New Year's Clean-Up

So, I am back today to show you the pictures of the whirlwind going on in my sewing room:

This corner area is the worst, I mean, I have lost floor space and the whole length of the desk table area is piled high with left over fabric from the Christmas projects, and several UFO projects that I am currently working on or going to be working on.  Yuck!

Here, a clear tub of completed items that I have listed on my ETSY site sits in front of my nice bookcase, and it is piled high of either completed projects or completed tops that need to be quilted.  I've got to figure out a better way of displaying my wall hangings and full sized quilts around the house.  Something to ponder this coming year.  Hmmmm......

Under my cutting table, I have a 24 inch wide bookcase that stores my thread, sewing feet, interfacing, bag hardware, embroidery supplies, and then the bottom shelf holds some quilt kits that I have acquired over the past years.  the three packages sitting on top of that pile are kits that I had sewn the tops, and now needs quilting.  

I have to continue to work on clearing up the floor area, and the closet.  I am trying to get an inventory of all my projects and the material I have so that I can get a little organized and prioritize what I want to be working on and completing this next year.

Let me take a minute here and give you some background of all this acquisition in my sewing room and garage.  I worked for a company that moved me four time in seven years.  The last year I worked there, I was only home for 20 days out of that year.  I spent many nights in the hotel room surfing the web visiting all kinds of quilt shops, doing online shop hops, and participating in many programs.  I made really good money, so I didn't go into any debt purchasing all this material(s), and it allowed me to keep my toes in the water so to speak of the hobby I so dearly love.  

Then, BOOM, the recession happened, my company did a big layoff of all middle management, me included.  We had only been in the newest place my company had moved me to for 9 months when I was laid off, and I had only spent a few actual days there.  We were away from friends, family and virtually no network of acquaintances.  By this time in my life, I am in my late 40's, no job prospects available in my narrow niche of speciality, I felt I had a very dim view of life.  I went into a very dark place.  I sewed for hours every day for almost 18 months.  I moved from project to project, using the sewing to escape from the harsh reality I was facing.

So, here I am seven years later, with a room and garage full of materials to continue to sew and create, without having to spend any money.  I call it an investment for early retirement.  In sorting through the lower shelf and finding a few already completed tops, I for the life of me, could not recall  the purchase of the kit, nor making the kit.  That is how dark it really must of been during that time.  

I am in a so much better place now, perfectly content to stay home, saving money gardening, canning, making things from scratch, and doing without things that I really don't need or really want.  I look forward to finishing these projects from my "dark period".  I will be closure to this time, and will allow a feeling of satisfaction of accomplishment.  

I writing about this, because I know many people go through dark periods in their lives, and having a hobby or a passion about something can really go a long way in getting through it with some comfort.

While my hobby helped a lot, it was also my faith in Jesus my Savior that did most of the work and progress in getting out of the dark hole.  But, I also know that God can use all avenues to help us in our time of need.  

Warmest...