Know what I mean? I keep pulling bins and zip lok bags out to sort and organize. Then I find something fun and ditch the cleaning process and start sewing. I suppose I am kind of cleaning up but if you look at my sewing room, you wouldn’t really know it. Hahaha. Surely this is not unique to me. Cleaning up a mess usually means making a bigger mess temporarily. However, the inability to overcome the temptation to play with little bits here and there is certainly slowing down the process!
When I was pulling out a stack of zip lok bags I found a stack of 17 nine patch blocks. I made these during the first half of 2018 and then got tired of them. This is a habit of mine! Anyway, when I found the stack I decided I should use them up rather than put them away again.
It took very little time to stitch them together and put a border around the whole top. It will be just the right size for donating to Jack’s Basket. I wish I had made a few more with the wonky stars but I knew if I set it aside, telling myself I would do that, it would be months before I picked it up again. Better that it is going to be finished and sent off. I found some purple flannel for the backing and will get it basted and quilted up asap.
I have a bin marked solids. All colors are in there, all sizes and shapes. When I was picking through it, I found all of these light blue 1/4 circles. They are from the quilt I made for Julia’s bed back in 2013. I don’t know how many there are in the stack so we will just say a million. I was contemplating what I might do with these and in the blink of an eye, I was at the sewing machine playing with curves. Sigh. Maybe I am just not meant to have a clean sewing room?
But look at this. I think it is really cute and could be a fun quilt or mini. I pulled some chocolate brown and chartreuse and bagged all of it up as a project to work on soon. I love making the curves without having to measure. I am just tracing around the blue curve on the polka dot fabric and sewing them together. Then I square each block to 4.5″. I know I will use them in some fashion.
I put the blue 1/4 circles and related fabric away and – I kid you not – I found another zip lok bag. Jeez, it is endless. But this one had a lot of brightly colored strings in it PLUS about ten little improv crumb blocks. This was a huge distraction and I spent the evening yesterday making more of the blocks. I am up to about 18 or 19 now. The crumb blocks finish at five inches. My plan for these is to make economy blocks using the crumb blocks at the center. I believe the blocks will finish at nine inches which is a nice size. I need to make more of the crumb blocks to have enough for a lap size quilt. This project is now in the “make for Mercy Hospital” pile.
In between all of this, I have been using the AccuQuilt Go to trim scraps into usable squares. I now have a bin that is really stocked up with 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4.5″ squares. Plus a huge stack of 5 inch squares. This is quite satisfying!
OK – now I am off to cut out a pair of flannel pajama pants for Julia. Hers are looking a little ratty so she is in need of a new pair.
Here is a picture of her with one of her older chickens. She has two out in the coop and is trying to socialize them a bit. I think she is working her magic because they are calmer now when we hold them.
Enough for now. Hoping all of you are well and happy. 🙂
Linking to Finished or Not Friday over at Alycia Quilts and also at Oh Scrap!
Oh what fun to see what you are finding as you clean and organize! I can totally relate. There’s something delightfully fun about just working on whatever these days. I think it’s a good diversion from all that we cannot control or fix in this world. Julia’s chicks have really grown! Love the little tufts on the feet. I’ll be watching your progress on those curves – I love the fabric!
Totally agree – for some reason I just cannot get in the mood to do the blocks for the QAL I joined. I have hardly done any of it. Maybe this isn’t the time for that event? Also – the chickens in the picture are different from the babies. The little ones are still in my laundry room, making for a stinky room by the way! These two were older when she got them. They are like rebellious teenagers now. But she is working with them and they are becoming more friendly. Fun to watch her with these little animals.
Oh, yes, cleaning up a bit and then, squirrel!!! Great little quilt for Jack’s Basket.
Thank you. I am going to quilt it with simple diagonal lines so it will finish up quickly. Then off it goes! Have a great day Carole. It is raining and raining here – FINALLY!!
I think there are a lot of us just like you. I should hav an organized sewing room that is functional and pretty because of the virus but no. It is more fun to start a new quilt or dresses for the Grands.
Totally!! Today I will finish up the pajamas for Julia and then maybe clean another bin. Who knows what I will find?!?
I think you’re finding great stuff, Bernie! I love the little Jack’s Basket quilt with the stars and nine patches, and the Drunkard’s Path blocks, too. I have a project bin full of crumb blocks with no real destination – but I keep making them, lol! Love the photos of Julia with the chickens. She sure does have a way with animals!
Good morning Diann. I think my favorite find is the drunkard’s path pieces. I keep telling myself I have to get further along before I really play with those. I know I will spend a lot of time on them and will totally quit my somewhat-less-than-efficient cleaning process! Yesterday I read Cheryl’s post on glue basting curves and I really want to go try that but not yet…. 😉
Oh can I totally relate!! I don’t know if that should be reassuring or not! 🤔
Yes, it is reassuring. You know all these gorgeous sewing spaces one sees in blog posts and on social media? That is not me! But I am using up lots of fun fabric I am finding along the way. This is a good thing!
I can definitely relate to the messy stage of clean up and sorting. It sounds like you are having a lot of fun as you go, which definitely makes it all worth it. 🙂
I am – it is like finding all these old friends tucked away. Oh, I remember you!!
Maybe not the most efficient process but it isn’t like I don’t have the time. Hahaha.
Sewing/quilting therapy is good no matter what. I tend to say, oops squirrel, these days.
Take care and I really like the 1/4 circle blocks and crumb quilt idea.
Great post!!!! I can totally relate, TOTALLY!
Loved the pictures of the chickens, Flora and Fauna (names too cute and the picture is magazine worthy).
Thanks Heidi – boy I haven’t seen you in such a long time. (well, you or anyone else, right?). Hope you are well. So nice to see this note from you.
Hi Bernie, such colorful happy projects, and I love the stars! I have 2 questions for you, if you have the time. Where do you store your fabric? In a closed or open storage container, or bins? If you’ve answered this question, perhaps you can direct me to your answer. Also, I’m quite curious about your hen house. I had chickens for years until last year. If I ever have them again, I’d like to be able to walk into the hen house, which means we’d need to build something different. Can you describe yours, and if it works for you? Thanks so much, Laurie
Hi Laurie: As far as fabric storage, the main thing I watch for is keeping it out of direct sunlight. I do think current fabric processes make it less likely for a fabric to fade but I figure I should still keep it away from the sun. I have some in open containers and others in bins – just depending on what I can fit and how the organizing is going.
For the coop, I would be happy to send some pictures. I will take some for you. My husband built it such that we can walk into the outside part of the run. It is encased in wire and the wire is buried deeply since we have lots of raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes – any of whom would love nothing more than a chicken dinner! The inside of the coop has nesting boxes for egg laying and we can access those from one side of the little building. The middle of the interior has the roosting bars, food and water. There is also an auto waterer out in the run. Hope that helps. I will email pics directly to you. Maybe in the next day or two.
Hope all is well!
I can relate to THAT- “The more I clean the more mess I make”!
When I go in my sewing room to clean, deep in my heart I know that I’m really going in there to play and give myself some fabric therapy! LOL I tried to clean off my cutting table yesterday – it’s become a ‘dump everything here’ table – and ended up cutting out and working on a new tablerunner. Totally not in my plan, but those squirrel projects are irresistible! I can totally relate to what you are going through. But you really are cleaning up those projects Bernie – you’re just having a lot of fun doing it! 🙂
Well, I was fairly sure I was not alone in this Beth. Thanks for confirming that!! I am sure the table runner is pretty and the mess can wait til another day! Take care and stay healthy.
Gosh I can sure relate. It has been such a long drought for me that everything I found as I was putting things away was a revelation to me. Now I have SO many things I want to get done before Christmas! I love what you are doing with the 1/4 circles – great color combos. Is Julia studying to become a vet? She seems very kind and compassionate with animals. I love seeing the chickens with her.
Have a great rest of the week “cleaning”! 😉
I bet you are soooo happy now that you are moved into your space. Enjoy it.
Julia loves animals but isn’t sure what she wants to do. I guess that is what college is for. She will figure it out though.
Getting excited for Thanksgiving. I love this holiday. It will be a quiet one but still fun to make all the yummy foods and hang out together. 🙂
Your are busy finding treasures in the “stacks”! I love seeing what you do with them, love seeing the chickens!
Oh Bernie, creativity is messy. Ask me how I know 🙂 The scrappier the quilt, the messier the studio gets. You have to review/audition a dozen fabrics before you find the perfect one and once you do, the priority is to use it rather than put the 11 fabrics away, resulting in a scrap explosion. On the upside, I love what you are creating. Order emerges from chaos. Celebrate it, embrace it and enjoy it. Hugs to you.
Yes – you totally get it. I am not terribly bothered by it. I am just trying to straighten it up so I can see what I actually have to use. It is all fine though. Playing with all of these different projects is really satisfying. 🙂
When going through my Christmas fabric, I had a moments of project discovery also. Made me realize how many projects I have lined up. I also discovered that i can’t find a kit that I thought I had bought. Hmm, I may need to clean out my large craft cupboard to see if I actually bought it. Love those projects that you found. I really like the blue quarter circle blocks.
Yes! The more I go through things in the sewing room, the more I realize I could sew tons of projects without ever needing more fabric. Well, that is mostly true. I don’t have yardage large enough for backing. But other than that… Thanks a bunch Cathie. Have a lovely Sunday. 🙂