Holy cow, I kind of backdoored my way into a new year's resolution after all, I guess: the whole "declutter the place, get someone in to make repairs, and then prettify your sewing room" thing.
Because I did this today:
that's.....probably not quite half the fabric 😬
I bought a bunch of bins at Lowe's. Some I had bought and filled before (one is full of VERY HEAVY quilting magazines that I have to decide about - it's mostly Quilter's Newsletter which was more articles and history and presentation of what people did rather than actual patterns, and I prefer having the patterns. But also, it's defunct, and I don't know that it's available in electronic form anywhere...). I bought more today (some of those there are those) and filled them. At least the expense will be worth it from the standpoint that I can just KEEP the stash in them after this whole adventure is done. (And I am considering, if I have the bucks and the city permits, having some kind of secure shed put up in my backyard and just keeping it there - maybe not the best for vermin prevention/climate control but I have a LOT of fabric and not a good way to keep it without it totally dominating the room. Or maybe, if I get a good GC, I hire them to put better shelves in the walk-in closet and I stack these on that - or just have them remove the broken-ish shelves and stack these).
At any rate: I really, really need to "shop the stash" for a very long time.
But I also hatched a little plan - I always wanted to paint that sewing room a pretty color, but it got so full so fast that I never did it. But: if I clear it all out with the aim of having the drywall problem on the ceiling fixed, then I could paint it before moving the stuff back! (That might wind up being an "after the semester is over" job).
So when I went to pick up a couple more clear totes today, I did this:
I just grabbed the pink (and one set of lilac) paint chips that appealed to me. I will, if this comes to pass, pick the one that best matches the wallpaper in my adjoining bedroom (it is dark green with big pink cabbage roses on it, and I like it, so I don't plan on changing it). Currently, the coral color on the "pointy" chip (which is from the "vintage vibes" or whatever it's called collection from Sherwin Williams) is my favorite, but I like a couple of the paler pinks on the Valspar chips - and that coral might be too "strong" a color for a room where I'm going to be working to *match* colors when I make quilts.
That is a long way off yet but maybe it will give me the motivation to keep decluttering, and to be more forceful in calling workers. (I still have to measure for the kitchen sink and get back out to Lowe's to start that process, though I can use the hot tap on the old sink for now, with an old pan under the spot where there's a drip to catch the tiny bit of water).
This is going to be expensive but I feel like both Jo and my dad would want me to spend the money they left me on this. And if necessary, I can cash in a LITTLE of the stock that I inherited from grandparents. It's probably better to spend the money (even at a time when supplies to do this stuff are expensive, though I suspect the labor will be the biggest cost) than to continue to live in a house that feels to me (rightly or wrongly) like it's falling apart around my ears. Because I'll probably be staying here at least 10 more years, and even if I DO move, it's easier to sell an updated house than one that needs a ton of work.
I also have a completed quilt I need to hand-stitch the binding down on, and another one I need to make and attach the binding - I want to do that soon so I don't inadvertently move out some of the fabrics I planned to use. I also think I will keep back a box of a couple projects ahead because I expect it'll be a while before I can get someone out, and I want to have projects to work on.
I also got a 15% off coupon in a holiday card from one of the women who does quilting (Sue Helm, the "Quilting Tiger") and I might take the hugacious "Vignere Cipher" quilt I completed during lock down in to her - probably better call her first to be sure she can handle what's essentially a king-sized quilt (Yes, I will use it on my full-sized bed; it will just hang on to the floor). I have a backing for it that's also a typographic pattern and I *think* I will have enough if I piece carefully - one thing about clearing out much of the room is it'll give me a bit more room to work.
I also picked up my new glasses. On me, I guess, they are less "Janis Joplin" and more "that little owl who wanted to sing about the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a" but I still like them
unfortunately my winter allergies (yes they are a thing here, because of "mountain cedar") have started up so my eyes look a little puffy.
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