.: "Go buy shelves!" "Go buy storage drawers!" "Don't do this!" "Don't do that!" "What were you thinking????") and maybe I'd just get punched in the nose as payment.

OK - pictures are taken - when does the inspiration set in???

Thanks, I wasn't hitting "reply". Will try again.

OK, Let me make a few excuses first...Remember, that I sew for a living, 7 days a week. No time off for the wicked. I have 2 sewing rooms, one is unheated, the other is the small bedroom that leads into the unheated one. Plus, I think my middle name is Elenor Burns during my busy season. :oops: The unheated one is the worst, and everything that doesn't have a home ends up in there during the holidays. :roll: I am going to work on that one, today and tomorrow...I'm putting my cell phone in my pocket, that way I can call for help if there is a landslide, or if I can't find my way out. ;-) The room isn't quite 7foot wide by 10'. It used to be a screened porch that was enclosed, all windows, only wall is the one that has the door. Can't hang shelves, or cabinet, plus the porch is sinking on the 1 corner, so shelving units don't sit flush to the wall.
I am going in....if you don't hear from me by tomorrow night....

it took me two days but my inspiration was my quilting machine and table now i am ready to piece some tops together so i can try out this baby any other time i would have a quilt top hanging around and fight for every second trying to get it done lol life is too funny

This could work out Weezie - I am a nurse, I could drive up there, hand you keys and cash and then return home eventually to a fabulous room

Do stores sell peg boards ready to mount on the wall or did you have to build a frame around it before use?

We bought a piece at Lowe's Home Improvement. Hubby painted it to match the room color, and he put a couple of small boards on the back so that the holes would be elevated for the hooks. It was a pretty easy fix.

How are you doing Susie? Does your phone have enough charge in it?

I am so impressed with how neat you have everything. Wish I vould organize like that. I can do the big pieces, it is all the small stuff that is a problem for me. I do a lot of charity quilts and people donate lots of small pieces, that is the hardest to organize. You have an awesome sewing room, I am jealous.

Now all I need is the Hubby! Lollolooo

Soooo True!!!! I painted, cleaned and organized last month after a water pipe leaked in my quilting room. Luckily I found it w/in hours of it breaking so I didn't lose anything as a result of the flood except the carpet. However, as a result of the organizing I can't find the borders for my quilt 4 kids and I can't find two leftover blocks from the quilt I finished at retreat that I now need because I realized I sewed the blocks together wrong. There is one other thing I realized I was missing the other night - think I can remember NO :)

I'm rather blessed with a willing husband who lives to make me happy. LOL

Grandma Cindy: You're beginning to make a lotta sense re: this job opportunity!! However, I think it only fair to warn you that there are many days that I'd trade the husband and the lazy dog for a McDonald's Happy Meal (and I don't even eat "fast food").

Cindy, i did mine, by myself. i believe they come in a finished size of 2' x 6'. the big hardware shops will cut them for you, if you need bigger or smaller.
i also bought soft wood,1/2" x 1/2"..and glued it all the way around the peg board. you can cut that also at lowes or home depot..you can cut it yourself..they have a table and a handsaw set up for just that..i tried to take a few pictures of the back of mine..but it was hard..can't take it down..let me post the pictures in a minute.

awesome job and yes it looks like you have a lil mini fabric store..lovin it. I am pretty much a anal neat freak and already straighten up my craft rm that houses other crafts besides sewing. I rearranged my tables so the machines now sit in front of the window, more better light..lol..today I am cleaning out 9 binders of sew projects that I have been carrying around for yrs..yes having lots of those "what was I thinking moments" lol
I am having a ball watching everyones progress..you are all doing a great job!!!
happy new year...sorry I don't post near as often as I used to, had to vow to stay off the computer or I wasn't getting much done.
dee

Who needs employment? I'm looking for a few good women to learn a new profession.

I could probably hang it some how on the back of the bedroom door, or the closet door, to save what little wall space I have. I got to really thinking after taking the pictures, now that the holiday's are over, I could bring all the STUFF that isn't meant to be in a sewing room out of there and plop it back in the living room. Then I could finish My Space............