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Friday, October 1, 2010

Storage and Distractions

Plastic Storage Bins, the two stacked
closely togethe with no lids
are full of batik scraps. Mmmmm.
I talked briefly about organization yesterday. I loved the idea one reader posted yesterday about an over the door shoe organizer. Sadly, I have French doors and they wouldn’t work for me. I would be worried about breaking the glass if I closed the door too hard.

Ikea bins.
I store each of my projects in clear plastic tubs. They stack neatly on my shelves and I can see what is inside. I'm not saying that inspires me to work on old projects, but I can see what I’m not doing. I have IKEA bins in my cutting table that are easy to pull out and dump allowing me to find that perfect piece easily. I have them color coordinated.

I find that I have "Magpie Syndrome" and am easily distracted by bright, shiny or colorful objects. I hop from one project to another and back. I’ll be busy working away on a project and I’ll see the perfect fabric for someone I know, and I’ll snatch it up and start designing their quilt. Last week I went shopping with a friend and found the perfect fabric for Cousin Anne. I know she has at least a double bed, so being wise I bought enough fabric to make her a queen size quilt. Yes, there is logic there; I hate getting half finished and discovering I’m six inches short of something. Anyway, Anne stopped by for hubby’s 50th birthday. She loves the fabric, but only wants a wall hanging. She wants something small that she can easily show off. While I’m flattered that she thinks my work is worth showing off, what am I going to do with all the leftovers? I’m trying to reduce my stash, not build it. Maybe she’ll get both ... Ha ha ha, like I would ever get both finished. I would be distracted first.

Sometimes, I’ll see something I love and in almost no time it has a new home in my studio, just waiting for me to use it. Worst of all are new designs. I’ll see something and it will flash into my brain as a new idea for a quilt. First chance, I’m on EQ7 planning a new design. That design in turn morphs into half a dozen more before I now it, its time to cook dinner and I haven’t accomplished a darned thing.
My project bins are slowly being emptied, but when I get frustrated, I’ll drop a project sometimes for an extended period. Eventually I get back to them. Sometimes I’ll trade UFO’s with a friend. It’s like a whole new project. My Magpie likes that!

My queue for quilting.

Now, if only someone would quilt all the tops I have hanging in my studio waiting to be quilted. I always have great plans to fit one or two of my tops (or my daughters’ tops) into the queue each week, but it never seems to work that way. A client top will take longer than I expected, I’ll get lost in EQ or someone will invite me for coffee or fabric shopping. My discipline isn’t all it has cracked up to be.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What distracts you the most? And how to you inspire yourself to get back to quilting?

8 comments:

  1. Good questions. Reading distracts me because I always like to sit on the sofa-a quilt and a cat on my lap-and read a good book.
    My one Yahoo quilting group, with lots of new online friends, inspire me to get back to my projects and to try new things.
    Good luck to you!

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  2. My biggest distraction is my computer. I am always busy looking at what everyone else is doing. I limit my time to 1 hour each morning to help me wake up!

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  3. TV is the biggest distraction for me, Hubby always has it on, background noise for me but my sewing room doesn't have a tv so I sneak in there and veg. Great little corner for hand stitching or reading. Plus our front porch has a great little view of our pastures, creeks, horses, etc. that is a great place to regenerate when needed. speaking of getting back to quilting ~~~~~~~ I SHOULD.

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  4. I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Only, I don't just get distracted with one craft, but several. I flit in-between sewing and cross-stitching; crocheting and knitting. Then...I browse blogs, and I get inspired to do things I've never even heard of!! Haha...
    So, I'll say...the internet (blogs, in particular), are both the most distracting, yet inspiring.
    :o)
    Piroska

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  5. Definitely reading blogs - I love reading them especially the overseas ones
    Gill

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  6. Exactly what I'm doing now. I'll take a break and check out the blogs and lose an hour. I'm trying to cut back on blogs, but the hop didn't help, I found more.

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  7. I am distracted by most anything these days. I have made a pact with myself that I will do what I need to do first for at least a couple of hours and my breaks will include some sewing. That way I enjoy my time instead of feeling guilty.

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  8. Life distracts me. We have a 10 year old daughter that demands a lot of attention. Pre-teen emotions. Sometimes, I just have to put myself into a time out in my craft room. Quilting is so relaxing and a stress reliever for me. :0)

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