Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Been busy sewing and creating.  Took part of my time to re-organize the room where all my material, projects and the cutting table are located.  On Monday, we put up wonderful shelves on one wall.  I will post before picture and after picture, showing the change.  What a difference this has made in getting work done!  This has helped me work easier and to bust the stash!  

I found small piles and containers of material that are now cut into workable pieces for future or current scrappy quilts.   I have two scrappy quilts in progress.  One is a string quilt and the other is a leader-ender that will become Scrappy Irish Chain, from Bonnie Hunter's book, Adventures with Leader and Enders, make more quilts in less time!

In addition to quick access and more space, I now have a quick view of all my WIP's, or Projects in Plastic.  Two years ago I made a list of all the quilts in progress.  I have been working to finish these or move the material to other projects.  The list is of 104 projects in some shape or form, either started or material gathered, or project others have given to me.  I am working to complete! Problem is that some new quilts pop up and get started.

A recent "pop up" quilt that got started was a Halloween quilt.  I had the material on my shelf.  I bought it in the past when it was on sale thinking it would make a nice fun quilt for my new son-in-law.    My American Patchwork and Quilting magazine arrived.  There was my Halloween quilt pattern just smiling at me on the front cover.

I must get back to sewing.    I am off to take picture of newly organized wall one in sewing room.  I hope it inspires others to take a look at your work areas to gain some space and clear your brain!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Scraps in the Sewing Room

Wow, spent the last three days in my sewing area.  I took a picture from each corner of the room.  When I looked at the four pictures I realized the room is a mess.  So now the goal is to organize, put things away and "fling" items out of the space to make area easier to use!

Part of the sewing area re-organization was prompted by a "gift" of material.  I have just sorted a "trash bag" of beautiful materials to sort and cut so they are usable!  It was a wonderful selection of fat quarters, 1/8 yard cuts and some 1 yard cuts.  What treasures!  Materials I would not usually purchase so this will be a good challenge to use.    In the materials were flower designs small, medium and large.  Material I would not buy, so now need pattern to use with large flower prints.  Found a pattern in my notebook.  The Muskegon Guild had Jan Krueger and Linda Marcou present a trunk show.  They shared handouts on several quilts in the trunk show.  Simplified Railroad Crossing is a Mary Ellen Hopkins patten they shared.  This is the pattern I am going to try.   Their presentation was great.  Quilts were gorgeous.  They explained a challenge they made between each other to use up their stash by not adding to stash, using each others stash and completing tops.  Their enthusiasm was wonderful.  The quilts they shared were great.  I will post a sample block of new quilt in process as soon as it gets completed.