Hurry up and put those last few stitches in that binding, because there’s a new task for today . . . (for The Final Countdown — come join in) . . .
Put away any “stray” fabric
If you’re like me, when you’re working on a project, you tend to get engrossed in said project, and just fling the leftover bits and pieces around willy-nilly and tell yourself you’ll worry about them later. And if you’re like me, you then get on a roll, and get several projects going, and the pile of leftovers just gets bigger and bigger, and you still haven’t paid any attention to it, because you’re just soooo busy working on those projects. Who has time to go back and deal with that stuff? But then the point comes when the pile threatens to overtake any work area you might have had available, and it actually makes sense to corral it in some fashion so that you can continue to work unimpeded.
So . . . your task for today is to deal with the scrap pile. This does NOT mean to re-organize your entire stash (although if you want to do that, feel free). All this means is to gather up the pieces you’ve flung, the leftovers from that quilt you just finished, the 2 fat quarters you drug out of the stash and decided not to use right now after all, the great print you just bought and haven’t put away yet, and any other wayward pieces of fabric that have worked themselves out of the proper storage space, and put them away where they belong. This will help give you a cleaned-up workspace, so that you can start your next project guilt-free!
If you’re a neat freak, and have no piles, then I’m jealous, but you can still leave your comment here just to make a point, and then be eligible for the prize. And for those of you who ARE like me, I would really LOVE to see some before and after pictures . . . something akin to these . . . which I’m embarrassed to say are mine . . .
I usually stuff gently place everything in here first . . . 
. . . but as you can see, it’s overflowing. So then it spills over into this:
You can tell by the fact that I chose a tiny basket to hold the overflow that I have good intentions about dealing with this stuff, right? However . . . the tiny basket then overflows into this:
I’m thinking I should just bypass the tiny basket and go straight to the bigger one in the future, don’t you? That’s enough of the shame for now — I’m tucking my tail and heading to the studio right now to go get that mess under control. I’ll post my after pictures when I’m done. How about you?
Contain your own strays, then come leave a comment (if you manage to come out on top). And hurry, because tomorrow’s task will be posted before you know it!
Prairie Moon Quilts 
Doing it as we speak.
I wish I had known about this challenge before I cleaned up my sewing room. You see, I share my sewing room with my son when he comes home to visit, like at Christmas time. The room was a total mess and cluttered beyond belief with the fabric I was using to make Santa wall hangings. My son’s visit forced me to deal with the mess and make it all neat and tidy before he got home. It looks so nice now, it’s a shame it will look like all hell broke loose in a few weeks.
I did not have too much stray material laying around! So that went quickly except I started a new project while I was downstairs – oops!!! Better go work on my blocks from yesterday’s task 1 and a half done 1 and a half to go until I am caught up!
Ok, so if I pick up the strays, what do I use for inspiration? JK — I did make a good effort of picking up the little bits on the floor that are only good for paper-making. I toss those into a bag and give them to my friend, who makes paper and gives me some back. It’s a system.
Wow, have you been peeking in my sewing room! I am always piling up scraps (can’t throw away anything). I took this week off from work with the intent on getting some serious sewing done and organizing my sewing room. I spent the morning putting things away and in their proper places, including my fabric scraps. I have plastic bins to organize them by color so they are all nicely tucked away now.
First I’m not finished my binding! LOL. I found my left over jelly roll strips, turned them into binding and sewed them to my quilt. And I have a little over one full side of the binding hand stitched in place. I’ll need a couple more hours to finish. But considering I am just recovering from a terrible winter cold I think I did pretty well.
And yes, I will clean up my scraps and materials. I’ve been a quilter for a year now (happy anniversary to me!) and I’ve finally got a collection of fabric that is bigger then my rubbermaid so good excuse to go through it and pull out the pieces and the bits and get them organized.
My quilting area is our kitchen so I’m sure my DH will be happy to see counterspace not covered with fabric bits.
Vivian
woo-hoo! I am doing that too! I’ve been trying to work on my Schnibbles pincushions, so in the process I’ve been putting away lots of stray fabric!
I thought I didn’t have fabric hanging out. One of my goals this year was to keep the scraps cut up and put up. I make it half way though my basket then was given about 5 pounds of scraps — so we won’t go there. It’s still contained in my laundry basket and not over flowing — yet.
But, I got up and took a serious look around the room. Batting! So I got most of it put up. I still have to deal with the trimmings from my nephew’s quilt, but then I think I’ll be done.
I always put my scraps on bags, (which I love!), I have 2 bags full of scraps, if you don’t have a place for yours, you can give them to me ;), when I’m cutting them (if I’m not using them), so the today’s task is done, :P, lol. I have a huge basket and I put there the fabrics I’m working with, sometimes I’m working with 3+ quilts at a time, you can find all the fabrics there. I’m still working with the yesterday’s task!, need to hurry, and you put the check!
How inspiring you are! I had some stray fabric (CHECK) and then went on to some dusting (CHECK), which seems perpetual around fabric. Add to that that my sewing room is the laundry room, and you get LOTS of dust. Also, put works in progress into shoe boxes (my new favorite storage device for such items)(CHECK). Also, sorted small scraps by color, a project I had started previously, and put them into ziplock bags for string quilts (my new favorite way to use up scraps)(CHECK) . I still need to finish up the floor and putting away books and patterns, but decided to report as a way of taking a break and I am working around three laundry piles on the floor waiting for the machine. Wow–I can’t wait to see what is next as I will be SO ready for a new year of sewing adventures after all of this.
I sew at my kitchen table so everything has to be put away. If I don’t get it picked up, my husband has been known to take care of it when he helps clean off the table after meals. I don’t want that happening, so I try to get everything but the crumbs.
Hey, I got a head start on this yesterday!! So today, I put away the fabric I rejected for the new quilt and then spent my time ironing my fabrics and starting to cut for the new quilt. Then, I sewed up 4 blocks just to see how they look!
I accomplished some. I put little bits away in a zip lock bag, I rounded up all my batting scraps into one box to be sewn back together into useable sizes, and I cleaned all the scraps and larger pieces off the kitchen counter. Which space DH promptly used to butter toast and then smother with jam so instead of a nice fabric laden space it’s crumby and sticky. I know, at least it didn’t get on the fabric.
Oh and I’m putting in more hand stitches in on my binding, this will be done by tomorrow!
I’ve cleaned up. When the piles started falling over that was it. All my scraps of Christmas fabric’s are put away, large pieces folded and hung back up, fq’s back where they belong. Small stitchery leftover Christmas projects in a basket to continue stitching in the evenings. Spools and spools of thread back in order! Whew that feels better – ready for new projects in the new year.
I ordered 2.5 gallon Hefty ziplock bags that I now use from cutting a pattern, to gathering the leftovers before I leave my sewing area. Then get down on my hands and knees to pick up all of the little clipped corners and such. Will see how long my good intentions last!
[…] Task Two Complete Whew! This turned out to be a bigger job than I thought it would! I showed you my overflowing scrap baskets here: Final Countdown Task Two. […]
The piles are getting smaller in one spot but growing in another. Guess I just keep moving them around!
Ta dah!
You probably didn’t think I’d succeed, eh?
LOL
Well, stray fabrics have ALL gone to their respective places! *VBG*
http://robich.blogspot.com/2009/12/check-tasks-2-3-and-4-all-finished.html
Tks for the tasks!
Rosa Robichaud
Saint John, New Brunswick
Canada
robich@rogers.com
I usually just keep all my scraps in shoe boxes (the large ones with the lids attached)
I do like the idea of cutting them to different sizes and sorting them that way.
Which sizes do you find to be the best for this? I realize the size of the scrap is an issue.. but I think I will try sorting and cutting my stuff. Make a nice scrappy quilt one day.
Thanks
SheilaC