Design Wall Monday and a Realization

A person would think after having finally gotten my sewing cabinet in the sewing room and all set up I would be doing nothing but quilting.  I did not mention when I brought the cabinet in I removed everything else from the room forcing myself to go through it all before it came back in.  What a process this ended up being. 

I full well knew that refolding the fabric would be a huge job, and I had planned on getting rid of the things that I would never in this lifetime use.  What I didn't plan on was the realization that some things I really, really thought at one time I would make are now becoming things that if I keep them I will just be storing them, and what good is that?  Instead of it being a quick clean up and sort through, I'm donating, throwing away, and selling things.  As I organize and clean out I'm finding that creative drive is coming back.  I have also decided that in the future if it isn't a project I love, I am going to pass.  By doing this I think the true satisfaction of finishing a project will return, and I won't be making something just because everyone else is.  There is also plenty of room to bring in new finds. :)

We will see how long that decision lasts...but I did finally put something on my newly found design wall.  It is a block from the Morning Joe pattern by Carrie Nelson using the Lovely fabric line by RJR.  I love my clean, organized space and can't wait to get back at it!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Worth The Wait...and FNSI

WHOO HOO!!!!  It is finally finished and ready to go.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  I should say first that this is one of those projects that has taken YEARS to finish and was done on a budget...like we found the wood in an old barn and my husband cleaned it up and made it into something beautiful.  The only money spent on it was for the machine lift.

A drawer for everything, everything in its drawer, and there is a lot of room for growth.  (I can hardly stand not being down there and sewing.)

The best part...the side piece comes up so when I'm quilting those big quilts or sewing the bindings on the fabric won't pull when it is hanging over the edge.  I think I will use it more than I ever imagined as it is the perfect height for my light box and should make tracing embroidery designs simple!   I did realize this morning when he was marking the plexiglass that goes around the machine that I am going to have to relearn how to sew.  I've never not sewn on an odd sized table and always had to sit on a pillow or two so my neck didn't hurt.  You can also see the design wall behind the sewing machine (yes, my talented husband made that too).

Last night for FNSI I worked on Noah, a sheep, a pig, and an elephant.  I figured I should work on some hand work as I am pretty sure my time will now be spent by the sewing machine.  I will also be looking for the perfect quilt pattern to make as a thank you for my sewing cabinet...thanks Brad, I love it!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

What Is My Superpower?!

What a question to ask yourself.  What is your superpower?  We all have things that we are good at, or want to be good at, but what is it that makes us truly rise to the occasion when we craft?  Being from Minnesota we tend to be understated, quiet, shy, and do not brag on ourselves, so I decided to take this in a different direction.

As I worked on my projects I realized that I love working with fibers...not just cotton fabrics, but wool and floss, ribbons and buttons.  I love to cross stitch and embroider, use a whip stitch or add french knots, and needle punch, well I love that!  Anytime I can make something with any of these I can completely lose track of time and have made it through may a rough patch simply being creative.

Lately it seems my projects are very small in size.  Time doesn't always allow me to spend countless hours, but someday I'm sure that will happen again soon.  Thanks to Madame Samm and Pauline for this great blog hop.  Enjoy seeing what the others have discovered as their superpower.  Happy Stitching --Kristen

FRIDAY APRIL 11 
Just Let me Quilt 

Meadowbrook  (you are here)

Living with Purpose 
The Quilting Queen Online Blog 
Words and Stitches 
Beaquilter  

Folding, Sorting, and Organizing

I started a little over a week ago with my dehoarding of my sewing room.  It all began when my husband said he would make the sewing center we had purchased the plans for in 1997, and he finally had the time to make it.  I've had dreams about this thing, anxiously awaiting the day that my sewing machine finally fit into its own cabinet and the fabric would flow across the top freely, no dangling, pulling, tugging while working on large quilt tops, or wobbling of the sewing machine when I maybe got going too fast.  I decided that since I was going to have this beautiful object in my sewing room, I should be cleaning out and organizing.  What I did not realize is how much a person can stuff into two closets.  :)

I have found projects that I had completely forgotten about, ones that I am so excited about making I almost stopped folding/organizing/decluttering and started working on them.  This is not all of it, it is just one half of one closet.  The problem I am having now is how exactly to organize it all.

My husband did make some modifications to the plans (like making the drawers to my specifications so my thread could stand up in the drawers).  Tomorrow is the big day it will enter the sewing room.  I can hardly wait to start filling the drawers with sewing treasures, the only problem...I'm not sure I can wait to do a little sewing.

This may be a good time to start doing a stash report again seeing as I have enough fabric to keep me busy for a while.  I donated some fabric and my numbers will be a bit off being that I'm starting in April, but it will be fun to see what I can use before the end of the year.

Used this Week: 15 yards
Used year to Date: 15 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen