Yesterday my DH and I took a ride to IKEA to look at shelves for my sewing room. We picked out a nice wooden bookcase that we thought would work perfectly. This morning, we were putting it together and the wood split on the side. If it were the side against the wall, it would have been fine, but it was the exposed side. We drove back to IKEA (about 45 minutes) and were able to return it and purchase a new one with no problem. So, we got this one together and now I have my whole stash in one place...not that it took very long to get it there!I also have boxes of strips cut (although not that many) and I have a stack of fabric to cut into strips. I do have some muslin on bolts and some pieces of muslin in a drawer in my desk. I just wanted the pretty stuff on the shelves! :o) So, now I have to figure out what to do with it.
A lot of it is small pieces that were leftover from fat quarters I've used, so as I have time I'll go through and cut that down. Other than quilt tops that need quilting, I only have one project that is a true UFO and has been abandoned. I've used the border fabric from that for 2 different quilts, but I think I'll just make that quilt smaller and give it as a gift. It's a nice quilt, just not one I'm interested in finishing! I also have 2 sets of blocks...one is nine patches and the others were little paper pieced sewing things that I did in a swap a hundred years ago and never could decide what to do with them. I do have an idea now, so may work on them.
I did think about sorting my stash and admire those of you who do it. I pulled a stack off the shelf, separated the blues, the browns and greens and then came to a fabric that was leaves, but pretty evenly distributed between brown and green. I couldn't make a decision as to which pile it should go in, so I gave up. And that was just the first piece of multi-colored fabric! I guess I'll just keep it mixed up...it's fun that way! :o)
18 comments:
LOL when I sort mine I make a special pile for the "unknowns" ;) Looks great! Sorry about the wood the first time :( xoxo melzie
Your stash looks so neat and colorful. Good job of organizing.
you found a great shelf at Ikea. Your stash fits very well there, and leave more space for expansion :-)
It looks great!
I also had to laugh when I got to the part about the 'sticking' point of dividing fabric... I'm the same! I especially had a problem with my florals, and finally just made a multi stack of all the florals that weren't one main color. But I don't know what I would have done with the leaves!
Wow - it looks all neat and organized - way to go! I hope you are going to bolt that to the wall - especially if you ever have young visitors, but for your own safety as well. You can get the brackets at the hardware store...
When I was making scrappy log cabins I sorted my stash by light, dark and mediums and didn't use the mediums. Recently, to make some scrappy 1 color tops, I've resorted it all by color! I think I sort depending upon the mood I am in! No matter how it is sorted, I like having my stash on shelves so I can look at it!
Cheers!
Evelyn
Hi Carolyn, I think the new shelf holding your stash looks fabulous!! I might just have to condsider one like that for my sewing room..*VBS* I could probably get DD#1 to pick one up for me at the IKEA in the Twin CIties. I don't drive there anymore...but she doesn't mind shopping for me if going with the DH..they are very good to me..*S*
Actually, a confession just incase you need abit of reassurance about your stash? I really, really truly WISH that mine were the size of yours. It looks complete to me. You have the lights that you favor ready at hand. You have choices but not so many that the decisions will drive you crazy.
I just plain have TOO much fabric in my life. I've given away many many brown grocery bags full since 2000, have bought almost NOTHING, and still feel burdended by the amount.
I would be delighted if my would fit in a shelf such as yours..*S* IT's plenty to work from, but not overpowering.
Sometimes I feel like my stash owns me, not I owning it.
Thanks for letting me tell you that! Hugs, Finn
I have a stack of "multicolored florals" and another of "Christmas" and another of "novelty". Plus another of plaids and another of 30's repros. What will sort into colors I sort - what won't usually falls into it's own stack or stacks.
By the way - the new shelf looks absolutely marvelous! And the little featherweight adds a wonderful touch. Do you ever use it?
I have that same shelf in the family room- I wonder if dh would notice if I moved it up to the sewing room? It looks great with all your fabrics.
Oooh! Love your IKEA purchase...it looks like it's just right.
You said: I only have one project that is a true UFO and has been abandoned.... Will you still be my friend, Carolyn? I don't think that I can relate to this. ;-) LOL
Sounds like you're having fun playing...er...organizing your fabric!
Your stash looks nice and neat. Glad you took the trouble to go back to the store and get a new shelf. It looks organized enough to me. I think it is more fun mixed up too!
About your UFO - when I get to something that just doesn't appeal to me anymore, I often send it to a group making charity quilts (which group, varies from top to top - this is something that has happened to me more than once :))- then you know that someone will finish the quilt and someone else will enjoy it - might be a way to get it out of your sewing room without feeling guilty about "abandoning" it...
Very nice set up
I have three of those Leksvik bookcases, one in the lounge and two in the play room (sewing room too) I also have matching TV cabinet, tallchest of drawers and CD cabinets and love the range, some of it was bought in France and some in the UK - they are sturdy without feeling bulky - given some more space I'd love to have some additional room to buy some more to house my stash - the featherweight does look so at home there
My stash is separated by projects, because that is generaly how I buy it. When I get an insperation, then it becomes an idea, then is discribed in my journal, then listed on my spread sheet. By then I have a fairly good idea of what colors and fabric patterns I want. I look throught my UFO Stash and put the "stuff" together in a project bag (a large zip lock bag) with some indication of what project it is. From there I watch in the stores for fabric that will work in that project. (Mind you not all the fabric I get ends up in the project for which it was bought. The left over goes into my UFO stash.) It may take me more then a year to collect the fabric for a project.
Oh I have gone on for way too long. I wanted to say that your stash looks fetching there.
Wow, my first thought is what a SMALL stash! It looks very neat and organized and I love the sewing machine on the shelf too. I'm using built in shelves right now but I'm sure I'm going to have to purchase shelves when we move.
Thatlooks great. Very neat and organized. It's so much easier to use when it's organized.
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