Start Here – Quilting 101

New to quilting? Looking for some help with the basic skills and terms? Start here! Quilting tips tricks and little bits of inspiration for the newbie to intermediate quilter.

All About Local Quilt Shows + My Trip to the Knight’s of Columbus Charity Quilt Show!

If you’re looking for a fun activity, you can never go wrong with a trip to a local quilt show!

I absolutely LOVE quilt shows! You can’t beat a day of quilting fun!

Are you a quilter? – Go to be inspired and admire the works of other quilters!

Are you a wannabe quilter or art lover? – Go and let your eyes linger over fancy stitchery and beautiful woven fabrics! Or look through the vendors to pick up some really unique treasures along the way. You won’t want to miss all that these shows have to offer!

My Trip to the Local Knights Of Columbus Charity Quilt Show

I recently had the pleasure of being invited to a wonderful local quilt show, just outside of my hometown of Houston, Texas!

This show was hosted by The Knights Of Columbus organization in Hempstead, Texas. It was such a fun event to attend and be a part of!

The show advertised “a family-friendly event”, SOOOO… We brought the whole family! Yep!… me, my 2 kids and my husband! Everyone had a lovely afternoon.

As we walked into the show, we were given a small strip of paper to vote for our favorite quilt in the show. (My kids loved this activity.)

Words with Mr. Jack Gibbs

During my visit to the quilt show, I had the lovely pleasure of visiting with Mr. Jack Gibbs, a prominent member of the Knights of Columbus Charity Group.

The 2019 Quilt show was held in memory of Tom Brown and featured local celebrity quilter Ms. Jackie Hillman! – She is amazing and if quilt magician were a real title… well, she would OWN it!

Mr Gibbs and I talked about how proud they were at the turnout of the show. The final numbers show that there were over 300 people in attendance this year, which is super exciting!

We also talked about what the Knights of Columbus does with the money raised every year. Did you know that every single penny is used locally?

Mr. Gibbs told me stories of the charity helping people at the local high school just down the street and helping families and children around the neighborhood. The money isn’t used to help people far away, it helps those in need right in their backyard, so to speak.

Their main focus is on the youths who struggle with major medical conditions. In 9 years, the quilt show has distributed over $100,000 to local cases. Isn’t that amazing?

One thing that Mr. Gibbs told me was that “no need is too small.” When people need help, the Knights of Columbus is happy to lend a hand.

This year was a really big year for the quilt show with the live auction bringing in $11,100 – a new record!

The total profit for the whole show was over $25,000, another record!

But the giving back didn’t stop there!… oh no!

There was also a truck parked out front to donate blood.

There was a yummy dessert table inside with homemade desserts from a local church. (We may or may not have tried at least 5 of them… all delicious)

Seriously, so many opportunities to help other people!

So, um… we totally ate dessert first, ~~because my husband and I were suckers that day~~.

However, dessert wasn’t all they had to offer. A delicious chicken fried steak dinner with all the southern yummy sides was served as well! There was a long line of hungry people and At $12 a plate, it was a fantastic way to end the day!

Just look at these smiles! 🙂

For more information about the Knights of Columbus Charity Quilt show in Hempstead, you can visit their facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/KCCharityQuiltShow/

PS – Keep reading to see more pictures down below!

A Few More Words On Local Quilt Shows

Let’s talk a little bit more about local quilt shows, shall we? Because I love them and I want you to know exactly what to expect when you visit!

First of all, if you can, I think its important to bring the whole family! I know as a mom and a quilter, it is SO tempting to get 3 hours to yourself and wander through a quilt show with a cup of coffee all by yourself and have a little “me time” – Believe me. I KNOW!

However, I think that quilting spans multiple generations and if it is something you that really enjoy, you should involve your family in it sometimes – not all the time, of course… but give your kids or grandkids exposure to the parts of your world that bring you joy!

At the very least, grab some girlfriends and make a fun adventure out of it! 🙂

Things you can find at every local quilt show…

1. Inspiration

I am always so inspired by all of the quilts that are shown! Quilt shows are a great place to see a wide variety of quilts in one place. There are different styles, colors, patterns and sizes to spice up your creative rut.

Get up close and personal with quilts made by so many talented quilters. look at their techniques and feel free to ooh and ahh over their talent!

But mind the rules: NO TOUCHING.

2. Shopping the Vendors

I love to shop the vendor markets at quilt shows as well. You’ll find everything from fun fabrics from local quilt shops to crafty handmade creations and small businesses.

You’ll also find some fun sewing and quilting gadgets and perhaps exactly what you’ve been looking for to get started on your next project!

From the Knight’s of Columbus quilt show, I acquired some cute cute Christmas fabric… even though I already have a ton of projects right now for Christmas! Maybe next year?

4. Play Games and Win Fun Prizes!

At the Knights of Columbus Quilt Show, the volunteers at the front gave out tickets as we walked in the doors. There were drawings for prizes every 30 minutes. We didn’t win anything, but it kept the kids busy and excited at the opportunity of winning something!

The silent auction is another favorite of mine. Perhaps I’m a sucker for wanting to win and maaaaybe I’m a tad competitive?

I did win the bid for this super cute hot chocolate gift basket! My family and I are looking forward to enjoying it on a cold evening very soon!

Live auctions are another common event at Quilt shows that must not be missed!

5. Support Local + Charity

All local quilt shows have one thing in common – a love of local communities and local people.

By shopping the local vendors, you support local businesses.

By contributing to local charities, helping the people right in your own backyard.

The Knights of Columbus organize this wonderful quilt show every year to share their passions for charity with the quilting community.

An event like this is no easy task to take on and there is a lot of organization and planning that goes into something that is so well run and exciting to attend.

If you have the opportunity, visit your local quilt shows! Take a day to play with the quilting community and support your local community!

It is something that you will not regret! 🙂
What to do on the back of your quilt?

So you’ve completed the quilt top! Yay!… now, what do you do on the back of your quilt?

We’ve all been there… It feels harsh just to slap some random fabric on it and call it “good”, right?

Especially if you really challenged yourself and poured out a lot of time and effort into the front of your quilt!

I believe you have the opportunity to create a full 360-degree piece of artwork with your quilt that is beautiful from every angle. And you don’t have to work yourself to death either!

I made a video with some ideas and examples of quilt backs that I have created in the past along with some tips for how to make the back of your quilt interesting!

Check it out below and then read on to see more tips!

5 tips to make the back of your quilt interesting!

1. Don’t follow a specific pattern

I love rules, I do… but I also love to break them… what can I say?

It is so creatively refreshing to be able to do whatever I want and make things fit however I feel like after I have completed a very specific and strategic pattern.

This is a great opportunity to play with your fabric and see what you come up with! It could be that you stick to something very simple and straight forward… or you could do something complex.

2. Try something new that you’ve been admiring

Maybe you’ve seen a technique on YouTube (you can check out my channel and subscribe to me here!) and it looks like an interesting block, but you’re not sure if you’re ready to commit to a whoooole quilt yet?

This is the perfect opportunity to try out a new idea. If you just end up doing one block, you can add borders around it to make a beautiful design focal point on the back of your quilt!

3. Well-placed contrasting strips add interest and hide seams

Nothing breaks up the weird and awkward seams of joining fabric pieces together like some well-placed strips of fabric!

In the quilt back below, the quilt was wider than my fabric. I COULD have just bought more fabric, and did a nearly invisible seam down the center of the quilt… it would have been fine. Hardly anyone would have seen it with the quilting, I’m sure…

But… there was an opportunity to do something fun!

I decided to add some scrap fabric stripes to the center and voila… instant “design choice” status vs. “boring piecing together of fabric”.

4. Don’t underestimate the power of a Jelly Roll

Jelly roll quilts are fun to sew. (Mostly because of the amount of progress that happens really fast at the end of the process… I still love to see it come together!)

Us quilters know what it takes to make a jelly roll quilt, but no one else does!

They make fantastic quilt backs! A little more detail and thought into the quilt that you make. Plus, you don’t have to buy huge pieces of expensive fabric. Use what you have on hand!

5. My favorite tip: Use Scraps!

I can’t stress this enough! Use the leftover scraps from the front of your quilt and incorporate them into the design on the back of your quilt!

It helps create a cohesive design between the two sides AND it helps you use your fabric wisely.

I’ve actually created the habit of using the “fabric requirements” of a pattern as more of a general guideline… and not a hard rule.

If you’re able to buy an extra 1/8-1/4 yard of a few pieces of fabric, not only will you have a little margin for any errors that happen along the way (don’t lie, I know it happens to you too, right?) you will have fabric left over to use on the back of your quilt!

For more information on how to organize your scraps: Scrap Fabric Storage and what to do with them.

I hope that gives you some new ideas and some thoughts on ways you can spice up the back of your quilts! Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or comment down below! I love to hear from you 🙂

What is your favorite way to treat the back of your quilt? Do you prefer simple or complex?
Beginner Quilting 101

Hey! If you are just starting out with quilting and find that you’re overwhelmed with the sheer talent of almost everyone else around you, it is totally ok! I know exactly what you’re going through and I can help you get down some of the basics! Today I’m sharing my favorite Beginner Quilting 101 tips!

The first thing you’ll need to know is that a lot of quilters use shorthand in their patterns and it can almost look like another language if you’re unfamiliar with it.

I’ve put together a short video that goes over the most common terminology. If you’re still lost, check out this post, It has a long list of terms to help you out!

Quilting 101 Tips

1. Work within your skill level

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that you’re working with a pattern suited to your beginner skill level.

I know! Ther are so many amazing quilts out there and such CUTE patterns! I promise you will get to those someday really soon, but you’ll find them much more of a joy to work on if you get your basic skills down first.

Trust me.

You don’t want hours and money wasted on fabric that will leave you frustrated and wanting to pull your hair out or crumple it into a ball and throw it out the window. (but if you do, this post has some really good suggestions for what to do if you do hit that moment…)

What should you start with?

Start with patterns that are going to be easy to understand. Not complicated. Quilts that are going to give you that wonderful feeling of accomplishment and are going to make you giddy to start your next quilt!

I have several patterns that LOOK like you spent a lot of time and LOOK like they are really “fancy/artsy” but are actually really simple to make.

The quilt image below is a really fun and quick playmat sized quilt to make and it is a FREE download in my shop! Click here to download it for FREE.

I also have a FREE triangle pattern that you can download here.

And a Free HST Quilt Pattern here. (There is more if you join my e-mail list 🙂 I love making quilt patterns!)

2. Give yourself Grace

Experienced quilters know a thing (or 2) more than beginner quilters, but do you know what the most important thing to keep in mind is?

It is totally ok to mess up.

Just get out your seam ripper. Make a fuss and frown if you have to. Rip out those stitches and try again.

It’s ok. Really.

3. Make sure you have at least a few “made-for-quilting” tools on hand

Quilting can seem really expensive and overwhelming right at first. Don’t go out and buy everything you see unless you’re ready to spend a fortune!

Work on accumulating these important tools first! It’ll help you be a better quilter and save you hours of frustration in the long run.

4. Do push yourself to try new things.

The only way you’re going to be an amazing quilter is if you push yourself to try new things.

Do not go out and buy the hardest pattern you can find. This will end in frustration.

Gradually build your skills and your confidence as you work on slightly more difficult patterns and designs each time.

This post will help you build your confidence as a new quilter and help you know when you challenge yourself more.

5. Make time to play

Especially when I first started quilting… I had big dreams of making everyone in my family quilts. My kids and my cousins etc etc… It was going to be grand!

Quilters are kind and generous people. We love to create and love to see the joy on other people’s faced when we give them a beautiful handmade quilt tailored especially for them!

All work and no play makes for an overworked and burnt out quilter!

Make time for something fun and small in-between your big projects. A wall quilt with your favorite fabric?

Maybe a new set of coasters for your living room? Perhaps you’ve admired hand quilting but a big quilt is overwhelming? Try out your curiosities on a smaller project to dip your toes into new waters!

6. Do not commit to a big project because it is what someone else wants!

Ok so I’m kind of adding in this one because of experience…

Live and learn, kids!

You don’t want to be cursing the name of the person who asked you to make a king-sized quilt for Christmas when it is October, right? Learn that it is ok to say no thank you to projects that you’re not ready for!

For more Quilter self-care tips, check out this post that I wrote…
Office Supplies you can use in your Sewing Room

Isn’t it great when the things you own can pull double duty? Here are 8 Office supplies you can use in your sewing room!

I try not to own a crazy abundance of stuff in my home. I like the sleek minimal look. However, I tend to throw out all of those aspirations when it comes to my sewing room because in there more is better obviously.

Being a quilter or a crafter can have you hoarding litteral trash because “I could make something with this!” right?

You have to own your whatsits and your things.

Today I want to share 8 Office supplies you can use in your sewing room. These items are going to be at your side on multiple occasions and therefore are more likely to be the best bang for your buck!

Office supplies you can use in your sewing room!

1. Post-it Notes

I have already shared how much I love these things, but I’m going to do it again. The fun bright colors mean even on a crazy messy table, you’ll still be able to find your notes.

I use Post-it notes all the time for labeling my cut pieces. If I’m working on a very involved pattern that is going to take a long time, I will leave myself notes along the way so that when I come back to it I can pick up right where I left off without having to backtrack too far.

I use them as bookmarks in my patterns and tabs for patterns I frequent…. the list is endless!

2. Cheapie Scissors

Please buy a cheapie pair of inexpensive scissors for cutting your paper patterns, notes (and FREE honest crafter gift tags) wire, etc. Buy several pairs.

It’s ok to know who you are and realize that you’re going to misplace them… or another family member might end up borrowing them. It happens.

For all that is good in this world, save your fabric scissors for cutting fabric ONLY! 🙂 PS – I really like these scissors for fabric.

This scissors pack on Amazon is $8 for 3 pairs!

3. Clear Sheet Protectors & Binders

All those loose pattern pieces and freebie patterns you download? Keep them organized and all the pieces together using clear sheet protectors! And then keep your clear sheet protectors organized with a 3 ring binder. Tuck it in on a shelf and enjoy how you no longer have stacks of random papers just hoping they stay together!

For more ideas on how to organize absolutely everything in your sewing room, check out my ebook – 25 Days Creating the Sewing/craft space of your dreams! It’s a detailed step by step guide. I cover EVERYTHING!
Pssst: You can get 10% off if you use the code ISAWTHISBLOGPOST when you checkout 😉

4. Copy Paper

Maybe this one is a little obvious because we live in a digital world where you can instantly download your favorite pattern and print it off for use right away.

I still feel I have to include copy paper on this list because it is always good to buy extra when you see it on sale!

I also use it for sketching ideas and resizing patterns as well as printing on.

5. School Glue Sticks

When I’m working with patterns that require the puzzling job of matching up multiple pieces of paper… I don’t mess with tape. At least, I dont anymore. These Glue sticks are waaaaaay faster and easier.

I’ve also been told that it is a great basting tool for smaller quilt projects. I haven’t tried it yet myself, but it is on the list of things that I want to try!

You can also use a glue stick to give yourself a little help when hemming or topstitching.

Personally, I like the purple ones that then dry clear… not to say that they work any better on the ones that are already clear and dry clear… I just like the purple color. 🙂

6. Binder Clips

If you ever see some of these at a garage sale, grab them… they work all over the sewing room.

Magic clips are very similar and basically do the same thing but I really like the way that binder clips can hang on a hook for organizing. I have a few nails on my fence in the backyard and I use little clips to hold up quilts for photos.

You can also use them to close up the cheerios in the pantry… so many uses!

7. Washable Markers

Yes, I know that the fabric store has pens specifically for marking on fabric… but in a pinch, Crayola washable markers will work just as well. They’re made for 3-year-olds to use after all.

Both of my kids took it as a personal challenge to see just how many surfaces they could draw on before mommy noticed the quietness in the next room. So, yes… I’ve tested these markers on multiple surfaces and aside from eggshell paint finish… Crayola really stands true to the washable claim.

Perhaps maybe I wouldn’t go for a dark green on a delicate white fabric… but for small little marks and a notch here and there I use them all the time.

8. Organizers

Want to be all chic and feel fancy? Go visit the desk organizer section and imagine all your craft supplies instead of boring pencils and sharpies and … I don’t know… tax forms or something.

For a long time, I had to be so budget conscious and pinch every single penny. Babies are expensive and so is crafting! I used empty soup cans and cereal boxes to organize my sewing supplies – and it worked great. I still have a lot of those items because functionality-wise, they work perfectly and I’m the only one who really sees them.

I started to branch out as the diaper fund decreased and I invested in a few “pretty” items for my space to freshen it up.

Click here to tour my sewing room

Definitely hit up the back to school sales when they come out! You can check out my post on Dollar store Back to school sale items for your craft room.

To keep a minimal vibe in your home and craft space (or just to make every dollar stretch a bit further) look for items that can do double duty. These office supplies you can use in your sewing room will be useful in so many ways around the house!
30 Amazing Quilting Tools I Purchased On Amazon!

Let’s get one thing straight… I’m the mom who will spend 2 hours at target because we needed toothpaste and somehow come home WITHOUT the toothpaste!

It is kind of a curse, but also kind of a whole lot of fun, because you never know if I’ll actually remember what I needed to go shopping for.

Amazon is a great BFF. I don’t know where I would be without it… (Probably having to make an emergency trip to the drug store because we still don’t have toothpaste!) Amazon Prime and me, we were made for each other.

It has also opened up a whole new world of Quilting tools that I would have never even noticed before in the isles of my regular craft store.

Here is a list of 30 tools I purchased from Amazon that I would absolutely buy again 100X over (because I love them that much!)

Quilting Rulers

I wrote a post on the Essential quilting rulers and which rulers you should buy. You can’t ever have enough of them! I can’t tell you how handy it is to have the one tool that is absolutely made for EXACTLY what you want to do!

At the very minimum, you should own:
6″ x 12″
6″ x 24″
And this bargain set of square rulers is really great too!

Non-slip Ruler Grips

Sometimes its the tiny things in life that make a huge impact. These are little circles of sticky sandpaper that keep your ruler from sliding around on your fabric and make things just that liiiiitle bit easier. For less than $6, you can own 30 Non-slip Ruler Grips!

The Iron You really shouldn’t be without

You know how I feel about this iron. I’ve mentioned it many times before. I’ve had mine for over 4 years now and it hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down! I use it ALL the time! It is simply the best little iron out there in my opinion!

Wool Ironing Mat

I recently discovered these and I really love the little plush extra-ness of having a wool ironing mat! This one is less than $25 and is a hefty 14″ x 14″!

FMQ Sewing Foot – (Free Motion Quilting)

If you’re even thinking about trying FMQ (free motion quilting) you need to get your sewing foot from Amazon. They have the best prices that I’ve been able to find. Try starting out with this one here for less than $6!

More light, I say!

I talked about this desktop light in the tour of my sewing room. I use it all the time and I love how bright the light is as well as the fact that the brightness is adjustable. It is absolutely worth the $30 bucks I paid for it for a quality long-lasting light.

If you prefer light directly on your sewing machine… I recommend this LED light strip. It is a bargain price and has tons of good reviews that speak for it as well. It fits all sewing machines! Cut it to the size you need.

A Porcupine Sewing Caddy

Just look at this little guy. A total impulse buy?… maybe, but you’ll never be sorry you bought him! Check out all the fun little ways he can help you out!

There is also a Ladybug version!

Pins that are easier to grab on to

I love these pins because the heads are 1) easy to see on my fabrics and 2) easy to grab onto/work with. I just love them for their sheer functionality.

A Magic Wand

Yep. If you have a floor, and you use pins while you’re sewing, you need this magic wand. Maybe it’s more about the magnet inside it than anything else, but just a wave over your flooring and you won’t have to worry about finding that stray pin with your foot later! … ta-da!

Or this one actually looks like a magic wand… 🙂
And this one has a light on the end of it if you need to be extra…extra?

A Light Tracing Tablet

I really love to use this light table when I am paper piecing. My kids use this tablet for tracing over their favorite dragon characters out of storybooks… whichever you choose to use it for, it has held up really well over the few years that we’ve had it for the price!

Prewound Bobbin Thread

I prefer the even tension of a pre-wound bobbin if I’m just doing regular piecing or sewing. It just leaves one less thing to be an error on my part if something goes wrong.

If I am quilting on my machine or doing decorative stitching with a colored thread, I will wind my own bobbins.

You can buy them in any number, I like to have black and white on hand.

Sewing Organizers

I feel like my life is a little more put together when I have a good organizer on top of my workspace… even if I know its only an illusion of having it all together 😉

Random Button Collections

It is wonderful if you can collect cute boons as you come across them. I love to use buttons on my quilts! I have used them to just bring a little 3D element… and I have used them to cover up some mistakes! The quilt admirer will never know.

I really like these buttons because they bring a lot of personality to whatever you sew them on.

A really good pair of sharp embroidery scissors

And these ones are Raaaaaaainbow colored!

Speaking of scissors… I really like this pair when I’m having a sewing session where I’m up and down and all over the craft room. They have a necklace and a nice little spot to keep your scissors close by you so you don’t have to keep looking for them!

Thread Cutter

If your machine does not have a mounted thread cutter… you NEED this, like yesterday. It increases your productivity like 1,000x (don’t quote me on that, I completely made it up, but I’m sure it is somewhere close to that.)
There is also a ring version that is perfect for when you’re doing some hand sewing or on the go. I have been known to feel so comfortable wearing mine that I had a stranger at the grocery store ask me where I got such a “bold artsy jewelry piece”…..

For Marking Quilting Lines

This Hera marker is one of my new favorite tools to have on hand. Someday I’ll get around to doing a whole post about how much I love this thing for quilting but until then… I will link to Suzy’s blog about the Hera Marker because she is really the one who sold me on it, to begin with!

Click here to read all about why you should love this tool too!

Extras to have on hand

Do you want to know a good way to ruin an afternoon of sewing? Try breaking your needle and realizing you don’t have any extras on hand… ugh. The tragedy!

Here are a few other things you should always have a few extra of on hand:

Universal Sewing Needles
Rotary Replacement Blades (45 is the most common size)
White Sewing Thread
This Eat, Sleep, Quilt, Repeat T-shirt
Lumbar Pillow for those long hours of sewing
Spool Huggers keep your thread from becoming a big mess

If you made it all the way down to the bottom of this list…

Thank you! 🙂 I hope you find some treasures on Amazon too and enjoy your shopping extravaganza for notions and fun new things to add to your sewing space!

If you are not a member of the Amazon Prime Club, you can do a 30 Day Free trial with no risk!

Please let me know in the comments if you found anything in the list above that was just too aming not to pass up… and also if you have your own amazon listing to add to my list! I’m always up for testing out more tools!
Keeping A Clean Sewing Space: A How to

Sometimes I manage that amazing superpower of keeping a clean sewing space!… where everything has a place and the tabletops are clear of clutter… ahhh, It is so nice to know that creativity could happen at any moment!

However, more often than I like to admit, my sewing room used to look like a tornado a path of destruction. I couldn’t find a single thing. Like that rotary cutter, I swear was on the table a minute ago? oh, it’s over on my desk now… Why? I don’t know. It just is.

I felt uninspired when my sewing room was a mess… There was so much going on, I couldn’t even think… much less find room to create!

Maybe you know how I feel?

Are you drowning in clutter and fabric scraps?

Is your space to cramped and feels like it’s impossible to work in?

Are you overwhelmed or don’t even know where to start to make it better?

I got so tired of feeling frustrated and out of control…

How I fixed it: Keeping A Clean Sewing Space

I decided that I had had it one day. No more was I going to let the place that I called my “sanctuary“, “my happy place” and “my very own little slice of sanity” be a major source of stress for me!

When I thought about it like that, it was absolutely ridiculous that I couldn’t be happy in my own happy place, right?!

It took a while to figure out how to make things work and I have had a lot of trial and error over the years. My space isn’t “fancy” and you probably won’t find it in the pages of HGTV magazine… but I LOVE where I sew.

You can take a tour of my sewing room in this post.

Steps to Keeping a Clean Sewing Space: The Space Itself

1. Give yourself a good talking to and be honest with yourself

I mean like a mom talking to her toddler threatening to give away all the toys unless she cleaned them up kind of tough love talk.

If you have too much stuff that there is simply no way that it will fit nicely in the space that you’ve allotted for yourself, you have 2 options: 1) find more space or 2) get rid of some of your stuff

You can be as tough or as lenient in this that you want to be. After all, you are the only one who is the boss of you.

2. Assess Your Storage Needs

I used to have a bins and boxes problem. Do you know how I had a problem? I had empty boxes FOR my empty boxes!

It is the crafty/DIYer curse… you just NEVER know when you might need it right? So I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away or pass up a good deal on a pretty box.

I knew I really needed to be more organized and I was sure that not enough boxes to put things in was my problem. It absolutely was not! I would forget what was in my boxes and be unable to find things so I would end up buying duplicates or forgetting what I owned.

3. Sort and purge everything you possibly can

Purge the things that you know you will never end up using. Just get rid of it. Also, even though it is hard, let go of the things that you once were absolutely in love with but either realize that you will never have the time or just you simply just don’t feel that spark for anymore.

It does you no good to hold onto and let it take up physical space for years and years.

Don’t hold on to it unless it has a purpose or it really brings you joy.

The items you are purging, you can give to friends who are just building their collections or bring your stuff to a guild meeting to see if anyone wants it. You can donate your scraps. There are tons of charities that take fabric too!

Click here to read more about my favorite charities for quilters.

Or you can see if your guild is interested in doing a remnant sale! Everyone brings in unwanted scraps and remnants and sells it for a bit of cash. Win win!

4. Downsize your collections

Gather all of your tools and make piles of the duplicates. Make a goal to only own 5 scissors or whatever it is that you have.

Sometimes all it takes is putting everything into one place to realize you miiiight just have a problem.

After you’ve cleaned out your space it is time to organize it and keep it that way!

Ok, once you have it down to the essentials in your space and you are not wasting any space… you need to realize something…

Your space can still get messy! Ugh, I know. I’m so sorry.

I turn around after a particularly good sewing session and my space looks like someone left a toddler unattended for 10 minutes!

1. Have a specific place for everything.

Every tool, every pattern, every project.

Give everything a home and do your absolute best to return everything to its spot as soon as you are done with it.

Read more about how to organize your space with items from the dollar store!

2. Create zones in your sewing/crafting room.

If you have more than 1 hobby, create sections for each hobby and try your best to keep all the supplies in that area. Not only is it easier to reach, but it helps keep you organized and from things quickly spreading to the whole room!

3. Always Clean up 3 times.
- Do a quick tidy before you start any new projects.
- Clean up while you’re working on your project. Make sure you’re working as efficiently as possible. Keep trash off your worktable.
- Always do a thorough cleaning after you finish a project. (Like the queen is coming to visit!)
4. If you work on multiple projects at a time…

If you take no other advice from this list, do this one thing! It will help you immensely in the sewing room.

Have a dedicated box for each project and all its pieces/instructions. When you have to switch projects, pack everything up and put it on the shelf. You won’t accidentally misplace anything and when you’re ready to start again, you’ll have everything you need

I really hope this list helps you in keeping a clean sewing space.

Remember that it is your space and you can make it however you want it to be… as long as you make sure you surround yourself with the things you love and you leave yourself room to create!

Need more of an Action Plan?

Check out this 25 Day Guide that I created to give you a step by step plan to creating the sewing/crafting space of your dreams!!

I will be with you every single step of the way with detailed instructions!

So many people have used this guide to clean up their act in their sewing space and make it a place that they just can’t wait to get into! It is now the space of thier dreams!

Click here to learn more information about how YOU can create the space of your dreams too 🙂 You won’t regret it!