Spring Clean Your Studio 2021

This year for the Spring Clean Your Studio 2021 blog hop, I wanted to get a handle on the PILES that have accumulated on and around my cutting table and the longarm. Honestly, it got hazardous.

Scrap Happy

I sorted through the box of Island Batik fabrics left from 2019 Ambassador projects and catalog quilts to give to local friends. There are plenty left for myself. I also ended up disposing of most of the small batting scraps I had saved–they had been around long enough that it became evident that I wouldn’t use them. Some of the larger pieces were folded neatly and saved for small art quilts and sample blocks, like the blocks I design for Quilt Block Mania.

what doesn’t belong here?

Bicycle tools that had found their way into the pile found a new home, and the books piled on and around my work desk also left the area for a more appropriate location. Next, I took down anything hanging on curtain rods to reduce visual clutter. I also gathered all of the shipping supplies and photography gear that had been stashed beneath Manny (the Handi Quilter) and put them in more convenient spots.

The dreaded ufo sightings

Finally, the flowchart from Find Your U-F-Flow came in handy as I worked through the Unfinished Object shelves and boxes in the back left corner of the room. I emptied six boxes completely! Some projects were abandoned and I put any finished blocks into an “orphan blocks” box, then returned the rest of the fabric to the stash. Several finished tops were selected for outsourcing to a professional quilter, and I ordered a new roll of batting to accommodate the rest of the tops. I marked a day on the calendar JUST to cut batting and backing for UFOs!

I feel happier in the space now that some of the clutter is under control. There’s still some work to do, but with the worst of it out of the way, it feels manageable.

Becca’s Tips for Loving Your Studio Space

• Store objects near where they will be used. If you don’t have a dedicated space (hellooooo kitchen table quilters! I used to be you), use a tote with pockets or a cart where you can easily stash “groups” of items that you use and not have everything all jumbled up together.
• Keep items that you use frequently in accessible spots. Save those dark corners for the less commonly used stuff–specialty rulers, your box of patterns, whatever.
• If you have cubbies with organizing bins, use a label-maker to mark what’s in each one. If you have a kid handy, they seem to like helping with that bit.
• Be honest with yourself about what you’re likely to need/use/finish. Be ruthless about getting rid of the rest of it, whether you sell it, give it away, or just toss it.
• Project boxes keep everything you need in one place and make it easy to pack for retreats and workshops.
• Store notes with each project so you remember where you left off or what ideas you had for later.
• This book has tons of practical advice and never mentions sparking joy.

Spring Clean Your Studio 2021 Blog Hop

Visit everyone in the blog hop for more tips and inspiration! It’s fun to peek into everyone’s workspaces.

March 29- Raylee Bielenberg – Sunflower Stitcheries & Quilting
March 30 – Jen Frost – Faith and Fabric
March 31 – Tara Gebhardt – Quilts + Love
April 1 – Becca Fenstermaker – Pretty Piney (you’re here)
April 2 – Leanne Parsons – Devoted Quilter
April 3 – Rebecca Lidstrom – Studio R Quilts
April 4 – Amy Bradley – Purple Pineapple Quilt Studio
April 5 – Sue Griffiths – Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
April 6 – Kate Starcher – Katie Mae Quilts
April 7 – Tammy Silvers – Tamarinis
April 8 – Jessica Caldwell – Desert Bloom Quilting
April 9 – Monika Fritschi Henry – Penny Spool Quilts
April 10 – Sara D Flynn – Offbeat Quilts
April 11 – Bobbie Gentili – Geeky Bobbin
April 12 – Cheryl Sleboda – Muppin