See it while you can

Well, the eight week cleaning project in the sewing room is nearly done.  A place for everything and everything in its place.  So, I figured I should show you pictures before I mess it up really good again. 

The goal of my project was to weed through the junk and move it on and find stuff that needed to be sold and move it on and find stuff that needed to go to a new home via Goodwill and move it on.  And, in the process, do some really good stuff with my really good stuff.  And, take an assessment of how much really good stuff I have and get it where I can use it.

One of my high priorities that required a lot of planning and moving and repacking stuff was to get all my yarn supplies out of the armoire and refold and restack the quilts in a better order and in bags to protect them from light, dust and the acid that leeches out of wood and destroys paper and fabric. 

I have quite a vintage quilt collection, plus all the stuff I’ve made.  All these quilts were folded and stacked in the right side, where clothes would have hung.  But, I couldn’t get anything out of the pile and they were all touching the wood sides of the cabinet.  The left side has three shelves, so I can stack the quilts in, but in sections so I can pull them back out again and get one without unstacking the whole pile…because the one you want is ALWAYS on bottom.  The top shelf has a quilt we might use, so it’s easy to get to.  Below that are the vintage quilts.  These are getting their own pillow cases made to store the quits in.  Below that is quilts from my era; either made by my Mom or by me.  And, below that is quilts in the collection that need repair.  The right side, because it is nice and tall, will hold quilts rolled on pool noodles.  These are the wall hangings.  Each quilt will get a description on its bag so I can find what I own for a change.  And, in the top shelf of the right side, there are all the holiday quilts. 

So, that’s still in progress, with more pillowcases to come, but it’s a long term preservation project and it’s going to take a long term solution. 

I also wanted to show how neat and tidy the sewing room is.

Ugh, doesn’t look like it, eh?  But, all my really cool “collections” are in my sewing room and that takes space and I’m not ready to give up any of my collections, so I live with them all crammed into this small space that they share with my sewing machines.  My space.

But, if you ever come over, we can move just a couple of things and get you a seat on the sofa for a change.

Again, doesn’t look nearly as tidy as it really is. 

And, finally, the open floor space.  8 weeks ago, there was no open floor space.  In the 8 weeks, it sometimes appeared that there would NEVER be any open floor space.

But, here is the proof that there is a floor under all the quilting supplies.

Yes, there are still a few things that need to be put away.  There likely always will be.  The real question is, how long can I keep it this neat and accessible?

Just thought I’d close with thoughts from the memorial service last Friday night.  It was the memorial service everyone would want.  Lots of laughter and visiting.  A couple of speakers, who only spoke for a few minutes each and represented Steve’s work family and his outside work family, both of which were well represented at the celebration.  Then, there was a bit of sad music and then Rob made a joke and we were sent in for food.  It was all perfect.  A chance to celebrate Steve in visiting and laughing and catching up with old friends and meeting new friends.  A reminder of our focus and reason for being there.  And, then more celebrating.  Quiet, informal, free flowing. 

That’s what I want.

Okay, so have a great Tuesday.  I’m the parent of a 10th grader.  Yowza.  And, like Elizabeth blogged on her kid’s first day, I wanted to know what happened yesterday.  And, knowing Elizabeth wanted to hear it made it okay for me to want to hear it, too.  So, I sat through all the disorganized conversation and pieced together all I wanted to know about her day, while we were having dinner out to celebrate.

It all would have been perfect, except for the lady with the three very badly behaved small kids.  It really bothered me and about ruined my first day celebration, but Rob had the right idea when he pointed out that one day soon, those kids were going to eat her alive for not standing up to them now.  I think everyone on the restaurant was happy to see them leave.  And, maybe I was a little too happy.

Lane