I have been busy, busy, busy sewing. I have so many projects going on at one time my head is spinning.  I have been drafting pants, sewing service projects, making prototypes for my husband (he is an inventor), preparing to teach classes, going to American Sewing Guild meetings and events, and most of all I am in the midst of making the most exquisite prom dress for my grandaughter. I hope to be able to share the prom dress with you in a couple of weeks.  I didn’t have any patterns for this new design so I have been really working my brain.  The dress is almost done, I have a couple more fittings with her before I can add the embellishments.  I am hand sewing all the embellishments on (no glue for me).  Just the sleeve alone took 25 hours to make. I can’t wait to share it with you.

If you are a multi task sewer like I am, I thought I would share with you how I keep my projects organized.  I have large plastic boxes with lids (to keep the cats out, you see how that works, LOL) that I keep all my on going projects in.  That way I can go from one project to another without getting the pattern pieces, fabric and “stuff” mixed up.  This also works good when you are teaching or sewing with friends, to help keep everyones projects from getting mixed up.

I also have smaller project boxes that I keep my “want to sew” projects in.  You know how it is when you go to the fabric store and a piece of fabric jumps out at you.  You are so excited about what you are going to make, you buy it for that special pant, or dress, or quilt or whatever.  Then you get caught up with something else and soon that fabric that spoke to you so loudly just sits and becomes part of your “on Growing Stash”.

I have finally figured out how to keep that excitement.  I put that fabric in its own little “project box” along with a drawing, picture or pattern to remind me what I want to make.  I put a label on the outside of the box with a name of the project, like Retro Coat, and then place the box on shelves that I have.  That way every time I go into my sewing room I can see what “projects” I still want to make. It keeps that fabric fresh in my mind. When you organize like this, on those rare days when you want to sew but you don’t have anything in particular that you have to make, you can look at your shelves of “want to sew” projects and pick one.

By the way, these project boxes didn’t eliminate my “Fabric Stash”, I still have one for all those pieces of fabric that are still looking for projects. Unfortunately, it continues to grow so I will show you at another time how I have organized my “stash”.

My challenge for you today, is to go look at your “fabric stash”, count how many fabrics have been silenced, then go to the store, buy some small boxes and let your exciting projects begin.