After six months of quilting, after 7 quilts made, I decided that I have been a "sloppy" quilter.....scissors here, cutters there, everywhere material and scraps, etc. I found myself wasting time by having to look for "where did I put my ruler, my thread, my scissors, my cutter, scraps."
This was a time-consuming.confusing, unnecessary search.

So today I decided "No More." I started putting everything back in its place after I used it and it has already paid off! When I put stuff back right away in its rightful place, then there is no stress trying to find it. And there is no time wasted by having to "re-organize" my quilting room. Paulien

Hmmmm, sounds like advice I can use. Common sense, you'd think, but maybe I can do this and find my seam ripper from now on!

You are sick I say. Sick! :-)

Yep...boring as it is staying organised is key if you want maximum use of your quilting time.

I agree it is rather time consuming to have to hunt for things. I signed up for a bag class a few months ago, and I knew it was approaching. Having been away from quilting and my machine for a while, I took the time this time to invest in a nice case for most all of my rulers, a case that also holds, my scissors, and rotary cutter together, and a new rolling case for my machine that has pockets for extra goodies, like my pressing mat.

Hmm, must be something here for me to learn, also. So confusing staying organized. I have several scissors, pin cushions, rulers, etc. They can be in their home spot in the sewing room and in multi bags for going quilting. Think I will try to improve on my system as I do go on the "hunt" more often than I should. Thank you for your motivatiion and encouragement. You are a good role model in this area.

Sometimes I get a bit cluttered as I'm working.
I have to FORCE myself to remember to put things back.

However, I did come up with a way to keep things handy/tidy and easy to put "away" near me.
I attached one of those tiny 3M Command adhesive hooks on the front of my machine to hang my little snips. I keep one of those wooden quilting ruler holders next to my machine to hold the rulers I'm currently using. On the peg board on the wall behind my sewing table I have a hook to hold my rotary cutter near my machine.

When I am done for the day - I replace everything I've been using to their storage location on the peg board wall - far far away from the reaches of our 3 year old daughter.

Organized quilter? That sounds like science fiction to me. :lol:

I have 2 seam rippers -- one by the sewing machine and the other by my favorite chair. I have 2 pairs of scissors for sewing -- one at the cutting table and one by the sewing machine. all cutting stuff goes on the cutting table......I've very organized but I just can't find ANYTHING!!! Why? because when I cut fabrics for this scrap quilt, I end up with a table full of fabric.....no matter HOW hard I try to keep it neat....I give up

Hilarious! Just hilarious!

I have learned that about *all* my spaces. I used to be pretty sloppy and lazy, but I have learned to do stuff as I go and keep things neat, and its amazing how much more relaxed I am and how calm I feel.

Sounds way too organized for me. LOL

I would need help to get organized in the first place - oh and then daily help to keep it that way ;)

:lol: I do that too, but I have learned to clean up my mess each day and boy does that help! :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: I agree!

I kind of clean up my space every day when I'm done doing whatever I was doing. My problem is that once I've finished a project and do a more thorough clean up I can't find anything anymore! Therefore I prefer the "organized mess" system, otherwise I'd better look for my cutter, for instance, in the freezer etc. Decades ago I had a bag with pockets labelled " stuff, junk, things,..." and on the brim there was an appliqued text Get Organized. Must make me a new wall organizer.

I need to invest in an organizer for my rulers!. It drives me crazy when they are scattered all over and I am constantly trying to find the right one.

What a novel idea!

That could work, but it would take all the fun out of finding the fabric I forgot I had that shows up while looking for the scissors!

LOL!!!:)

sloppy? not unless it's old moldy hamburgers, or mushy apples. Disorganized, maybe. It's probably just a sign of a distracted and busy mind.

Let me know if you find any of mine!--LOL.

It is just a way of life for me. I have to put things in the same spot each & every time I use them or I can't find them. I'm so used to looking for things that I don't even get aggravated any more. Stressing out about it just makes my memory worse.

[So today I decided "No More." I started putting everything back in its place after I used it and it has already paid off! When I put stuff back right away in its rightful place, then there is no stress trying to find it. And there is no time wasted by having to "re-organize" my quilting room. Paulien[/quote]

I've tried this many times, but it just doesn't work for me. I re-organize my stash, and have it neat as can be. I do the same for all of my rulers, rippers, sissors, pin cushions, etc. Everything goes well for a day or so. Then somehow the next time I go into my quilt room to sew, I find my stash has blown up again and my quilting tools have all hidden themselves in various places unknown to me. Once again, I search for one tool and find another, find the one I need and use it, start searching for another, lose the one I found.....and the beat goes on...

Oh good grief, something else I need to do in my sewing room!

So, how do you train yourself to remember to remember?!!!
Doesn't seem to be happening in my world!

Jan in VA

Remember the old adage, "a place for everything, and everything in its place" ? But if it's in its place, you can't be using it, and if you're using it, you'll probably set it down there, and ...

That is how I get my exercise looking for things :)

My pincushion holds my seam ripper and scissors as well as pins, so these are seldom lost. Keep an extra pair of scissors on my ironing board to snip those extra threads I might have missed.

When I had a dedicated sewing room, it was always the neatest room in the house -- after all it was my haven. I always put things back where they belonged. Of course this was all prequilting. When I get my dedicated room again, I hope the old habits will return; however, I am sure there will be a relearning curve.

LOL!

After all these years I have multiples of everything. So if the scissors get lost in a bag of scraps, so what? And why did DH leave his hammer near my sewing anyway? He was so happy when it turned up in a UFO.

I have to stay organized.....I have limited quilting time and so I keep a small walmart container on the right side of my sewing machine that keeps all my feet I reg. use, seam ripper, walking foot, the purple thang, and a few other items. I also have sissors on cutting table and ironing board. I have to clean up when I'm done because its my husband's office that I stole and its one of the first rooms you see when you come in the front door plus you know with the 2 little guys....pins....

Been there til I remembered telling the kiddo If you put your crayons away you'll always know where they are -necessity the mother of invention -we cut an oatmeal box into 2 halfs kept the lid -covered with fabric -ta-da-now I have 2 cute containers that sit in the corner of the table out of the way but handy as heck I used the saw from the empty tin foil which also came in handy to form cut foam rubber

I have things here and their also. I know if I keep things together my time is spent more wisely. I really do hate searching for things. I am more organized this year. Took me weeks to get their.

I love the idea of hanging the sicissors on the machine - very clever!!! I too have the storage thingy for my rulers. It will help I think...I keep my rotary cutters in a small cabinet (also away from grandkids little fingers. I havent tried anything out yet since I am in the finishing stages of organizing my room - I am almost done!!! Cant wait to get started on actually quilting. :lol:

I try to keep up wtih the mess but it keeps getting the upper hand. I know where everything is, YOU just wouldn't know where to find things. Hey, it's a security measure..yeah that's it. A security measure.

Well, the problem I have is that my sewing studio is in the basement, no TV, etc. and when my dog was out of commission and needed constant supervision I brought a machine upstairs. You have no idea how many trips I made going back downstairs for something I needed. Now I have my new long arm in a room of its own and finding I need scissors, a ruler, pins, etc. so back to the basement. I have stuff scattered all over the house now, which drives me crazy. I can't stand the disorganization but hate to buy multiples of some things.

It works, too. I haven't had to hunt my scissors down in the kids' rooms yet! If I can't find stuff--they sure as heck can't--LOL!

I have designated areas on the sewing table where I keep different tools. For instance: I have a shallow wicker basket which is divided into 4 sections (an old fruit basket). I have some of the tools upright in fruit jars so I can easily see what I need. It's to the side of my sewing area and I usually pull out what I need for that sewing and keep it close at hand either in a frisbee or on a foam mat...well, relatively close! so when I misplace a tool it's not too far away...most of the time.
I have about 4 different pincushions. They're in another shallow basket. I keep a small plastic dish to put ripped threads in...don't always do this, but when I do it's helpful.
If I'm rotary cutting I keep the cutter on a small mat or the frisbee, where the other tools I'm using are kept.
Being hard-wired from birth to be neat is a family gene I've inherited. Today they call it obsessive compulsive disorder. :lol:
The multi drawer plastic units are used for many other "tools". Each drawer unit is specified for certain areas of quilting/sewing.
This all helps me to keep in order...my brain needs it that way. Please, I'm not bragging about it. Sometimes being too neat has its drawbacks!

ROFL

NO seam rippers just walk away... I just know it...

I have baskets that I toss my notions in.. I have one on the cutting table, and one next to my sewing machine- so when I'm done using whatever I'm using ill toss it in there- that way I only have to search in either one to find what i'm looking for.. HOWEVER I have another basket so when I'm feeling the need to 'be organized' that's the one they are ALL suppose to be in.. but like many of you, organization is not always first on the list..