I don’t think I’m a pack-rat.
And I really didn’t feel like reorganizing fabrics.
But Saturday was a special day for de-stashing and cleaning up my workspace.
Mostly I was looking for this one fabric that I purchased 5 years ago and the only way to find it was to pull everything out. So I did. I started with this lonely cabinet, usually sandwiched on both sides with plastic bags full of fabric and projects, and a pile of books on top:
Organizing fabrics is one of the most annoying chores to me (next to working on the family budget). It’s not the actual process that bugs but the feeling that if I’m in the sewing room, I want to be sewing and not cleaning! I feel like I’m wasting a perfectly good child-free moment doing something that’s not fun. Of course when it’s done, I’m elated! And I’m even more excited to sew because the room is a fresh blank slate, with all sorts of space for new project piles to grow. Oh the revolving cycle.
So, I sorted, folded, threw the little things away, made a Goodwill pile, and found stuff to make Craft Hope Pillowcases!
And, ta-da. The fruits of my labor:
I’ve often seen blogs where people show their organized fabrics wrapped around cool pieces of cardboard, with this impressive categorized system, and I’m in awe. I wonder:
A) how long did it take them to do that?
B) how long does it stay like that?
Mine is not that fancy. I really wish I could be more organized with fabric, in beautifully folded and sorted fashion. I really do. My stash is sort of like my checking account was when I was single. I don’t have a detailed list of the contents, but my brain keeps a general inventory…and usually knows where to find it (without my funds going in the red).
So, this was the best I came up with. Simple fold job. Boring fabrics are in the back, fun/colorful stuff in the front. No big organizing tips here. I’m just enjoying my clean workspace. Mind you, there’s another cupboard like this, two Ikea baskets, and some large plastic bins that need the same de-stash treatment. But you know, baby steps through the chores.
In fact, I really want to redo this whole room. When we first moved in, I painted my sewing room/office a pale green. It’s a lovely shade but there’s no other green in the house. So, this room will be the next to tackle. I just finished painting our hallway a very light-gray. Maybe gray will flow into the work room too.
And if we really want to get nitty gritty, I’m in bad need of new cabinets. I want something all-white, with shelves AND bins. I’ve found that shelves are good for my folded yardage. But for this pile of scraps on the right a bin would be much better. After one rummage, that pile is shot.
I posted about my Sewing Nook a while back on Visible Voice but I’ve just added it to my FAQs section here on MADE. So if you missed it then, you can find it HERE (and in the FAQs tab at the top of the blog).
One last note, I’ve had this image in my mind about a dress I want to make but the picture wasn’t clear till I saw this beauty on Anna Maria Horner’s blog:
Isn’t it lovely? And the styling is just perfect. (sigh). Jot another project on the list.
Okay, enough babbling from me. Have a wonderful Sunday night!
p.s. I never found that one piece of fabric I was looking for. Must have thrown it away in the last move. And I here I was about to tell you that if you haven’t used anything in a few years, you should donate it. Whoops.
