Studio Organizing, Week 31

Posted on July 30, 2015 by prairiemoonquilts in Organizing, Studio Organizing Challenge

Did you get your scraps under control last week?

I think mine are winning the battle around here — I did sort and cut a few, but I have a long way to go! I cut a lot of strips for my locker-hooked rug this week — now I can just work away without having to stop to find more strips to add on.

I thought I’d show you how I store my little scraps after I cut and sort them.

I keep all of the bins and baskets in this end of the bookcase that makes up one end of my cutting table:

endshelves

The bottom shelf is the two bins of 1 1/2″ strips and 2 1/2″ strips, plus the bucket of strings for string quilts (that I also use to cut rug strips from sometimes).

The middle shelf is the little baskets for applique pieces, sorted by color. I made these little hang tags for the baskets, in one of my more domestic moments when I apparently had way more time on my hands for that sort of thing!

redbin

The top shelf is the rest of the precuts. Bins are labelled by size. I have cuter labels for these, but haven’t had time to put them on yet. Someday.

precutbins

The bucket on the end of the top shelf is for little pieces that are waiting to be cut and sorted.

I do have one other bucket of irregular shapes that I use for various things: applique, 15 Minutes of Play made fabric, etc. It lives in the bookcase on the other end of the cutting table.

scrapbucket

It’s really handy to have all these within easy reach, both to put things away in, and to use out of when I’m making random blocks or scrap quilts.

So there’s that . . . like I said, I still have oodles more scraps to trim and sort into these bins, but it’ll take some time.

Since I’m terribly busy with some major deadlines over the next couple weeks, I’m choosing an easy task for this week, but one that I really need to take care of:

Eradicate a pile

We did this once before back in April, but I really need to do it again. It seems like every time I clean up one area, it makes a mess in another area. I’m not sure what that says about me, other than I have way too much stuff!

So . . . here’s the pile I’ll be dealing with this week:

messpile

It’s on the top of my little rolling tower of drawers. I don’t want the top of that thing to be piled like that. It’s become a sad catch-all. Time to end it!

How about you?

Do you have a pile to deal with this week?

When you clean up one area, do you end up with a new pile somewhere else? (or is that just me?)

Pick one to deal with, and let me know how it goes . . .

10 responses to “Studio Organizing, Week 31”

  1. Rose Marie says:

    I never take your hints……….surprise! But I did discover something that needed to be addressed in my new “studio”. I have a large double wardrobe closet with bi-fold doors to house my stash in. My daughters stacked the bins in first and then we added other stuff. Problem? If I need a bin, I have to unload a lot of stuff. I re-sorted so that the bins are on the bottom but not doubled and then added lighter things like batting on top. It is much easier this way to just move batting to get to a bin. My back and hips and legs will love me much better for this!!

  2. Sue Hook says:

    I cut a basket of 2 1/2 in squares for a scrap quilt I want to make and cleaned out a jar of craft stuff – snaps, brads, rings, magnetic closures – you get the idea. I know this wasn’t exactly our project but it sure does look a lot better.

    Yes I also have piles of stuff. Some days I think I just move things from one stack to another. Sad part is sometimes one pile turns into two piles when I clean – I don’t understand how that happens.

  3. Sandy Weber says:

    Shelly, every flat service in my studio has a pile. I am doing the Farm Girl Vintage BOM with my Tula Pink scraps, Lori Holt fat quarters plus misc. what was once folded neatly in a tote is now dumped out on the table so I can see what I have. Similar with my Christmas fat quarters. My only motivation ever for cleaning and organizing is company, who are coming in next week!

  4. swooze says:

    I did not cut up any scraps but I did continue to accumulate them together as I came across them while I was eradicating a pile! Hey I am ahead of the game right? No, I know. Try again. I keep intending to identify my next area to tidy and just do not see the piles that I know are there anymore. Hopefully this challenge will get me to l@@k and see the pile.

    Loving this challenge!

  5. LOL – I did eradicate of pile of paper that somehow made its way to the cutting table. I’m glad to report it’s gone now. Keep up the good work.

  6. Judy Smith says:

    I had a pile of 2-1/2″ strips that needed sorted into color. Done! That’s not all, but it cleared a sizeable spot on my work table.

  7. Meloney says:

    I cut very few of my hst. 🙁 But, it was the first of the band camp and I was hardly home. When I was, I was doing something for band.
    I have a mess to deal with, and one is the window seat (again) where we have containers and boxes from DD’s clean out of her room.
    http://melsquiltingblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/prairie-moon-challenge_31.html

  8. Cindy Dahlgren says:

    I have spent the last two weeks ironing and cutting my scraps up. I cut the largest strip I can from a scrap, but my default or favorite cuts are 2 and a half inch strips, 5 inch strips. With the in between larger strips, I figure I can always cut them down to 2 and a half inch strips if I need more. It’s been a job, but I’m finally done! dahlgren0609 at gmail dot com

  9. Mary says:

    Do I have stacks? Oh, my. I have stacks on stacks. I get rolling along on a stack but then have to stop. By the time I get back to it, I’ve piled other things on top or when I’m going through a stack there’s no place to put something so I’ll put it some place temporarily and that turns into a long term lease. Thanks so much for your sharing. I’d love to see the rug you’re making.

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