Organizing, Donating, Quilting, Reading

It's the usual. 

Last Friday was when my she-cave closet was too much of a mess to continue to ignore. I'm not one who enjoys organizing, but sometimes it just has to be done. 

The mess got worse before it got better. 

I found a box of quilting books and patterns I thought I'd already donated, an empty tin, a partial skein of yarn, and several other small items like an old plastic tack basting gun. Remember those?! When our weekly Big Cypress Quilters group starts meeting again, I'll donate it all.

When reorganizing fabrics, I even noted which piles are where - multi-brights, stripes, novelty prints, ombrés, and wide backs. The rest of my stash is in another cabinet.

It was good to revisit what I have, and count only six WIPs. Four are long-term projects that I will pick up again - a failed original design; hand-piecing; embroidery; and English paper-piecing. Two are small items that only need to be sewn into their final form - a pillow and a wall hanging. Neither have a home... so why bother finishing? 

These blocks were in a set-aside pile - another failed attempt to create an original design. When I looked at them, I couldn't help but notice that these blocks are mostly the same colors as the blocks I recently made for the Boulder MQG improv challenge! Aquas with yellow, and a strip of tiny pieced rainbow colors inside. 

So I tossed a few of them on the design wall with the improv blocks. Maybe I'll be able to do something with them. These are by no means arranged,  but will do for visual contemplation until I decide how to begin joining them. 

This Canvas Pencil Pouch, a free pattern and tutorial from Anna at Noodlehead is a recent finish. 

That turtle batik-looking fabric was given to me. I paired it with a piece of linen that I hand-embroidered, and will gift the pouch to the person who gave me the fabric.

I chose linen fabric for the inside, but covered it with adhesive-backed, iron-on vinyl before sewing it together. Now, whether it's used for pencils or cosmetics, the inside can be wiped out.

This week our Big Cypress Quilters group hosted a "shower" for Children's Home Society of Florida. We've done this before, and had hoped to do it in person again this year. However, given the pandemic, donations were collected to be delivered.

I unearthed a couple quilts that were made at least 12 years ago. Yes, it is terrible that I still have them and haven't already given them away!

I hung onto them in case I'd need them as teaching examples in a beginner quiltmaking class. This quilt is about "how to sew half-square triangles." It's high time to give it away. Very traditional, isn't it? Those borders! Well, once upon a time, this is the only kind of quilt I made.

47" X 59"

I began honing my free motion quilting skills by quilting lots and lots of donation quilts. I can't emphasize enough how valuable it was for me to keep making, quilting, and giving quilts away. This quilt was stipple-quilted in the center, with loop-de-loos for the border. Thread is rainbow variegated.

This "angel" quilt - and I do use that term loosely - was meant to teach how a combination of 3-1/2" X 3-1/2", 3-1/2" X 6-1/2", and 6-1/2" X 6-1/2" fabric cuts could be combined to create a shape.

42" X 48"

It was intended as an example of using a minimal amount of machine quilting, and ties. Many of my beginner quiltmaking students owned only a basic sewing machine, so it was important for them to learn how to tie a quilt, which I think is especially appropriate for a child's quilt. 

On Monday I began quilting my long-waiting Linda Nova (Tula Nova) quilt. 

I began with walking foot quilting, working from the center outward to stabilize the quilt sandwich. I've learned that the puffiness of wool batting may cause some shifting between safety pins. This walking foot quilting should eliminate that. 

Custom quilting is next, though not as much as on my temperature quilt! I'm not up for that again!

For weeks, I've been no good at choosing good books! Remembering that decades ago I enjoyed Danielle Steel book, I read Beauchamp Hall (pronounced Beecham). It's about Winnie, a middle-aged woman living in small-town Michigan, sharing her house with her 11 year-long boyfriend, and working a dead-end job. After Winnie watches a British TV series called Beauchamp Hall, she begins to question her life, and dream of more. When everything she knows turns upside down determines to pursues her dream, travels to England, and through a series of being-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time moments, she begins to find happiness. If you're a fan of Downton Abbey, you'll figure out that that Beauchamp Hall is Downton Abbey.  Really, this is a fairy-tale story. Predictable. Happily ever after.

Linda's score: 2.8/5.0 

I did a whole lot better choosing this book! The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler that kept me enthralled. I listen to it in two days!

College student Sienna Scott literally stumbles across the body of a dead young woman. When the killer isn't found, Sienna is sent to London to live with her grandmother. After 11 years away, she returns home to live with and care for her psychotic mother... just as the murder investigation is reopened. Sienna questions her mother's certainty that their house is being watched; relives the murder scene and conversations; and pursues her own hunches. Jonathan, a handsome home-flipper working at the house across the street, attracts her attention. Does she now have another suspect?

This story kept me guessing, though I was certain I knew who did it. I sure like this kind of engaging story. Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

I'm wondering how everyone is holding up through these days of slowly being released (phase 1 to phase 2) to activities. I got a haircut! Who knew that would feel so good?! I also visited my cardio-vascular doc for a put-off blood test (more extensive than routine blood work). Even these small steps away from home have felt good. Hopeful. Are you feeling a small amount of hope too?

Pastor Mike shared this during last Sunday's sermon.  The man knows how to preach! Go here to watch. 

Linda

Activities

First I want to thank everyone who commented on my last post with great suggestions about what to do with my smocking supplies and other unique items. I followed through on everything you suggested and then some. So far, nothing is working out, but I'll continue to look.

Even though the smocking supplies haven't found a home, I'm feeling positive about where we are, in general, with purging and organizing:

• As of February 1, I unstuck and scanned 2,249 photos from 13 photo albums dating from 1972 through 2007! That was opening and closing the lid of our printer 2,249 times! All the photos at 600 dpi fit on one CD which I burned four times - for us, our kids, and safe-keeping.
• I sold two boxes of quilting books, quilting patterns, embroidery hoops, yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, a dress ham, quilt basting spray and a garment steamer to Fabric Recycles in Overland Park, Kansas. While I made back only about ten percent of the purchase price, it was something.
• I sorted and reduced four Kodak slide carousels to two and they're in Overland Park being digitized at Truth on Tape. Why Overland Park? Because their price was less than half of what I would have been charged here in Des Moines.
• A huge box of denim I'd been saving to make a quilt (ha), was donated to Goodwill. That was 39 pairs of jeans, 12 skirts and shorts, a vest and a jacket!
• A wonderful friend from church has listed on her Ebay store some of my inherited depression glassware, and a sheepskin/rabbit fur coat. 

The things we're going through have been accumulating for the past 22-1/2 years, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprise that we've spent six weeks on this and progress seems slow. The timing of deciding to get rid of stuff, and me taking the Beth Moore Bible study, "James: Mercy Triumphs," are too coincidental to be other than of God. James 5:3 addresses consumerism.

This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.

I will continue to simplify! Watch me!

Last week, a garbage bag of quilt batting pieces was my target. First, I had to identify all the types of batting. It wasn't too difficult. There was Hobbs 80/20; Cream/White Rose which is my absolute favorite go-to batting; the less affordable but superior quality Quilter's Dream; and Warm 'n Natural/White, which I seldom use anymore because I don't care for its thick stiffness. Wool and flannel are the most easy to recognize. 

Then, after assessing whether pieces were even large enough to keep, I measured them, noting the type of batting and dimensions on a piece of paper. 

It really didn't take all that long to roll up each piece with it's note.

Just two large bins full - not an outrageous amount. The batting pieces that were not worth keeping are going to a friend who uses them to sew "belly bands," a type of pet underwear... if you will. 

One more small task accomplished. Yay!

Two weekends ago I was involved with a Quilt-a-Thon hosted by my church quilting group, Hope Quilters. It was a two-day sewing event to make blocks to sew into quilts for Mercy Children's Center here in Des Moines. The weather didn't cooperate on Saturday - six inches of snow fell throughout the day - so our turnout was smaller than we expected. Last week I sewed a quilt top and back from my stash.

Using leftover fabric chunks -  3-1/2" X 6-1/2" rectangles called loaves - here's my "Stairs to Heaven" loaf quilt top for Mercy. It measures 48" X 48".

48" X 48" Stairs to Heaven quilt top.

You can see that I pulled quite a few pieces from my stash, but these work fine for a 58" X 58" back. The quilts will be longarm quilted, so this backing is larger than I would normally make if I was quilting it myself.

Last week I also made the January Blogger's BOM designed by Quilt Dad. He calls it "Sands of Time." I like picturing a whole quilt of these blocks, alternating vertically and horizontally. The February block will be available at Canton Village Quilt Works on February 25.

This past weekend we were in Kansas City. I took my Featherweight sewing machine along with me for servicing at Missouri Sewing Machine Center. It was well worth the effort to take it there to be tuned-up when compared to a quote I received here in Des Moines. 

Of course time in KC was spent with family. Though it's been only six weeks since we've seen these guys, they are changing too quickly.

Tay, 28 months; Aesa 15 months

And they're sooo busy! It's "Ring Around the Rosie" and "Watch this, Nana!"

This week, getting rid of continues with several furnishings going onto Craigslist. The work doesn't seem to end. Linda

Cleaning House

As many of my friends know, we're working very hard to clean out our house. For the past few weeks, we've been going through things, making great efforts to find places for everything whether it's giving things away to friends, trying to sell on Craigslist, or donating items.

My craft and sewing supplies have receive my closest personal attention. My dilemma is now about what to do with some unique items.

For at least a decade, I was a smocker. No, not a smoker as in puff-puff, cough-cough. A smocker - someone who hand-embroiders designs across pleated fabric to make a stretchy sort of fabric that's sewn into adorable little girl's clothing.

1981

I made all my daughter's best dresses, as well as custom-sewed special occasion dresses and bonnets for other little girls.

1984

I'm keeping the 20 or so smocked outfits my little girl wore, but I have lots of smocking supplies. While I found a home for my large pile of batiste fabrics (the best type for making smocked clothing) and some pre-pleated items, I still have a bunch of stuff!

Not a sniff of interest on Craigslist, nor from the Smocking Arts Guild (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).

I have patterns for girls and boys in a multiple sizes of one design,

smocking books and patterns,

and 39 smocking design plates.

It's quite a bit of stuff.

 

Giving them to Goodwill or Salvation Army would see them dumped in the trash, and some of the patterns have never even been used! I'm at the limit of my ability to try to figure out what to do with everything. Ideas anyone?

Unfortunately, smocking-related items aren't the only things I have that I haven't been able to sell, or know where to give away. There are still books and supplies for Hardanger embroidery, bobbin lace-making, and fabric-dying. I have a few more quilting and counted cross-stitch books, embroidery hoops, pillow forms, Miniature Quilts magazines, 15-plus years of Quilters Newsletter Magazine (in binders!),  and a floor magnifier lamp.

If you were me, what would you do with them? Linda

Ribbons

What do you do with awards you've won? And don't tell me you've never been recognized for anything! I'm sure you have.

This week I decided to spend a couple hours sorting through ribbons. They've been accumulating since 1964 when I received my first "Style Revue" ribbon for modeling a 4-H outfit at the Fayette County Junior Fair, when was 11 years old. My family lived in Washington Court House, Ohio then. Oh my but handling these ribbons have been a trip down memory lane.

I have ribbons from Van Cleave Prep School, Troy, Ohio; the Dodge County Fair, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; the Iowa State Fair; and Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, Des Moines, Iowa. If nothing else, they're certainly indicators of a few of the places I've lived.

Muddling through what to do with them I recalled ribbon pillows and ribbon wallhangings I've seen. Nope, not for me. I settled on listing each one on a spreadsheet, indicating the event, year, placing and description of the item that received the award. Then, I laid out all 87 ribbons and took pictures. They're certainly colorful!

It's a bit shocking to estimate the hundreds of hours of stitching and sewing these represent. And what about all those entries that didn't receive ribbons!?

These ribbons were earned for Hardanger, counted cross-stitch, pulled thread embroidery, duplicate stitch, smocking, sewn wool clothes and aerobic wear, and quilting. Oh, and some bread and brownie-baking in there too. Of course the ones I'm most proud of are the rosettes, for "sweepstakes" and "best of."

I'm dusting my hands of these. They're old glories and it's time for them to go. The spreadsheet and photos will satisfy as proof enough of my efforts. One more task ticked off a long list of items to sort and purge. It feels great! Linda

Swiss Friend, and Organizing

In 1996, when the World Wide Web - yes, that's what "www" stands for - was in its infancy, I met Edith on what must have surely been one of the first quilting-related chat groups. It was called Kaffee Klatch and was moderated by a woman in Germany.

Since then, Edith and I have swapped countless emails, sent packages, and "crossed the big pond" to visit one another. Edith lives in Switzerland.

She visited me for the first time in 2000; I visited her in 2002. She has since returned twice: once in 2005 so we could attend the AQS national quilt show in Paducah, Kentucky; and another time in 2008 so we could attend the AQS national show here in Des Moines, Iowa. Both of us had quilts juried into the 2008 AQS show.

This is Edith in 2008 with her quilt "Mama Africa."

This is me in 2008 with the "AlJundi Wedding Quilt," a double wedding ring quilt, free-motion quilted and trapuntoed. The quilt was a wedding gift for our daughter and son-in-law, though it remains in my possession until they move to the US.

Neither Edith or I won anything for our quilts, but it was fun to have made it "in" together.

Through the years, Edith has thoughtfully made fabric cards for me. And boy, are there cards! During all the sorting and organizing that continues to go on around here, I found these in various places around the house.

Edith is very talented as you can see by the beautiful ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), and these paper greeting cards with fabric inserts and machine stitching.

Edith and I remain close friends, but now instead of laboriously writing emails, we visit one anothers' blogs, and Skype. As technology has evolved, so have we.

Visit Edith's "quilts und mehr" blog here. She posts in German, but thoughtfully translates her posts into English for us monolingual followers.

Sorting and Organizing

This week began with one dresser drawer containing jewelry. There's not so much to show for three hours of work, but I have purged! More than 50 pairs of earrings are poked into card stock, ready to give away. My SIL who makes jewelry has first dibs. Perhaps she can find something of worth in all this.

Most of the pieces are either gold-colored - I'm a silver gal these days - or "professional" stuff worn to work in the 90s. I'm not fond of hearts either, so everything with a heart shape is gone.
What little organizing progress I've made with this jewelry is still satisfying, like I'm taking bites of that elephant.

Nibbling away,

Organizing Progress

As if proof is needed that the only place to be is at home, here's the view from my front porch. Enough snow already!

As I resolved to do, I spent Monday sorting, purging and organizing in the master bedroom.

This is the closet before...

The shelf alone was a embarrassingly junky mess!

And here it is, six hours later.

Four more garbage bags containing clothes, shoes and purses are set aside for the DAV. Progress!

More House-bound Organizing

As the snow continues to fall in Des Moines - 3.3 inches/8 cm more since Sunday, for a total winter accumulation of
56.7 inches (144 cm)
UPDATED 57.4 inches/146 cm (the average annual snowfall is 33 inches/83 cm) - I have no excuse for avoiding the purging and organizing that needs to continue in our house.

Tackling one closet has unearthed some treasures. I don't have enough walls to display these counted cross-stitch pieces. You might guess correctly that at one time, back in the early 80s, I owned a counted cross-stitch shop. My plan is to take these pieces to a consignment store, once the snow clears. At the rate we're going, that won't be until April!

These too will go. I spent countless hours stitching them because of Dan's interest in Civil War history.

These junior high and high school pieces of artwork have already been relegated to the trash bin.

Just because it's pretty and I still might be able to find a place to hang it, I'm keeping this one.

Along with a lot of clothes-purging, one closet went from this...

... to this.

Five garbage bags of clothes are being donated to the DAV (Daughters of American Veterans) and those winter coats on the right are heading to a consignment shop.

Another closet is in for some ruthless treatment today. Who says you can't have fun when you're house-bound?!