Friday, August 14, 2009

Refold, Recyle, Resort

I was inspired to refold and resort my stash recently and this is the result thus far - it's not everything, I still have a few piles of fabric in some drawers and in other places but this is the bulk of the quilting cottons. I was inspired to refold them on mini-bolts similar to these but I used ordinary cardboard that is sized to 10x12 inches - just so happens that when I get photos shipped from my pro-lab to my photography business, they usually shrink wrap images and orders to the cardboard to keep them flat during shipping so over the last few years I have amassed a small army of these little cardboard pieces and larger ones too that I just cut to size. It worked out well and what a great way to recycle the cardboard.

I decided to keep color families together, I think it makes life a little easier. I like this method of folding and storing much better - easier to see what you have and easier to just grab a mini-bolt off the shelf and use what you need and place right back in it's place. I was using a fold and stack method before, y
ou can see a photo in a previous blog post here. I folded the fabric with the folded edge meeting the selvage edge and then just folded it onto the cardboard, just like a bolt then used a binding clip to keep it all in place on the bolt. Simple, easy, and it looks great too - like a miniture fabric shop right in my own sewing room.
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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Another Tote and some sewing room additions

I got another simple tote completed today for the upcoming Alaska cruise from San Francisco - I hope our friends like this one, it only has one single sling strap, I think it will work.


I finally made a weighted pincushion organizer and scrap bag. I used a pattern/tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew! - you can find it here (it opens as a pdf so it might take a minute) I've been meaning to make one of these and I finally got around to it, not that I should be making these things right now, I really should be working on a few quilts and a BOM blocks but I'll try and get to those tomorrow night or the next day.


A couple months back I had made a under the sewing machine organizer but I don't think I blogged it so here it is.

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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Going on a sea cruise!

I made a couple tote bags this past weekend for our upcoming Alaskan cruise at the end of the month. I was inspired by some bags I saw that included nautical appliques and a rope for the handles - actually the rope goes all the way around the bag in one continuous loop and then is tied off where is meets the end. It was a little challenging to figure out what should be stitched first but in the end I'm pleased.This is the second tote, much simpler and not lined but it'll be great to carry some extra things around in the ports or for shopping. This tote is going to be gifted to one of our cruising travel-mates - I hope she will enjoy it!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Great Eleanor Burns book giveaway!

This is a great giveaway - follow the below link to see a great blog and a great giveaway -- don't miss it!

http://welovequilting.com/blog/2009/08/august-give-a-way-eleanor-burns/