Pandora's Closet

I see that Elle has her quilting goals set out for next year. And after yesterday -- I can see that goals are going to be very important. Not only goals, but priority setting and some deep thought as to what I need to keep. Let's say that I'm a bit shell-shocked. 

I had to prep for a couple of presentations on the software. While I am FAR from being an expert in this software, the more I play with it - the more I learn, and I realize that it's possible to modify or create ANYTHING!! I've got lots of things I want to work on going forward - prioritizing is going to be important. 

In between, I had a few moments and decided that I would look a bit deeper in that closet. OH, this is not going to be good. 

It appears that that closet had become a dumping ground for ANYTHING that I didn't have a home for. And well, I don't know how much will get returned to the closet. 

I started off by putting new batteries in the label maker. Good grief -- I printed out two labels, and this is the message I got. 

Dead battery message

Now, if the batteries are dead - how come there is power to give me a Battery Dead message? 

This is from a NEW package of batteries. Well, it was relatively new. Anyway -- I inserted EIGHT more batteries in the label maker, and got a Low Battery message, but it's still working. 

Next set of batteries gives me a low battery message

Should I need to buy a new label maker - it's going to be a rechargeable one! The need for eight AAA batteries is insane. I had to fiddle with the fonts and size, but I got labels!

OK -- so let's get to that closet. Oh boy -- this is not going to be good. And it's going to take a LONG time to process everything in there. Baby steps! 

Here's an Eleanor Burns pattern called Garden Lattice. I think I taught this and decided it would be neat to make a veggie-themed one, as well, as the sample that I made for the class. All the fabric and the book are in the box -- NOT started. It's now labeled and back on the shelf. 

Garden Lattice quilt

I found this little box. Do you know what it is??? I remember coveting this, and now it's been languishing in that closet for many years. It's about 5 inches high and well, I guess I found it rather large or something, but I haven't used it in a long time.  

Needle box

You take the lid off and it opens up for needles, with a little box in the center for your thimble. It's actually a great idea, not necessarily for travel, but if you have a favorite spot to stitch and use lots of needles, it's perfect. 

The needle case opens up

It wasn't enough that I had purchased one of these needle holders that someone else had made, but I have a pattern for one as well. 

A pattern to make a needle box

The pattern includes all the cardboard templates to make the needle box. Hmmm --- I don't need this. Anyone interested??? Remember -- you are NOT allowed to ask for anything of mine if you have zero plans to make it. Coveting is not enough!! So let's put a price on this -- $5.00. 

All the templates to make a needle box shaped like a barn

Oh boy -- an entire container of Veggie Cat patterns - I think there are 24 in the series. Oh yes -- I HAD to get them all. I did make one that was donated to a charity event. But I never made any of the others. There is also lots of fabric in the box. It got labeled and shelved. 

Veggie cat patterns

Oh gosh - an entire shoe box devoted to some blue and white fabric, a wooden frame, and some bits. This was supposed to be a winter 3-D landscape thing, with snowmen. I don't even know where the pattern is. The fabric is back on the shelves, and the toothpicks are in the craft area. The rest of the bits are still on the cutting table. I left a few things out that I'll need to deal with when I get back on the weekend. 

A craft project

And then I found this. A bag of bright fat quarters. No pattern -- just bright fat quarters. Now this will make a beautiful colorful quilt, and I have a quilt in mind. It will NOT go back in the closet. It will stay in the stash room, or go in a project box for one of next year's sew-alongs. 

A bundle of bright fabric

I found this organizer that I bought from a quilt shop at some point. The sticker is still on it. I don't need it, so it's going in the giveaway box. But OH YES -- I had to have that when I saw it. Other than storing (badly) a project, it's never been used. It's free to whoever asks first. It's great for tools or getting rid of the clutter on your sewing table, but I much prefer hard cases that are easy to stack. I definitely had a disease at one point -- I had to buy EVERYTHING or so it seemed. Thankfully, I'm much more discriminating now. 

Soft-sided organizer

This is what was inside -- a jelly roll, a pattern, some black fabric, and a roll of heavy interfacing to make a woven bag. I doubt I'll ever make that bag. So I can put the pattern in my patterns, the black fabric, and the jelly roll go in the stash room. But what to do with that roll of interfacing? Maybe I can make a placemat from it? 

The supplies to make a woven bag

I suspect there are a LOT more bags or boxes with all the supplies to make a project, but haven't been started. Unless, there is a burning desire to make it, most (but not all) of those boxes will be sorted and emptied. The fabric goes back in the stash room, the patterns in the pattern boxes and anything else will have to find a home. 

At some point it'll be time to go through the stash room, but for the moment, we're focusing on cleaning up ALL the project boxes. That'll give me a good handle on the number of UFOs I have. Like I would ever admit that number to any of you!

I did manage to get two shelves organized. The boxes are labeled, and I made a list of all the projects. There are THIRTEEN on the top shelf! Oh boy -- this is a very serious situation. 

Two shelves are organized in the Studio B closet

I might even call this closet Pandora's Closet - then it's easy to know what I'm talking about. It's a HUGE mess and I've barely started. But I've started and that's the most important thing. 

OH MY GOSH  -- look at what else I found in that closet. And the box was even labeled. 

Wedding Star quilt

Yep -- this is the same pattern (well, the original version of it) that I made for Paula's daughter. Remember - the one that was purple and yellow. I'm actually taking my bed runner version with me to retreat to try and finish it. So this is the pattern with all the paper piecing templates, as well as extra templates to make the quilt larger. It's a beautiful quilt, but I don't need to make it again. This pattern is up for grabs  -- $20 for the pattern and the pack of extra paper pieced templates. It's an INTENSE project -- all paper pieced and curved piecing. If you plan on sewing it -- I'll sell it to you. Otherwise, you can't have it. 

Paper pieced foundations for The Wedding Star

I have to say that I'm kind of disgusted with myself. All that stuff that I NEEDED and it never got used or made. And I've just started to dig through that closet. I know there are brand new kits in there and a whole lot of other things. 

Part of me feels like having a HUGE sale and getting rid of almost everything quilt-related. GASP!!!! I never thought I would say that, but how will I ever finish it all? Now here's the rub -- I CANNOT sell it to you, not after all I've said about decluttering. It wouldn't do to get it out of my house and into yours when your studio is likely as cluttered as mine. Well, maybe not Elle! Now if each of you took one thing? Well, I'm not ready yet -- I'll start with sorting and prioritizing. Then at some point, I'll have to go through everything again. 

Anyway -- between now and the end of the year, I'll continue to go through the closet and see what I can find. Some projects will get put back on the shelf and others will get pulled apart and a home will be found for the bits. I may find that I have a LOT of room in that closet by the end of the year. My goal is to move everything off the current projects table. Oh yes -- it's going to look amazing when I'm done! 

And I managed to get a customer quilt done. I haven't been on the long arm in a long time. When I'm back from my mini-vacation, I'll be at the long arm, getting quilts done!!! 

Customer quilt - done!

If any of you have sent me e-mails regarding class signups at Thimbles and Things - I would like to say that my inbox has exploded. I just can't deal with acknowledging your e-mail until next week. 

I did notice that a few people said, "sign me up for everything." Well -- please go back and READ the newsletter. I asked people to sign up for a SPECIFIC time slot for the technique class, and there are TWO different free motion classes. It doesn't make sense to sign you up for everything!!!!  

And to be honest, I do not want to go back and ASK you to tell me what you want. This is a HUGE logistical task as there are hundreds of e-mails. So please check the dates and times -- DO NOT just say "sign me up for everything!".  I appreciate your faith in me, but you have to be a bit more specific. I'm tempted, but won't, delete any e-mail that didn't specify times or dates. 

On that note, by the time you read this, I shall have departed the house and will be on my way to a couple of days of rest and relaxation. However, I do have a bit of work to do while I'm away. But it's all good. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!