Declutter Challenge 2022 - Days 17 through 21

Days 17 through 21 of the Declutter Challenge have been the strangest for me.  Having had a good run in the weeks before, I was floundering a bit when I got to this stage.

The final five days had to do with addressing your scraps and fabric, and that seemed like it might be a REALLY BIG THING, especially as it was described in the challenge as "tackling Mount Scrapmore." I mean, that sounds like a monumental uphill climb, doesn't it?

So I took a day (or three) off before I started this part of the journey.  In other words, I procrastinated.  

But also played with my scraps.

(Making scrappy roses with red and green scraps)

 

Day 17 - Scrap Management: "Gather all of your scraps together.  How large is your Mount Scrapmore?"  Wait, what?

It reminded me of those late-night curfew announcements on TV back in the day: "It's 11:00 o'clock.  Parents, do you know where your children are?"

Well, I know where my scrap children are.  They may not be all properly tucked into their beds, but they're present and accounted for.

No way was I going to do any gathering. My scraps are in Sterlite boxes and drawers by colors...and, okay, maybe a bunch of unsorted ones jumbled up in a big clear bag (the kind comforters come packaged in).  Then there's the wad on the end of my cutting table that I cut down into strips (last fall) but have not yet put away.  

Of course, this was my resistance talking, with some denial chiming in as well.

So I rewatched the Day 17 video at Just Get It Done Quilts to better understand the purpose behind tackling Mount Scrapmore.  It was to set boundaries for your scraps.  How much space do you want to devote to your scraps?  How many quilts do you realistically intend to make with them this year?  And do you want or need all of them?  All good things to consider.

In the end, I probably half-assed Day 17.  It's going to take regular effort to keep the scraps under control, and, more importantly, used.  But it did get me thinking about and playing with my scraps, so that counts as a form of scrap management, right?

(Scraps and strings in drawers by colors)

Day 18 - Batting.  Gather your batting scraps and sew/splice them together to make "Frankenbatting."  That was the task for Day 18.  I already do this as a matter of course, as needed, like for the table runner featured in the previous post.  I did find some smaller batting scraps cut off a recently longarmed quilt, so I made a small piece of Frankenbatting that I'll probably use for a Table Scraps Challenge project in the next few months.  So that particular decluttering skill is already part of my toolkit.

I also use batting scraps for de-linting my cutting table and mat, and recently I've been putting a batting scrap on the end of my ironing board for those stray threads you notice when pressing.  The batting scrap serves as a place to deposit those threads, where they stay on the batting, not stuck to your fingers or falling to the floor. 

Day 19 - Fabric Scraps.  Think about what you want to do with your fabric scraps, how much you want to hang on to, and how it fits into your space.  

(Scrap totes under cutting table, by color; the lights bin is overflowing)

This seemed like Day 17 again, but turned up to eleven.  Suggestions were made for processing your scraps, like cutting them down into 2-1/2-inch strips and 5-inch strips, etc.  I watched some other suggested videos on scrap systems, quilts made from certain size scraps, etc.  All very interesting and informative.  

(Giant Whirlygig block from scraps)

In the end, though, I'm not going to cut down ALL of my scraps into prescribed sizes.  It feels limiting to me.  I like having hunks and chunks of fabric (smaller than a FQ, larger than a 5-inch strip), in case I need, say, a 7-1/4 inch square, like I did the other day. 

I did cut some scraps into 2-1/2 inch strips for the Scrappy Trip quilt I'm currently working on.  I also appreciated learning what systems work for other quilters and how easy it might be to "grab and go" when you want to make a quilt.  I can see the benefit of having a system of precut sizes at the ready as building blocks.

(A little more progress on Scrappy Trip)

Day 20 - Fabric.  We're talking fat quarters and yardage now, not scraps.  Karen alluded to a video coming in February on organizing your fabric (which sounded like a perfectly good reason for me to procrastinate a couple weeks).  Basically, though, sort out what you have, what you don't want or need anymore.  Start a tally list on how much you have.

Nope, not gonna tally my fabric.  I appreciate people who like to do that kind of thing, but that is not me.  For me, that is the kind of left-brained exercise I would rather check at the door to the sewing room.  How much do I have?  Plenty, but not too much.  If anything, I probably need more fabric, in certain colors anyway, but I'll shop when I need to.  I had an influx of donated fabric this past year, and I'd like to use that first.

As far as organizing my fabric stash, it's on shelves, more or less arranged by size. FQs on an upper shelf, and then yardage roughly by color on the shelves below.  Thrifted shirts are deboned, folded, and stacked in a rolling 3-drawer cart under the sewing table.  Batiks are in a separate medium-sized tote.  Bottom line, I'm okay with my organization method for now.  It could be improved, I'm sure, but it works for me currently.  If I have a light bulb moment when the organizing video comes out, I may think about making some adjustments.

(Thrifted shirt fabrics)

Day 21 - Containers and Bags.  Time to deal with donations, sales, or give-aways of the fabric you've decluttered during the challenge.  Cull the boxes, containers, excess bags, tubs, and totes.  Eliminate by type and sizes less useful.

I drove a good-sized box full of stuff to Goodwill last week. I already did a bag decluttering a few months ago, so all's good there.  Totes?  Yes, I've got a few to organize and move out of the sewing room.  They're mostly non-sewing related though, as in family history archives, memorabilia, excess kitchenware, etc.  I'll be working more on that in the weeks to come.

(More playing with red scraps)

And that brings me to the end of the Declutter Challenge!  I actually enjoyed it.  It got me into the sewing room every day with a purpose and gave me a boost of creativity besides.  I don't know if I'll do it again next January, but who knows, maybe a second round would be even more productive.