Announcement!

I Have A Notion blog and store have moved to:


the store can be found at


There is a much easier to navigate store, with new items. The blog has its own page as well... new content too.

The blog is now at www.ihaveanotion.com/blog

Please come and visit!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Snowed In

The sky is dark but the snow is white, beautiful and falling rapidly. I took these photos earlier today in hopes you would enjoy them as much as I do.

I was trying to capture the snow flakes falling but you can really only see that if you look are the dark tree stump in the back ground or near the fence rails.
Naturally my co-workers are fast at work building a snowman.  I wish I could be out them with them but my mobility is still limited with my ankle.
Sometimes I sit with my foot up and drink a cup of joe...in my new coffee mug.  Do you recognize the pattern?  I adore these coffee mugs and you can get your very own HERE.

I find it very difficult to get much done because I can't be on my feet too long because of my healing ankle.  I want a team of worker bees to show up here and get things done for me....know any giant swarms of worker bees that are bored?
Problem is, I may need more like 25 - 30 who are all excellent at cleaning and organizing.  Since breaking my ankle back on Oct. 12, 2013 it has been very difficult to get things to their final destinations.  Playing catch-up is still a slow process and I'm doing my best to have patience. 

Organization....now that sure is a word that means many things to many people.  I think of organization as having things in their place and knowing where that place is....consistently.   My problem has been and continues to be the time I spend organizing is typically wasted because how I decided to organize things didn't work out so well. 
About 3 or 4 years ago I went and bought large clear bins thinking my fabrics would not get dust on them and I'd be able to see through the bins and know what is inside.  That didn't work so well because they bins are heavy and I'm always sorting through them and that makes a huge mess.  My energy is drained not by creating but by sorting.
Next came these rolling bins from IKEA.  They work pretty well but they don't protect from dust and I can't always see the color ranges I'm looking for.

I've used Google um-teen times to find a solution for organizing my fabrics that works for me.  I have to say it all depends on the space you have, your preferred style (by color/yardage/project etc), and your budget.  I've spent so much money on organizing already and I'm concerned that if I try something else that I'll be out more money and more energy.  
I may have found a method that works well and is within my budget....I'm not saying its the end all and be all just yet...time will tell.

I purchased the acid free comic book cardboard and I've begun making mini bolts.

This is as far as I've gotten and there certainly is plenty more to go....however....I really do like being able to see the fabrics once they are shelved.  Next comes the shelving....that comes later :)  My girlfriend Jean has all of her fabrics stored similarly in a shelved closet and I fell in love when she opened the closet.  It is a huge task to re-organize....however I can do it an hour or two at a time while sitting with my foot up.

I also have an issue with thread (I have so many issues I could start a blog entitled: I Have Issues).  I have several of the Mega Rack Wooden Thread Racks and they work well for most all of my thread.  Now I'm doing more machine embroidery I find I'm wanting a better system for storing my Floriani Threads

When doing machine embroidery the patterns give numbers and then I have to see if I have the color in my "private stash" (we know I have every color they make and several of each well within reach :) will call for certain colors.  At the present time I have to use my Floriani Thread Guide .  I circle each of the threads I have in my "private stash" and they are numbered (wildly I might add) My issue is how to sort them.  Do you sort by color?  Number? 

I've decided to sort by number regardless of the color so I will save time looking up which number is what color.  I like my energy used in creating not in searching for small numbers written on spools.  This does not mean I always use the colors suggested....but I do want to know the hue and range before I head off into my own creations given I'm not an artist. 
I've only gotten as far as taking all the thread off the table and putting them into a drawer....soon I'll organize them by number.

The decision to use my Presencia Cotton Thread drawers for personal use may be a win-fall for some of you.  Why?  Because I'm going over to IHAN® now and begin adding each color, solids and variegated, and I'm marking them 1/2 off.  I'll need some time to get them all loaded, but if you love Presencia 10 gram 16 weight thread....act fast because I'm certain it will sell out fast.  If you already know you want to stock up, you can e-mail me and I'll put those aside for you (IHaveANotion dot com).

So that's what I do when there is a Level 3 Snow Storm Warning issued....what do you do?

Smiles,
Kelly



13 comments:

  1. Well you certainly have been productive even with a broken ankle!! the snow looks beautiful. I hope it is not too much of an inconvenience for your family. I understand the northern states have been hit hard.We've got some cold weather coming, but not anything like that! I do love my IKEA bins. They are packed pretty full by color. Your comic board system looks like a winner! Gather up some quilts and stay warm ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are on the same page..... I spent my limited time this week straightening and organizing and cleaning... my sewing space. We aren't having snow... we are having ice... fortunately... not a lot accumulating... although it has been dripping from the sky all day! I keep my fabric in tubs... but I try to keep the stash under control.....

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never experienced a level 3 snowstorm so I'm learning on how to deal with it from you. I have experienced show storms, but never to what you are dealing with. I can only think about having enough hot cocoa, food, fire, and hopefully enduring the cold long enough to make it through the storm. I personally think I'm no way prepared to go thru what you do...and I'd probably freeze to death. thank goodness for quilts!

    Hang in there. Spring will come.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been using the acid free comic book boards for a while. I really like doing it this way, but I don't have enough shelf space--and no where else to put shelves. Still it is great to be able to see what you have.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I feel like we are kindred spirits! I too, have tried a number of ideas. But I started last year using the comic book boards and love it. I store the fabric in the big bins and can see in a glance what I have without rooting around and making a big mess.. Some bins are by color and some are just yardage. The smaller bins/boxes are now project boxes. Hope you like it as well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. no snow here in NC but we have cold weather.
    Trying to figure out how to organize a sewing room can take some time. Good time to do it while you are snowed in. Stay warm.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The snow scenes look so pretty. I have my threads sorted by number too. It is easier to find what I need.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i just love the snow, and being snowed in, even better!!

    pretty pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks like you have enough sewing stuff to last a life time. My organization meant getting rid of yardage and projects I knew just won't be used in my life time. I donated 5 boxes to our quilt guild to sell at their quilt show in the "granny's attic" shop. Now I have a bin for each color and that even will be more than I will ever use. I find sorting by color is best for me. I can then see what I have and what will work the certain project I am planning to work on. I also sort my thread by color and keep cotton thread separate from my other thread. Your photos are great! You are so good at taking such great shots! My how the boys have grown. I bet Christmas was a blast at your home! Love you all...Auntie

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh...by the way...happy sorting and organizing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Don't forget about your rick rack! I know you need a special bin (or 10!) for rick rack!!! I've got a basket for blue/purple scraps, red/pink/orange scraps, floral & other patterned scraps, and one for green/black. (just because that's what fit, that's why) Thread? Thread is stored by colors, numbers be darned! All my greens are together, all my blues are together, etc. Sulky threads (I know, I know, but that was pre-IHAN!) are in Sulky thread boxes, and the cones of Floriani are all in their original boxes or up on racks on the wall. I look at the color sheet for color description, then go find one that is close or similar. Easy peasy when all my colors are grouped together.

    Your snow is pretty, but I'm sure you're tired of it by now! I know we're sure tired of the cold!! Brrrrr!

    (let me know if you need some more rick rack - I'll scrounge some up!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Snow and cabin fever. Very overrated! That's SERIOUS progress on your fabric! Yay for you!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I turn into a reptile and move very very slowly...so not much is getting done here....

    I do hope your ankle is healing but enjoy the resting time.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading the IHAN Blog. I love getting and reading every comment that is left here; however I may not be able to respond to all comments left during giveaways. There are times when I am juggling many tasks at one time and may not reply to all comments. Please e-mail me at quiltnotions@gmail.com if you need a reply quickly. I thank you for your understanding and-
More Later-Beth

Translate

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...