This week I ORGANIZED!! How did I organize? I did what my mom used to do to my drawers when I was little and my room got too out of control. I dumped the fabric out and then organized it in to drawers! Yes, she would dump my drawers out and I’d have to put my room back together again. At the time it seemed harsh but now that I have 3 kids of my own, I totally get it! Before I organized my fabric I went to Target to pick up my SIXTH 3 drawer bin. 6 x 3 drawers = 18 drawers of fabric. Excessive? YES! It’s a problem!! First… polka dots…
Next, florals, stripes, houndstooth, and so on and so forth…
For the first time since the creation of Applique Cafe, Jeff & I are now in the same room. at the same table. So far it works out great! Instead of having to walk around the corner in to our bedroom where he used to work, I now just peer around my computer to see what he’s working on, answer questions, etc.
Since this isn’t our house (“it’s Larry’s house”, as Mallory told me this morning), Jeff rigged up this reject cabinet shop board for my thread stand. It’s simply leaning up against the wall since we don’t want to permanently attach anything. I’d love pegboards in our next house so I can also include my 5000M spools, which are now in a basket nearby.
How organized and beautiful is this!! About 1/3 of the fabric pieces are rolled up and rubber banded, but most are just in the correct drawer which is the best I could do in a week. If you can see the chair on the right, that’s where I sit so everything is right there in arms reach! So excited!!! We had our house on the market for about 6 months, so all this was in my closet so I had to trek to my closet when I wanted to do ANYTHING! Much better!
In Applique Cafe news, I listed these 2 new designs this morning (shown with multiple fabrics and also with just 1 fabric for the turtle shell). They are 30% off along with the rest of the website (other than crosses & Easter designs which are still 50% off).
In OTHER AC news, in order to distract myself yesterday from hours upon hours of sad news coverage of the tornadoes that hit Alabama on Wednesday, I decided it was a good time to figure out how to do an AC newsletter. By this morning I already had over 60 subscribers and at last check I had over 95! I am now working on my FIRST newsletter and will send it out when I get it all done! If you want to receive the AC Newsletter, just go to Applique Cafe and there is a hot pink button front and center to click and enter your email address!
Remember Alabama and other surrounding states that were hit on Wednesday! I’ve seen countless photos of homes and businesses that were destroyed. So many people lost their lives and so many people lost everything they owned.
You did a great job on your new ‘studio’!!!! I love how organized it is!
It looks awesome!!! I know you will be thrilled once you have your own space!
Great job organizing, looks awesome! I have an odd question, why not organize by color? I so wish I had the fabric you have. I barely fill up 1 bin like yours. Thanks
I usually know what I want to use – polka dots & a gingham, for example. I may not know what color. I don’t know?? I guess it’s just easier for me to organize by type since some of my fabrics (florals, etc) are multi colored!
Just an organizing tip for everyone…
For stablizer rolls, you can use kid’s “snap bracelets” to keep them from unrolling. They are easier to unwrap and redo than rubber bands. Someone had an “in-the-Hoop” design to make them, BUT even simplier and quicker, Oriental trading company (party supplies) has them super cheap by the dozen.
For thread spools that do not have their own built-in thread holder, I use Hugo’s Amazing Tape – it’s an adhesive-free soft rubbery plastic that sticks to itself so it won’t goop up the thread and it’s reuseable over and over. I just wrap a little bit around each spool.
I use the same plastic drawers for my fabrics and organize by pattern (dots, stripes, Kona solids, Damask, etc.) but you have to make sure not to over stuff each drawer or it becomes hard to keep the fabric folded and stacked (which I like) – as you pull the fabrics out from under the bottom of the stacks, the top fabrics bunch up and “disappear” from the pile if the drawer is too full. I end up having to take ALL the fabrics out of the drawers to find the “missing” fabrics that bunched up somewhere in the drawer.
Thanks for the tips!
I am so inspired! I am ready to go to Target and get myself organized now. BUT….I must ask a dumb question…..what are “snap bracelets”? As a grandmom maybe I am just not in the know but I could use some help here. I also need to ask this question….does anyone know where a good place is to buy the nice 30 wt. all cotton Sulky sewing thread? I found some great deals for my Isacord online at a place in Arizona and it was cheaper to buy a lot than a few…..any ideas out there? Thanks so much……(I use the Sulky for general sewing, not embroidery….is there something better to use?)
Jane
PS….Rosemary…did you buy your wooden spool racks at JoAnn’s? Thanks! Jane
I think I got them at Hancocks, but I’m sure Joann sells them. It’s the bigger one!
I think they came from Hancocks, but Joann sells them also!