GETTING ORGANIZED

We arrived in our southern home on Friday.  First stop was to buy a new refrigerator, as ours had died of old age over the summer.

I took the time, while waiting for delivery, to empty all the kitchen cupboards, wash them, and re-organize them.  I also pulled a few items that will never be used, to donate to a local garage sale.

After the refrigerator arrived, we headed out for our first shopping extravaganza.  I refuse to buy more than a cart-full, so we will have to return sometime soon, for all the items that were forgotten.

Our son and daughter-in-law sent a couple of pictures of the kids dressed for Hallowe'en.  Young Miss stayed home with a fever.  Our robot (costume by Dad), had to wear his winter coat under everything, but the paint that was used kept him pretty dry on a stormy night.

The fuel compartment collected all his goodies!

Today, DH and I cleaned the windows in the sunroom, AKA my sewing room.  I have slowly started to get items back into place.  I always struggle with the humidity when we arrive, so I work a little, relax a little, until everything is unpacked.  I'm anxious to get sewing, but know that I'm not 50 any more, and need to take my time.  I also ordered the knitting needles that I need to begin a large shawl project for our cousin, using their alpaca yarn - each natural colour is named after the animal who donated the fleece!

Back to work with the next load!

READY TO SEW & STASH REPORT

My sewing room is finally set up and ready to go!

The strips are for the next step of my block of the month project with my guild.

DH made a small rack to hold all of my cutting tools, right where I need them.  He used a small found door, and added hooks to hold everything.
This will be the only time it is this tidy!

The red case is for my sewing machine, and the green bin holds projects ready to begin.
The window side of the sunroom holds my sewing table with my Bernina, currently covered.  The blue bins hold 2 inch squares for my leaders and enders.  My threads are in the cases on the floor, and two plastic drawer units hold lots of other sewing accessories close at hand.
There are also bins of leftover 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch, and 2 1/2 inch strips, along with 5 inch squares, ready for future projects.  Last winter I made 4 quilts, all using my homemade precuts!
I was good on the trip south.  We stopped at Mary Jo's in Gastonia NC, and I only picked up 3 yards of fabric.  Then at a stop at Quilts on Plum Lane in Dade City FL, I found 3 more fabrics - half yard each and 1 fat quarter.  These are for a project that I started - almost all applique.  I completed the first 2 large blocks, and have the pattern ready to prepare the applique pieces for the next one.  I just wanted a bit more variety in my fabrics.

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  112.25 yards

Fabric added this week 2.25 yards

Fabric added year to date  56.25 yards

Net used 2018  56 yards

READY TO GET QUILTING!

With lots of help from DH, my southern sewing room is ready to go!  Since I sew in an attached sunroom, the first job is to sweep the floors, and unload all the items stored there over the summer.  Then DH washes all the walls and the ceiling fan, then removes the windows and washes the frames.  They get really dusty over the summer months.  I start cleaning the windows and put them back into the frames, then we wash all the tables and finally the floor.

I've decided to keep the fabric in our spare room dresser this year - we had lots of humidity last year, and it was difficult to work with.
I'll keep my bins of strips handy, and bring out fabric as needed.

My job this morning was to serge the cut edges of the new fabric that I picked up on the trip south, and it is in the washer.  I pre-wash all my fabrics with regular detergent and a colour catcher, adding vinegar to the rinse.  I've had problems with colours running and fabrics shrinking in the past, and lots of my quilts are donated, and I want them to survive whatever treatment they get during their usable life. 

A place to sit and hand stitch or visit with a friend.

My cutting table with rulers and templates (in the binder) at the ready.

Sewing machine ready to go.  I love my mesh chair - my room has no air conditioning, but a ceiling fan to keep my cool on hotter days.  The blue bins hold 2 inch squares ready for "leaders and enders" while I sew.  A variety of thread is stored in the containers under the table.

Drawers full of assorted tools and thread.  The container on the right has 1 1/2 inch strips, while the one on the left holds 2 1/2 inch strips and 5 inch squares, ready for my scrap projects.

White or off-white leftover strips are in the box with the blue edge, while the others hold light and dark 2 inch strips.
A box of patterns, when I get the urge to sew clothing, and a shoe box full of pre-cut pieces that was a garage sale find by a friend.  I also have 2 irons in cases that travel to our weekly quilting meet-up each Wednesday.

This is the cleanest and tidiest that the area will be until it is packed up for the trip north in the spring!

IT'S HOT, HOT, HOT!

I'm not complaining, but Florida is in a heat wave with high humidity - quite a shock after leaving the frosty north.  According to friends, they've had some lovely warm days for the past week too!
I picked up my machine yesterday - set to work, after its beauty treatment.  Today it was time to set up my sewing room, working in short spurts, with cooling time indoors.  (My sewing room is a sun-room built under our carport - the only cooling is provided by a ceiling fan, and a breeze when there is one.)

My cutting table is ready for work.  The red case underneath is for my machine, and the bin holds various sewing projects in bags.  The small duffel bag on top holds the pre-cut pillowcases for our sewing day in February.  The binder on the left holds my current project notes, and the one on the right has clear sleeves to hold specialty rulers and templates.

My machine is set up, with my small bins holding 2 inch squares for "leaders and enders".  There are some thread casses on the floor, as well as 2 sets of plastic drawers.  The TV is pushed into the corner - I don't watch it much - prefer audio books.  The shelves hold some of my fabric - mostly collections that I hope will return north in the spring as finished quilts!

The white drawers on the left contain sewing supplies that stay here all year, while the black drawers on the right are full of extra tools, cones of thread, tins of basting pins etc., that travel north and south each year.
On top, there is a large bin of 1 1/2 inch strips, and 2 smaller ones of 2 inch strips on top.  The largest bin holds 2 1/2 inch strips, as well as 5 inch charm squares.  Since this side of the room gets lots of sun, I have a table cloth that hangs over the back, and pulls down over the strip bins on the front.  I also use one to hang in front of the fabric storage on the shelves.  It also keeps the dust from settling on the fabrics when the windows are open, which is almost every day!

My final preparation is to look through the drawers in the guest room to see what I have stashed in there - probably more stuff that needs to live in my sewing room!

I just posted the next 2 months' patterns for the BOM on my guild's website, so I'll probably start with that!

BACK TO QUILTING

After arriving at our southern home, I took my machine into the dealer for its annual check-up and spa treatment.  That gave me time to get my bins of quilt items unpacked and my room set up.  I had to hurry as my machine was ready the next day!

Here's my machine set up in the table that DH modified.

The blue bins hold 2 inch squares to be used as "leaders and enders".  There are 5 cases of thread ready to stitch, and the white plastic drawers hold items that live here permanently, while the black drawers hold items that travel back and forth.  More bins of scrap strips wait for the next project.

The other side of the room has my cutting table, with more storage underneath.  I like to be prepared for whatever inspiration strikes.

Two comfy wicker chairs for visitors, or just to sit and stitch or read...

Just inside the door is a small bookcase with assorted fabric, and bags with fabric sorted for various planned projects.  I keep the fabric covered with an old linen tablecloth that I embroidered when I was a teen.  I have to keep the strong southern sun from fading my fabric.
I have matchstick blinds to help with sun control, but I love having so many windows, and I enjoy working in the natural light and fresh air!


My first winter project is well under way!

GETTING SETTLED

While I've been unpacking clothing, supplies, kitchen, groceries etc.  We bought 4 whole chickens, so I cut them into pieces, and made my chicken stock with the bones, skin and leftover pieces.  The parts are packed, listed on my freezer inventory and placed into the freezer in the shed.  The stock is chilling in the refrigerator, and I picked all the meat from the bones.  
My sweet DH has been working much harder cleaning outside!
He has washed all the summer pollen, dust and grime from the outside of my sunroom, as well as the carport and the screenroom on the front of the house.  He even washed the screens, and took the carpet out to wash away the summer soil.

This morning, he worked very hard, taking all the buildings for the garden railroad, and putting them in place.  He then washed all the walls in the sunroom and vacuumed the floor.  I helped clean all the windows, and washed down my cutting table, sewing table, etc.  Then he scrubbed the floor, so everything is nice a clean for me to set up my sewing room!!!!! 

The wicker chairs are awaiting visitors, and my cutting table needs to be unfolded.  

I'm cooking chicken wings in mushroom sauce for dinner.  The wings are browned, onions and green pepper sauted, and the sauce poured over to simmer for a while.  This is a favourite meal that my Mother always made, and I make it whenever I buy whole chickens - I refuse to pay the high price for wings, when I can buy the whole chicken for less $/pound!  Frugal in the little things, so I can have more money for quilting!

This will be served with rice, salad and either steamed carrots or butternut squash.  Yum!
 
I received some sad news today.  A member of my quilting guild has passed away.  Susan was my first contact with quilting when we moved back to Kingston.  She ran a Project Linus day, and I enjoyed meeting other quilters and helping to complete the many tops that arrived that day.  She also gave me the information about the Limeston Quilt Guild, and I became a member.  She was a wonderful quilter, and will be missed by all. 

My Southern Sewing Room

My sewing table faces the window, so on sunny days, I have a blind rolled down so I can see.  DH cut a hole for the sewing machine and made a box to support it at the correct level.

 Next to my machine I have my thread boxes on the floor, and two sets of plastic drawers to hold my "bits and pieces", topped with bins of strips and more threads.  Since the sun hits these on the back, I use a tablecloth to keep them protected.

 My little TV sits in the corner, so I can watch the sewing and quilting shows on PBS every morning.  It is angled so the sun doesn't shine on the screen.

 My cutting table sits on the inside wall.  I have a lamp attached so I can see to cut accurately, (aging eyes), and I made a cover that I can press on for small seams.  I still use an ironing board for bigger jobs.
The storage drawers are filled with extra small pieces for DH's garden railway.

 I also have a small sitting area so I can visit with friends, or sit and hand sew while watching a movie.  The room was built under the existing carport roof.  It has windows on two sides, so I can usually get a good breeze.  I have a ceiling fan for really humid or hot days too.  I don't have a phone,(we have an answering machine),  so I get few interruptions, except DH asking if I want to go for a bike ride or swim.