I was ruthless

  I haven't done a lot in the sewing room this week, but I wanted to get some fabric put away that I pulled out of the closet.  You know how that goes probably.  You have to re-arrange things to get it back in, and in the process you find things.  Don't even think about snickering because it could happen to you.

   First find......a water color wall hanging unfinished......and sewn together wrong!  I remember this one.  Oh  yes, from just before I got so sick 2 years ago.  This was from the last strip pieced class I taught.  I brought home the sample parts and made the last few blocks, decided to make a wreath out of this set and then proceeded to sew the last row upside down or something.  Awful!  I must have hung it up on a hanger and put it in the closet.  Then I went downhill from there.

   So I did the unsew thing and put it together correctly.  It needs a border, but it is up on the design  wall  for now.

    Second find.....was about 20  fabric squares for string piecing foundations.  These were 8'', so I am thinking they are leftover from when I made the Faceted Jewels quilts.


I started to just put them back where I found them on the shelf but caught myself.   I was going to have to face them someday.  This lead to another decision.  4---count them four--- bins of strings are too many!
    I just began to cover the foundations until all were done.   I still need to trim and square up half of them.  I can find a use for them down the road.







 Then the ruthless work, make that fun began!  Any idea what I mean?
   I still had strings and bits in 3 bins and I wanted more control, so I began tossing.  Not over my shoulder like Eleanor Burns would do on TV, but into the trash.  All those small bits and ends, all the really ugly fabrics---where do they come from----fabric too frayed to use.  All gone.  I only saved pieces long enough--6'' or more--and fabrics I liked.  There was miles of one fabric and it all went away.

   Now, I feel in control.  One bin for dark colors, and one bin for light values.   I did keep some triangles that work good for the corners.  But the strings are reduced and I feel better for it.
And I am strung out after this.

  Of course, we all know that fabric bunnies will nest in there and reproduce abundantly.  Every quilt or project I complete, creates more strips and strings.  Does it work that way for you too?

What ever you stitch, enjoy it.
Happy stitching.