Monday, March 11, 2013

How I spent my weekend

I really missed that hour I lost in the middle of the night Saturday night, how about you? Then there's the time I spent changing all the clocks because the time changed, more time gone, that being said, I did accomplish a few things.

In my last post I mentioned how I have several things going on at once in my sewing room and how that didn't really mesh well with my personality.  I have all the respect in the world for you quilters who can have projects stacked in various stages of completion all over your sewing room and how you just work on whatever calls your name any given day.  I am the polar opposite of that.   Someone suggested   my happiness meter would rise and my stress meter would drop if I could take a couple of things off my To Do list.  So that's how I spent my weekend, moving that happiness meter in the right direction.

Here's what was on my sewing room list, 3 Barns, Blogger Girls BOM, mini churn dash project, pineapple quilt project and my cleaning out my stash project.

Remember this pictures, one of my favorite red things, 35 pounds of red fabric?



It lost some weight this weekend, here's my stack of reds, down to 14.6 pounds!  (I wish I could personally lose 20 pounds in one weekend, but this weight loss feels pretty good too!)



And here's where it went, I cut over 100 five inch squares for my mini churn dash project.  This stack of 5 inch squares is 5 inches tall, how perfectly zen is that.



I also cut 400, yes 400, strips for my pineapple block project. (Love that Go Cutter!)



Additionally, if I didn't think I would use the red fabric in that stack for sashing or a border, I cut the piece into fat quarters and moved them to my fat quarter bin.

I also cut the 200 light strips that I needed for my pineapple quilt project, the strips are all cut and the whole project is now stored in these project boxes in my closest (out of sight out of mind),  ready for their turn at the sewing machine.  This would be a great retreat project, pretty mindless sewing, but I don't have a retreat coming up, but I'm considering this project done for now and off my To Do list.



And my 5 inch blocks are stacked in my mini churn dash project basket.   I leave it setting out, because I think those blocks look cute in that basket, but I'm removing this project off my list for now too.


I've been trying to clean up and clean out my stash for the last couple of months, but I really didn't have much of a method, over the weekend I set up this sorting area in an office area in our house.  I think its original purpose was a study/computer area for the kids who would be inhabiting the three bedrooms that surround this area.  I'm repurposing this spot for now, for however long it takes me to go through and organize my fabric.  I found that it's easier to sort my fabric when there is direct sunlight streaming through those windows.  I'm going to spend at least one hour a day going through and organizing this fabric.  Just having a plan and a place to execute my plan makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.

The pink basket on the floor is collecting fabric looking for a new home, and the two boxes to the right of that bin are packed and ready to be shipped to their new home, progress!



I also mentioned some home improvement projects driving me crazy, but that's not really what's going on, a home improvement project would be fun, what we're doing is home maintenance fix-up projects.  Our house is nearly 15 years old and it appears that 15 is the lifespan of most things in your home.  And I'm even fine with the fix up projects, but they just don't seem to end.  We replaced the furnace but the installer did a poor job glueing the exhaust pipes together which are now leaking and ruining the ceiling and drywall upstairs, fun!  And at first I was very excited about the new garage door openers, garage door openers do really fun things these days, like lighting up the garage whenever it spots any movement, automatically closing when left open for a specified amount of time, opening even when the power is out, and providing the time and temperature in the garage.  But after the installation process drug out over two days, and I gave the installer's truck a jump because his battery died, and then heard, "I'm not sure why the door won't close right, you need to call a garage door repairman" I wasn't happy.  Really, it closed right before you came. We are also in the process of updating the landscaping to only find out water isn't draining properly away from the house.  Then the weather turned bad and all I have is a backyard of mud, several pieces of earth moving equipment parked in the yard, and a dog who loves mud and white carpet which doesn't.  I'm just ready for one job to be done, or spring, I think either would feel really good!

The one good thing about having repairmen coming and going, I have to stay home and wait on them, which is time I'm spending in my sewing room, there's always a silver lining!

27 comments:

  1. It looks like you made a lot of progress this weekend. It feels good to be able to cross things off your list. Hope the repair process goes much more smoothly this week. We have quite a bit of snow that is melting and causing mud season here right now. Heavy rain forcasted for tomorrow so our mud will increase quite a bit.

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  2. good for you! working the way that works for you is the most important thing, you need to be stress free to enjoy the quilting process in mho. I need to have a clean room when it gets out of hand I find I can't sew I don't want to be in here. 35lbs of red fabrics can you say happiness with a big smile!
    wow!!!!
    don't you hate spending money on repairs you don't even see! LOL I do!!!! ah yes we are in the same position right now , had the electrician here last week for little things that add up and 3 hrs later and hundreds of dollars they are fixed. Yes, new garage doors and openers last summer....just installed a full house generator now you know the power will never go off again for more then a day! should I continue? LOL!!!!
    your right though more sewing time
    can't wait to see more of your projects, I am loving the idea of the mini churn dash blocks...
    Kathie

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  3. Wow! You made LOTS of progress this weekend! And when it is all said and done with the maintenance, you'll know it was worth the effort!

    Gotta love those silver linings----looking on the positive side really helps.....

    Have a great day!

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  4. You made great progress!
    The house repairs and landscaping can make a person crazy so be sure to do lots of quilting to balance it out!

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  5. Your weekend achievements makes me feel like a slug. Maybe I will get more accomplished this week. Try and stay sane with the repairmen.. not an easy task.

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  6. Have you seen the Midwinter Reds line coming from Minick & Simpson? Just the thing to fill in the spaces you're creating!

    Karen L.

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  7. oh my you sound like the green fairy and me also i just blogged about that same thing i have been moving my fabric and such to the basement so many steps and so many trips i have SEVERAL projects started and in that very same container stacked i did not know how many, 3 quilts to bind including my bounce that is to be the town summer celebration donation to raise money for the fireworks (by the way any suggestions on next yrs quilt )and we after 15 yrs also are getting new carpet in the bdrm and dressers and i have to paint before that and have to got to work in that time span to
    HAVE A GREAT WEEK
    DIANA Y

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  8. You had a very productive weekend. Wish I could say the same. Well mine was busy, but not productive I guess. All those repair guys and projects reminds me of last year's 5 month house renovations. I really should get the pictures back on the walls.

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  9. I love your organization skills! I have about five quilts in different stages going on in my sewing room too, and it makes me feel very spastic (is that a word?). By the way, I LOVE your little churn dash blocks. Hope you don't mind if I copy you!

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  10. Sounds like you need to run away with me to Florida!! I'll have my laptop and will be checking in to hear your progress.
    Do you ever sit and just plan with a cup of tea or how do you get so organized - I hope you don't say with a margurita, as that would just wipe me out..... maybe on summer day, but, I digress! When I return, I think I will decide on some sort of plan and just cut up some of the things I "want" to do and get them together. I look at my stacks and see comfort in having some stash on hand, but then I think "then it will be gone" LOL!! I've GOT to get over it!!
    Hate that you have the "other stuff" happening, but it keeps it real for the rest of us - *wink!!

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  11. WOW, looks like you had an amazing productive weekend! I love those kind of weekends. Only wish there were more of them. Am loving your mini churn dash blocks. Your organizing of your fabric makes me want to run home and start on my own, unfortunately my boss would not be happy about that! I love your idea of 1 hour a day - maybe I could fit in 20 minutes a day after work.... It would be a start!

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  12. You will feel so much better when you're down to only one (or two) projects, and you're all organized. And you're well on your way already!
    As for the house grief, all I can say is good luck. It really does go on and on, and usually with lots of glitches. Hope there's smooth sailing ahead, and a clean dog and carpet.
    Debbie R.

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  13. In that 2nd paragraph, it sounds like you've been spying on MY sewing room--LOL! If you wait until after March 17th your home-improvement projects will go much more swimmingly. (Just a note from your friendly quilter/astrologer!)

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  14. Weekend well spent! I find that sometimes I need to clear things out & organize to motivate me. Stefanie

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  15. I'm like you, I DON'T like multiple projects all going at the same time. When I go back to a project, it takes me forever to figure out where I was at when I left it to work on another...I stick with one until it's done! I've been contemplating get a GO!, do you like yours and feel that it's worth the money?

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  16. I started doing that same this weekend. I think it is our Canadian blood to 'bring' Spring on by starting that "cleaing" early. Let's have it Mother Nature!!!

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  17. Hi Thelma! I have to say I VERY impressed how much you accomplished with all that you have going on in your home right now. I'm sad to see your pineapple blocks fixin's set aside as I'm really looking forward to watching them come together. As for the hour we lost this weekend, I absolutely despise (strong word, I know) DST. Mornings are my very worst time with my Scleroderma and that lost hour really takes a bite out of my day. Ah well, nuff said on that. *grumble* This weekend I started the binding on my first large quilt finish in almost two years and it feels so, so good. I have another quilt coming back from the quilter in about a week. We don't have home repairs going on but spring clean up outside and in is certainly in order and starting to roll along. I had to smile though when you talked about replacing your furnace. We have lived in our little 'cookie cutter' home, in an older subdivision for 34 years now and about 6 months ago the furnace repairman was here and when he saw our furnace, he stood up and looked at us with the strangest look on his face, then said, I haven't seen a furnace this old in over 15 years, LOL. Our old Amana furnace, original when the home was built, is still alive and kicking, but we kept our fingers crossed all winter long, believe me. Okay, so I've rambled enough, I hope you get all your repairs straightened out, there is nothing more irritating than having to have the repairs, repaired. Hope you have a great week in spite of the uproar! Hugs...

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  18. Oh my....sounds like you are just in a spin there and hope your sewing helpd relieve some of that stress. Hate it when everything is topsy turvy around me. Looks like you have a very good sorting system set up....good luck!
    Gail

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  19. Phew! I hope everything gets fixed and STAYS fixed for you. And all that prepping you've done for future projects! I wish i was that organized. If I prep, I lose (misplace) everything and then I'm upset. I leave as is until I'm ready. Would help if I had a closet to store things in. But the room I'm sewing in has no closet.

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  20. Oy, I hate house stuff... It cuts into fabric funds and sewing time. You're whittling that stack down pretty good!

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  21. Thank God you found a silver lining Thelma... you made me glad that I had the flu. I did love reading about your red fabrics and your organization process! I have my ears perked for more info on your GO cutter. And pineapple quilt.

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  22. You are sooo organized! Loved seeing that gorgeous stack of reds :) Are you making the same pineapple quilt as Nicole? I'm also curious as to what size you cut your strips, looks like a fun way to get rid of some fabric or diminish the stash :)

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  23. Gee.... I thought it was just that repair, install or handy peeps did not like ME.....I am wishing I had moved 7 years ago..to a new house..there is so much to do and I do not have the mental fortitude to go head to head with them.

    Onward brave lady.

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  24. Love to see all your reds lined up and ready for use...and I agree, the basket with the little blocks looks adorable just as it Is! Good luck with your home concerns! As you say, more time for quilting while waiting!

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  25. What a productive weekend you had :-D Just look at all of your yummy fabrics ;-) It must feel so good to get organized. I have been doing the same thing here. Slowly selling things around the house to unclutter our home.

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  26. Wow! You made terrific progress this weekend. I hope all you accomplished helped turn the stress down a bit. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your mini churn dash blocks. I hope to make some someday, need to finish my mini bowtie's first. Thanks for sharing.

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  27. You're now ready to sew! Love your pile of reds!

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