Not Teetotally Done, But Close!

I used the word "Teetotally" here because my girls make fun of me for using it! I don't mind that they make fun of me.It really is a word in the dictionary!! I have even caught them using this term. I love it because then they freak over "turning into their mom!" I remember thinking that would be the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Now, I'm rather proud when people tell me that I'm "just like my mom." Of course, there are some characteristics that I do not want to mimic, but for the most part, it's ok to be like her.
During the stress of my mom's continuing confusion and my Mother-in-law's broken hip, I decided that I needed to DO something constructive. I cleaned and organized my sewing room. It isn't Teetotally Done, as my title indicates, but the hardest, most detailed things are done. It will be so nice to be able to find things, and actually know what I have in my cabinet.
A couple of years ago when I turned this bedroom (which we still use as a guest room) into my sewing room, I bought this large cabinet. I love it, but I have let it get messy.
My cousin and I went through my antique heirloom linens recently. She started folding and organizing them as we were going through them. I had never taken the time. Now, I have!!! Yea! Not only are they organized, but I have actually reminded myself of what beautiful treasures I have to use in my little garments as I sew.
I thank Malinda for getting me started doing this clean up and organizing project.
I'm embarrassed to show you these pictures, but I'm going to anyway.
I didn't think to take pictures until I was about half way done, so these don't really show you how bad it really when I started.


This is another view of the room. I have two ironing boards that I leave up most of the time. I do that because when I put the side by side they make a great cutting table when I put a large sheet of cardboard on top. I can adjust the height, etc...., and I don't have room for a cutting table in this room. Anyway, this one ended up being piled high during my last few projects. You can see that the bed is also piled up with stuff. It still is a little bit. I'm not "teetotally" finished, remember?

Here's the cabinet all neat and tidy. Most of my heirloom things are in the containers on top of the cabinet. As you see, they are labeled. I bought and organized the shoebox sized containers on the top shelf two years ago, and I've actually done very well keeping the things in these that really belong in them according to their labels. I thought that if I could go for two years and keep them organized that maybe I should get everything in the cabinet organized the same way. I bought lots more containers at the Family Dollar Store for $1.00 each. As you can see, they are all labeled and neatly placed.

On the front of the cabinet I have draped a piece of black fabric so that when I want to photograph a dress, etc... with a dark background, I can just hang it over this door. It works well. If I need a light background, I use the white door.

This corner still needs some work, (I told you I wasn't "teetotally" finished) but it's better than it was.
The black and white bag has my felted fabrics in it.
Those hooks on the wall, used to hold the dowels that you see standing in the corner. I tried hanging my ribbon spools on the dowels held up by these hooks. It worked, sort of, but some of the hooks refused to stay on the wall, and when I needed a spool that was in the middle I would have to take them all off to get to that one. Anyway, it seemed like a great idea, but it didn't work for me.
The blue duffel bag is full of one of my daughter's sorority t-shirts that she wants me to make into a quilt. I hope to get it done sometime. Now, my other two daughters will probably want one, too. That's ok, if they do.
The container under the duffel bag has fabric that was left over from every Christmas dress or outfit that I have made for all of my grands since the oldest's first Christmas. I plan to make Christmas ornaments for them with this fabric. There is one dress that I don't have any scraps from. I'm looking for some like it or at least very similar.

Then there's the large cardboard box that is full of large antique bedspreads and/or tablecloths. The picnic basket has some of the larger pieces, as well. My girls gave me that basket full of heirloom pieces one year for Mother's Day!!
I think I need another cabinet to hold all of this stuff.

Here's my sewing table, which used to be our kitchen table years ago. I love that it fits right in front of this window. The cabinet to the left is the one I've shown you before that holds my patterns. My husband's grandfather built it for his grandmother when they first got married.

Under the table to the left of my chair is a table that my husband's grandfather also built. As you can see, I keep my thread on this table, so that I can slide it under the table when I don't need it, and I can slide it out to see what colors I have easily. I even organized the spools by color. I don't expect that to stay "teetotally" organized this way, though.

You might think this first picture of my fabric closet is the AFTER picture, but, as much as I hate to admit it, it's not! This is how it looked shortly after I moved into this room two years ago.

Today, it looks like this. Remember I am not "Teetotally" finished. I have, of course, added to my stash, and scraps, etc... in the past two years, but I haven't kept it as organized as I should.


Oh well, I can't be perfect! Ha! Far from it!!!

My Mother-in-law is moving to the nursing home where Mother is tomorrow. She'll be there at least three weeks.
My mom is very confused today, I've been told. My sister went to help her with lunch and she couldn't even get her to eat. I'm on my way there as soon as I type this next sentence. They are having a reception to meet the new (he's been there for months) medical director.