Brain Freeze Rescue!

More for my pile of stash! 

Freeze! That's me! Total brain freeze whenever I enter a quilt shop! The FABRIC BUG so overwhelms me with the beauty, touch, smell, and overall decor of fabrics lining the walls and shelves that my brain can't think! Often not only is my list forgotten, but I can't even remember my planned projects! I go completely blank on pattern, size, or even color scheme, and wander from bolt to bolt envisioning entirely new plans and projects! 
Really, I'm not complaining about having a stash - but it's frustrating to get home, only to be reminded of what I needed for an incomplete project while piling my shelves with more stash!
This same BUG overtakes me again in my constant browsing of Quilting magazines. I fall in love with fabric pictured, wanting to try an adored block, or take on the new challenge or trick. Then when ready to sew, I spend wasted hours skimming the same magazines, trying to remember where I saw that specific project, idea, trick, and list of needed fabric items! 

I really am so blessed! 

Age may be the blame of this bug, but I'm afraid it's just needed organization!
My PLAN began with 3 bins and the need of a notebook.

Dream project from magazine

My friend gifted my birthday with a journal NOTEBOOK, knowing my love of journals. It was the perfect gift for my preconceived determination toward recording any browsing and it fit in my purse!

I love this Red/White pattern!

I began by scanning any pages of quilts or blocks that caught my wishful eye. Next to the scanned photo I recorded items and any other supplies needed for that particular project with little boxes to check off as I purchased them. 


For my DREAM BIN, I copied the scanned page I wish to make and place it in a 2 gallon plastic bag. I sorted through my stash to find items that would work for the project, and placed them in the plastic bag with the photo.

Bins organizing project bags

Once all the items are in the bag, it is placed in the CUTTING BIN. 
On CUTTING DAY, I cut everything needed and return it all to the bag, placing it now in the SEWING BIN. 
         So far, this plan is working well for me! 
Leisurely BROWSING magazines on my patio with the occasional bookmark make it easy to scan pages later.
SHOPPING is not such a scattered brained adventure because I know exactly what I am hunting for, saving both money and time.
CUTTING days and SEWING days fit around my care-giving schedule. Because everything for the project is in the bag, I'm not wasting time gathering thread, pattern, fusible web, binding or borders.

Two more bins would help!

Now, I think I need a couple more bins labeled the SANDWICH BIN, for the finished fronts with their batting and backing, then finally the QUILTING BIN for those projects made for one more special day!


The little joys of organization are actually seeing a day's accomplishments progress to another bin!