Was it when:
- I started saying, give me whole bolt, rather than I'll have a fat quarter please.
- I started working on ten projects at once, rather than one at time...come to think of it I never did work at one project, at a time.
- I started living in two different provinces.
- I set up two sewing studios.
- I started collecting quilting books and magazines by the truck load....that has been going on for a number of years.
- I sort of started knitting....and of course needed every colour, when I saw a yarn I loved.
- I became a grandmother.
- I found Flickr
- I started blogging.
I can't really say exactly when, but all of the above, definitely contributed.
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| Overflowing Containers |
Overflowing Piles
Many, Many Works In Progress Containers
Hidden Buckets
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| Towering Containers of Yarn
There are those paragons of virtue that completely clean up, after finishing a project.....I know, I know, it would be a good thing.
And then, there are the organizational books, that tell you to empty the whole room....what planet are they from, have you seen all the stuff in here?? And then, they only want you to put some of it back, only some of it!!!
I think all the buckets and piles are a reflection of all the ideas racing around my brain...they are sort of out control as well....note to self, the brain could use a little organizational make over as well.
Anyone else out of control? How do you manage it all??
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Oh my, how I can relate! Remove everything from the room? What a terrifying thought. I try (in vain) to stay on top of the organization, and I find that a label maker is a real plus. It helps me store like things with like things. And then find them when I need to. For the most part.
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone! It's all the ideas racing around, so many ideas so little time! I think your areas look great and organized. I would just keep having fun!
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone! My sad solution was to buy a bigger house... I believe the jumping around is the sign of a fertile and creative mind. Keep going just as you are!
ReplyDeleteHi, I found this link to an organized quilter on the web. http://www.sewwequilt.com/2010/10/welcome-to-my-underwear-drawer.html
ReplyDeleteEnjoy.
You made me start laughing at #1 and I haven't stopped. It is a fairly new state of mind but I am taking the bolt more and more lately. And the thought of emptying the room???? Horrors! We only have one lifetime.
ReplyDeleteha ha ha...you made my day/evening. You didn't loose control, you just found your passion. I can say this of course since your post is signed by not only you, but me too!! How happy we are:)Touching, smelling, loving fabric. sigh..and of course my studio cannot be painted, floors cannot be refinished, etc because it would give me a heart attack to move anything..and of course, it would give others a heart attack too. Enjoy and know you are in great company.
ReplyDelete:D Big grin on my face, too. No paragon of virtue here!!!! Don't want any of that lifestyle, either. I live mine (and in this instance, my quilting life) in a way that's fun, fulfilling, and NOT BORING for me. No apologies for the large number of UFOs, and I'll never be a one-project-at-a-time girl. My blogging helps me keep on track to always be working forward in an organized chunk of variety and I always have finishes cycling around, so it's all good and most importantly: It's All FUN!!! :D Let somebody else bore themselves to tears never letting themselves work on more than one thing at a time. (Unless you're doing only tiny projects, that's a real spirit-sucking lifestyle!)
ReplyDeleteHAND UP!!!! yes... mine is out of control...
ReplyDeletecontainers full....
stack of "to be ironed"
3 finished tops - that need attention
yep.....
trouble is...my DH watches for the fabric sales...... is that wrong??
xo
eva
Let no one tell you that buying more fabric to add to an already large stash is a bad thing. How many people collect stamps, bugs, coins, rocks? And those aren't even useful things! Collecting is still a legitimate hobby. Collecting fabric is even better because it won't just sit around in a display case (at least not until after you create something with it).
ReplyDeleteI've just started buying by the bolt. I figured it's the beginning of the end of me pretending I have this under control. Glad my suspicions have been confirmed! :)
ReplyDeleteHow can it be wrong to be able to make warm blankets even if the store is closed? I know how wonderful all your fabrics are, just focus on the creating.
ReplyDeletethank you so much for these occasional posts ... they really do help me in getting my husband to understand how easy he has it! Everything still fits in a 36" x 40" cabinet!!!
ReplyDeleteYou didn't mention beads! They go so well with quilts and yarn and they don't take up as much room. I think your studios look well organized and inspirational.
ReplyDeleteJust wait until you decide to dye and spin your own fibre for yarns too ;o)
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you - the two homes seem to have finally clinched my overload ! Hardest for me is keeping track of the larders etc - that aspect goes blank as I shut each front door to travel ! Hey,ho - ain't life grand ?
ReplyDeleteOh I really appreciated this post after seeing that immaculate sewing guest room I was so envious, I too have a nice neat niche and then in the basement are the piles of fabric, yarn and books, oh my.
ReplyDeleteAnd I jump from project to project, but things get done and things get lost and found and it all goes around. Sometimes the mess inspires me more than the clean, which I hate to "mess up."
Way too many projects here, way too much fabric for my storage space but I need it ALL :)
ReplyDeleteA famous quilt-maker told me she has a deal with her daughter in law. When the quilt-maker dies, the DIL is to remove 2/3 of her fabric immediately. Then everyone else can go into her studio and say, "Gee, she really had a lot of fabric!"
ReplyDeleteLast year I did empty two rooms (not at the same time though) and yes the room was empty, but the rest of the house was a wreck! I had bedroom that was full of stuff. I was brutal and took to the garage what is going into a yard sale, threw away crap, and sorted what I wanted to keep and tossed the rest. My rule number one was that there would be no storage containers bought. I had to use what I had. The first room was cleaned, painted, closet system installed, new flooring installed and the trim installed. Once I got that done the fabric storage room was temporarily moved into the newly finished room so I could paint the fabric storage room, install new flooring, baseboard and window trim. It took me 6 hours to move all the fabric, bins, and shelving! I will confess I didn't move the stuff out of the closet - I had already installed a new closet system years ago. I have move most of the sewing related items back into the fabric storage room. I sorted and organized as I move items. I am not totally done. I still have some container that need to be looked at and organized. I only did all of this because I need to have a guest room for my quilting buddy. Last time she came up one of us had to sleep on the couch, so now she will have her own room. I would not stress over your room. I think we waste more time trying to get organized that being productive. I say do what works for you and the heck with the rest of the world!
ReplyDeletei blame it all on the creative mind. if we put it all away too neat and tidy we wouldn't see that one piece of fabric, or paper, or bead that give us inspiration for yet another project.
ReplyDeleteMust be that time of year. I just went through one of my two rooms full of stuff. Everytime I go through everything I do end up with a bag of trash, a box full of giveaway, and I do get more organized. But I find I have to do this at least twice a year or I get overwhelmed. Now my guest room is back to a guest room, with a few containers of fabric (non quilting) along one wall. My storage room is full of boxes of mostly quilt books, but also fabric dyeing, spinning, weaving, and sewing books and supplies. My sewing room is set up in the parlor which I had just organized last week, but now found some more things to put into it. Where I dont' now, but it will need to go someplace.
ReplyDeleteAnd bolts - they have saved me more then once when I needed some extra color or some backing. : ) Wish I had more of them.
I stripped my sewing room down over the Christmas holidays. Everything came out and it got a fresh coat of paint, new flooring, shelving in the closet, etc. I set up a temp sewing space on the dining room table, and the entire contents of my room went into the front living room and my college daughter's bedroom. I moved back into the sewing room in early January and my daughter's room is STILL packed full. I decided I want to go through everything before it gets a home in the new space. Who am I kidding? She's coming home for spring break next week and I can barely walk into her room. I better get my butt in gear. But now I've added fabric painting, fabric dyeing and watercolor journaling into my fun part of life, creating even more stuff!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was bad till someone walked in here and asked, "where's the rest of the fabric?" OMG - I can't even imagine what her place looks like. Yours, at least, is neat and doesn't look bad to me.
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny! I am just thankful for all the stash I do have. I no longer buy fabric the way I used to and I love just going into my sewing room and pick out the fabrics from my private shop!
ReplyDeleteha! but your space looks fairly well organized.
ReplyDeletei do take an annual look at the projects in progress and put an end to some of them either by finishing or by figuring out how to recycle parts into new things i'm likely to finish.
My studio is stuffed with, you know, the usual quilting stuff. Four projects in different stages of construction, fabric everywhere! Last year I took down the fleece thumbtacked on the wall which is my design wall. I painted that wall and put new fleece up. It will take a major effort to even reach the other three walls! To clear the room everything would have to be moved downstairs because my studio is the only room upstairs. I can't imagine how many trips that would take! Maybe it can be a part of my physical fitness program?
ReplyDeleteAh well, you what they say: an organized desk is the first sign of a misguided career...someone said it anyway.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to live at least 3-4 lives to realize all the ideas that are swimming inside my head! No time for boredom.
hahaha...too funny! I didn't read one thing that didn't feel familiar!
ReplyDeleteIt really funny to read.To make more cup board to put this all containers.I really enjoy this blog.Thanx to share with us.
ReplyDeletescooter
Thanks and trust me...I really am out of control.
DeleteWhat an amazing club. I want to join. Let's all agree not to post pictures because I would not want to be the winner.
ReplyDeleteI agree, let's not!
Deletethank you so much for these occasional posts ... they really do help me in getting my husband to understand how easy he has it!
ReplyDelete