Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Getting a bit organized

When you have been quilting for a long time, you go through several organizing systems that change over the years. As you accumulate more UFO's, and fabrics that you don't love as much as when you bought them, plus the patterns you want to make "someday", and inspiration books for your collection, and threads to match your projects... well, you get the idea. It's a lot of stuff.
In my next life, I want to come back as Teresa - check out this organizational system. But until then, if I don't want to end up on the Hoarder's show, I need to get my mess under control!
 I thought it might help if I ordered a few more bins to inspire me to get more organized. So far, so good. 
However, one of the discouraging things about cleaning out "the stuff" is realizing how many unfinished projects I have that I really like. I either have to have less new projects coming in and/or more finished quilts going out. 
The good news is that tomorrow I will hopefully have one more finished quilt to add to the "finished" list!

15 comments:

Deanna W said...

Oh boy do I hear ya!!! Been cleaning out and finding things...now excited to get them finished. Also cutting mounds of scraps into 2, 2.5 and 5 inch squares.Only to have my daughter ask "what if you want a rectangle?" Silly girl!!

Kaelyn Angelfoot said...

I know what you mean! I just found a quilt that I want to make with a fat quarter pack I picked up a while ago but... I still have too many UFO's hanging around. Fighting the urge to start something new until I finish one I've already got cooking.

margaret said...

you are certainly organised now, I have 5 projects on the go, plus 2 or 3 BOMs when I was doing embroidery before I discovered quilting I only had one at a time to work on but that does not seem to work now!

Jo said...

I wish I was that organised but I am far from it. I am just trying to use up some fabric... I wish...

Ellen said...

Ha..ha...there must be something in the air. I needed to add borders to my latest quilt but just couldn't find any space around my sewing machine to work on it. So over the past week or so I have been sorting strings, bits and pieces and cutting scraps!

Karen said...

I like your comment that in your next life, you want to come back as Teresa. She is certainly one organized person. I would add a master list to tell me where in the basement that section of storage is because I would get lost down there.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I know Teresa makes me drool with her cave - AND she knows where everything is!! I'd get lost. I'm at a stage that anything over a year old gets used first or given away.

Josie said...

I need more tubs too but I've run out of space to put them! I get the feeling that no matter how big our sewing space is we could fill it twice over! One of the hazards of our hobby. I'm going to take a leaf out of your book and clean up my act.... xxx

Paula, the quilter said...

I use this system too, but the lids on my shoeboxes are green. :-) I actually have made a bit of progress on the bigger tubs: I only and one left and that one has the flannels in it. Do two tubs of largish batting pieces count?

Kate said...

Staying organized seems to be an ongoing battle where one must change tactics occasionally in order to keep the mess to a minimum.

Scrappy quilter said...

I know what you mean. Moving from a 1500 sq.ft home to one that is 700 helped me get organized. It was tough though.

AnnieO said...

I'm trying to work on the oldest ones first, but of course they are not as attractive as the shiny new ideas that constantly pop up! Personally I think you're doing great using the monthly UFO challenge!

Jill said...

I need to reorganize my fabric. Your stash does look nice in these clear bins. Not only did I meet your friends in Grand Rapids, but I meet Teresa.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

That looks very close to my organizational system - I recently bought those shoebox size boxes and have filled them up in color order. The plan is to keep getting them (the kits, the fabric, the WIPs, the UFOs) done first and only buy what is necessary to get them done.

cityquilter grace said...

looks great....i use that system for scraps, strips etc.