Yesterday and today I have received parcels via UPS and the USPS, containers that will be evident in my soon-to-be sewing studio. Everything is shaping up in the basement since the window project. The best thing was when I looked out this early afternoon and the Epileptic had picked up our huge stash that we had left on the curb. The second best was having the garbage man come today. Our bin was overflowing. Oh, if he only knew I had several bags tucked back in the basement, ready to put in as soon as the bin was empty.
The basement project has been exhausting, exhilarating and sentimental all at the same time. I chose wisely on the items I let go of. In the last several years I have run across a television show of individuals that had called for help to reduce the amount that was in their homes, thus not allowing full utility and easy of access. The object was to select the size of containers that the home could easily accommodate for collections, hobbies, items to be used in the operations of the home. Then came the time to either toss, recycle or put in the “keepers” bin of the most useful. I found that exercise to be of a huge help.
When I was growing up, Mom always was on the lookout for things for us kids to play with or use. It was usual that when someone in the family was going to put up another layer of wallpaper in a new exciting pattern, there were always scraps of paper in order to make the floral patterns look seamless. Mom came home with scraps of those wallpapers that we could then use the backside of for our own drawings, art and even practicing math. Bits of leftover fabrics from Mom sewing our clothing was put in a basket to use for quilts. Even when clothing was worn, believe me there was always a part that was still quite vibrant to add to the quilting basket. I grew up happily being able to “waste not, want not.”
And . . . here I am some 70 years later having to deal with that which is needed and what could and more importantly should be parted with. I can say that I am on the downhill slide to having dealt with every aspect of my hobbies. The fabric sorting is well under way. I can do this and I will enjoy my sewing studio oh so much more. Yes, I do cherish families of my friends that no longer sew or the stashes of those who have passed. More importantly I need to hang on to what I want to work with and keep “me” in my projects.
started in the farthest corner of the basement. Let’s hear it for opened cisterns in our older homes. It has made a great closet. Ya, and a catch all. It has four walls and one doorway. Today I mastered two walls and changed out the contents of those two wall. Man oh man does the main basement room . . . look a mess. The Epileptic drive is next week for gently used items. Oh do I have them. Nothing of an emotional type but items that perhaps someone wanted to shed and were gracious to give it to us and we graciously accepted and then it got stored. 