Last Six Weeks of 2019: Personal Projects

With the conclusion of the very successful Angel Tree project I feel like I can spend some time working on personal projects.  I won't be starting the Houston Furniture Bank quilts until January.  Once I emptied the shelves where the Angel Tree quilts were stored, I was able to move the Houston Furniture Bank quilts into that space.  There's even one totally empty shelf! 

Currently I have 10 twin sized quilt tops with backing ready to quilt.  I have 15 tops ready to be enlarged to twin size.  Pam, my friend who jumped on board to help with Angel Tree, has been sewing improvisational borders to the quilt tops on hand.  She's having a grand time & I'm happy for her spirited help!   I also have 6- 9 patch kits cut and ready to sew.  I'm lining up scraps and cutting strips & rectangles for more kits. 

These 10 tops are ready for quilting in Jan 2020.  I have all the thrifted fleece batting ready to use too.

These 15 tops need a little enlarging to twin size so Pam and I will sew borders on them.  They should be ready to quilt in February 2020. 

While prioritizing projects I am determining which fabrics to keep for my personal projects & which ones I can let go for service projects or upcoming workshop supplies. 

I'm sorting through fabrics like a determined woman!  I would like to get the bags and boxes on the floor between the shelving units on to the shelves.  Or, sewn and gone.  

I bundle and pile fabrics.  I've been doing it for years and I don't see an end to the habit.  So in my culling, I've come across lots of groups of fabrics I know work together well.  My focus has been to decide if I "really" want to keep them for myself or sew them for someone else.  Currently I have 5 quilts on my bed (so comfy & warm!) and I have 3 on my guest bed.  So, I'm well stocked for queen sized quilts. 

I'll admit; many times just sewing the quilt is enough satisfaction for me.  Then I am able to give them away.  But during the decision-making process, it can be hard to let go.

One group I have been saving are the florals.  Last night I had a huge moment of clarity.

I had pulled the yardage I thought would be good for the back of a queen sized quilt & laid it over the longarm frame.   I was doing a lot of puttering between my studio and my storage room.  Maybe about an hour later I sat down and glanced back towards the longarm.  

In an instant I had the reactionary thought:  I'm over those florals.  They really do nothing for me any more.  It's the kind of thought I tend to ignore and plow forward any way.  Not this time.

They are beautiful and blah, blah, blah.  So I'll use them for some twin sized quilts and be happy stitching them but give them away.

Once I decided I would pass these fabric forward (and they were at the top of my "coveted fabrics"), I then went looking for the next stack on the coveted fabric list.  Immediately I knew there was No Way I could let these lovelies out of my tight grasp.    Both of these fabrics are Alexander Henry prints and I have enough with them combined for the backing of a queen sized quilt.  They are so alive and vibrant!  I love them! 

I took a few nanoseconds to pull together some fabrics for the scrappy top side of the quilt.  These will be a pleasure start to finish.   These feel like me.  It's taken me almost 5 years to come back to myself.  I can see some dramatic changes and I like my choices more and more.

 So I can set these aside knowing I've made the right decision to keep them.  Aside from some of my own blouses and dresses I've saved for a memory-ish quilt, this is probably all I want out of my overflowing stash.  The rest is up for grabs for quilts for others.  I'm giving myself 10 years to sew everything down to the last remnant. 

Some pieces will go to patchwork clothes.  I foresee many more refashioned and reclaimed clothes in the next year.  I'm planning to develop my clothes with more personality and style.   In some ways it is easier for me to start from scratch than use thrifted clothes but like my fabric stash, I do have a ton of thrifted clothes I bought with the idea of refashioning for sale.  My habitual pattern is to buy something and then wait to sew it.  Not sure what's up with that habit but it seems to be recurring.  😎 😎

Following the success of my patchwork robe and refashioned jacket, the current cold spell and my desire to work on personal projects with fabrics and ideas I want, I'm thinking of ways to refashion this pink Ralph Lauren hoodie.  

It's my favorite shade of Pink!  and although it fit at one time, a trip through the dryer and too many drives through Dairy Queen has changed its status to : Too Small.  It does, however, have this fabulous hood and button closure.

My current Refashion Method is to let the manufacturers carry the heavy load on involved or complicated clothing features.  As a disclaimer, I can sew them but I don't have the desire any more.  I spent my time in the trenches and if I can use what's easily available, I'm taking the scenic route. 

My general idea is to cut off the hood and front opening as a yoke to insert into the body of another garment.  I'm still debating what shape that other garment will have-I want something I can slip on & wear in my studio while working.  I like the back of my neck covered and I may want this to extend to my knees.  I can't decide between a long pull-on hoodie or a tabard/apron.  I have a stack of large thrifted sweatshirts (I bought for jacket bases last year . . . ) I can use as the base and I can line it with a favorite piece of rayon or cotton. 

A bunch of my pink tshirts with issues.  As a group they will work and I love the idea of sewing new clothes from old clothes, especially ones I have loved. 

A long blog post, I know.  I usually like to keep my posts centered around one topic; but, ya know, occasionally it's OK to veer off track, especially when there are so many important decisions to be made!  😎😎

Please Join the Conversation!

I know you have an opinion to share.  

How do you decide what to do with coveted fabrics or clothes?

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