Organizing My Patterns

My patterns are/were out of control.

When I moved my yarn and fabric into the studio I had everything neat and organized.  Everything but the patterns that is.  Finally able to have a dedicated space, as I gathered them up from various spots about the house I stacked them on the shelves….and as the pile got bigger ….the less I wanted to dive into this mess.

Then through the early fall & holidays I had a case of frenzied knitting for gifts and customers…..and printed more patterns. 

And there were even more designs I knew I didn’t have time to make then but, didn’t want to forget about.   Needless to say I’ve been finding patterns all over….. in the kitchen, in folders in the studio….

I had a major mess.

I spent yesterday alternating between knitting and sorting patterns. I admit it was a all day project and a bit over whelming.  At one point my entire dining room was covered in paper piles, kids hats, sweaters, mittens socks etc.…then the same for adults. But by the end of the day all were sorted in to categories and nearly half into notebooks

3 notebooks down and 4 to go

The remaining piles are sorted so it should be quick work to get them in notebooks

Any patterns I pitched were shredded and added to the compost bin & the folders were some I’d already had.

From here on out I shouldn’t have a problem keeping them organized.

How do you keep your patterns sorted?

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids Knits,patterns,work room,studio space,organizationally challanged

Repurposing & Progress in the Workroom

I’ve been pricing shelves for the wool bins.

Finding shelves big enough & deep enough has been the cause of some serious sticker shock & pricing lumber to build them even more so.(I can’t get over how much lumber prices have risen this past year!)

So the other day we were in the work room talking about design…I need deep shelves as with anything shorter than 14 inches lets the tubs slide right out on the floor.  I also needed a deep top shelf to protect the wool from fading under the light bars.  Shelves tall enough to store the tubs 1-2 on a shelf.  Anything more is an avalanche waiting to happen. Grocery store shelving would be perfect…. & he just grinned like dream on !

  Look what he brought home….SHELVING! 

When they redesigned the parts store, they had a few extra heavy duty commercial shelving units left over which have been stored in the barn out back.  Sunday he pulled a set out for me and hauled them home.  Within half an hour we had frame up and I was able to load the tubs as we went to set the shelf height. Crazy as it sounds I’ve actually gained floor space.   The added bonus is the these leftover shelves had been stored freshly painted to be nice and clean for the redesign!

This how it still looks this morning.  I’d already had each color labeled in its own tub & now I need to repack a few bulging tubs and arrange colors as I’d like them. 

I love my new rainbow wall& my hubby who I swear has a computer hard drive built into his brain.

I need to gather bags from prior projects and get them sorted out &, I’m thinking to store the un-dyed on the upper empty shelves with an overflow bin…..I’ve so many ideas & hope this weekend I can dive back in there and start arranging.

On the knitting front I’ve 2-3 WIP’s nearly done and will have photo’s up soon.

Have a wonderful weekend, I know I will

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids Knits,work room,repurposing,studio space,wool,storage,shelving

 

I do not have a wool problem, I do not have a wool problem, I do not….

 

If I say it often enough will it make it real?

It may be a good thing I’ve yet to purchase cabinets!  Squeezing the wool in is becoming a tad bit of an ordeal.  I’ve found color-way’s I thought I’d used & others I forgot I’d purchased. 

Busting out of the bins, I’m now on a self imposed wool diet. (not including wool on order or, ongoing co-ops)

So far the solids I’ve gathered.

and the bins of color-ways

The only thing that’s made it into the closet so far are the dyes and stamps.

I’m about half way done clearing what was the living room. I still have all the YYMN custom wool, scrap bags, fiber, needles & un-dyed wool to sort.  Tomorrow.  It is nice to have it all in one space for once and I’m feeling like a kid in a candy store.

Needless to say,  look for a few MYMN in the near future!

 

 

Technorati Tags: Katididsknits,Studio space,wool

New spaces new places

My new work room is ready!

A nice large shelved closet for some of my fabrics and a safe place to store dyes and small items from little fingers.

I’ve yet to find counters and cabinets I like but, I’ll be able to consolidate all the wool to one room (umm yes, just the wool)..  I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am & I know the hubby will be to have the living-room reclaimed.

Large windows for plenty of sunlight, even on dreary winter days

I’ll pick up a couple of folding tables as a temporary sewing counters for the sewing machines and sergers,  A nice generous cutting table is being custom built by my wonderful & talented husband.

I have an idea of what I would like for cabinets and counters but plan to use the space for a bit to see what would actually work best for me.   Besides, I need to knit some of this stash down to have room for those counters and cabinets!

Now to tackle the rest of the wool, wish me luck!

Katie

Technorati Tags: KatididsKnits,studio space,workroom,wool