Operation Organization Continues

The sorting and purging is ramping up. This is the cutting table with much of the misc. fabric that I have laying around now sorted and folded again.  There are bins on the back side of the table already sorted and filled with yardage of garment fabric. I’m also pretty sure that when I empty a couple closets I will find yet more fabric that needs to be filed away somewhere (Goodwill? Land fill?)

Today was just about sorting and purging the stuff that had accumulated on the old fabric shelves, scraps from previous projects and stuff that had been sorted into miscellaneous baskets around the room that I now don’t remember why it was put in that particular basket. Eventually I got brutal. I filled two tall kitchen garbage bags with scraps and bits that I don’t know why on earth I ever kept in the first place. I think some of it was small scraps that I thought I’d collect to use or donate for stuffing for dog toys, beds, or something that needed large amounts of stuffing. I also used to keep small pieces of fabric to make dole clothes and that type of thing. I haven’t done anything like that in years and can’t foresee myself doing it again in the near future.  After taking the photo I of course found another bag of fabric scraps. I took one look inside and determined that it was going straight to the garbage can in the garage. There will always be more fabric!

Surprisingly, I don’t have a lot of unfinished projects. What I do have are a lot of potential projects. If I were to sew up all the garment fabric I’d have half the cutting island storage empty and a closet full of new clothes. I could make any number of quilts of varying sizes if I used up all of my cottons. So this leads me to the next step. I’m going to make concrete decisions and plans for much of the fabric in my stash. If after an undetermined period of time (6 mos? A year?) if I haven’t found a use for a particular piece of fabric, it has to go to a new home where it will be used or loved. I’m going to make a master list of my “someday projects” and start working through them.

This endeavor needs a name. Project Make or Get Out of the Way? Make New or Move On? Project Make Room for More? Project Use It or Lose It? (I think I like that one!) Leave your suggestions or votes in the comments.

How often do you sort and purge? Are you a saver? What do you do with your leftover scraps of fabric? How small is too small to save? Do you actually ever go back and use scraps or stash fabric or do you just go buy new for every project? I used to be a “buy new yarn/fabric for a project and save the scraps” kind of crafter, I didn’t really keep a stash. I’m not sure when that changed. I’m going to blame the internet, it’s big and can take it. The internet brought all kinds of temptations and cheap prices that were too good to pass up right into my lap. Also sometimes my eyes are bigger than my inspiration. I’ll be shopping and get so excited over all the possibilities that I believe that I can make ALL THE PROJECTS! So I must BUY ALL THE FABRICS! Please tell me that I am not the only one.