Thursday, July 29, 2010

Time slips away so quickly these days, it's hard to schedule regular blog posts.  But I sort of have an excuse; I'm completely obsessed with cutting up my fabric.  It's hard to stop and do all my other chores, because the only thing I want to do is zip the rotary cutter through all these pieces until there's nothing left to put back in the drawer.


Why the grim determination to clear all these small pieces out of the stash?  Well, I sort of went mad one day, and ordered about 20 yards of fabric online.  It was a moment of utter insanity, and I'm not proud of it, but I can't take it back, so I'll have to live with it once the parcels start arriving.  However, I don't like the thought of trying to cram new fabric into the drawers that are already bulging at the seams, so I'm trying to whittle the stash down a little. 

I weeded out snippets and strips and bits less than an eighth of a metre, 800grams worth, which translates to about 6 metres; then I got ruthless and pulled out lengths and FQs that I hadn't ever cut into.  If I didn't love it,  then I needed to get rid of it. I'm going to make some pieced backings out of those bits.

Most big projects look much worse before the good results  are visible, and my sewing room is a pit, a shambles, a teetering stack of remnants. But I can see progress, room in the drawers for my new fabric, and a steady pile of pieces ready to be sewn into the block of the moment on the design wall. 

I'm just going to keep cutting, and keep sewing, and keep thinning out the stash, and before long I know I'll be a lot happier with the contents of my sewing room. 

I've been sewing late at night, with lots of coffee to keep me going.  Last night I was clipping the little dog ears off my triangles, and throwing them into the pretty cup that stops them migrating all over the sewing room. 

It ws inevitable that I was going to get tired and throw them in the wrong cup; when it finally happened I figured it was a sign that I needed to go to bed.  What a waste of good coffee!

12 comments:

Linda 2:21 AM  

Well at least it looks like you were close to the end of the cup! What an ambitious person you've been! Good for you. I trimmed up and squared up my scrap drawer so that it's empty for the first time in a year! It's a long, tedious process but wonderful when you make progress! Enjoy your new fabrics.
Lurking Linda

pdudgeon 3:12 AM  

5 drawers left to go thru and sort and cut, but it ain't gonna happen this week! i think i got a bit too active with the rotery cutter earlier this week, and now my right pinky finger hurts to bend!
so i'll rest it for a few days and then start in cutting again.

sewprimitive karen 4:34 AM  

Oh, how funny about the coffee. I love your and your sister's blogs SO much. Hopefully you will show us the fabric you bought when it starts coming in :-).

Laura 5:36 AM  

Too funny about the coffee!!

I have overbought lately too *sigh*. Looks like you are making great progress with your cutting.

the ark 6:06 AM  

Your cup with fabric reminds me of the time I did the same thing...as I was quilting a top I would remove the pins and put them in a jar...or,I discovered later,in my cup of milk! Luckily I was not hurt during this quilting mishap!
Thanks for the great blog and inspiring pictures!
Tricia

Tazzie 8:36 AM  

Hey there Keryn hon
I'm so pleased it's not just me that has fabric buying frenzies on the innernets! It's so very easy to do - and it feels like you're spending play money. Good for you that you're making things right by digging into your stash and making room for the new arrivals.
So glad you'd almost finished your coffee before you dunked your fabric in there - whew!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Anonymous,  11:55 AM  

I am just astonished that your block of the moment is the same as my King's Crown blocks I posted about on July 1! Isn't it a fun, easy block? I'm using Patti Anderson's flying geese method--so quick and easy!

SueR 11:56 AM  

Sorry about the anonymous comment--it just didn't go through correctly!

Nines 7:57 AM  

Love the feeling of a cleared out drawer- with nothing but the favorite yardage left. An endeavor well worth the effort. And enjoy the new stash enhancement as it floats in.

Erika Mulvenna 6:16 AM  

I admire your determination! I find myself stuffing fabric in new places, but that just means more places to lose track of fabric.

If you're looking for great project ideas to use for your scraps, try visiting www.WeAllSew.com!

Lori 2:22 AM  

cutting up fabric scraps always feels good. I started cleaning my stash of anything less than 9". Noodles, bricks, nickels--the rest was strings. I also kept a scrap pattern nearby and cut enough "parts" to make a top--bundled that all in a baggie. As I refolding fabric I would cut a noodle off and add it to my noodle box. When it gets cooler out (we're having summer here) and I have a few OTHER PROJECTS done, I can pull it out to work on!

Meggie 5:35 PM  

The only sewing I have done for weeks, is mending my Granddaughter's pants. I do envy you rush of enthusiasm, & I need to get one smartly.
My Daughter is getting married, & wants me to make a ring cushion. Surely I can muster the energy for that?? Please??

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