Project:Simplify - Master Closet Results

Ahh... but you will say "Girl, you do not have many clothes!"

And I will say: "That is because some are on the bed..."

"And on the floor in the other room..."

"And on these here shelves"

"And mostly because this is only my clothes, and Awesome has his own closet in the Man Cave."

"Right" You will say. "That is a mess. You had better get to work."

And I will agree and get cracking on the challenge set up here:

  

And it will be a couple of hours, because I become distracted with finding my colours and generally interrupting myself with other jobs like making my own washing powder... 

BUT THEN, I will finish. One double wardrobe and 5 drawers later.... here are some of the highlights:

The neatness of shoes and threw out 3.5 pairs of shoes (yes, 3.5)

Turns out I only have one belt out of 10 that will ever come close to going around me again... 

Every earring has a pair, every necklace is knot-less and clean, every section of the jewellery hangers are colour and style coded... the clothes are organised by type and length... oh yes, a day at home can be well spent! 

Thanksgiving Tuesday - December 2009 List

121. Inquiring minds focused on God's plan
122. Faith that God works through all things to His glory
123. Sweet Christmas foods
124. Thoughtful encouragement from a Pastor
125. A reliable car
126. Cooling summer rain
127.Wonderful friends at church
128. Satisfaction in knowing God is at work
128. Bosciola chips!
129. Nacho pizza
130. Date night with my boy
131. Wise decisions from my husband
132. Prayers committed to faith in God's plan
133. Sleepless nights
134. Early nights
135. Wisdom of older women
136. Soft spikiness of his cheek
137. Firm touch of his hand
138. Dinner date night
139. Chilled out music
140. Moisturiser for dry hands
141. The will to study the Word
142. Made-up bed
143. Wonderful moments to treasure
144. Lifetime friends who know
145. Thousands crowding for carols
146. Candle light in the night air
147. Bat silhouettes
148. Clothes that still fit
149. Deep kisses
150. That last deep breath before their tears stop
151. Time to explain
152. Family loudness
153. Quiet fishing

What I've been making...

I seem to have more hours in the day for planning sewing projects than I do for sewing them! I have hurt my neck recently and can't spend long periods sewing or typing or sitting really so I have just been planning mostly! As soon as I'm better I'll be blogging my sewing efforts!

Here are a couple of things I have made in the last couple of months that I've been meaning to post!

Baby Blankets

Babies everywhere at the moment and I have been stitching away with some polar fleece blankies.

Patchwork fleecy for baby Ryan, wrapped up (above) and unwrapped (below)

This print was too cute to cut up, so I just stitched the edges (after a very unsuccessful attempt to sew blanket binding around the edge, Awesome said "Just do that stitchy thing you do, it'll be quicker", and it was, only an hour and a half in front of the TV!). This was a remnant that I found at Lincraft in the remnant box, (love that!) and only needed 1/2 for the blanket - all up it cost me about $2.50!

A close up of the stitching around the edges

With Mothers' Day here I thought I'd show you the little purse I made for my Granny.

This is a purse from a pattern in Pip Lincolm's book Meet Me At Mike's. I love this book and have been busy making things from it (I sadly lost the photos of the bird and flower coasters and another purse like this I made for a friend). The fabric was left over from other projects and the button was from a bag of thrifted vintage buttons I bought at a church fete in bowral (bargain - about 50 buttons for 50c!). All up it probably cost less than $2!

There are still many, many things on my to make list.. and I seem to be adding them faster than I am making them. I am getting a little faster at sewing though (although I have to be careful not to go too fast and cut corners!). Here is a skirt I made by adapting this pattern (which I love and will make a shorter version of soon), while Stu was taking a shower before we went out for dinner. Yep, a new skirt in less time than it would take for me to park at the shops!

(sorry about the photo - Awesome was sleeping). The fabric was given to my by my Mum as an off cut of something she was making, the bias binding was also a find in a bag she was getting rid off and the elastic was from the Lincraft remnant box again ($4 for a bag of about 20 pieces of various elastic!) so all up it cost me practically nothing to make! Even if I had bought all the bits myself the skirt probably comes in at under $10. Bargain!

Lovin' my sewing machine! What are you making?

Sewing Projects I have Lined Up

I have quite a few projects lined up for my sewing machine this year. Here is my get-started list:

• Playsilks for kindy
• I have purchased patterns for projects from here - flirty skirt, fling top, the versatile wrap and discovery bags (that one is for kindy too)
• Aprons and book bags for gifts
• Alter a tablecloth we were given for our wedding to fit our much smaller table and use the off-cut for napkins
• Love this pattern for a halter top but will have to save up I think!

Just a few things to get me started!

My Closet Success!

Well I finally took on my closet and hopefully I won!

This job has been bugging me for weeks now, as I feel like I can barely move in our "junk room" as it is. Opening the cupboard to see chaos was just making things worse.

The major problem was too many clothes that I just don't wear any more and no real system for keeping things organised.

Here is my five step plan for organising my cupboard.

1. Take out each pile of clothes, sort them but style (I chose to go with style rather than colour - I'm not quite that organised!) at the same time culling items that are damaged, stained, just don't fit (there were a lot of those), and really aren't my colour.
2. When all shelves are empty, survey the piles that are left and pick shelves based on regular use. As an ex-pilates instructor and dance teacher I had piles of exercise wear that I no longer use or use regularly which were stored at a height where I could easily reach them, and pants that I wear everyday to work were up high and out of reach.
3. Refold everything as you go - you'll be glad you did as it looks soooo much better when you are finished.
4. Sort hanging items - I chose style again over length or colour - whatever works for you.
5. I turned an old show rack into a bag and hat storage area, and recently created a ribbon hold-all on the back of a door to store all my hair ribbons. (yes I wear hair ribbons - my husband remembers important dates we had by what colour hair ribbon I had in...).

Ready for a look-see?

My closet part 1 beforeMy closet part 1 after
My closet part 2 before


My closet part 2 after

My hat and bag rack

My ribbon hold-all