February Studio Organizing Task
Posted on February 17, 2024 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing ChallengeI completely missed posting any January tasks. I’m pretty sure my brain was frozen. We’re back into another frigid cold spell for the weekend, and I’m typing this with blue fingers, but I did at least realize that the 15th was a couple days ago, and I should really post an organizing challenge.
Since I missed last month altogether, I’m giving you two choices this time. You can pick the one you think you need the most, or do both of them — it’s up to you!
Here’s the first one:
Tackle the books and magazines
We’re into a new year, maybe it’s time to sort through the books and magazines again? My goal is for all my books and magazines to fit into my one bookcase, and right now, I have one small pile left that will not fit. So it’s time to weed through what’s left, get my bookcase re-organized, and see if I can make it all fit. I’ve already started going through some magazines, making a pile for the guild give-away table, and putting aside some to send to a friend.
Here’s our second option:
Work on the scrap pile(s)
I have several. I still have one large box of scraps to sort through and get processed, and I’m slowly working my way through it. But I have other scraps in various places that also need to be dealt with, if I’m being completely honest about ALL the scrappage around here.
My string bucket is one of those. It’s been overflowing for some time now, but I just keep trying to cram strings in there as I’m processing other scraps. I decided a while back that I need to sort these into two buckets — one for brights/moderns, and one for darks/traditionals.
So yesterday, since anything needing fine motor skills was out of the question with blue fingers, I decided it was a good time.
I sorted them. I threw some away. I bagged some up for a friend. And now I have TWO overflowing buckets of strings! I let the air get to them and now they’ve expanded. I seriously don’t know how I had them all crammed into one bucket before!
I have two string quilts in the works. I think I will see about getting those finished up, then sort the leftover strings one more time and get rid of all or most of the rest of them. Or else see what I have left and sew them all up really quickly so that they’re not just laying around in buckets. And in the future, simply don’t collect so many. I’m sure I can probably find a friend who wants them.
So how about you? Do you have something you can work on in either of these areas? If it’s cold where you are, it’s a good time to get it done. You can cozy up in your chair with a warm drink and look through books and magazines, or have a session playing in your scraps (it DOES take your mind off the cold for a bit!).
Both good ideas to tackle. I’ve started wrapping books
in paper bags I would hope to grab in case of fire – 10 so far may have to edit as to pack and leave in a hurry means going upstairs. But you know in reality animals and safe items and family , a prayer for the rest we I’ll have to do- not necessarily in that order!
Gee google edit … will have !
Most of my books went to the local library when we moved, others are in storage, a few I brought with me and are resting in the TV stand. I am working on a few projects that are using scraps and I want to corral them up into the same container. They are already in bags with the pattern and constant fabric I want to use with the scraps, so its just finding where they are. I would love to cover a 5 gal bucket for them. lol
My whole sewing life is trying to tame my scrap pile. lol I’m trying to use everything here without shopping for fabrics even pieced backs. See how long I can do it.
I received my prize from you and want to thank you. Will be using all of it! Thanks again.
Have been steadily going through books and patterns and passing on ones I don’t think I will use now. Have allocated one shelf for books, if it gets full will go through again!
scraps are a problem. I did pass some on to a friend but still have way too many. And right now making more scraps. Wedding quilt underway! I think the scraps will have to wait! We are having a cold windy few days in central Texas. The masonry guys took the weekend off. Can’t blame them. laying brick in this weather woukd not be fun at all. Hoping we have all the repairs and roofing finished by the end of the month.
Can you share pictures of your string quilts. Always looking for an easy project that doesn’t require accurate 1/4″ seams.
I make string blocks log cabin style and square them up to 6.5″ and set them checkerboard style with 6.5″ neutral squares. I make them either 48 x 66 or 54 x 72. They make really beautiful scrappy quilts and just the thing to make when you just want to push some fabric through the machine without thinking. My strings are crooked cut offs from squaring up fabric and are less than 2″ for the most part. Once I pick up a strip of fabric, I keep using it until there’s just a very short piece left and that will become the start of another block. I’ve seen them called crumb chaos, mile a minute and wonky log cabin blocks.
I’m cutting into useful pieces as I sew. The scrap bucket is now in folded larger items, put with larger items, smaller items divided into cut lengths and some odd bits are cut into squares. I have a few triangles, but not as many. I’m pouncing on the 1.5″ squares at the moment and have been making 9 patches with them.
Just finished quilting a top for my mum – just needs binding.
Also finding homes for the messy bits I made while reorganising! It has been very wet and windy so voluntary house arrest apart from sorting out the birds and the veg sowing LOL!
I feel pretty much on top of these two tasks. But I’m sure I can find some books I no longer need…to the shelves!!
Two good ones. I have sorted the books in ages (that should tell me something), and I’m currently working with scraps – making new ones on mean – lol.
Lord God, bring warmer weather to Shelly and neighbors. Amen.
that should be “haven’t ” in second sentence.
LOL – where is my brain? meant making new ones I mean.
I’m slowly going through books and fabric to clear my clutter up. I bring items to my quilt guild for the free table or donate the fabric for charity quilts. It’s good to purge!
It’s just uncanny sometimes how it seems you read my mind. Down in the sewing room today I got into my big basket of strings…I have a string quilt that I started um ? 20 years ago? I rebooted it today. Left the mess of strings on my sewing table and come upstairs and read your post about your exploding strings. We are on the same wavelength…or it’s something like Big Magic ( which I just finished yesterday😊). My goal is to make the blocks I need with these strings to finish the quilt and then reassess the strings (most likely to pass them along at quilt retreat in April).
After reorganizing my main scrap storage I’ve been cutting and using scraps for new projects letting all the other WIPs just sit. 😱 But I must admit it’s fun.
I’m sending along some hot flashes to keep you warm😂
Thank you for the organization encouragement. Books are a big problem for me – I just love to look at all the ideas!
I still haven’t been able to clean up from all the projects I need to spend time in my sewing room!
Thanks – both i need to look at with more reality in what i want to spend my time on and have less of without the wasting. I was able to gift 5 books at my last guild meeting. But i know theres plenty more i want to purge.
A friend and I are doing a basket block exchange. It’s forced me to dig into and find different fabrics that haven’t seen the light of day for a long time–and organize and add scraps to the scrap quilting pile! I agree fabric explands quite a bit when “played with” and that’s okay!!!
Also a good reminder to go through books and donate some to the fundraiser at our quilt club this month.
I went through my books last year, but a local store had a huge sale on books and I bought more. So I do need to purge again.
I’m currently making 9 patches as leaders and enders with my 1.5” scraps. I usually get 3 made some days.
This week is supposed to be cold here in TN too. Stay as warm as you can📍
Thanks for these tasks. I have been working with the scraps a lot lately. I have several scrap projects going as leader enders. And I have started cutting leftovers in usable sizes when a project is complete.
I do need to purge some books and magazines.
Still don’t see me listed on the 350 Blocks page.
My books are ok so scraps it is! Strings overflow but are in bags by color. Now tame the rest.
I like that idea of separating the strings by color. All my other scraps are that way but I didn’t want to add more containers. Baggies are brilliant!
Hmmm…wrote a post yesterday afternoon and it just disappeared. 🤪
Again we are on the same wavelength…it’s so uncanny! Came up from the sewing room yesterday after discovering my messy basket of strings. Decided to reboot the string UFO from ages ago and get it done, then re-evaluate the strings and how I store them and if I need to do future string projects. I have a few in mind that I’ve always wanted to do…for instance Bonnie Hunter’s “Out on a String”….will I? First things first is to finish the one that’s halfway done. It’s my goal to get the blocks done by the end of February, so I’ll call that my task of dealing with strings for now. Scraps have been organized resulting in more new scrap projects😱. But they are fun while I procrastinate finishing some other big projects! Books and magazines are manageable for now.
Sending you some hot flashes! That’ll warm you up! I thought they would stop when I hit my 70’s! Why???
My husband moved my quilting bookcase from my old house to our house so I need to sort soon. I concluded that I must have pack rat in my genes after getting my old house cleaned out. As for my strings, they live in multiple clear bags that I use out of when I am sewing on my string blocks. I haven’t done any sewing in February yet but need to get back in the groove.
Somehow I missed this post earlier. February was a busy month in cleaning sewing room. Not finished yet. Moved the bookcase to a different wall, so had to clean it out. Cleaned out books, organized magazines and loose patterns in notebooks. Still have room in the top half of bookcase. Improving. Started ironing and folding big pieces of material that was in the way and hoping to get to my scraps soon. I have weeded some out. Also got rid of old desk to make room for a matching counter height table for ironing and cutting. Having to reduce a lot of clutter from room. Can’t wait to finish and get back to quilting.