Having a plan

I like to have plans, whether things come out the way I had planned or not, it is nice having an idea where you are going sometimes...

My plans for getting the fabric stash more under control for next year is to pick a box out of the garage or shed each month. Some months will be carefully chosen, like when I need to work through Christmas fabric (this time in July--not December!) and other months, I will just pick a random box and I plan to work through the fabric in that box during the month. At the end of the month, whatever is not used will be donated on Freecycle. I have found several other charity crafters and quilters through my local Freecycle group who are very grateful for my leftover scraps. That way I'm not storing what I'm not going to be using and someone else will get the benefit of some wonderful fabric pieces.

Just last week I went through some projects that had been donated to me this summer. My mom and I went through them once and she picked out a couple that had some promise and actually finished them up. I finished up a whole bunch of them and these were the leftovers that I decided I would never get done. I offered them up on Freecycle and a lady came to get them for her daughter's 4th grade class to teach them geometry.

Win-win. The fabrics got out of my house and found a home where they will be used and appreciated.

I can't do it all and by giving things away to others, I will be able to use up all of this stash eventually. My great fear is that one day I will run out of fabric and not have enough. I have no idea why I get afraid like this because as soon as I give some fabric away, I get a phone call that someone has more fabric for me. I just need to learn to be more trusting.

I also have a plan to work through all of the quilting books I have purchased over the couple of years I have been quilting. I have probably 100 or more books on the shelf. In 2009 I will pick a book a month and make one quilt from that book. If there is no quilt that I can make or want to make from that book, out of the house the book will go. Not sure where the book will go, but it won't get to live on my shelf anymore. This will also force me to try new things instead of the same safe quilts I have been making this last year.

So, off of this computer and to work on those Christmas projects. I worked on a Santa wallhanging yesterday. All it needs is button eyes and a moustache and nose and it is done! Turned out cute, although the binding is a little wavy. Oh, well, can't be perfect, now can it...