The Sewing Place

Changing my way of working

Lowena

Changing my way of working
« on: October 10, 2019, 22:10:55 PM »
I am changing how I work.
I now have 3 projects on the go! :S
I'm doing the temperature quilt which is obviously ongoing. I've started Awesome Ocean which is very fiddly.
I have Fancy Forest to sandwich and back.
now I have begun a new project I was given a jelly roll for my birthday and am making a Lintott inspired qui!t.
My fears are two fold
1. Will I cope with chopping and changing between projects?
2. How will I keep each project separate but accessible?
I haven't much room or much storage and I must have things neat and tidy or I can't work.
Should I stick to my original policy of one project at a time and see it all the way through? Although that suits my single mindedness, I find I get a bit bored on occasion.
What to do? What do you do?
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Ellabella

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2019, 22:56:48 PM »
Since seeing your way of working @Lowena I have been attempting to complete one project before moving on to the next and it has really helped me. I have been much more productive.

Last week I was making a handbag, I only had the strap to finish, I cocked it up and tried to redo it it. The second time was worse so I put it aside and started something new.  Today I finished a coat for my GD then went back to the bag and sorted it.

I find having a bag for each project helps. Put everything pertaining to the project in a bag and keep it together.

If a project is going wrong or getting boring put it aside completely, try something else. The problems start when you have two projects out at the same time and they get mixed up

toileandtrouble

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2019, 23:28:34 PM »
Those extra strong bags from supermarkets are a good size and have a flat bottom, so they can sit neatly under your worktable without falling over. They also fold flat when you are done.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

Lowena

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2019, 01:08:19 AM »
Thanks, but I haven't got room for bags,,I cut and measure on a kneehole desk and my machine is on a small desk opposite.
The shelves I have are full of boxes and it's a bit of a problem.That's one reason I do one project at a time usually  -<
Triumph of hope over experience :D

datcat23

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2019, 02:37:36 AM »
I have multiple projects on the go, but thats just the way I operate.   When I am cooking, especially baking, I will have two or three things on the go at once .... eg:  Make up a waffle batter - let stand, make a batch of ginger biscuits, while the first tray is cooking start up a muffin batch, put second tray of biscuits in oven, get out waffle iron- start preheating, biscuits finished, put muffins in oven, start cooking waffles, take muffins out of oven, finish cooking waffles.  Hubby bemoans the amount of washing up I create, but I often comment that I don't just cook, I CATER! 

I will do the same with my sewing.  Its nothing to have up to 6-8 projects cut and stacked on my sewing table, and I will switch between clothing, quilting, xmas gift sewing, bags .... not to mention that I will have the embroidery machine trundling along at the same time (I sometimes wonder what I am doing to my hearing). 

But, this sort of excess requires space, and if you are short of space, then restraint may be called for. 
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

rubywishes

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2019, 04:19:23 AM »
Pizza boxes  :), they stack, they're flat, they're neat and they take up little room. Each box holds all the needed fabric, the pattern and any notes I have made.
Juki TL2010Q, Juki DX7,  Singers: 1917 27K treadle (aka Gertie), 1957 99k (aka Vincent), 1951 99k knee lever (aka Shirley), 1950 99k handcrank (aka Alice), 1927 28K (aka Dora), 1947 201K treadle with motor conversion (aka Livvy)
....and the dusting and vacuming can wait!

Iminei

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2019, 05:00:21 AM »
Pizza boxes ??!!

After your glorious rendition of getting Pizza boxes for your projects Rubes (was it last year?) I decided this could be the way to go so trundled into the new Dominoes in town and asked for two of the largest which the Macworker behind the counter gladly gave me, after I hired an Albanian interpreter of course!

Trouble is, the biggest boxes arent that big and they have the edges 'rounded off' too making them a totally impractical shape for any but small blocks ... Are pizza boxes in Aus still square ... as ours used to be???

  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]   ????

If so, I'd get a stock in before these new ones reach you!

@Lowena  ... What do you mean you havent any room ???? You've just moved into a mini mansion with 55 bedrooms!!!

Seriously tho',  Really useful boxes are the way to go ... they look nice, are sturdy (cos of the clever honeycombing) come in all sizes and stack!!!

The 4 litre ones are ideal for a project on the go !
« Last Edit: October 11, 2019, 16:46:49 PM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Acorn

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2019, 09:16:43 AM »
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Flobear

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2019, 09:21:36 AM »
Acorn, you are my sister from another mother  ;)

I have exactly that saying as the screen wallpaper on my other laptop  :D
Proud new owner of Elvistoo !!

Greybird

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2019, 09:23:17 AM »
@Lowena - do you have room for a couple of large hooks on the wall? Each one would take a couple of bags.

b15erk

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2019, 09:47:09 AM »
I have loads of projects on the go.  Like @datcat23 , it's just the way I work.

I found some brilliant boxes at HomeBargains some time ago, and although they are plastic, these shoe boxes are perfect for most of my projects.  They also have an attached lid which can be folded down, making them portable, with bits and pieces unlikely to escape.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Elnnina

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2019, 10:16:23 AM »
I was in a show shop buying a couple of pairs of shoes, and the assistant walked off to pack them.  When I got to the counter to pay, she handed me two carrier bags with my shoes in, and I said I wanted the boxes as I keep my shoes in boxes.  She was not best pleased with me and I do not know why - she hadn't even asked if I wanted the boxes.  Anyway behind her was a huge pile of assorted boxes (not broken down) so she retrieved my boxes and I spied some boot boxes, one was a 'Padders' with a hinged lid, and the other is a huge flat 'Ecco' box 36x59x11.5cm and I put my work in progress in there, it sits alongside where I am working.  so once a garment is cut out this goes in the box along with any left over fabric, and everything else needed for making this up, interfacing, pieces of the pattern until I have finished with it and it does help keep things in one place, and being so big it can even hold a garment folded up whilst it is being made without it being squashed.  These boxes are free, so well worth frequenting your show shop and ask what they have.  Otherwise these boxes just get broken up and disposed of.

Kenora

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2019, 10:54:04 AM »
I'm confused too. I thought you'd just moved into a wonderful big house, Lowena.  :D And you have a lovely sewing room.  :D Not the tiny spaces most of the rest of us mere mortals have to put up with.!!??!!  :)
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Silver Rose

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2019, 11:03:41 AM »
When I am sewing I mostly work on one project at a time,I haven't much storage space in my bungalow but I do have 3 Addis "under the bed" boxes for fabrics and habby stuff. One has left over fabric and UFOs just in case something comes in handy, the second one has newly purchased fabrics, I don't have an enormous stash and tend to buy for the upcomong project and the third is "work in progress"  with the current project in a swing bin liner also bags of zips, bias binding and trims and one with various widths of elastic. All my patterns are filed in shoe boxes. I also have shallow plastic boxes with dividers for bobbins, threads, feet for the machine, buttons and safety pins. I also have a sewing basket from years ago with all sorts of stuff in it including my best scissors. I am a tidy person  :angel:
Still learning

Lowena

Re: Changing my way of working
« Reply #14 on: October 11, 2019, 11:09:59 AM »
Thanks everyone for your brilliant suggestions.
Yes @Iminei I have a 55 bedroom mansion :P but I actually have one small sewing room and an 80% share of a box room in which I have storage boxes for fabric ( mainly bed linen for backing and upholstery ) and all my craft materials for felting, rugmaking, embroidery etc.
I simply cannot encroach on anywhere else in the house!
I'd have nowhere to stack boxes of any size of dimensions. My desks are small and The cupboard and shelves I have are full of notions,books,iron and sissix.
The walls are sacrosanct and there's no floor space left.
Looks likely I'll revert to my former practice of one project from start to finish.
I would, however love to hear how you organise your space and projects so you can work effectively, know where things are and not be in a mess, ( I do like a tidy room )  :D
Triumph of hope over experience :D