Friday 5 June 2015

Taking stock or stocktaking?

I had been thinking over our family holiday that I have not got as much time as I used to have when I did snippets of work and mostly stayed at home with afternoon-napping-children. I have made the transition to working four days (some of them longer than others) and I have come to terms with what I can and can't do in the hours of the day. It takes time to work this sort of stuff out. So I had a stock take on Monday after I had taken stock, as it were. It was so liberating.



My next door neighbour is having a new kitchen and I commandeered one of her old kitchen cabinets before it went in the skip. I said to myself 'if it can't fit in this cabinet then I can't have it.' because there is not enough time to let craft stuff just fester around the house that I can't use but keep having to tidy away. It is not good for my mind, it gives me heavy thoughts.



The joy this cupboard gave me on Monday can not be explained in bloggy words. It is perfect and I thank my marvellous man for screwing it to the wall knowing it would be happily filled the next day.



So this is it folks, this is the limit of what my head can deal with - a sort of peek inside my brain if you like.

On top: one CD box size of crochet thread and the same is teeny patchwork fabric pieces, a sort of memory collection I've made over time. Next to it, my vintage pattern collection. 

Middle shelf: Hugely pared down dress fabrics that I would actually wear, Kilner jars with the usual buttons, zips, elastic, threads and jeans gubbings.

Bottom shelf: Patterns sorted into crochet, sewing, knitting and machine manuals alongside my craft book collection (which was bigger than I thought when it was all in one place)


From top to bottom, right to left:

Top shelf: A sewing box, Silk dupion fabric bagged up with a cocktail dress pattern ready for a party invitation - not received one yet! Lining fabric, then craft fabric. (fabric for bags, felt and hessian, that type of thing) 

Middle shelf: My very pared down knitting yarn including donated boodles, donated Sirdar snuggly 4ply, Navy DK cotton, Brown Rico cotton, sponsored King Cole aran, Sirdar man yarn and chunky merino. Four of those sets are already WIPS.

On the bottom all boxed: interfacing, yarny equipment, embroidery threads, parred down patchwork box, donated tapestry wool, felt bits for toys eyes.

I rifled through my scrapbook paper. Don't judge me, papercraft all lives in the office and found these:


Great for labelling up the boxes, files and jars.


I am really happy with what I have chosen to keep. There is now room on shelves in the office, there is room on our bookshelves downstairs, the living room is devoid of crafty piled up corners. All the little boxes, pots and baskets from all over the house have been divvied up into the jars - I am totally thrilled and secretly everyone else in this house is very happy too.


My first project in the spare room wall of magic is drumroll please... a summer dress with huge pockets and currently a bust that is in a different place to mine!

Thanks for indulging in my stash with me, I realise I am a very lucky person. Jo xx













15 comments:

  1. Jo you are so organised and restrained. I (still) have stuff I probably will never use but can't bear to pass on. My excuse is that I don't have a dedicated space in the house where I can spread out. Sam is hopefully moving out in a couple of years.... (he is nearly 15). It is more difficult to fit in a few minutes of sewing/knitting/crafting if you are working. I try to be plan ahead, for example I setup my sewing machine last thing at night to be ready when I get back from work the next day to sew for a few minutes before I need to clear the table for dinner. Still, every minute is worth it, even if I only manage a shoulder seam a day. Have a great weekend. x

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    1. Having a little space is ideal for sewing. I can do 10 mins or 30 mins here and there without having to put everything away and that has stopped me rushing dressmaking. I can take my time, chip away, not get cross thinking 'this has to be finished before I put tea on this table!' You have hit the nail right on the head. Jo x

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  2. Your craft area looks cozy and organized!!:) those paper prints are great!! Craft organization is always interesting .
    I have also recently posted about my craft room.

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  3. You are certainly a very organized woman, one of these days I will have a clear out. There again I can't see that happening anytime soon.... Have a great weekend.

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  4. You're very organized! My bundles or fabric & wools etc. are currently stashed a way in a large selection of plastic boxes. One day & I hope it's soon I will be able to have these items to hand & not go hunting for things. Love how you've used glass jars for your bits & bobs, I've been collecting old coffee jars for the same purpose x

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  5. I love your crafting area. It's so organised and very useable.
    Your colourful outlook is reflected in your new space.

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  6. Everything looks so neat and tidy. I love what you have done. Good luck with the dress.
    Meredith

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  7. We are moving to Devon in the summer and I think I am definitely going to take a leaf out of your book with regards to sorting my hobby stashes and keeping only what I know I will have time to use and what I really will actually use. Great post.

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  8. How perfectly well organised. I agree that too much craft stuff can be depressing. I don't start too many projects either because all that unfinished makes me twitchy.

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  9. It is all very well organised!!!! Much better than I am!!! How great to have everything all together, that must be good! A very good cabinet and reuse of it too! xx

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  10. Love your craft area...as other have said very organised! I could be doing with tidying my own craft stuff and getting it into some sort of order too.
    Marianne x

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  11. It is so great to get everything organised like this! I love your cupboard and how neatly you have arranged everything. It is so true, lots of crafts stuff lying about unused is not a good feeling at all, but neat and tidy like this is perfect.
    Helen xox

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  12. Woohooo with trumpets playing so happy for you!!
    feeling the need to de clutter myself lately and yes it certainly frees the mind!
    best d xx

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  13. Hi Jo! I'm sorry I am late to commenting...my little bean has been sick so I am just getting around to my reading. This post...You have no idea how excited I was to read this. I have things bursting in all areas of the house and need to sort and organize myself. My brain does not work on overload either. What you have done here is magnificent! You have streamlined everything and it is brilliant! I LOVE both of your storage pieces! That wood cupboard is outstanding as is the open shelving for your bits and bobs! I bet you are thrilled to walk into this space now! Thank you for the inspiration. Organizing my art stuff has been on my list for the summer and this just motivated me! Happy making you! Nicole xoxo

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  14. Yes, I can imagine that was incredibly soothing, I know how happy I was recently banging some nails into a door and sorting my necklaces out - it makes us feel mentally lighter and more in control. You've created a tidy,functional yet inspiring area. x

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