Almost all the shapes for the ’30s Drunkard’s Path blocks are cut now. Doesn’t this look inviting? I love having everything for a quilt so well organized. Now, when I want to stitch some of these little shapes, I just need to pick up the book box and everything I need is there. Well, not the thread – but in this case I’m using one colour, an heirloom cream thread, and it’s in the end table drawer just waiting. I have to stitch a few more of the blocks to make room in the book box for the remaining shapes.
All the shapes for the red and white Texas Star quilt are cut and waiting in this box. In fact, everything’s in the box. The thread is there. The top, in the stage it is now, is in there. And all the pieces necessary to complete it.
The Winding Ways blocks I’d starting making with the hand-dyed fabrics reappeared. Everything that’s necessary for the rest of them is printed and in a box as well.
A fair bit of time was spent on the weekend trying to organize my stitching. After I excavated – cleaned off – partially cleaned off the table where my sewing machine is, which had become the catchall area, I found a lot of orphan blocks and projects in one stage or another including a few forgotten projects. Then I went through the process of sorting everything into its appropriate box and am now much more organized than I have been for the past few months.
As part of that sorting process, I also made use of a large cardboard box into which went a number of projects and orphan blocks. Some of the projects have enough blocks done to turn into small quilts. Some of the orphan blocks may get turned into stitching books. But I am going to try to make a habit of fishing out one set of blocks once a month and doing something with them.
I’m always surprised at how disorganized my stitching area can get. When I was working at an office, I never shut my office door at night until my desk was clear. It seems the creative process has brought out a whole different side of me.
I know what happens – a new idea comes into my mind and I have to start it immediately. Part of that means finding fabrics I want to play with, but instead of putting them back I seem to toss them on to the sewing table and forget about them until I either am looking for them again or the stitching table hits critical mass and I have to go through the organizing process again.
Every time I do this I swear I’m going to stay better organized. And every time the same thing happens again. And it will happen again and again. Just seems to be part of the creative process for me. But oh, how I wish I could keep that area better organized and actually be able to use the sewing machine when I want to instead of having to go through the excavation process!
Baxter likes to keep his eye on what’s drying on the clotheshorse when I wash fabric by hand.
Quilt Obsession 
Ooh, I like the look of the texas star quilt. Probably because I’m such a sucker for deep red (as opposed to fire engine red, which doesn’t really float my boat).
I think I’m going to pinch your quilt in boxes post idea and do one too. As my quilts in progress are in boxes too 🙂
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Your excavating tales are quite amusing. Seems a lot of us have this issue. Right now my area is clean and organized. It won’t stay like that for long.
Baxter is such a handsome kitty.
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I always find it funny that so many of us hand piecers also use our sewing table for catch all’s – I love the little box for the drunkard path blocks – I have made 3 or 4 of those quilts none for some time now – I might just have to make one of those again sometime!
Karen
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Being organised will make it easier to get more piecing done! Baxter is taking his position as Fabric Minder very seriously.
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Perhaps you just need Baxter to help you out with the organization process! Your boxes are so neat and tidy that I doubt the table is in such need of organization. I am surprised that Baxter doesn’t take down the fabric that is drying to add to his stash!
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YOU are organized and you always give us such good ideas to get that way too. I would be embarrassed to show you my quilting room right now!
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Oh my, I have “Quilter’s Envy” in a good way! You establish practices that let the rest of us aim for…dream about…wish for! :-)))))) Oh how I wish someone
offered Inlingo printing services…now that would be a dream come true for us
truly unorganized, without time working folks! Happy Stitcing….may your thread never tangle and may your kitty always be purring close by! Hugs!
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I’d advise a big box – just dump everything in there that you’d usually ‘file’ on the table! If it’s big enough you’ll only have to excavate once or twice a year!! I can’t wait to see more of the little DPs!
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Well I’ll be! I see what you’re up to. I see. I see. I have thoughts, too. I do. You are taking my breath away. I need to breathe, too. Are you missing me yet? No. Okay well I’ll stay gone a little bit longer but I did have to check in and see what you’re doing. A red and white Texas Star. Dangit. Are we going to swap for Christmas this year? hee. No, we can’t. The stress will kill us. Still, I hope you’re enjoying time without me. See, this way you can miss me when I’m back. I’ve been talking about you, sharing you with the family. See, I do love you. I miss you, friend. All is well. Starting to tucker out but I did ride. You’d be proud.
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Love it all Cathi and cute Baxter…
Love the new look too 😀
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It’s wonderful that you now have all of your 30’s blocks cut out! I think we all want to be more organized, but I think you are doing very well. Boxes do help me so much. At least I know that the batiks are all together, 30s, civil war,etc. The next step would be to organize those categories, but at this point, I’m happy to have it how I do and begin to SEW!
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