Hope everyone had a great weekend and holiday.
After a heated discussion with nephews at my sister's, I came home to relax and choose a new project. This is what I deal with almost every time.
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How do you organize linen? I've tried using containers by color, drawers by count, kitting the projects, but I still have a mess. When I test the floss colors, I end up with too many choices pulled, some from the count drawers, some from the color containers, tags come off, and another mess. Now I have way too much 28 count, quite a bit of 30, and I'm leaning toward 32 and 35. So I emptied the drawers and I'm starting over. But how? I'm thinking of going back to color. All unbleached in one drawer, all neutral beiges in another, clear zippered envelopes with colors in the third. Mystery and unwanted linen will go in the bottom and not be considered because they waste my time and confuse the heck out of me. I do not like soft linen and several that I ordered online are, but I love the color. Maybe use a little spray starch and move them up a drawer? So how do you organize and keep track of your fabric inventory?
This evening I also browsed online shops for more linen in higher counts and tried to imagine what they look like. Ridiculous isn't it? All sized 13 x 18, no more large pieces since I have a phobia about cutting into them. I am so weird, in a bad mood, cranky, a real crab-ass. No project was chosen and when the crab loses her claws, she'll start over again.
Have a crabless day everyone.
Hope I remember the drawing!
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23 comments:
Oh dear, so sorry to read that you are feeling crabby. Try a stiff drink, a good night's rest and a big breath in the morning and then tackle it again! Best of luck.
I agree with the previous writer! I really don't have anything terribly useful to offer. My collection is so much smaller - I am able to keep everything in an old dresser. Good luck with the sorting.
I'm laughing because crab-ass is one of my husband's pet names for me! I have tons of linen and I keep it in 2 drawers of my craft table. Luckily the drawers will hold those clear plastic shoe boxes. Each piece of linen is stored in one of those 6" X 10" clear polybags and labeled with size and count, then the bags are filed on their sides within the boxes. I have a box for 24-30 ct, one for 32-34 ct, one for 35-36 ct and one for 40-ct. I know they 'experts' say you shouldn't store hand-dyed linens in plastic bags but I don't care, it works for me. I can grab a box and leaf through it easily to find what I need. Hope you find a system that works for you!
I am afraid I cannot help you on this one... My linen is not really organized and I have quite a lot of mistery pieces :)
Hope your day improves!
I spent a couple of hours that I will never get back with one of those stitch count rulers so I could label all the mystery pieces of linen. Now I store them in boxes according to their count. I don't have vast amounts though. I think you need to decide which is more important when you choose your linen, count or colour? Irene xxx
All I can suggest is to staple a piece of strong paper to the corner of your piece of linen with the size and colour written (big) on it so that when you are choosing a piece of linen for a project and they get mixed up it will be easier to tidy them up again.
Also, those cardboard rolls you get in Xmas wrapping paper are good to roll loose fabric round to avoid crease lines. It can be tied round with something soft to stop it unrolling.
Spray starching your soft linen sounds like a plan!
Don't know anything about the count of my linen,so when I'll start a new project I choose one of the pieces and count for the size to be cut.They are all in one drawer because I don't have much of the linen.
Good luck today and enjoy!!
greetings,Truus from Holland
I organize my fabric by count, it's just easier for me that way.
And if the linen is too soft, I spray some Magic Sizing on it.
It will slightly stiffen it, and it's great for taking out wrinkles.
Marilyn
Wow, that is quite a stash you've got there...:) I've never stitched on linen - sounds scary - so I've never had that problem. Hope you find a system that works for you - I guess you have to decide what is most important to you: count or colour or something else..Good luck!
WOW! I am a quilter and just started hooking so
I don't know about linen. Maybe you worry too
much because all of your work is FABULOUS no
matter the count or color. STAY CALM AND CARRY
ON Julia
I keep my fabric in one box, all mixed together. Can't be bothered with all the sorting. You will work it our you always do. Try to enjoy your Monday.
CJ
Just pick-up that needle and the crabbiness goes away, at least for me it does.
I have my linen and all fabrics in a tall doored cabinet, makes it easier to see what I have.
I hope your Easter was a Blessed one.
Catherine
Your linen issue is like my fabric issue. I straighten it all up by color and lo and behold it just becomes a jumbled mess by the end of a project. Mine is behind the doors of two pie safes so I just shut the doors and pretend it is neat.
Find yourself a nice small to work on until you feel better.. LOL
Got quite a chuckle out of you going on line for yet more linen! I do the exact same thing with patterns, and a snowballs chance I will never stitch half of them but boy the feeling of just seeing them there excites me.........organization.....doesn't last long for me, just enjoy it! Hope today you are uncrabbed!
My linen collection is impossible. not organized at all. So don't ask me for advice. lol! Hope you're feeling less crabby today.
I was just sitting here visiting blog friends when I opened your blog...you know, I feel out of sorts today and your posting gave me a smile. Nice to know I am not alone; but sorry you feel crabby.....
wow, How about opening a store?
I think sorting by count would work since many of your linens are similar in color. I have heard giving soft linen a squirt of starch helps.
Robin in Virginia
Organize, are you kidding? I have them folded or in rolls in a basket in sewing room. I guess all in one place is a form of organization. Right? When I feel "crabby" I go upstairs to library or "book room' as Grand kids call it, listen to a book or my new favorite is old time radio on line, listen to old sic fi stories from the 50's and stitch. Currently Parrot ,Lion and Leopard. Then I forget everything and am happy.... Find your " Happy Place" .
I love what you stitch. Organize??? My organization is a total mess. And I'm usually so organized and neat but my sewing is so in disarray because I have so much of it. Mostly quilting fabric but linen in various counts and charts hat I don't even know what I have sometimes. But could you please tell me the name of the pattern on the left of your header - the one with the peacock and flowers and who designed it please. Patti xxx
I was just thinking about this the other day! I don't have a lot of stitching material at the moment, but have it on my list to build my stash. In my mind, it's all neatly organized by size in one of those cube-type wall installations. That way it's easy to see, easy to grab, theoretically easy to organize... but you've got to have the space for it and, in my house at least, not care too much about dust (or, um, you know, dust regularly.)
Impressive stash Marly! -SF
I keep mine in drawers by count. Hope you feel better - I listen to books on tap{ on cd or downloaded actually) to keep from dwelling on irritating and ridiculous family members!
My 'organization' of fabrics has come down to two drawers: one has mostly aida in it, and they are labeled. My LNS puts a label on them with a commercial thingy, and you cut it off when you use it. There are a couple of random small pieces of linen or evenweave in there too... Second drawer has linen, again labeled. Some by the LNS and some by other shops or sellers. I do my best to keep their labels on them! Oh, and nearly every piece of fabric is rolled up inside a paper towel tube (or toilet paper tube if it is a small piece), to minimize wrinkling. When I started doing that, I ironed each piece firs, for a head start! They don't stay in there for long, so no worries about deterioration or whatever... Works for me! Hope you got past the crabbiness...
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