Advice from a Tea Bag

It's been a while since I did an advice from a tea bag post, but today I came across one that's perfect for this post.

So what have I been doing with yesterday's junk? Flinging, of course! We are debating a move in 2017, and just in case we do decide to move, I'd like to weed out some things now. I've done some extensive flinging of crafts in the last few years, and I've gotten rid of most of my non-quilting fabrics. I want to keep my quilting fabrics, but there are still areas I can weed out.

I went through my garment patterns, and I got rid of 80% of them. I'd rather be quilting these days, so I don't need to keep a bunch of patterns I'm not likely to use. I did keep a few that I am likely to use, but the majority are out of here!

I'd like to whittle my quilting magazines and books down by at least 40%. So far I've tackled my magazines.

This is 60% of my magazines, ready to fling. I'm keeping almost every Quiltmaker magazine I had, and I got rid of every Quilter's Newsletter I had. I think I kept only one Fons and Porter, but I kept several American Patchwork and Quilting and McCalls's Quilting. For me to keep a magazine, it had to had at least three quilts I would like to make. If it had less than that, I took photos of the things that interested me, and put the magazine in the fling pile. I don't like cutting large pieces, I'm not terribly fond of appliqué, and if it was a traditional pattern that I likely have in a book, it had to have a different twist on it that made it worth saving. I went from 10 magazine holders of magazines to four, and those four can fit a few more in them. Going through that many magazines in just a couple days was enlightening. Although looking at art quilts is fun for me, I'm not much interested in making one, so any magazine focusing on that was a fling. I'm sure someone else would have kept a completely different set of magazines.

I did have a couple things come into the house. DH and I went to a few thrift stores, and he found this book, which I'd like to read.

For the $2 I paid for it, which went to charity, I can fling it after I read it, if I so choose. I figured it would be fun to read.

I also brought home this.

Anyone recognize that trapezoidal case? I sure did!

Yes, I bought another Singer 301! I have a custom painted 301, and I used to have another one just like this one, but without the case. I sold it a while back. I've kind of regretted selling that one, so when I saw this one for $45, I snagged it. If I change my mind, I know I can sell it for $150 or so on ebay at any time. A Singer 301 is my favorite travel machine. A lightweight, fast, straight stitcher that is full sized? Perfection!

A couple things in, a lot of things out! Next I'll be tackling my quilt books.

We had out of town company for a week, and tomorrow I'll finally be back in the sewing room. I need to finish the swaddling blankets for the baby shower next weekend. So much to do, so little time!