Finding Treasures in My Quilt Studio

This summer I have taken a little break from actually sewing and making quilts.  Not because it’s hot or because I’m too busy, but because I am playing with my giant collection of antique and vintage quilt stuff.  I say quilt stuff because my collection has quilts, tops, partial tops, blocks, partial blocks, unfinished projects and blocks, as well as piles and piles of FABRIC!  I am having the most wonderful time and I don’t even have to go anywhere.  Summer Vacation at home!

I started this project in June when my quilt guild president, Kim, mentioned at our meeting that she wished someone would do a program about feedsacks because she just loves them.  That got me  thinking because I knew that I had some feedsack-type stuff hidden in my vintage stash.  So I volunteered to do a presentation on feedsacks for our guild.  Kim was thrilled.  We haven’t discussed a date yet, which is good, because I am still sorting through my stash.  Once I get through my stash of feedsack stuff, I’ll devote a blog post to showing you my goodies.  I had no idea when I volunteered that it was going to be so intensive or as fun.

I think I have delved into 7 or 8 of my crates already and I know I have more to go, including several crates of quilts yet.  It’s funny — I had no idea how much stuff I’ve accumulated over the years.  As I got it, I admired it, washed it (sometimes) and tucked it away lovingly into a plastic storage crate.   Then when the current crate was filled, I bought another crate and the whole process was repeated.  It is so exciting to open up a crate and discover such awesome treasures!

Here are the contents of the most recent crate I opened.  Seriously, ALL this stuff came out of 1 Rubbermaid 18 gallon crate.  It was all so smushed in there — I have no idea how I got it all in there. I found fabric galore, a few quilt top fragments, and even some feedsacks.  Most of it all dated from 1930s-1960s, which just so happens to be one of my very quilting eras!

 

Below are 2 of my favorite fabrics that I discovered in the crate.  Aren't they the cutest?????  I just love little conversational prints.

Isn't the penguin great?  How about a squirrel in pants, the deer in the scarf, or the bunny in a jacket?  Any idea why the puppy is included on this fabric????  Anyone?

Check out these happy little birdies.  Don't you just love them?  They have adorable facial expressions. 

Well, I'd better get back to work because right now I'm up to my waist in fabric!

New Year's Resolutions........Or Not? Reclaiming My Studio Part 1

If you're anything like me, you're ready to hit the ground running now that it's a brand new year. 

Here is a wonderful quote by Brad Paisley that really resonated with me -- 

"Tomorrow is the first page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one." 

 I've been looking forward to 2019 for a little while now.  2017 and 2018 were definitely NOT my years so I have great hopes for 2019.

Before New Year's I made a decision not to make New Year's Resolutions.  Most years I do write a few resolutions.  Usually they are the typical ones -- eat healthier, lose some weight, etc. -- which of course, like most everyone else,  I've abandoned by February or March.  So what do I do with the rest of the year?  Continue my bad habits, that's what!

So I decided that 2019 was going to be a different year -- a better year.  This year instead of resolutions, I am making GOALS, more like a bucket list, I guess you could say.

In my opinion you either have success or failure with a resolution where you can spend all year working towards a goal.  I like the way that sounds, don't you?  Life is a work in progress anyway.

One of my BIG goals is to clean, organize, and purge my sewing space. ARGH!  I know what you are thinking, but YES I CAN DO THIS!  You can too if that's one of your goals.

STEP 1  PANIC!

Yes, I panicked.  I looked -- really looked -- at my studio and suddenly had no idea what to do or where to start.  Yeah, I admit, my sewing studio is a pretty scary place and looks like a quilt shop threw up in there.  GULP!

 So what did I do?  I started small.  I had 2 tote bags filled with goodies from Quilt Markets I attended in 2016 and 2018.  Most of it was assorted precuts mixed up with a few other things.

There's a lot of really fun stuff in those bags, but I can't enjoy them shoved haphazardly into tote bags.

So, I took everything OUT.  I sorted them by precut type.  I decided that I would put my charm packs and mini charms in my precut drawer since I seem to use these more frequently and the fat quarter bundles, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, etc. I layered in a storage crate for right now.  Hopefully, as I purge stuff that I don't need or want anymore, I will find a better solution for ALL of my precuts.  But for now, this is a good start.

 

 STEP 2  Find a good organizing book

Yesterday, I scoured Amazon and found what looked like a great organizing book.  It's called Real Life Organizing:  Clean and Clutter-Free in 15 Minutes a Day

I thought -- WOW -- in 15 minutes a day I can turn into Martha Stewart.  I downloaded the ebook and started reading right away.  THIS BOOK MAKES ME GIGGLE!  Cass Aarrsen is a real hoot.  I immediately identified with her on several levels.  I really think this is an organizing book that I can work with.  BTW, I am a BEE (to find out what this means, get yourself a copy and read it).

STEP 3  Come up with a Personal Reward

Now that I'm all hyped to roll up my sleeves and dive in (Yes, I realize that things will get worse before they get better), I decided that what I really needed to stay motivated with this project (which may possibly take the rest of my life) was some kind of reward.

This made a lot of sense to me because I spent years and years bribing young children to clean up, sit down, go outside, come inside, use the bathroom, eat their vegetables, etc. by using a classroom reward system.  Have you ever seen the power of the Treasure Box???

So I need my own Quilter's Treasure Box.  It could be a series of small rewards but I decided that it will be a great big reward -- I'm worth it, don't you think?

Right now my sewing machine table and cutting table are a mash up of pieces of furniture not used by my family.  I adore my cutting table which is the bottom of an antique Hoosier cabinet (no top, sorry).  My machine sewing table is a vintage piece with a side extension that I can put up if needed.  BUT they don't match in style nor do they match in in height which can make machine quilting larger projects more difficult.

My Big Reward is going to be...........................

A BRAND SPANKING NEW SEWING AND CUTTING TABLE MADE OUT OF STORAGE CUBES!  

GO ME!

Stay tuned for more updates about my project!