Sept - Time to Organize

Link up to September NewFO's
What have you been working on. Share your month with other quilters!

 

It seems that the whole month has flown by so fast. I didn't really sew very much because I am still recovering from the surgery. Sitting idle is not one of my strengths. I either tend to get depressed or overwhelmed. So time to get the brain thinking. Can you hear it ticking.........

I started the month cutting up blue bricks for my Healing Hearts, road to recovery quilt. Many ladies from the online Quilting Forum and a few from my guild sent me some blue strings and bricks. I went through my scrap box and pulled all the blue in there. I currently have about 600 bricks, but need many more. Thank you Ladies for both the hearts and the bricks.

Now What????????? My sewing is limited due do to my range of motion after surgery........ SO

I decided that I would take September to re-evaluate my sewing area, Too much clutter, too many UFO's, too many things I want to do at the same time. So where to being.

I looked for wasted space. Where can I get some more footage for my sewing. What do I need.

 My LIST

1: I need a space that I can leave set up for piecing
2: I need a space for machine quilting all those UFO's.
3: I need to give away stuff I don't need, that is in my way.
4: I need it to be peaceful and organized space.

This is a short list but it caused a landslide of changes. The only available space was in my bedroom.
I gave my dresser to my daughter for her son. I also gave my other daughter a very small cabinet that had tiny drawers. Though I liked the cabinet, because it was made in the 1930's, it was useless for my needs. Then I had to find a place for that stuff. So that meant cleaning out the closet and getting rid a things I have not used in 2 or more years. My closet is small but you can walk in it. There were 4 tubs of useless things in there. The kind of things that are not broken so you put them aside. When you go back to them later you don't know why you just didn't get rid of them in the first place. Salvation Army here I come!

I moved a set of plastic drawers into the closet to hold the clothes that were in the dresser. Had my girls move my bed over about 3 feet to one side. Checked Craigslist and got a really nice desk for 40.00 bucks. When It arrived I liked it so much that instead of using it for my Featherweight, it ended up replacing the table I was currently using as my desk. So now I needed another desk.  We did find another one but it was not as nice. Not real wood. It will serve for my Featherweight. It's saving grace is that the drawers are on the left side, giving me  space for a cutting mat and light, right next to the machine. The table I was using as a desk became a work area for ironing etc. Under it is my scrap system tubs. All ready to be used!.

I am still cleaning up my sewing room. Removed a table I had set up for my grandson and let him bring in his Mega Blocks. This keeps him from being at my elbow 24/7 when I am sewing. Last night I was able to sandwich a quilt and set up the Janome in my sewing room to quilt. If I had a large enough room for a studio I would have it all in one place. This set up is working out quite well. I can do either piecing or quilting. If I get tired of one, I can go do the other. I was able to knock out 40 spools blocks in a week just by piecing a little at a time in my bedroom.


My To Do List for October.

1: Quilt Scrap Happy Trip lap top. (sandwiched and ready to go)
2: Quilt Louie's Bricks and Stepping Stones - need to sandwich
3: Piece quilt for granddaughter for playing on the floor - fabric is ironed
4: Finish blocks from Scrappy sampler from 2009.- 2 blocks left to go
5: Do some strip piecing for future UFO's
6: Make a few smalls for Christmas gifts.

Bonus Project.
2010 Mystery Quilt from About.com. The top has been done for 3 years just needs to sandwich it! Would love to send it off to relative by Christmas. We will see!


Happy Quilting!

Aileen in Florida