11/04/2024
If you have been wondering where I have been , the answer is “NO WHERE”. And the reasons behind that are the same reasons behind my decision to abandon my hopes of setting up an online batik shopping site.
I just can’t use my right shoulder as much as I had hoped and I can’t drive. Even with great anti fatigue mats I can’t stand at the cutting table for any length of time- the accident damaged my right leg and the arthritis in my leg and hip is very ‘vocal’ many days.
So I have very slowly been cleaning the garage my husband “gave up”. The Compassionate Warehouse, St Vinny’s, Sally Ann, Habitat Restore, North Douglas Pentacostal Church and many small groups who do charity sewing embroidery and knitting all benefitted from our efforts to get space to move around enough to actually organize.
I am almost done laundering (and using Synthrapol) , ironing and sorting my personal ‘at home ‘ stash and the inventory I brought home. The batiks and printed cottons are now stored separately by colour and style in zippered blanket storage bags. (Amazon grey ones - cheaper than the much prettier ones from Madam Sew.) I also got a bunch of soft sided DVD storage bags, tore out the vinyl dividers and you have 22in to nicely fold and store fat quarters and half meters. Bags also bought through Amazon - when you can’t drive or walk too far, what’s a gal to do?!
The cats love the blanket bags too- the stuff in the bag has yet to be washed so I let her snuggle down. The bag was full of remnants created when we cut out Strip Teaser rolls. We cut them parallell to the selvedge from a 1.1m piece which left us with strip from down the middle from 1” to 4”. Every manufacturer uses a different width of fabric . I launder them in a lingerie bag, also treating the colours that need Sythrapol. They get ironed while I watch TV ( I am less vocal about hubby’s choices if I am otherwise occupied) . The few pieces that still have visible bolt fold lines get a shot of Best Press and stream . I cut the maximum strip I can 1 1/2” , 2, 2 1/2, 3 , and 3 1/2”. Organizing how to store them will come later.
NOTE: I recently saw a video on scrap quilting where you cut any size square in half and sew the rectangles back together inserting a contrasting 1” strip . The square is now back to same size. The instructor then used the squares to make a colour wash quilt. Thought I saved the video link but can’t find it. Will post later if I can. Meanwhile , I will save 1” strips, too!
