a cleaning finish

My April goal was to clean the sewing room floor which took until middle May to finish. A by product of that cleaning, was to clean the cutting table, too. This is a Friday finish with great benefit. 

It went from this....

embarrassing

to this...

tada

By cleaning this, my scrap management just improved. And, I am working diligently on my ironing room in May ( and probably June) When I run into a stack of mess, I have this lovely table to sort and cut. yipee. I have been very careful to clean it every night, to keep it that way.

I  have all the sashings  finished for Saturday soire

which way?

I am linking to:

TGIFF different   

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

whoop whoop

floor finish

I can't believe it, but my sewing room floor is clean and as tidy as it is going to get.  It went from this

embarrassing

to this. 

I spent 6 weeks sorting through procrastinated messes and organizing better. I tried to remove as much as possible by donating or gifting. There is still too much packed into the room. I also tried to locate often used items closer to me.

These were all over the room wherever I could lean them

scrap bins

I can walk straight to my machine

 still more to go

cutting table

I decided my may project was to do the same thing to my fabric and ironing board room for May. oh, and my cutting table.

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different   

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creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

whoop whoop

oh scrap sunday

wednesday wait loss

floor mess

My strip bins overfloweth. The big problem is the floor around them is collecting strips as well. I don't like the mess of sorting into colors, so, I wait until the situation is urgent. I am trying to clean the floor in my sewing room. It has to be done.

1 1/2 inch strip bin

This is the 1 1/2 inch strip drawer unleashed. Hard to believe all this was in one drawer. 

The big pile of neutrals was a mess on the floor which prompted my attention. I sat on the floor making piles of color.

What to do with them?

 Their permanent home will not hold any more. I have tried to keep them in a smaller bin - it didn't fit

nope

I found this plastic container, and, I could get most of them here.

But, there were still a lot of neutrals with no home. I had an extra waste basket that I repurposed for them. It will be easier to dig through them, this way, than, an organized stack. I think it will work.  

Time to make 4 patches. 

or 9 patches ...or both

I  am linking to:

midweek makers 

 

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

Oh scrap

floor disaster

This was my view from the door into my sewing room. I had to step over things to get to my sewing table. It was embarrassing and dangerous. I was focused on getting parts done, so, I would just set aside the maintenance, until, my projects were done. which is never.  I just couldn't take it anymore. Enough is enough. I decided, for April, I was going to take back my sewing room floor.

My first decision was to tackle the table next to my accuquilt. I cut and throw  the scraps into a pile for later. This is part of the floor cleaning, because, it spills onto the floor. My accuquilt is to the right, and, I almost couldn't run it to the left without knocking stuff over to the floor.

I have 3 drawers in my room for 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch, and 2 1/2 inch strips. These are the temporary homes for cut pieces, until, I can sort them into colors families in their real home. I wait until they are practically impossible to close them.  The worst offender at this point is the bottom bin of 1 1/2 inch strips that have actually spilled over into a pile on the floor..... a big pile.

I made progress in April, and, hopefully, will finish in May. I must be careful - It is easy to get distracted by all the cool things I am finding.

I am linking:

design wall monday 

oh scrap

sew and tell

daysfilledwithjoy

monday musings

to do tuesday

wednesday wait loss

cutting for ohio star block

Once, I started cutting shirts for scrappy pinwheels, there was a cascade of shirt related cutting. Ohio stars was an easy decision. I have the accuquilt go die. I need a 5 1/2 inch strip of shirt to cut one block. So, While I was going through the box of shirts, I cut what I could get from a shirt in that size. Once I had been through the box once, I started cutting with the die. It wasn't until then, I checked my list of ufos, and, found I had a project box already cut. hmmm And then, I found another box of 5 1/2 inch strips labeled "to be ohio stars" hmmmm. 

No problem. Ohio stars are a classic and easy block that can be a study in fabric combinations. LOL And I love the look and feel of upcycled shirts in a quilt.

I cut at least 2 sets of 35 blocks. The block finishes at 12 inches. I can not make all the quilts I want to make. If any one would like to buy a "mystery" set of 35 ohio blocks in shirt fabric, let me know. Everything is there except the 4 outside corners. I think it is about 3 yards of fabric. I cut in sets of 8. I am thinking 40.00 plus shipping.

I  am linking to:

midweek makers 

 

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

Oh scrap

quilty gifts

I had some great Christmas gifts from my hubby. Probably a big favorite is my new mister for spray starch. He also bought a gallon of best press. I really like how it works. At our last sew in, the hostess made home made spray starch with vodka. It worked great too, but, I wouldn't know my way around a liquor store. I plan on starching everything. haha

best press and mister

I asked for these go dies. I own the studio and usually stick to studio dies, but these were a good deal. And I want to try both of these blocks and patterns. We will see if I am sorry I didn't hold out for the studio dies.

pineapple die

snail's trail die

I hope you received some quilty presents, too. It makes the new year a little more fun.

I am linking to:

midweek makers  

boms away 
Oh scrap

cutting scraps

I made it a goal to clean this table in my sewing room next to my accuquilt. I tend to cut and throw the pieces here. It was supposed to be a place for a scrap basket, but the basket was covered and consumed by my untidiness. The basket was full, and it was time to empty it. I enjoy the quilted twins blog, and, she weighs her scraps before and after cutting. It sounded interesting, so I weighed before, and it was 5 lbs 2 oz. That means there is about 15 yards in the basket. That is enough for a good size quilt. No wonder, scraps never go away.

It took 2 evenings to get through the basket. The flats in the lower left were 3 oz and they were put back into my scrap drawers as is.
The top left was 5 inch squares weighing 12 oz. - almost 3/4 of a yard. The pile at the right, I want to cut into triangles on the accuquilt. I cut 3 1/2, 2 1/2, 2, and 1 1/2 squares if I couldn't get strips.

There were hardly any 3 1/2 inch strips ( on the left). Probably because I wanted to cut 5 inch squares this time. The 2 1/2 inch strips weighed 9 ounces. And the 2 inch strips were 5 ounces. The blue 2 inch strips went into a project box for a quilt someday. And any green and pink 2 inch strips were sent to a project bin. I didn't weigh the 1 1/2 inch strips.

Bonnie Hunter often says that scraps are the same 12.00 a yard as any other quilting fabric. The 15 yards would be 180.00 dollars in a quilt store. I think that is interesting. I wondered about the time factor. It took 2 evenings watching TV. It would take the time of one evening to go to a quilt store since there are none close to where I live. And, maybe 1/2 of an evening to browse online to find something to order. Did I waste my time? I don't think so. There is something therapeutic about cutting fabric for me. I was watching TV anyway. And, I feel less wasteful. I have to admit, I am more likely to start something new after playing with the scraps. I did start 2 new project boxes. But, then, I will never be bored.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

more cleaning

To the left of my accuquilt, is a little dresser. And, when I cut for a project, I want to cut for the project, and not fold and put away. I have a bad habit of adding the leftover fabric and pieces that need to be dealt with on the table, until it becomes a mountain.

Big pieces make a big difference in cleaning the spot. I found shirt pieces and frolic mystery fabrics and a scrap basket for odds and ends. I found orphan blocks. The white scraps are from cutting triangles for unity mystery quilt. I end up making a spiderweb of scraps. There are many that are too small, and I throw away, but, If I can find any big enough, they get cut into sizes or are thrown into the crumb bin.

I was able to get these from the webbie pieces

And all better ... for a minute.

I finished the last snowman last night for my rug hooking. I am making a rug using wool strips cut 1/4 inch. Here is a picture of the whole rug. I'm pretty excited to have gotten this far. I have neglected it for some time. Now, it's time to start the background, which will require a lot of cutting, but no real brain work or decisions.

I am linking to:

creative compulsions

needle and thread Thursdays

Oh scrap

row x row in green

My favorite kind of green. The poppies came with the house 30 years ago, and they bring joy every year. We used to call the purple flower sweet william, but, we found out we were wrong, but, now, I can't remember the real name. They pop up wherever they want and smell so good.

The row x row quilt doesn't call for dark green, but, there are two rows of lime green. I did the first row in January. I decided to do the second row this month to move it along.

I like to sew it with the square piece on top. I pin the center and the end, but, I don't pin the beginning, since, I get it right under the needle.

The pattern calls for green circles and white background, but when I cut them in January, I cut the white and the green on all of the die cut pieces. so it gave me the opposite for this row.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:
 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap

UFO busting

triangles

I have been digging through scraps to find triangles for wonky stars and shoofly. I found this bag of triangles, and, decided to sort through it, and, decide if they were worth keeping. Silly thought, I think every piece of fabric is worth keeping, that is why my sewing room is always a mess. These triangles were left overs from quilt wild and goosey.

I discovered that most of the triangles are at least 4 1/2 inches with some 3 1/3 inch, and a few 2 1/2 inch. I don't recognize the fabric from anything I have done, so, it must have been a scrap giveaway.
I ran the triangles through the accuquilt and had this when I was done. Now, I need to find a place to store them or a pattern to use them. fun dilema.

I am trying to make a to do list on Tuesdays with home sewn by us

list from last week:
1. finish binding for sister's nine patch - done
2. frolic #8 - done
3. cut basket quilt - flower box
4. start orange scrap rainbow projects - done

New list for next week:
1. borders for woven checkerboard
2. frolic blocks
3. row x row orange
4. find a back for sand castles

I am linking to:
to do tuesday

chameleon color linky
oh scrap

white basket scraps

I sorted through a scrap basket, and it is empty. I can't believe it. It has been a bottomless pit for several months.

I had a small stack of scraps that looked like the right size for some 2 1/2 in HSTS. I had a great time cutting them into a useable size. I don't have any plans for them, but they are in drawers with their friends.

There were many shirt yokes that needed cut into useable sizes too. I don't have the hand strength to cut the yokes, so, I save them for the accuquilt.

I am linking to:

creative compulsions

needle and thread Thursdays

Oh scrap

scrap bag 2

Last week, I worked on cutting a bag of scraps that I had found, I planned to make a crown of thorns - wedding ring quilt. I chose this pattern because it took a large quantity of matching pieces. When I work with scraps, most of the pieces are too small for matching. I have them all cut in groups of 4 squares and 12 hsts. I haven't cut the neutrals, yet.

The best part, was discovering there was enough of the piece to cut the smaller 2 inch hsts too. I didn't plan to use them in this quilt. But, maybe, it would be part of the border. In any case, I have bonus triangles.

I am linking to:

creative compulsions

needle and thread Thursdays

accuquilt

An exciting day - my accuquilt order has arrived. Accuquilt had a 60 % off sale for the black Friday shopping days. I have all the main dies I want, and, I use them all the time. And it did seem that they marked everything up 20% to start. But, I spent a little while shopping, putting dies in my cart, and, then, taking them out of the cart. To be honest, I think I confused myself , LOL. I waited a day to think about it, and then ordered these goodies.

It was a big, heavy box. The top die will cut 1 1/2 inch squares from a 6 inch scrap. I don't normally cut squares this small. I prefer to leave them as strips. But it might be fun. The second die is 2 inch finish at 1/1/2 inch quarter square triangle. I have up to 4 inch quarter square triangle dies, but not this little one. Isn't it cute?

I always order back up plastics when I have an order being shipped, especially free. I use my plastics to death, but I had some almost broken, so it was time.

This was an interesting die called fractured. I see a lot of empty space on the die. It is 36 inches long.

They have a pattern using it, and, it looked like a good scrap buster and quick donation quilt die.

I ordered the 1 3/4 inch strip die. I think it will come in handy on those projects that I want to cut bigger and trim. I had a couple projects last year, and now that I have the die, I will probably never do that again LOL.

And there was a free ruler that didn't make it through the shipping process - a little corner was broken.

I ordered late and most of the dies I ordered were backordered, but, I have been patiently waiting for this to arrive. I wanted to order the pineapple die, but it was bigger ( and more expensive ) than I wanted, and I do have the templates so I didn't order that one. Merry Christmas to me!

I am linking to:
to do tuesday

chameleon color linky
oh scrap