Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Organization part 2

About 6 weeks ago I did a post on organization...
I went over how my studio currently was a mess in need of some new systems.

I still have more to do... but I've come a long way in 6 weeks.  I added a new large shelving unit to the center that is great for storing bins & boxes of fabric.  I also added doors to the bookcases to keep the fabric from being directly exposed to light. {ok so I added the doors on the right... the ones on the left are clearly still in the boxes}  The doors aren't 100% opaque so I might add fabric panels on the inside to block more light... but it's still better than what I had.  As you can see the windows in this room get a lot of sunlight.

I even went through and organized my scraps by color.  I've got a large bin of blue, red, and white and smaller bins of the other colors.  My OCDness doesn't like that they aren't all the same bins... but I found them throughout the house and was trying not to buy more bins.

My scraps didn't reveal much green... but my shelf of Kona Solids shows lots of green!  It also shows that I'm really lacking in the orange area...and considering that orange is my favorite color... what the heck? {Note to self...buy some orange fabrics & probably some more blue too.}

As usual Peter Walsh is my inspiration.
I love him & you should too.

 Have you done any organization lately?

Any suggestions for odd pieces of batting??... I have a giant pile of "remnant" batting that has grown out of control.

edit
I do sew my scraps of batting together to make larger pieces.  Usually I'll use this for table runners, pillows or quilts that I'm quilting myself.  When I send stuff to Angela I always send her one whole piece.  My issue is what to do with the giant pile of batting scraps right now until I have time to sew them together.



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

28 comments:

Charlotte said...

I sew my left over bits of batting into usable sizes by joining them with a big zig zag stitch on the machine. After quilting, you would never know, and it saves a load of money!

Sewhappy said...

I make mug rugs from small scraps, pot holder and use 2 layers ( usually join these) and you can join 'em up and make mini quilts or quilted cushion covers. Another alternative...sell scraps.

Lee said...

I collect the very "non usable" small pieces and use them for stuffing of baby toys I make or stuffed animals.

Becky (My Fabric Obsession) said...

oh! Everyone is doing such fabulous organization. your shelves look great. I really need to do this. I have no tips for you as my stuff is everywhere!

Emily said...

Sew them together for use in another quilt like so:

http://creativechicksatplay.blogspot.com/2010/11/thoughts-on-scraps.html

I've had no problems with the pieced battings I have used in quilts. No one can tell.

Sara said...

Since there's a lot of air in batting (well, more than in the fabric itself) maybe you should put it in a vacuum bag to shrink it down and store it.

Kari said...

I just went through and zig-zagged together random strips of batting (most of it was big long strips off the edges of finished quilts.) I love the warm&natural batting (and stuff like it) can be pieced together so easily.
They're all wide enough for a baby quilt right now--a good handful of baby quilts. And I make a bunch of those, so I'm just going to leave them and work from there.
I've also got plans to make the quilted alphabet (can't remember the site now) but I'll need little bits for that, so anything that was big enough for a letter but not in a long strip got put in another pile, to make those. (When I get around to it in 20 years or so . . . ;) )

Kari said...

Ooo, just read the vacuum bag idea. Thanks. Totally doing that.

Kim said...

I just started organizing too. The master bedroom is the target. I have been watching Peter's new show on OWN and he has inspired me! Our master is bedroom, office & laundry room so kind of a disaster area. I loaded up 5 garbage bags of clothes to donate yesterday so we are moving in the right direction! Still a lot to do though. I may need to go buy his new book, I have "It's All Too Much" and keep it out as inspiration. : )

mascanlon said...

Well I'll be interested in the batting suggestions as I have piles of it too! At Road someone was demo'ing a fusible tape meant to do the job of zigzagging...did I get any? No! I have a couple of months of baby room sewing ahead of me but I have a BIG plan to clean out the 2 closets most full of sewing stuff and make them way more usable. August I believe is the time frame...lol.

Mary P said...

Interesting that you don't have much orange in your stash. I have actually found it hard to find a lot of orange fabric. For example, look at the Kona cotton color card and how many oranges are there? Now how many shades of blue are there? It's hard to have a lot of orange when there isn't much out there (at least in comparison to other colors). Good luck increasing that! From time to time I specifically buy fabric in the colors I don't have much of (usually orange and yellow) just so I remember to use them in my quilts!

Megan said...

Your organization looks great! As far as batting chunks goes, I sew the bigger pieced together like you mentioned for frankenstein batting. But for the smaller pieces, I cut them into rectangles and use them on my swiffer duster. While it may not be sewing related, those pieces can pick up some serious dust. Or I use the even small pieces for dusting ceiling fans and blinds. I saw the idea in an American Patchwork and Quilting magazine (I think?). :)

MeganZ said...

Ah, I'm feeling very inspired by your scrap bins! I've been working on my disaster of a studio (it's very small and very full) for the last 24 hours and my real problem is just that I have too many scraps for the little baskets I used to keep them in. Sorting them out by color into plastic boxes looks like a great idea!!

Unknown said...

I have been organizing too. It feels great to get things under control and it has been easier put things back once I am done with them. My tiny scraps of fabric and batting as well as unusable scraps are going into old pillowcases that are worn out. I will sew it up once it is full and it will become a cat bed. Easy to wash and comfy for my kitty. Then I will start a new one. The shelters can always use these too.
I still have a little more fabric organization to do- but the worst of the mess is organized now.

Heidi said...

My sewing room has exploded after working on different projects, and it's time to get organized again! Your room looks great and as for the scraps of batting, I sew them together in zig-zag stitches and reusing them for smaller projects. I also use them for stuffing, protecting glass, or testing quilt stitches.
Well done, and enjoy your new neatness!

Dorian said...

Put them in a flat box, and shove them under the bed :) I keep all my little pieces in a box in the closet. They are great for small things like mug rugs.

Contented Caroline said...

Love the organisation - I'm a bit like you toot - any small scraps of wadding i put in a basket by my machine and use them as testing pieces before i start a free-motion quilting project - i always like to trial the fabrics with the wadding I use to make sure the tension is right. Bigger pieces get put in a drawer and like you, any small projects I sew them together - I once made a quilt with no less than 12 pieces of scraps of wadding - once it was quilting you couldn't tell it had this many pieces in it. My pet-hate is waste!

The One and Only said...

They do have the type of storage container that is long and thin (usually goes under a bed) so that might be a good place to put them until you sew them together...not sure where exactly you would put it, but just wanted to give you a suggestion....btw, love your blog seriously!

MeganZ said...

Yay! I just spent a couple hours sorting out my ten thousand random little containers of scraps into five big bins, by color, and they all fit! I feel so much more organized without all that sitting around bugging me!

Natalia from Piece N Quilt said...

Looks great Julie! You've inspired me!

Joan and Kevin said...

I use extra pieces of batting to put in baby bibs and burp cloths. You can even get rid of extra leftover fabric. You could put a block that you did not use on the bib or burp cloth.

Vicky said...

I was coming in here to tell you to use those vac bags ... always late to the party!! Your organization is looking good!

Micmacker said...

I went through a couple of tote bins last weekend & got rid of some sewing projects (apparel) I'll never finish - they'd be dead ugly anyway. I was saving really small scraps of batting, which I use for stuffed items. Also coasters, mug rugs, etc.

9patchnurse said...

I save my little scrappy pieces of batting for dusting. It's great for the sewing and laundry rooms which get pretty linty and dusty. I like your organization.

Pinky said...

I leave all my "leftover" bits of batting for practicing machine quilting (or warming up for machine quilting) it's especially convenient if it's already matched with some leftover backing, then you can just use some plain/calico etc on top. This is especially useful if they're not really big enough to be anything else. I always have long side strips leftover

WoolenSails said...

I like using the plastic bins for scraps and I do put my batting pieces in one too. The scraps are great for mini pieces.

Debbie

Mairi said...

I know this may seem a little weird... but we're about to start making menstrual pads for women in Africa who have nothing and therefore often have to stay away from school etc for chunks out of every month. I have been saving all my little odds of wadding for that... you often just strips from the edge that are just the right size. I'm sure you could find someone in your area doing that sort of thing is you googled! Just an idea for something that most people don't think of but young women in third world countries are delighted by! Love your work...

Leslie said...

Excellent ideas! I use batting scraps for creating 'test sandwiches' before I start quilting to make sure thread color, etc. will work and do a practice run with my technique to get into the groove.