Rescuing scraps

I seem to be relegated to saving stuff! OH - I mean rescuing, not saving, although those words could be used interchangeably. That story to come in a minute. 

Since we were not supposed to have electricity in the morning, I had planned my day accordingly. Part of that planning was to pick up tea since I couldn't boil the kettle when I returned from walking the dogs. 

I also had to go to the bank, so I altered Miss Lexi's walk to do both. She is happy to walk a new route since there are new smells. 

MOM -- hurry up! 

Lexi doesn't like being told what to do, especially sitting, so imagine my surprise when I parked her under a tree at Tim's, and she sat down. I bet she was trying to show me how good she was, so I'd buy her a Timbit! I never even thought of it! Oops - sorry, Lexi. 

MOM - did you buy me a Timbit?

Murphy is getting much better when we meet other dogs on the walk. She's all happy (always was), but at least she isn't barking her silly head off. She sniffs a few times, and then it's time to move on. There's no time to waste sniffing other dogs!

The power did not go off. The weather was nice, so I've no idea why they didn't show up. It's supposed to be maintenance for a group of houses on our street, but I was OK that we didn't lose power. It's just that they will likely show up unannounced the next time. 

I had pulled out two of the four remaining bags of scraps that I had collected a few years back. Now, here's the thing—I said I wanted scraps that I could put in a pet mat. I will say that people abused my request, and I got all kinds of crap. In the past, I've found pins, but no pins yesterday. However, I found fabric with fusible on it, paper, and sample swatches were still attached to the headers. 

I will NEVER request this again. It was very silly of me to do that, as I had no idea what would happen. It was an easy out for lots of people, and I ended up with a huge mess. Let's say that I only had time to go through one of those bags, leaving three more to do. 

Don't get me wrong—I've had fun going through these treasure bags. I've found a few neat things, but what people will throw away as scrap boggles my mind. I think it's very irresponsible, and throwing away those bigger pieces is expensive with the cost of fabric! 

Inside each blue bag were separate bags, and I grabbed them one at a time and dumped them on the cutting mat. 

Bags of fabric scraps

Then, as I got down to the last few bags, I put the remainder on the cutting table. 

The remaining few bags of scraps

It's hard to see in this photo, but those pieces were huge—at least compared to what I keep as scraps. 

A bag of LARGE scraps

There was a header with decorator fabric, which I kept. I like the fabric and might be able to make some excellent decorator cushion covers from it. 

A large bundle of fabric swatches

I found some other weird fabrics, which I kept because I could use them to experiment with machine embroidery. 

Some weird fabrics were kept

There was ONE box with bits exactly like I was looking for. Everything was small in that box and couldn't be reused for anything. 

ONE box with tiny bits

This particular bag came from a local store (now closed) that was cutting kits for their 2015 Row by Row, and I got the leftovers. There was a lot of blue fabric. Most of these bits were at least 2½" wide. 

Larger pieces of scrap

As I sorted the larger scraps that were too good to cut up, I placed them on the digital cutter. 

Sorting the scraps by color

By the end of my sorting, I had rescued this: A lot of fabric. I found fat quarters and fat eighths, some of which I never cut into. That's just sheer laziness from whoever put it in a bag. 

The scraps I kept

I only got three pet mats from the bits in that blue bag. But that's OK. 

I made three pet mats

I started with one color at a time and pressed everything in the fabric I saved. This made fitting into the plastic shoe boxes easier, and I could test for polyester. It smells artificial when you apply heat to it! I also separated out the batiks and then dealt with the sub piles as I created them. 

Separate piles for fabric content

I have an issue with some of my shoe boxes, as the lids are already exploding. I'm trying to contain the brown scraps now, so the others will have to wait. 

 The purple bin is already overflowing

It appeared that the polyester was restricted to a few solid fabrics. Almost all was quilting cotton, or decorator stuff. 

A few polyester bits

For any of the larger pieces that were not cotton, they went into two bags that will be sent to a textile recycling place. That bag is now stored in the utility closet to keep it out of the way. I put the paper bags in the IKEA bag as it will sit on a concrete floor, and I didn't want moisture migrating into the fabrics. 

Donation to a textile recycling

I found part of a Husqvarna Viking tie! What happened to the rest of it? 

The tip of a tie

This is what's left of the fabric scraps I kept. I only have the blue and the green left to press and sort through. So I did an amazing job. Yes, some of you would say, why bother? But I have Job's patience regarding this, and it's a great way to putter. No mental thinking, just mechanical movements. And when I downsize, I expect I'm only going to take my scrap boxes with me as I doubt I'll have room for the fabric baskets! Let's just say those shoe boxes will keep me busy for years! 

What's left to press and sort

Here's one example of what I found: some shapes already cut from 2½" strips, layer cake pieces, and some yardage. There is enough there to make a child's quilt. And people think this is scrap? I don't get it. 

Enough coordinates to make a quilt

The word of the day was focus! I'm learning to focus like I've never focused before. I get a good audiobook going, and I'm motivated. I don't find it boring. I take a break when I need it. 

I also trimmed a lot of half-square triangles, but I still have a couple of piles to work my way through. I cannot imagine a day when I'm not "managing" my stash. There are half-square triangles to sew and trim, those three bags to sort through, and then I think all the fabric will be sorted and dealt with. But that's still going to take a long time. 

Trimming half-square triangles

I wish someone had told me to keep that stuff under control when I started, but I'm learning now. At the same time, I'm learning to keep that cutting table clear. I'm not even looking at Mount Projects' table, but I will be able to in a couple of days when I finish my dust cover. 

Here's one version of the layout for the dust cover. I wasn't happy with this, so I switched it around, and you'll have to wait to see what it looks like. 

One version of the dust cover

If any of you think that you are being productive by working on several things at once, think again, as I might be inclined to call you a liar. I stood by this philosophy for years, and that's why I had so much clutter. Before you call me an enabler, I'm OK with working on a monthly assignment, and when that assignment is done, to put it away until the next installment. 

However, leaving out one project while you work on another is clutter, and each project takes longer. YES -- I know there are exceptions to the rule. Overall, I'm focused on one project. Am I bored? I could be, but I listen to my audiobook and sort and press those fabrics, or I might be quilting a quilt or trimming the HSTs. So right now - I'm not bored. If I were making a king-size quilt with very repetitive blocks? I'd be bored! 

You could say I'm multi-tasking as I move between various things, but these are time fillers and allow my brain a break from the main action!

It helps when you are asked to recharge your Fitbit to ensure the charger is attached to something! I've done it several times: I plugged it in and couldn't figure out why my Fitbit died later that day. AHA—the charger wasn't attached to anything! 

By the way, I put that second blue bag back in the pile and'll deal with it another day. There are three - perhaps I can take one bag a week in July and be done with it!

I have a very aggressive walking goal for the year - 4,500 KM, meaning I had to walk 12.3 KM daily. I'm a bit behind, and that daily average is now 12.7 KM, which is still good, considering I slacked off on a few trips. 

I made up some KMs yesterday and arrived home just in time. It had started to rain a bit, but it really rained when I was in the house! 

It's raining!

I should be out in the garden to get a few weeds, and I might attempt to do that today. But otherwise, it's back to sewing and trimming as I want to move to the next project. 

Remember, there is Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

Saturday, June 29 - Starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89816483795?pwd=Mjc3M3pvVmZPdjdsQzlHS3Zhck52dz09

Meeting ID: 898 1648 3795
Passcode: 248667


Sunday, June 30 - Starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

And I need to do a few emails this morning, then I can sew and quilt all afternoon. Oh wait - I have a massage this morning. ICK!! Torture!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

If only.......

The days are speeding by faster than I can think.  I dare not count how many days I have left to work on these projects.  Nope - total denial. I'm like a horse with blinders on.  I am only looking straight ahead at the current project. 

Based on the quantity of stuff, it was a tad overwhelming. So here's what I did that allowed me to focus a bit. OK - helped me focus a LOT. And this is exactly the same way I work when I'm at a sewing retreat.  I don't have the same amount of space at a sewing retreat, but I have the same focus. I start one project and work it through to completion or whatever stage was next on the list.  

Why can't I do that all the time???

Anyway, here's what my studio is looking like these days.  There's the sewing station. That Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q is a little work horse. There isn't one thing that has caused it problems.  Just a few operator errors when it came time to do some free motion as it's been a while since I've done free motion on a domestic sewing machine.  But it all looks good!!!!  Notice how much space there is surrounding the sewing machine - no distractions!

The sewing space

Next up is the cutting space.  Again, notice how much available space there is.  I have serious cutting to do and working on half a mat isn't going to cut it. It took all of a few minutes to put the few things that were on the cutting table away and well - I've loads of room to work!

Loads of space on the cutting table

Now here's a new space that I set up. I have a LOT of borders to put on and there just isn't always the length that I need on the cutting table - see those things on the right-hand side. So I took a set of chair risers and raised one of my work tables up.  Now I have an area that is completely devoted to measuring and pinning borders.  And it's the right height.  I'm in love with this new area and I think I might keep it like this!!!

The border/pinning area

Of course, there is the pressing area which again is clear.  That fabric on the left is part of the current project and needs to be there.

Pressing area

This next picture might shock you so if you're faint of heart, you may want to turn away. But trust me there is a very logical order in this scenario!!!!

You see the curved edge on the left-hand side??  Those are the piles of current URGENT projects that need to be done (one just requires a photo!). The stuff in behind is stuff that I need to put away, sort through or sew up.  There hasn't been time to deal with that for a couple of weeks so it's all sitting there.  I'm happy to report that the line on the left-hand side is shorter than when this picture was taken!!!

The project list

Now here's my "if only......."

The other day, I mentioned that I was missing that quilt top.  The moment I hit PUBLISH for the blog and went downstairs, guess what?  Yes - I found that quilt top.

Then yesterday, I hit PUBLISH, went downstairs, sat at the sewing machine and said, "I know where that extra pin cushion is!"  And there is was. Sitting beside the radio that I turn on EVERY DAY.

The missing pincushion

It's funny how the brain processes information.

Now I've been missing another important piece of paper and guess what - when I really had a look at where it was supposed to be - there it was!!!!

I believe that I'm only missing two things now.  One is a pattern for an upcoming class. It's not with the project box. But - wait - I might know where it is?  And the second thing is my little book which I would really really like to find.  I've written about that one on several occasions and no luck in finding it. But I'm afraid that one day, my eyes will actually see it. It's probably out in the open, like the pin cushion but my brain is too busy to see it!!!

As I mentioned, the chair pincushion is not really being used as a pincushion and here's the bear back on his comfy cushion!

Back in his cushy chair

And while my preference is for the magnetic pin cushion, I'm happy with these two.  The one is very practical and the other has good memories.  I'll stick with both. As you can see, one is empty, the other is full.  Now the full one will go on the pinning station and the empty will go beside the sewing machine. Saves a lot of steps!  My FitBit won't be happy, but more productive that way.

Two pin cushions

I mentioned that I have a lot of cutting to do.  Well, here was the scrap basket on Friday.

Scrap basket on Friday

And look at it this morning.

Scrap basket on Monday

I don't have a pet mat ready to put all the scraps in. I better create one tonight and empty this.

On that note, I've got a lot of quilting, sewing, fussing around to do and I had better get started!!!!

Have a super day!

Ciao!


And have a read through Mary Fons blog today.  I LOVE her new saying and it is so true.  Check it out  - something to contemplate the next time you aim for perfection with your quilt.