Studio Organizing Challenge #2

Posted on February 22, 2017 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing Challenge

I’ve been chipping away at organizing a little bit every day. Some days more than others, but I try to do at least one little thing every day to get me closer to what I feel is organized.

And sometimes, while I’m working on those things, other things tend to get back out of control. See how that works? I fear this will always be an ongoing battle!

I’m back with a new challenge today because I discovered Sherri’s “Tips For Organizing Your Sewing Space” over at A Quilting Life. A couple years ago, she offered up 20 tasks over a one-month period for getting your sewing space whipped into shape. She has all the links in one place now, and they’re good!

I’m planning to try some of them, and I urge you to try some along with me. So our challenge is this:

Pick at least two things from Sherri’s list to work on in your own space

I have no grand plans to do any of these in a day, and I certainly won’t get done with all of them in a month, but I’m going to pick and choose and do a few as I find the time.

Her complete list of tasks is HERE.

I’m starting from the beginning, and will be working on my lists. I’m traveling for the next couple weeks, so not much real sewing will be getting done. It’ll be a good time for me to look over my lists, update them, and make sure everything is listed, or scratched off if I decide to ditch any ideas!

And speaking of scratching things off a list, I completed this flower pillow from a Renee Nanneman pattern, and took it to Mother Outlaw — she loved it!

And now . . . in the interest of decluttering my sewing space . . .

I’m reasonably sure I won’t make another pillow like this (even tho it was super easy and is super cute) — I just don’t like doing the same thing twice. And I know I won’t have time to make any of the other projects in the book, even tho some of them are also very tempting. So I’m having a give-away for this “Blossom Lane” book by Need’l Love, now that I’m done with it.

All you have to do for a chance to win the book is leave a comment on this post. While you’re at it, let me know which task of Sherri’s you think you might tackle first. I’ll draw for a winner on Friday, March 3rd.

UPDATE: The winner of the Blossom Lane booklet is Cathy! Thanks to everyone who played along.

20 responses to “Studio Organizing Challenge #2”

  1. Mary C says:

    I am going to have to do something about organizing my thread collection. I have my studio pretty well organized except for storing thread…putting on the side of my table doesn’t count as stored properly.
    Cute pillow!

  2. Beth says:

    I’m definitely going to have to organize my growing scrap collection. It is overtaking my studio.

  3. Karen Fitzgerald says:

    I’ll make the list and then make another list of the order I want to get everything done. Then I’ll go back and look at the list multiple times until I misplace it. Then I’ll make another list …

    Yeah, maybe its the list that keeps me from getting anything done. 😀

  4. Kathi says:

    I am going to take a before picture, then list all my works in progress and prioritize them. I have a couple of them listed as goals for the next couple of months. Then I will list my “want to do” projects. Her organizing list of tasks is great, and I would like to try them. It seems like everything in my sewing room needs to be organized!

  5. Bridget says:

    I do/did most of the things on Sherri’s list. 🙂 Careful to keep from falling off the tidy room wagon. I have made a list of works in progress since 1997. I update it every January 1. Some projects move forward several years, some projects are finally disbanded and some are made right away. It is amazing to see how many things on my older lists have actually been completed!!

  6. Sue H says:

    Here is my organizing for this year. I have sewed and sewed quilts for my very large family so this year I have decided that I am going to do a few sew alongs and start/complete some of the more difficult quilts that I love but have not started. So I have used your idea from a couple of years ago where you number your projects and draw one each month. I have numbered all of my shelves, all of my baskets and all of my quilt bins. Each month I draw a basket, shelf and a quilt and that is what I work on that month. If I do not think I will ever use the items on the shelf – I donate to a new home or throw away. I start and complete the quilt and put away or finish the items in the basket. These are not my fabric stashes these are baskets of projects or fabric from completed projects. Month two – so far so good. Half square triangles for canning season is dragging me down a little 🙂 but I took a break on Monday and cleaned my shelf. I threw away several patterns I printed from the internet that I will never make – don’t know what I was thinking when I printed them. I still need to clean my basket but I have scheduled some time on Friday to clean it out and hopefully have time on the weekend to finish any project that might be hiding in there. We will see had I am doing on this in June 😉

  7. Cindy says:

    Okay so starting right now I’m Cleaning off two flat surfaces. One being the cut table and the other around my sewing machine. I have to cut fat quarters for a workshop I’m taking tomorrow. It only makes sense to pick up and put away scissors, rotary cutters and rulers at the same time. That pillow is cute! Glad she liked it!!!!!! Doesn’t particularly look easy though.

  8. Cindy says:

    The first thing I’ll have to do is clear off some flat surfaces followed closely by taking inventory of my fabric. Then maybe I can get some projects finished. Thank you for the giveaway!

  9. Rose Marie says:

    I have one thing on my list this year that just keeps nagging me. I want to organize my scrap storage system. The problem is that I have to finish up some small messy projects that are in the space that I want to use for the scrap storage bin. In the meantime other projects just keep rearing up without any way to avoid. Babies come whether you scheduled that a year ago or not. I know it sounds like excuses, excuses, but I just don’t have enough time at home anymore.

  10. Sandy Evenson-Hagen says:

    #1 Clear off horizontal surfaces! Love the pillow, I can see it in fall-ish fabrics as well!
    Glad the pillow was a hit!
    Sandy E-H in Northern MN

  11. Kathy says:

    I have done 2-4,and also 13-17. I have given away so much stuff. But I still have more to do. As long as we sew there will always be something out of order. As long as you have organized cayous you will be doing well.

  12. Cathy says:

    Your pillow came out great! I like the last one to go shopping, I want to get some kind of fabric organizer to keep my fabric flat & neat so I don’t have to iron it every time I need a piece. Yes, my fabric needs organizing just like the sewing room.

  13. Melody A. says:

    love the pillow you made and the quilt on the front of the book is really sweet! Sherri’s 20 days challenge, I would clear off all the horizontal surfaces, I don’t know why they seem to always get stuff piled on them and then I can’t do anything because of it!

  14. Swooze says:

    I haven’t read the list yet but I’m heading there soon as I leave this comment. You’ll have to go read my last three posts about the Chronicles of Sandra.

  15. Judy says:

    That is a good list! I do find that writing down my goals helps to keep me focused. Also, keeping flat surfaces free makes creating less stressful.

  16. Barb Bevell says:

    Hmm, I’ll probably do the following:
    1. Tackle scrap storage
    2. Figure out quilt storage in the studio.

    Good list.

    Cute pillow, too!
    Barb

  17. Darlene says:

    I really like that pillow I like the idea of a before photo, I haven’t felt like my sewing space was looking any different…a friend came over and said wow I think it looks way better than last time. I also have a pile of patterns to still organize mostly knitting but they still need to be organized. I have a list of projects but i should really look at it again. I like someone’s comment about having numbered baskets and picking a number, makes it fun. All people quilt has. Yearly UFO challenge drawing a random number each month based on your numbered list.
    Enjoy your travel time!

  18. Sandy Null says:

    I like the list… my biggest challenge is clearing the flat surfaces, not only in the sewing room 🙂

  19. Meloney says:

    I’m thinking I’ll just follow her order. If I’ve already done something on it, then it is an easy day for me.
    https://melsquiltingblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/organization-challenge.html

  20. I love this pillow in 30s prints! I saw Renee’s version one time and have always wanted to make one. I feel like tackling my scraps, I’ve never had a real system for storing. Thanks for the giveaway!

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