Thursday, March 3, 2011

2 Hour Challenge Whew....

The Quiltville Chat Yahoo group challenged several of us to work for 2 hour in our sewing rooms. Either sorting, putting away or creating a pile to give away. For me this was a need. I hadn't gotten in my sewing room for about 3 months. Instead I had been inhabiting other areas of the house, including but not limited to the dining room and family room. I have grabbed fabric from the stash wall and left pile after pile more than once. My ironing space was unable to be seen. Everywhere was covered with fabric. I have a makeshift table for a little extra room in laying out blocks or to audition fabrics and it was a foot deep. My chair had fabric on it. and the floor was starting to accumulate fabrics too. I had taken me sewing machine out of the room and started sewing at the dining room table. So my sewing machine space was nowhere to be seen either.
Around 1:00 I asked DH to set the timer for 1 and a half hours and I started. I piled all of the fabrics into a large standing hamper. After about 30 minites several surfaces were cleared off. When the hamper was full and the sorting surface was clear I started to sort colors and al the small pieces went into the scrap bin.
I am currently working on several civil war quilts so I set a pile aside for those. The blues uncoverd 2 UFO's with lots of fabric with them. I packed those away in open plastic bins and stacked the blues back on the stash wall. I then noticed my 30's box was overflowing and toppling out so I refolded some pieces and was able to make it look very nice.
After the blues were put away I started on the reds. By this time the bottom of the hamper was in sight. Then the timer went off.
I took a short break and then went back and finished putting away the Civil war fabrics and keeping a separate place for the smaller pieces. One thing I noticed is I tend to make several identical storage baggies for like scraps. So mabye this is something I should work on. I need to Realize what type of projects I have and keeping track of them a little better . I also have large storage bins of scraps in CW, 30's, Warm and cool colors.
My room is not yet in workable order but I was able to feel some sense of accomplishment.

Later this evening I updated my Swapping Chart. This is the chart I use to keep track of which swap is due when. Most people are involved in one or two and so this is unnessary. I on the otherhand am invilved in over 8 or 9 different swaps that are due at different times and with different people. Some local and some online. I have been very pleased with the online swaps. I have recieved very good quality fabrics and blocks. Swaps for me is a way to use my fabric and get something new without buying new fabric. In a small way it helps to depleat my stash.

4 comments:

  1. Oh my, you have described my house. I need to start the clean up process again. I do it periodically and am always amazed at what a slob I can be. Too many irons in this fire but that is how my brain works, lol.
    Love your blog
    Blessings
    Blondie

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  2. Tanya -- congratulations on getting some space in your sewing area. I haven't agreed to the challenge (2 hours on cleaning? H... no!) But you should be proud of making enough space to review your scraps.

    As to not knowing what you have in your containers... try writing info on index cards and adding it to the storage ...bag, bin whatever you use. Right now I have a card in with my Carolina Christmas stuff that says the date I started it, pattern and where it came from, and which part of which clue I was working on when I quit. The issue with that last bit is sometimes I think I am quitting for the night and I don't get back to it for months so haven't updated where I am. Bummer. I also keep a list of UFOs on my computer. When I moved in June I recorded the UFOs before I packed them. Imagine my surprise when I keep finding more UFOs. Keep up the good work.

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  3. You did GOOOOODDDD! I love the connection of your Blog Name to how life AND sewing/quilting happens! 8-)

    The last time I cleaned/tidied my fabric drawers, I was amazed at how little time it took to do one drawer. Soooo why do we let it get that way?

    Thanks for the visit. I'm currently "ON Leave" from my blog - LIFE has intervened for a while.

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  4. Now you KNOW we came for the before pictures :)
    Good for you for getting a handle on it. I am a (amazed and proud) FlyLady graduate of 9 years and the key things working with her taught me was, "don't put it down, put it away"; and when something comes in something as to go out. New t-shirt? Old one has to go. New yard of fabric? one yard has to go.

    I'm no paragon, but my life is so much better, and I LOVE my quilt room.
    hugs, and keep up the good work!
    Sharyn in Kalama

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