year already. Wasn't it just Summer?
Karma's daughter found something on Pinterest that was cool... but it did take a lot of
work to do. I don't have any pictures of it... (note to self... take pictures of Karma's
files) yet! But I will! O.K. so let me explain; Karma is a quilter/seamstress emphasis
on the quilting! So of course that means she has a huge stash of fabric! It got to the
point that if she couldn't find what she needed (and this happened all the time) she
would go buy more! Makes sense right? Not really, because later she would find
out she already had some... and well this is a bit wasteful in a couple of ways, time
and money. So organization was what she wanted, but how was another matter.
Center stage Pinterest! Her daughter found a picture of this filing system (using
actual hanging files to support the fabric! What they did was this; take 1 hanging
file folder open out the folder so it's laying on the table flat... now cut it in half
at the fold. Easy enough! Next take your fabric piece and fold it so that it hangs
nicely over the top part of the file folder so that you can still hang it in the file
cabinet. You want to make sure that you fold it so that the fabric isn't hanging
past the folder or it will be harder to keep it neat and tidy. We did a lot of
pinning of extra pieces (as a quilter you get lots of smaller pieces that you don't
want to waste, so we pinned them onto the larger piece of fabric or hung them
separately over the same folder). And because Karma has lots of smaller pieces
i.e. fat quarters etc... we also hung similar colors on the same folder. Overlapping
them so each piece could be seen. I must say, her files are very colorful! It took
us around 3-4 weeks at 5-6 hour a day (mind you it wasn't every day of the week
and only several days in each week) to get all of her fabric done! Wheeeee,
we did get it all done though. It was funny, just when we thought it was all
done, and nice and tidy in her sewing room.... I turned and said what's in this
smaller closet... you should have seen her face; fabric she says to me! We got to
the point where we would laugh cause everywhere we looked (while we were
working on this system) there was fabric.... (thus the need for "a" system).
We found an old filing cabinet at the local D.I. (Deseret Industries) for all of
$15 that had 5 huge drawers. We not only filled them all up, but she bought
a bunch of plastic hanging file boxes to store in the now somewhat empty
closet. We took the sliding doors off of the closet in her sewing room and
placed them outside in the shed. Then because she has soo many nice deep
shelves, we used the new boxes to start sorting the fabrics into color groups.
Plus, she had a lot of fabric that for all practical purposes... was too much
yardage for this system. So that we stacked in flat-folds into some of the old
milk crates and bins that she had been using before. Although, instead of
placing them so they were just stacked one on top of each other so she can't
see what is where, we turned the crates/bins on their side facing out and the
fabric was layered so you can see the edge of each piece. Karma also does
lots of scrap booking so the under side of her cutting table was sorted out
so that now it holds nothing but scrap booking stuff. And yes, we of course
found "more fabric"! LoL..... it got to be a bit of a joke cause it was every-
where! Stuffed in plastic bags... of all sorts/sizes... anyone need any bags ?
We also ended up with all sorts of containers... cloth type storage bins,
plastic bins (the non-hanging file sort with lids) all shapes and sizes. Karma
is a lot like me in that manner... I love containers... all sizes, shapes, materials.
So, we got her entire sewing room re-organized and now we just need to
get together to do some major sewing! Also, now that we've done her's,
mine is looking a bit outta sorts.... hmmmm, I wonder.....
Last month my DD Cindy and my friends daughter Jill and I went to a library
book sale. That's where the local library sells off old or duplicate or donated
books to raise money for newer books or items they need. It says having to
raise taxes for that sort of thing. And while there, I found a few books
(meaning of course there were tons... but I figured I will just borrow books
from my DD instead of buying more and then having to find places to
put them) I wanted; mostly I bought cook books; which I love. And then
while waiting for the girls to get thru the huge line (I'm talking I could have
read all the books I bought and maybe then they would be done) I found a
great 3 drawer solid wood lateral file cabinet for $30. Now looking at this
picture below; add another drawer taller to it and make it wider! I couldn't
find a picture of it... and I'm too lazy to go get my camera... hmmm well,
maybe later. Anyway it's 43 inches tall x 21 1/2 inches deep x 371/4 inches
wide. So really it's huge and heavy!!! My DH as he had to ask a neighbor
to help carry the unit down stairs to my sewing room (mind you that is with-
out drawers; cause it was wayyyy to heavy for me to help with) said, this
thing is solid wood... I'll bet it cost over $500 to buy new! Yep, and his
wifey got it for $30! And it's in great shape. I did have to wipe it down a bit
and vacuum out the spider webs and the spidey egg sac's.... aurgh. But now I
have the perfect spot to file all of my sewing patterns! Yes, I have a lot! It
practically filled the entire thing! Although, there was room for all my lining
fabric's too.
So that means that of course I had to re-arrange once again! Plus, since I got a
new computer earlier in the Summer... I have a hard time using DH lap top. The
keyboard is way to narrow for me... hmmm, or my fingers are way to big? You
choose.... choose wisely! LoL.... It's a wireless so now I can use the keyboard
at sewing machine desk or anywhere else. Plus we got a wireless printer, that
we both can use wirelessly... go figure!
Still need to build myself or have DH build some shelves into the closet for
my fabric... as long as it took to sort out Karma's fabric... I'm thinking that it's
not what I want to do to organize mine! Life is too short! I would rather be
sewing!
I have all of my half square triangles all sewn/cut/pressed/tails trimmed for
the quilt for our bed. Just need to take the time to lay them out. Probably will
take them outside and lay them onto the grass to see what I can come up with.
Maybe pictures will help with the lay out too!
Also, I have cut out 12 sets of flannel pieces for receiving blankets. We have
so far had 11 babies born into our ward at Church this year! Have to get on
that project! They will be all grown up b/4 I'm done at this rate! LoL....
If your working on a project.... keep up the good work.
Remember, serving others is a blessing in it's self!
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