Today's discussion topic is: "How do you organize your WIPs and stash?" Please excuse the sounds of hysterical laughter (bordering on sobbing, to be honest) as I answer this question because organization is my curse and my failure. My WIPs are piled on top of a bag in my bedroom, by my bed (I stitch in bed...), each in its own ziplock or project bag along with the required floss, fabric, and (occasionally) pattern (More often than not, I use my iPad's "Books" app to store patterns and I stitch from those stored pdfs.). Also in this pile is a large tote bag filled with fabric, another with patterns that I've saved but haven't kitted up yet, yet another filled with cones and spools of floss, and still another with spare q-snap and frame pieces. And pile on top it my navy blue Yazzi raveling kit...As chaotic as this looks, I can find what I need when I need it so while it's not organized in a classic sense, it works for me.  My stash occupies two large cabinets (for fabrics, patterns, kits and tools), six baskets (for floss in floss bags) and a large "pile" in a corner (not shown here) for things like pillow forms, batting etc. This storage is in my basement craft space, is only vaguely organized, and is only accessed when a new project is started. The pictures below are from 2023 and things are a LOT messier now than in these photos.
I have gone through at least two major reorganizations in this space since we lived here and it is due for another but I'm old and tired and probably will never get around to it. And from there... ~~~~~WIPS~~~~~ 1. Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches", begun in 2014, on white lugana in mostly DMC 310 (with some scattering of two blues and two greens where metallic threads had been called for.). Didn't touch it this month... so no progress. 2. "Royal Gardens", a mystery SAL by Fox & Rabbit, begun in 2023. On a pale green/sapphire 32ct Lugana and Threadworx variegated thread (1048 "Woodland Green"). I stitched on installment 10 and almost completed it:  Only a few more stitches in the base of the bouquet snd a small circular motif to the upper right to go and then it's on to the elves, butterfly and alphabet of installment 11 (which, for some reason, I dread)! 3. "Faith, Hope, Love", a mystery SAL for 2024 by Fox & Rabbit. On antique white 28 ct Lugana using a Threadworx variegated (Autumn Leaves 1039) and three DMC colors (436, 975, and 310) that closely match some colors on that Threadworx floss... I'm on schedule here - the next installment is due out November 1, 2024.  4. Stitchonomy "Halloween 2024" SAL. Stitched on Chocolate Raspberry AIDA using the provided kit DMC threads. Fabric color is off in this (and all subsequent photos): it is really more pinkish-brown and not at all "orange"!  I am a member of the pattern club so have already received all the installments, but only 28 out of 31 plus finishing instructions have been released to the stitching public. So... here is my progress through part 28: ~~~~~Completions~~~~~ Sadly, no competitions this month... ~~~~~ On the non-SAL (and inactive SAL) front:
~~~~~ and that is my October report! Happy stitching, everyone! |
