A New Year-A Clean Slate

121 responses to “A New Year-A Clean Slate”

1. My word is organize. It is a carry over from last year. I have organized my scraps into color ways instead of lengths and it has been a god send. My yardage is on little bolts on a shelf in my closet. Still need to be rearranged in colorways. I had to take down my thread wall to do my organizing but going back up soon. I have had a “thread wall” a long time. I love thread as much as I do fabric. Some of my thread is over 20 years old (not all of that time exposed to the elements) but I found a neat product to help with breakage of my “old” thread. Its called Thread Magic Cube by Taylor Seville Originals. I found it at Joann’s and it has helped with the breakage problem of my old thread which I rally do not want to get rid of. I also have found a good way to keep the thread on cones from unraveling off the cone. Go to your local florist and ask her to save the nets that come on certain flowers for you. They work wonders for cones and most florists throw them away.

   I like the tulle suggestion for covering the thread as I like see my thread wall art.

   1. Great ideas and tips!!

2. My word for the new year is, “Finish”. I have far too many UFO’s languishing in bags and bins. Several of them are over a decade old. I have a quilt rack filled with nearly two dozen little quilts that should be wrapped around a little kid and not around the wooden bar of a rack. So this year, I have joined a UFO Challenge and listed 36 UFOs (3/mo), and it is my goal to finally finish these 36 UFOs which include nearly all of the little quilts on the quilt rack.

   1. You will feel so virtuous at the end of the year!!

3. Love your thread solution. If I had more wall space where I have good light, I’d copy it immediately. I fell hard for a wonderful and appealing little wheeled 3-shelf cart at IKEA and got one for myself for Christmas. My idea was to take all those extra things off my sewing table to clear that space I use. My new cart is cute and handy, but it’s already full. And I’m afraid my sewing table — like horizontal surfaces around me tend to do — has filled filled with other sewing items. Maybe I need 2 more carts!

   My motto for 2017 — Be mindful about the pleasure at hand in all the good stuff.

4. “Stay focused” – focus on finishing old projects. Be mindful of starting new projects that they are truly items that will bring beauty/pleasure to myself or someone I love.
   P.S. Love your thread collection and the way you arranged all the beautiful colors!

5. That is an impressive collection and looks beautiful arranged in orders. Have you considered making an easy to lift cover (wall hanging) that could shield your threads from light and dust? Much easier to dust a wall hanging!

   1. Greet idea!

6. I like the idea of a word and then a motto to keep one on the straight and narrow. I know my word needs to be “finish”, as an earlier poster put it. I wasn’t brave enough to list every project. I would be looking at failure. I listed about 6. They are large and will take some time, but when they are done, a true sense of accomplishment will take over to propel me to list the remaining ???? and get started finishing those, as well. Thanks to all for their comments. It helps to know others struggle with the same things. Overzealous to start and lagging behind at the finish. Onward and forward to get those projects done!! (Or given away for others to finish! lol) Happy New Year all!

7. The thread is beautiful!!! I, at one time, had my embroidery thread on these racks and enjoyed gazing at the colors!!! It is very calming!! I loved the pics of the puppies!! Are they Ausie Shepherds? I love your blog and all of your encouragement! Best wishes for a fabulous 2017!!!

   1. Thank you. Yes –Aussies.

8. Yes your thread is beautiful, I am also glad you enjoyed your family. I have thought about several words and ended up with ONE, I would like to focus on one task allowing it to get completed.

9. My word for 2017 is PURGE! If it doesn’t work, doesn’t fit or doesn’t make me feel good wearing it, if it hasn’t been used in years, is a duplicate or triplicate (think rulers), if it doesn’t make my heart sing, if I am saving it for “someday” and have been for more than a decade, if its only excuse for being is to take up space…I am going to work on releasing it to the Universe! And those boxes and bins and bags of fabric scraps left over from finished quilt projects that I have been accumulating for the last 20+ years…I am hoping I can get brave enough to pass them along to one of the local groups who makes scrap quilts for the benefit of sick and or needy person.

10. Ha! My word for 2017 is FOCUS. So far, not so good…bad cold. But I feel it coming. It is also good to have that positive ‘this year I’ll _________’ even if it doesn’t spell out quite the way I imagined. I do plan to doodle more this year. Discipline, discipline.

11. There is an upside to having your thread out in the open, you will use them more often when you are no longer reluctant to pull out bunches of boxes to find just the right one. I’ve had my threads on the wall for several years and not had any problems with fading or dust. I never had the organizers though. Just nails in the wall. I don’t want to do that in my new house so I’m saving for a couple of the June Tailors.

    My word for 2017 is homework. Making my new house into a home instead of just a house and getting back to work quilting for a living.

12. Re: Cotter pins….they can be found at the hardware store.

13. I dare say, Lori, I think you sew so much that your thread supply is turned over rapidly enough that you needn’t worry about it rotting from old age. Now dust is a constant bane, especially here on the prairie. I really like the idea of a tulle drape. That thread photo would make a unique banner for the blog … makes me think of spring with all the bright colors. We could use some “spring-y-ness” with this winter we’re having — too cold for too long. Happy New Year!

14. From Thurs…my words for 2017…I have decided I need some Mindfulness about my Words. Thus I am writing on small notecards and taping one in every room in the house until incorporated into my mind for the year. Cull, Pare, Downsize!

    1. Lean and agile–thats what culling does for us!

15. The minute I open your post and saw your wall with all the beautiful thread on it I had a big smile on my face. I do have all my thread on my wall. I don’t want to open millions of boxes to find a thread that I like. Nor do I want to open all those boxes to put Threads away. I have threads that range from 40 years old to just purchased on my wall. I use. None are faded nor is there enough dust on it to make any difference. I don’t dust them off or anything. I just use them.
    The one extra I have is that I made all of my racks because the June Taylor racks do not have the right spacing for the embroidery spools which have the wider base on them. I’m pretty proud of my accomplishment!
    My thread is not only functional but also quite beautiful. I get lots of compliments on it.

    1. Thanks-so glad to hear that it hasnt been too dusty and that you enjoy them. I really think I will enjoy my thread more now.

       1. A comment about dust on thread. When something messed up my bobbins, it took awhile to figure out it was dust on the thread. I have become a fanatic about covering my machine if I will be gone from it for more than 20 minutes. Realized the heat/air conditioning vent is right over the table there. I can easily and quickly cover with a large lovely silk scarf inherited from my mom-in-law. Recently I bought 2 of those very small lint rollers to use on the spools- just in case there is dust there. I also reel off about 18 inches of thread from a spool and hold it up to the light before threading my machine. I was surprised how much dust was revealed on some of them.
          One more hint that was shared with me when I was a quilting newbie 6 years ago. I was saying I was grateful for so many spools of thread from my mom. Experienced quilters told me, “Not so fast ! Hold the thread in one hand and stretch out about 16-20 inches and hold other end tight with other hand. Wrap it around each fist and pull. If it breaks, it should not be used in a quilt. If it holds well, go for it !”

16. If not now, when? Okay, so I have 4 words, but this is my motto for 2017. Having just moved and realizing I have so much: ideas, plans, fabric, thread, it’s time I get in gear. Lori, your blog is not only inspirational, it’s helped me renew my passion for quilting. Thank you! And to all the responders–it’s great to know we’re never alone in thoughts and ideas. 🙂

    1. Love your motto! So glad we have found each other!

17. Well, crap, Lori! Now I want one (or four)! My challenge with on the wall thread storage is dust. At some point, I’d love to hear how you plan to handle that. In the meantime, I have chosen “perspective” for 2017. It’s all in how you look at things and choose to react. Once again, wonderful blog. Thanks.