Pieceful easy feeling...

I finally got to sit down and continue my chain-piecing binge Sunday afternoon (I was chain-piecing, my new little machine was practically chain-SMOKIN', it was working so hard!).  Remember these from my last post?

I was able to add 14 more completed ones, so now I am up to 39 finished out of my goal of 120 of these 9.5 inch little gems.  Ya-hoo!  This anniversary present for my husband is beginning to materialize.

(I also have another 48 about half-way done...)

I really need to improve the lighting down in the quilt cave...nothing is photographing very well these days.  It's all darker and muddier than reality. 

Usually when I crop strips in anticipation of a log cabin quilt, I get all my strips ready before I start piecing.  This time, I was so excited about driving my new machine, I started prematurely.  I am experiencing "piecus interruptus," which is annoying.  So I am still cropping strips as I go...not as efficient!  I probably would have been finished chain-piecing the 120 blocks by now if I weren't stopping to cut and count all the time.

I'm still adding to the piles in the project box...I am completely out of a few sizes...

Mr. Fabric Therapy was away in Chicago all week for work, so I decided to clean out the basement while he was gone. The quilt cave area of the basement is pretty neat and organized, but I share the cave with the other two people in my house...for now (evil laugh inserted here...).  Every time my husband and daughter are gone for any length of time, they come back and ALMOST think they notice a change...the key to taking over other people's space is to do it very slowly...over time...almost enough to notice, but not quite.  LOL

I can't do anything about some of the stuff down there...the laundry, the furnace, the hot water heater, the sump pump, the kitty litter box, 2 of the 3 household computers, exercise equipment, a recliner, and some general storage.  I'm ALWAYS trying to make more room in the general storage category...part of my OCD, I guess.

What started all this basement attention was a quick trip to U of M property disposition looking for used 2-drawer filing cabinets for pattern storage under my quilt book shelves.  They are only $10 and I usually strike gold when I go (I also look for nice second hand office chairs...).  This time they only had one filing cabinet of the short variety.  I thought, no problem.  I'd take it home and shove it under my current arrangement...I love being organized, but on a very tiny budget.  Some day, it would be fun to have unlimited funds to spend on a space and nice fixtures, but for now I am a cave dweller.

Anyway (from the bottom up), I start with 2-drawer filing cabinets, place sturdy used doors across them as a table, then add my IKEA storage units on top to hold my quilt books.  It sounds like a bit of a house of cards, but it is really quite sturdy.  I do it this way to protect my quilt library from the possibility of a wet basement, and NOTHING is ever on a low shelf.

The filing cabinets contain hanging files that hold patterns and projects from magazines and such.  The sheet pocket protectors can also hold templates, etc.  This system really works for me.

Because I've grown this storage system over time, none of my short filing cabinets are the SAME HEIGHT.  I was certain this new one would just shove under the existing set up.

Wrong.  It was the tallest so far, which meant EVERYTHING had to be taken apart and the "tables" had to be leveled (made the same height) all over again...all the books had to come out of cubicles...EVERYTHING!  Oy!  What a job!  I should have taken a picture of THAT, but I was too annoyed at the time to see how hilarious the situation really was.  But it is almost all back together now, thank GOD!

I took a break from the basement and the log cabins to add to my Positive/Negative project box as well.  I have about 180 of these 4.5 inch blocks finished and squared up now.  I have enough to start piecing them together in quartets to make 9-inch blocks (finished).  These are such a satisfying scrap buster!

My daughter starts school tomorrow, so maybe the crazy summer is finally over.  I want to wrap up the scrap busting and get back into some intense hand applique projects.  Christmas is coming (gulp) and it is time to "get 'er done!"

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)