I'm a Stacker, Are You?

 Sewists love to ask each other how they organize their patterns, fabrics and all the other fun goodies associated with our craft. My method is a bit different but it has great flexibility.  This is how I organize my projects. 

Many sewists approach their projects binge style, often taking a day to just cut out a lot of patterns. Then they are faced with the obvious fact that these will not all get worked on in the near future, just maybe one or two. So, now what is the method to keep all these cut pieces, their patterns, their notions all together?

Well, I actually used that method back in the 80s. Cutting binges really made me feel like I was doing a lot of sewing. But I really wasn't. With work I had little time for my favorite hobby.  All those cut pattern pieces and fabrics would go into individual large zip loc bags along with any needed notions like thread and buttons, etc. The actual pattern envelope would sit inside, with the cover facing out so that I knew in an instant  what project was in there.  Each bag was a dream almost realized. They were then put in a milk crate to be worked on as soon as I was able. This made me feel like I was on my way and getting it done.  I tried to work on the most needed garment first. But then a work event, or an unexpected social affair would popup and I would pull out one of the zip locs and start a new project off and shove everything back in the zip loc on the project I  had already started and needed. Time was sparce.  The frustration would build. Newer fabrics and patterns would beckon and I would succumb.

This method really didn't work for me and may not for you but it may be your best option. I get that but hear me out. 

Demands would come and go,. Those zip locs would travel down to the bottom of the milk crate, even get forgotten. I needed that other project NOW.  I had to go buy another milk crate. Maybe if I separate the bags by season in the milk crates. One for winter, one for summer. Yes, I was feeling brilliant and back to sewing. 

Another frustrating drawback with this method was fabric, just awesome, gorgeous fabric. Those were the days of several Mom and Pop fabric stores in my area and they had access to the garment district's best and the prices were so enticing... and I had this party... and I really really would have the perfect outfit if I bought that plaid I saw... and It wouldn't take that long to sew and I could get it done this weekend and,,,and,,, and,,, another shiney new object would get cut and maybe even made for that event but now another got shoved in the milk crate. Was it winter or summer? 

One day I wanted to work on one of my old projects, purely out of guilt. I didn't even like it any more. I just knew it would let me be free to move on if I got it sewn and worn. I couldn't even find it. Buying, cutting, ziplocs, no time, oh, my......This had to stop and it did. 

On my next day off I went through my bags and literally threw most of them out. They had marinated so long that most I didn't even want any more. Oh, the shame and guilt but those bags staring at me were even worse. They were all chucked except the one I was working on. Oh, I would have gladly given them away but could find no one, my size, who could even sew, never mind want my dated choices of often difficult Vogue designer patterns. I swore then and there I would never let this happen again. 

I haven't. 

My pledge, which I have stuck with for years now, is to only work on one garment project at a time, from cut to last press and then wear. My sewing is far more enjoyable for it and definitely more productive and less guilt ridden. 

In the first picture above you can see my system. I will admit, I have the space to work this system. This home had a great sheetrocked heated basement set up for work by the electrician who owned it. He built an 8 foot work table, bolted to the floor and wall with shelving underneath. (Why?)  Love it.  This became my cutting table. I also had a great light over it. I had one of the 5 or 6 foot Joann cutting tables that fold down. I placed that at the end of the 8 ft work table, in an L shape, and that is where I work my "system" of no ziplocs.  When I have a specific project planned the fabric is prewashed and pressed, grain straightened and folded nicely.

This project has 4 fabrics in it. I plan to do a boro jacket with all the fabrics. Under the pattern are several threads as well as sashiko needles and  a paintbrush for some inks I will be using. I can stare at my stack as I work on other projects, swap the actual pattern or fabrics. I have changed the pattern  on this 3 times already. Staring at it in my mindful moments lets me do that. This palette is working even when I am not and I love that I have access to it and can change it on a whim. I can disassemble the project and move all the parts back to their regular homes if I tire and feel i won't really get to it that it was just a fabulous pipe dream. It was fun having it live in my imagination for a while. Maybe something more interesting has come along. Nothing cut, no time or money wasted. Love this. It works for me. It can be disassembled and reassembled months later and projects have and been sewn.

You can see other stacks on this fold up table as well. Will the next start be the quickie MimiG turtleneck or will I start the boro project? I watch my stacks every day and move and change and make decisions, but nothing is lost, spent or become a chore or a bore.  So very flexible!!! and my creative juices are always flowing with my stacks working silently next to me. 2 weeks ago there were 6 stacks on here. If I am bored or the sewjo is down, I go looking for more stacks to put together.

This method is also a reminder of what is cooking in my brain. It's not parked away in a tote somewhere or a milk crate. If I don't see something I don't create with it.  I like my goodies and my projects out in the open. That has always been my inspiration. If they need to be in closed, stacked totes, I have too much, and am a hoarder, just my personal opinion about how I buy and sew. 

At the bottom left of the folding table you can see a rather messy bunch of stuff, not quite a stack. Its my sheet pan and holds my current project. I learned this trick a long time ago but only recently started using this technique and I am hooked. I took a class from a great dressmaker and professor at UNH in the textile program some years back. She taught us to put all our cut pieces on a cookie sheet or tray as soon as they were cut. Whenever they need to be moved the slightest, you moved the whole tray, not the fabric pieces. She also never stay stitched. She claimed with  the tray method and care you did not need to and that the act of stay stitching only stretched out your fabric more. I know, controversial. Anyway, I like the tray habit.  My room is large so I walk over to my machines and my ironing station and can just lift up the tray and not have to handle the fabric unnecessarily. I recommend. I like the way everything is organized on the tray as well. 

This is my system that after many years and now being blessed with a lot of non-gorgeous but highly functional space I find works best for me. I did do the same in my last sewing room which was smaller but kept it down to one or two in there. I would make other stacks that I would put on a shelf on the Rubbermaid unit where my fabric was shelved in an adjoining basement area. I guess it's sort of like sewing the garment but not really. It works for me. What is your method? Are you a Zip-loc-er? A multi-project sewist? A binge cutter? How does it make  you feel? Does it matter?Fess up and share! Happy Sewing.............Bunny 

Can this space be prettified?

Ever read the recurring magazine article in I think Good Housekeeping called " Can this marriage be saved?" It was pretty fascinating stuff. It came to mind as I thought about my sewing space "being saved" . By this time you all know my new space is clean, big, heated, dry and all I could want minus a window. It is a bit rough around the edges but the bones are great, much of what we said when we looked at the home we bought recently and are currently in. What you see above is my best attempt one week post moving to get an organized situation to work in. In the home we did a Chip and Joanna style total redo and those bones are looking great now. Down in my cave, not so much. I don't expect to put any money into this for now, if ever, and those bones really make it work but, hey, it's got to get better than this. After making a couple of garments I was so frustrated  with not having what I needed at my fingertips and worse, not knowing where a lot was. I took a break from stitching and totally reorganized  what you see above and more.

I touched every single piece of fabric that I own and refolded them all, putting them in better categories that work for me, much like my last sewing space. I went through every single pattern I own and did the same. Last, and most important, I organized every notion into being right where I would remember it and in a logical fashion. No it didn't get prettier, but it is far more functional now and I am not walking in circles looking for a Frixion Pen.

What you see above is a built in eight foot Electrician/Former Owner Guy's work table and pegboard back drop. The pegboard and the table are all now painted white, clean  and very neatly organized underneath with paints, dyes, laces, etc. I still did not like the distraction of all those carts and containers under the table. As I went through my fabrics I found 6 yards of batik that I planned on making into curtains for the little apartment we lived in last winter. Never bothered, but, geez, it was enough to.............

I love my clean white  work table. Ergonomically it is at the right height for me. I know the Former Owner guy is taller than me and has major back problems. Maybe this table was too low for him. It is just right for me and I love it. The back side is open and all sorts of goodies underneath are awaiting my efforts. My husband loves this and I thank him for recycling Former Owner Guy's foofy drapery rods so we could use them on the table.  It took a jigsaw!

Maybe this winter, in a fit of cabin fever, we will get the sheet rock taped. Hubs would like to seal the floors first which is a really good idea. All I know is I am getting happier in our new home with each passing day.

One more new item in my creative space, one I love and use more than you would think:

My new little vice!  A real vise! Yesterday I used it to hold a hook of a hook and eye duo so I could bend back the "tongue." This enabled me to put the hook under my presser foot and machine stitch it. Then back in the vise and I bent it back into shape. One favorite bra back to wearability! These are great for smashing those heavy seams on jeans and acting as a third hand when needed. I know there will be lots of uses for this new tool and 19.00 at the Big Orange Box store!

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Sewing is happening. My table curtain was a one day wonder. I have finished my knit panel skirt and can't wait to show you. Not sure what will be next in the queue............maybe some heirloom sewing. Lata'..........Bunny

I have UN - KONDO'd!

At 66 years of age, I know who I have been in the past and I know who I will become and who I am now. With all the wisdom that six decades can impart, I have UN-KONDO'd!

In the spring, after reading Marie' Kondo's best seller, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I had religion. I couldn't wait for the promised serenity that would arrive from throwing out half of what I owned, the peace of knowing each day where to put everything, and the joy of seeing all my possessions in perfect, harmonious order. I started with our bedroom and my possessions, as Kondo advises. Jeans were rolled, not folded as she describes, in nice little stand up rows in my dresser drawers. Undies were folded and stacked perfectly in organizers that perfectly matched their folded sizes. Everything I could wear was touched, questioned about its joy provoking abilities, and tossed, donated or kept. Most of my goodies were donated.

Here I am six months later and I have had it. As our seasons change and as I get ready each day for work with a wardrobe choice, it was clear this was not working for me.Here is why and I will first tell why not and then what I thought did work.

Kondo has no idea what it is like to leave in FOUR highly contrasting seasons. We have the current Fall with its need for lighter, windbreaking and rain resistant jackets, shorter boots, and lighter weight scarves. Then there is winter, oh, winter! Does she know those fall boots don't work here in winter? Does she know I and my friends get the 50º below zero boots for winter and wear them every day? Does she know we need lovely weather boots for winter party dress and therefore various colors and styles?  All these boots need a spacious home and are not summertime wear. Does she know when visiting up here it is polite to bring a pair of slippers in your bag to change into so as not to drag snow, salt and slush into the homes of friends? We need slipper storage! We are also serious layer people up here. Every sweater or blouse worn in winter has some sort of underneath thing going on, like a tee or turtle. And if we are going to be outside  there are thermal undies under that. Let's see. We wear special socks, special gloves and mittens and layers even under our jeans and work pants. In her perfectly aligned closet there is none of this. Oh, she has you consolidate all seasons into one closet, Spectacular fail there! Not to forget Spring, there are muck boots for outside till the mud season subsides, and those lighter jackets but in Spring-y colors to help us escape the depression of one long cold winter. Summer? I am convinced Marie lives in eternal summer, the better to make her organization work!  Think sandals, sneakers, tanks, shorts, ad nauseum needing to be in with all those boots and slippers. They have to get in that closet with their friends too!

Space.  Does Kondo know how much space all this stuff takes? Uhh, big NO! Houses up here have basements and lots of closets for a reason. There is one closet for one season and another closet for another. She does not have a clue about the seasonal traditions of transitioning and moving said wardrobes from the far away closet  to the bedroom closet.  I moved all this stuff today and my soul knows that I am now ready for winter. Summer, 2016 is over and done.  I know my fifty below boots are found and still wearable. I know my pretty, strappy, metallic sandals will be their for summer evening socialization with friends in 2017. Marie may have joy in tidying, but she has never known the joy of marking the seasons as they pass with the movement of a wardrobe.

Her must have order of putting clothes in the closet.  This totally did not work for me and was the BIGGEST reason I had to un-Kondo. I set up my closet exactly as she describes, all those long things  on one end graduating to the shortest things I own on the other. WTF? Really, think about it. Is that even logical? For the past few weeks I have been so distraught about reaching into the deep dark end of the closet to find the deep, dark pants I own, pushing everything out of the way and hopefully coming up with the pants I want. THIS DID NOT WORK. My closet is, just my side, 8 feet wide. so decent enough. Doing it her way put the pants hangers behind the wall on one side or the folding doors on the other. It just sucked getting my clothes out in the morning.

What did I keep about Kondo-ing? There is some good about it and much was just a spot off of what I was already doing. I  love that she is so organized but one can be more organized with more stuff, too. Dear Readers of this blog for some time: you all know I am an organization freak and can't function creatively till all my tiles are lined up in perfect rows. It frees my mind to just be creative when they are. It works for me and I get that it doesn't work for others and that is OK. So I do appreciate some of her organizational ideas and they will stay. Here are a couple:

Clothing  stacked in rows and folded her way. I have been doing this for sometime with one difference. I roll. My dresser drawers have rolled up jeans in them so that when I open the drawer I can see them all and pick what I want. One drawer has colors. The other has denim blues. Why roll? It cuts down the wrinkling and eliminates the infamous "knee fold". I really like looking in my drawers at this display. It works. Her book also made me re-organize my closet so my undies and bras, socks, bags, hats and shoes are all right there in my face, stacked in little totes, folded neatly and ready to be chosen. I open the doors in the morning, reach up to the shelf where I can clearly see my underpinnings, grab each one I need, then my external garment choices, some jewelry and head to the shower. There is no looking elsewhere for anything for work and it makes my start of the day easy.  I have even, as a result of the initial Kondo-izing, a hanging organizer for all my jewelry, I just reach for my baubles. I can pull everything together facing my closet and not taking one single step left or right.

I am glad I read her book. It was definitely a motivater. But her methods,  for the most part,  didn't work for me and I am glad I didn't go the whole house route of Kondo-izing now.

Today was spent re-doing the closet and all my clothing. It now works FOR ME.  I loved how this marked the change of seasons and that I was now ready for whatever winter threw my way. That's what it really is about, what works for you and Marie's method may not be it. I look in my closet now and feel peace. My pants for work are directly in front of me as I open the doors. The tops are right next to them. Things I rarely wear but still need, like a gorgeous black suit for funeral occasions and some "party" outfits, are in the back recesses waiting for their necessary moment, not stored  in graduating size mode. Each category of clothing is organized by color. Be still my heart, that so makes me happy!  My wardrobe storage now works much better for me, functions wonderfully, IS organized and makes me feel good when I look at it. Now I can go downstairs and start sewing.

What are your experiences with Kondo-izing? Tell me I'm not alone..............Bunny

The Great Purge continues!

It's been said before. Purging at first is difficult, but once done feels like a weight has been lifted. I am feeling that and it has only begun. So far I have six bags of fabric and some patterns going to a Mennonite family. They wear regular very modest clothing and they sew A LOT. There is more to go through, lots. Books have and will be donated to the library, so many books like Macrame and Doll books, and such. I would not give up my precious sewing books. The two rooms  look like a tornado has gone through but I do have one area that is giving me peace. The pattern collection has been seriously culled and is down to this with room for new additons.  Bye Bye big shoulders and dropped armscyes! Those details were an immediate toss.

And here, we have beads and buttons and bias.  Those two little piles of fabrics are all that is left of any quilting cottons I owned and there was a good amount. These I kept for specific projects I had in mind. Two new babies coming in our extended family!

This is a walk through closet that has a doorway on each side. One side is my studio, the other side, all my storage: fabrics and books and such. So I at least have these two little spaces done and this weekend will attack more. But first I will deliver all that fabric! In the meantime, blogging and NLS will be on hold until there is order in my life. I only wish  there were good weather so I could have a yard sale right away. There will be one......................Bunny

Dibs and Dabs

After re watching the  videos several times I got over my intimidation and just went for it. My assignment from my class was to have the loom warped by Sunday. I will get  my next lesson sometime today and will have the week to work on it. Here you see the loom warped for two simple affinity bracelets, a relatively simple project. Why two? Well, I can fit two and work on two at a time. Also by having the two projects on the loom,  the  warping bar, that silver horizontal bar that doesn't touch the sides, is balanced and that's important.  What you don't see is the interesting way the threads wrap around the warping bar and that's what takes time and focus. You can't just wrap the warp in circles around the loom. Lord, I sound like an excited neophyte! Hope that's not too aggravating to you, dear readers. I am using some variegated pearl cotton for my warp as I have TONS of it. Fingers crossed and waiting for my next lesson.

My felted, painted wool jacket is complete other than the shoulder pads and belt. Modeling coming soon! It is soft, warm and sweatery which was the goal.

And here is a sneak peak at the bracelet I have been working on with the shibori silk. Almost done that one too! So lots of near completions. Stay tuned!

And last but not least, I reorganized my drawer to the left of my machine. In it I keep my basic colored threads which I reach for all the time, the grays, navies, blacks, whites and beiges. Also in the drawer are spots for heavy thread, fine embroidery weight threads for heirloom sewing, fusible thread, washaway thread , silk threads, monofilament threads and cotton threads, all in their separate spaces. Also in the drawer are velcro, hand needles, and odd presser feet, all things I reach for when I sew. I don't have to get up and go looking for this stuff. I have a lower cabinet filled with boxes of all my colored threads. They are great down there as I only reach for them at the beginning of a project. I so love being organized. It allows my creative juices to flow without distraction, but that's just the way I do it. Most creatives are otherwise.

Happy Sewing!.....Bunny

Twas the day before New Year's and......

Twas the day before New Year's, when all through the house
Machines were not humming or making a blouse.
The velvets were hung by the leathers with care
In hope that free time soon would be there.

Hubbie was nestled all snug in our bed
while visions of garments danced in my head.
I in my Jammies and Dad in his sweats decided
No party on New Years was as good as it gets.

When down in the basement their came such a clatter
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to my bunker I flew like a flash
Tore open the closet and eyed my great stash.

The glow of my Ott lite on cleaned closet shelves
showed amazing order put forth by the elves.
And what to my wandering eyes would appear?
Visions of fabric so vast and so dear.

There were fleeces all rolled and labeled with care
in hopes that my fingers would make things I'd share.
There were boucles all begging for Chanel's nimble skills
and 100% linen was giving me thrills. 

When up on my shelves my eyes did alight
to find glass jars of fibers reflecting the light.
There were laces and ribbons and sequins galore
and sewing such beauties was surely in store. 

I found angelina and rovings
 all bundled with care,
 and splendiferous threads with no room to spare. 

Drawers were all perfect with scissors at rest
and tools made for marking ones marks at their best.
Buttonhole chisels, silk ribbons too, glass headed pins
asking "what do we do?"

 Polies and silk take up space by the knits. 
Their sparkly gleam giving shivering fits.

Then there were doilies and gingham so square.
With so much to sew there is no  time to spare.

Bottomweights share a really tight space, 
A perfect pants pattern will they ever grace?


 Why, here are my fingers on hands that are eager
to stitch and create, even projects quite meager. 
They'l move on the fabric with speed so unknown
Productivity will blossom with items I've sewn. 

It's time to get dreaming of what I will do 
with all I've been blessed with. How about you? 
Here's hoping your New Year will be one that's bright
 and loaded with sewing far into the night.
Happy New Year to all with more sewing in sight.....Bunny Pepin
    

      

  

Back to Sewing!

After doing too much lifting and shoving and pushing of large objects I am down to reorganizing my back room where the connection was. My back is feeling the brunt of it so no more until this weekend. I spent all day yesterday fiddling with buttons, the perfect thing to not bother my back.Today I have made the decision to get back to sewing now. No more grunt work till the weekend. I am no sure what I will start with but will spend the afternoon looking for opportunities. Here is the result of my button reorg. I must have a couple of thousand, seriously. I inherited a huge amount of wonderful buttons from my friend IMA and last winter made a head start on getting them in like groups. That is done now and you can see the result.

When you open the closet in the studio this is what you face. The two DMC boxes are on top of some shelves holding pattern boxes. Everything here, except for the yellow handled floss boxes is filled with buttons,lots of buttons, all sorted out by size, color, and style. The drawers in the green cabinets barely close. Each drawer in the green drawers has dividers as well. I used my PTouch to do some labeling. That is surely one of my favorite toys.

I also like to save like jars. If I have learned anything looking at craft and sewing studios on Pinterest it is that having like containers adds greatly to the sense of organization. I tried my best here, dealing with what I had on hand. In a perfect world these would be on tall white shelves but for now they are quite functional and look fairly awesome. Need a turquoise and white vintage button? Second cabinet, third drawer down on far left and so on. Order makes me feel good. How about you?

Magazine Organization

Several days ago my husband discombobulated the back basement, two rooms worth. This was all to make room for cords of hardwood to be stacked in the house. Like a runamuck bulldozer things were tossed, piled, and shoved left and right to accommodate the wood. We are now prepared for winter. We will not freeze. But, Alleluia, what a friggin mess was left behind. So, since my company has been gone I have been putting things back in order. One moved item meant two others had to be moved to accommodate it. Long story short, I reorganized the back rooms of the basement, one is my good sized fabric room, as well as the fabric closet. That's all OK. I wanted to make some moves to do more decorating and got to do a bit. 

This baker's rack was reconsigned to the sewing room . I needed a place for my new magazine boxes. I made six and have 3 more to go.

 I picked up six shiny, gray,  corrugated cardboard magazine holders at Office Max for 16.98 (I think). I covered them with fabric using Elmer's Spray Glue. The hardware was tied with a double layer of black cord elastic run through the screw holes. It fits really nice and snug. A few fonts printing out the mag names to be tucked inside and I was done. It was really quite easy. I need to do more name plates but have used all my cord. I'll finish shortly. People also make these out of Cheerio boxes as well as Priority Mail boxes from the Post Office. The Priority Mail boxes must legally only be used for mailing. They are given out for free with the understanding that you will return with them having something inside to be mailed. But if  you have some used boxes you are holding onto, (I never throw them out), they make great magazine holders as well.

I also spray painted a wicker CD holder. In it are all the goodies I need for cutting: rotary cutters of various sorts and sizes, rulers, hip curves, tracing paper, pressing tools and more. I find this very convenient. It sits right at the end of the cutting table. I like this a lot. 

While doing all this cleaning I did find a few neat items. Is this cape pattern on trend or what? Ok, the hat is a bit ridiculous and the length a bit off but the basic cape is yummy with those huge welts.Gotta love it. 

I also found the first sewing book I ever owned, one given to me by my mom when I was 13. It was published in 1961. I remember using this as a reference to make my wedding gown. It sure needs a good wipe on the cover. That will easily be taken care of.  This book served me well for many years.

One more accomplishment today: finding a home for my hard copy patterns, the TNTs. I hung a curtain rod on a blank wall in the fabric closet and can stand back far enough to see it all at a glance. I think I will like this a lot.

A simple curtain rod and some paper clips used to string up each individual pattern and hang them on the rod worked really well. 

Now its time to get back to sewing. You all know how I can't sew with disorder. Disorder is now in order and I am good to go.......Bunny

Pattern Folding 101

I bet you have a few of these laying around. I also know you would rather spend your time fondling fabric than stuffing cut patterns neatly into envelopes.

The other day when I was faced with the same fold up chore something clicked and I figured out how to get them nice and neat and back in the envelope. Hope this inspires a few of you out there to newly enjoy your folding.

1. Take your largest piece of pattern paper and lay it out flat on your table. Fold in the sides so you have no more than 24 inches of width. Take a 6x24 inch acrylic ruler and run it down the length of this piece, pressing and flattening as you go along to the end. This will smooth it and make it really flat and thin. Now lay all the smaller pattern pieces on top, spread here and there, no edges peeking out of the side.








2. Place your ruler on the paper to the far right but back about 4 inches from the edge. Fold the pattern tissue over the ruler.












3. Now keep flipping over the ruler wrapped with the paper until you get to the other end. Keep the ruler nice and snug into the fold.












4. When you reach the end, just slide out the ruler. Place it on top of the tissue and press hard to flatten it out tightly. Now just fold the two ends toward the middle and then fold in half. You should have no raw edges exposed.










5. Now doesn't that feel good and look nice? Now, be damned if I am going to dig into my pattern stash and refold them all. But going forward they will all get this treatment.


Bunny