eHave you started to sort? In my Step One blog post I presented my streamlined method for clearing your creative clutter by creating a simple system and sorting everything you have to deal with into categories and containers. You can read Step One HERE.

Step Two is sorting & dealing with the DELETE container. 
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By way of review, You'll need containers for three main categories: KEEP, DELETE, DECIDE LATER & DITCH.

I talked about three additional subcategories for Delete items, Give Away, Sell, & Re-cycle. You'll find resources for this category at the end of this post. In the comments section I would also love to hear your suggestions for everything you need to delete. At this point, I'm prioritizing the DELETE items.

In part one I suggested a dedicated space to sort and store as you go along. If you have the time, energy and inclination to do all your sorting at once, great! I have too many weekly deadlines and commitments to shut down my sewing space for any length of time so it's a start and stop process for me. I promise to keep sharing progress along with tips for making your sewing space a happy place. We may or may not be sorting at the same pace but rest assured, I'll continue to share ideas for storage and organization.  

For now, let's explore the process of sorting a little further. Items in the KEEP and DECIDE LATER containers will need a future home. Therefore, as you are compiling these items, you'll want to consider where and how you'll store them.

If you're fortunate enough to have a space where all your creative possessions, materials, tools, & supplies can be compiled in one place you are fortunate indeed! Many of us, me included, will have to split things up, with a designated main creative space, and a dedicated storage area for organizing whatever else you have.  My main space is a spare bedroom. It is by no means large, but I'm maximizing the use of the closet with a closet organizer and a few other items to make the most of the space. Basement storage will be for additional inventory and most of my fabric stash. I also have tons of samples from past projects and various pieces I use for teaching materials that I must keep. Trust me, the life of a sewing educator is one of accumulation! I am paring down this "keep" category too, being realistic about what I may need for the future. Unless you are in the same boat as me you won't have to deal with this category.

Back to sorting . . . As you sort, you simply must consider the future home for everything you're desiring to keep. You have to ask yourself, where will it go and will it fit? This is widely known as "the container concept" or "boundary method." Summarized like this, if it does't fit, you must get rid of it, OR get rid of something else so there is room for it to fit.

No judgement here, but many of us have more than we can ever use so DELETE will have to be a part of the process. I promise the philosophical and psychological aspect of this series will be minimal as my main goal is just to get it done. However, unless you're able to increase your available space, you will likely have to take on the mantra "keep the best and get rid of the rest." 

Now, what to do with whatever you need to delete, defined in the first post as the following: Delete: Give away or get rid of by re-cycling or re-selling. 

Let's start with possibilities for re-selling items. A popular Facebook group run by Jaime Ruckle is called SewItsForSale. It's a private group you'll need to join for access. Since it's full of sewing enthusiasts you are reaching what's called a target market. I encourage you to check it out HERE. A quick search for Selling Sewing Supplies on Facebook brought up several more options. Do a search for yourself and see what you find.

A new to me commission based resource for selling sewing and craft items is called DESTASHIFY. You can read their FAQ's HERE. I've heard good reports on this site and I just set up an account to sell off some really good stuff. Note that you can also Donate items  and the process looks pretty easy. Watch for an update in future posts.

By the way, both SewItsForSale and Destashify can be a resource for purchasing items as well. I know!!! This is supposed to be all about decluttering but hey, you know what they say . . .  De-stash to re-stash LOL!

Facebook marketplace is another re-sale option. Then there's Next Door, a local neighborhood re-selling marketplace. Good old ebay has been around for a while and may be another good option for you. When it comes to selling on ebay I would first search for similar items that have sold in the past. This will give you an idea of whether or not your item has a good chance for re-sale. 

Last, but not least, if you have a group of like minded de-cluttering sewing friends, you may want to consider putting together your own Fabric & More Flea market. Find a place where your can invite others to set up and rent tables for a reasonable fee, establish some rules, set a date, and advertise to everyone you can think of, including local quilt and sewing guilds. Creative types always love a bargain so if it is promoted properly you could have some fun and sell some stuff too! I'm planning one of my own with a friend this year so I'll let you know how it all goes.

Admitedly, re-selling can be a hassle and takes time, effort, and the ability to pack and ship. Selling has it's place, but I really love the idea of gifting and lean more towards the idea of giving away as much as possible. The obvious first choice is friends who will appreciate your no longer needed items. After that, look to worthy places/charities that will take what you have and earn needed funds for operation or sell for low cost to creatives looking for bargains. It gives me great joy giving joy to someone else, albeit a stranger. If you have a sewing machine to dispose of, see if your local dealer may re-distribute machines to those in need. The Sewing Machine Project is a reputable organization, collecting both sewing machines and supplies. Learn more about their work HERE.

Churches, schools, senior centers, services for disabled and challenged youth are possible places to contact to see if they take donations. Call or visit local thrift stores to see if they can use your unwanted items. I have more than one in my local area that benefits good causes and also serves my local communities with goods at reasonable prices.

Last but not least, a simple internet search of where to donate arts & crafts supplies brought me to a full page of donation locations in my locality. Here is a link to an example at Cuyahoga Recycles: bit.ly/3VEOLQT 

You may find options with a search of your community's solid waste management or re-cycle facilities. It takes a little effort but asking and searching for donation locations will yield results and you may find some that will pick up instead of having to drop off.

Fabric that is only suitable for recycling can go to places specifically suited to collect textiles. My local Goodwill takes bags of fabric scraps for recycling. I know some folks who collect scraps and use them for stuffing pet beds for local pet shelters.

Click Here to read an interesting article from online tech magazine Wired.com, on the whole subject of selling, donating, and re-cycling.
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Whew! Long post with lots to consider. Deleting is hard but just remember, making more space for "keepers" and streamlining your sewing space will pay off with more room for your creativity to flow and flourish! Be sure to celebrate your progress!

Please share your own tips and ideas in the comments below!

Should I call this the creative person's guide to clearing crafting clutter? Or, organizing ideas for sewing and crafting enthusiasts who want to clean less and create more? Well, I could probably think of a half dozen titles to pain the picture. Essentially, this series of posts is all about sorting, storing, and saving your "stuff" to make your creative space a happier place!

If this idea appeals to you read on!

First and foremost, time for true confession. The last time my own sewing space was really neat, nice, and streamlined was quite some time ago. I'm glad I kept the above photo, as it will serve as inspiration for the journey ahead.

Next disclosure, I am not naturally organized when it comes to managing material possessions. Writing, designing, teaching, managing deadlines . . . it's safe to say my organizational skills shine in those venues, but all at the expense of struggling to keep my workspace under control both during and after a project deadline.

Although I am not naturally organized, I am resourceful, creative, and determined! Armed with those positive thoughts, it's time for a sewing space overhaul. 

So, how to get organized? Ahh yes, living in the information age, "self help" is only a click away. Books, videos, & groups abound with systems for achieving clutter control and organizational utopia. I've read books by Marie Kondo, Dana K. White, Cassandra Aarssen, Peter Walsh, and others in the realm of decluttering experts. I have picked up a few tips and ideas, but in the end I haven't found anyone who is a true fabric fanatic, maker, creator, and crafter that understands the mindset of those of us who are passionate and admittedly obsessive about our hobby. And, in all my research, I certainly don't know any specific material (no pun intended) written for those of us who create as both a vocation and avocation.

Many decluttering experts tout the benefits of minimalism. I don't want to be a minimilist! I just want to streamline my valuable materials and tools, purge and pare down, and make it easier to walk into my designated space and feel free to create with joy! Oh, and I would also like to know where my favorite scissors are, that pattern I bought three months ago, the spool of black bobbin thread I need right now, etc., etc., etc.

Most of what I read and researched depressed me or overwhelmed me. I came away with the distinct belief that I needed a simplified system that would work without making me feel guilty for. I'm writing this series of blog posts because I think some of you are kindred spirits and if this works for me it may work for you too. If all is well in your sewing world, neat, pretty, and perfectly organized, then get back to your neat and pretty space and stop reading! You don't need this! If however, you need some help in the area of streamlining your sewing space, then stick with me.
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The streamlining, sorting, storing, and saving your "stuff" to make your creative space a happier place begins now! I invite you to join me!

After a lot of thought, I came up with four distinct categories that everything I own can fit into as I sort through stuff. Here they are:

Keep: Simple enough, these are things that I won't and don't want to part with. They will need to eventually be put away in a place that is accessible. Of course, they'll need to be organized but more about that later.

Delete: Give away or get rid of by re-cycling or re-selling. Again, I'll share more ideas for both these options as the blog posts progress.

Decide Later: Decision fatigue and emotional attachment is the #1 enemy you'll face in this process. Decide later means you don't know right now. Give yourself the gift of deciding later, once you've made some real and tangible progress.
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Ditch: Easy peasy, this is obvious trash for the trash bag. 

The goal with streamlining is to simplify, so you'll so some micro sorting as you go along. As you encounter stray spools of thread, patterns, fat quarters, scissors, notions, and anything else you can fit into a sub category and small package, put them in zipper bags and label them. If you already have a place where they should live permanently then go ahead and take them there. 

Print three more subcategories for your Delete container:

• Give Away
• Sell
• Re-Cycle

Okay! That's a great start! The next post will take you further into this journey. Stay tuned!

Note that the opinions expressed are my own. I have gleaned some ideas for various sources. I'll reference them as I go along so you can look them up if you so desire.

I'd love to read your comments! Share your struggles and challenges. Or, if you're already in good shape, feel free to share your tips and success stories for streamlining and organizing with your fellow stitching friends. 

In my previous blog HERE, I showed samples of custom quilting on the embroidery side of your machine. In this post, you'll see some options for using your sewing machine. These techniques for quilting on the sewing side of your machine will work for almost everyone!

Both blog posts were created as a follow-up to my recent Tea & Tutorials show featuring  Annie Unrein from byannie.com. The replay is HERE on YouTube.

Each of the samples shown here consist of a quilt sandwich made with cotton fabric on the top and bottom and byAnnie Soft & Stable in place of batting.

In this sample I decided to use Wonderfil 12 wt. varigated Accent thread, available HERE. Since the thread is thicker than standard thread, a size 14 topstitch needle is recommended. 

Here is my common process for channel quilting: I start by drawing an X across my fabric from corner to corner. Then, I stitch each line of stitching with a walking foot. For all remaining rows I use a quilt guide with the walking foot to stitch evenly spaced rows. You'll find a YouTube video showing this process HERE.

Using a twin needle gives you two rows of stitching on the top. You'll find more information for using twin needles on your machine, including threading tips  in this blog post HERE.

I love using the serpentine stitch with a twin needle. The resulting pattern creates a scalloped effect. Below is an example of what a serpentine stitch looks like in the menu of a machine. It's a very common stitch. Check your machine for a stitch that matches the image. It's simply a wavy undulating straight stitch.

It's important to know that the twin needle has to "share" the bobbin thread. Below you'll see the bottom side where the bobbin thread floats between the two needles forming somewhat of a zig zaggy look. I only use this technique when the backside will not show, or is unimportant for the finished project.

Look at the top side of this sample and you'll see beautiful rows of decorative stitches combined with straight line quilting. I'm always looking for ways to use the beautiful decorative stitches available on modern machines. Many of us have so many of them built right in to the machine!

​I know lots of quilters like to feature decorative stitches in their projects too. However, decorative stitches and quilt layers don't always play nicely together. The forward, backward, and sideways nature of decorative stitches can be problematic on thicker layers, causing distortion of the patterns. What's the solution? Well, if you take a look at the next photo, you see that only my straight stitching goes through the entire quilt sandwich. Take a look at the bottom side of my sample below:

Decorative stitches are basically baby embroidery designs and cotton quilt fabric needs to be well stabilized for decorative stitches to form properly. Here's the solution and the process I used to "quilt" with decorative stitches:

​I started by stabilizing my top fabric with crisp tear-way on the back, sewed the decorative stitches on just the top fabric, removed the excess stabilizer, then added the backing and foam layers for my quilt sandwich. Finally, I used straight stitches and my walking foot to add quilting between the rows of decorative stitches.

This technique provides the best of both worlds and beautiful results!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and the featuring custom quilting using byAnnie Soft & Stable in place of batting. You'll find the post titled Custom Quilting wtih Your Embroidery Machine HERE. Leave your comments below and let me know if you have plans to try these techniques and some of your own!