American Patchwork & Quilting February 2021

The February issue of American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine always signals a new year for me, prompting me to reflect and make resolutions. Did you make resolutions in 2020? Were they easier or harder to keep once the global pandemic became a reality? Will you roll them over into 2021 or create new ones? In 2020, for instance, I had resolved to get some of my unfinished objects completed. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a “topper” quilter: I like to select fabric and cut and piece the top, but then I’m on to the next project. Even though for most of 2020 I saved two hours each day by working from home so not commuting, I didn’t make a dent in my to-do pile. I think I’ll try that resolution again…

search: American Patchwork & Quilting @allpeoplequilt CLEAN YOUR WORK SPACE To create a more functional sewing area, ask yourself five easy questions. AllPeopleQuilt.com/954 FABRIC ORGANIZATION Sort and store your stash, no matter the size of the pieces, with these solutions. AllPeopleQuilt.com/955 DIY STORAGE Make your own organizational pieces to ensure a neat and stylish sewing space. AllPeopleQuilt.com/957 STORAGE HACKS Transform common household items (all under $15) into organizational solutions. AllPeopleQuilt.com/958 ORGANIZE SUPPLIES Adopt these clever ideas to corral your most-used tools. AllPeopleQuilt.com/959 LISTEN IN! Play episodes of the American Patchwork & Quilting¨ podcast while making cookies, organizing your sewing space, or commuting to and from anywhere. UPCOMING EPISODES “Kick Holiday Sewing Stress” “Finally Tackle Your Pile of UFOs” “Create Your Dream Sewing Space” “The Best Sewing Hacks” Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or at AllPeopleQuilt.com/956.…

Throwing away excess binding feels wasteful. Because I rarely make scrap quilts where I could incorporate the strips, I use leftover binding to tie up the cords on my iron, sewing machine, or phone charger when they are not in use. This gives the binding a new use, and I don’t feel guilty throwing it away when it wears out. CHELSEA BAARS Lusk, Wyoming When I start a project, I put all my mostused notions, such as a seam ripper, tiny scissors, and bobbins, in a small basket that sits beside my sewing machine. This keeps those items at my fingertips as I work. DEBBIE KRASZESKI Jamestown, North Carolina My quilting tackle box often is sought out by fellow quilters during classes and retreats because it holds everything they might need—needles, thread, rotary-cutter blades,…

Q: My acrylic rulers and templates are usually in a messy pile, and I can never find the one I need. Can you help? LAURA SPEARMAN Topeka, Kansas ORGANIZING ACRYLIC TOOLS CAN BE TRICKY. WE HOPE ONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS WORKS FOR YOU. 1 Take advantage of often underused vertical space in a sewing room by installing a photo ledge on the wall next to your work surface to keep your most-used rulers and templates close at hand and your work space clear. Photo ledges are available in a variety of sizes and finishes, so you should be able to find one that fits your aesthetic. 2 Clip sealable binder pockets or zippered pencil pouches in a large D-ring binder. Fill each one with a single template and its instructions. Stash the binder in…

PETAL BIN Store small supplies like spools of thread, snips, bobbins, or buttons in a 3×3×1.75" bin made of merino wool felt that comes in six colors. $17; brooklynhaberdashery.com ORIGINAL MINI TRASH CAN Keep your work space clean with a small container for corralling scraps, thread bits, and other garbage. Its compact size won’t take up valuable tabletop space. Alternately, it can hold your most-used supplies close at hand. $22.99; lotsa.style LED DESK SPACE ORGANIZER LAMP Store your favorite sewing supplies in the partitioned base of a desk lamp that has four brightness settings. The lamp’s adjustable head allows you to direct light where it’s needed. $64.99; ottlite.com GET ORGANIZED See more of our favorite storage products at AllPeopleQuilt.com/960. DRITZ STORAGE TOWER Keep your smallest supplies organized in five containers that stack for easy storage. Each container has five…

1 GET ORGANIZED Store all your UFOs in an easy-to-find place. Make sure that all fabrics, sewn units, tools, and instructions for each project are on hand. 2 FIND EXTRA SEWING TIME Chip away at projects by making the most of downtime. It’s amazing how much progress can occur when dinner is in the oven or you’re a passenger in a car. 3 REWARD YOURSELF Looking forward to a treat may help you make progress on a project even when you don’t feel like working on it. Try rewarding a finished quilt with a prize, such as a fat quarter from the local quilt store or fresh flowers. 4 HIRE IT OUT If there’s a step in the process you’re stuck on, consider hiring someone to do it for you. For instance, if…