I may never learn...........
Saturday, I made an appointment to take my car to the shop to find out why the "check engine" light kept coming on. I normally sit there at least two hours, so I decided to do something smart: take some of my small crochet projects with me to work on. The idea was someone would ask me what I was making, and I could explain it to them, talk about Redux Designs, give them my business card and encourage them to check out my Etsy shop. I had several small projects to work on, some to crochet and some to sew together, so I put them in small bags, ready to go.
You may see where this is going. In getting everything together this morning, I completely forgot to pack them in my backpack. Even worse - I didn't realize I had forgotten them until I got home and saw them neatly stacked on my desk!!!
Really, I may never learn. If someone complements me on something I am wearing that I made, I have no trouble thanking them and saying that I made it. But for some reason, I have trouble taking the next step and telling them it is for sale, and giving them my card. If I am ever going to get Redux Designs going, I have to do better.
So, I begin again tomorrow - looking for opportunities to talk about Redux Designs!
Showing posts with label Today's Tip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Today's Tip. Show all posts
05 November 2007
Today's Tip
Sometimes, it is the little things that can make all the difference.
For example - this is what I have stored my thread in for years:
It kept them all in one place, but there was one problem - I couldn't see what color the thread was without picking up the spool. I sorted them by color, so all the white and beige were groups together, etc., but still, I often had to pick up the thread and hold it up to the light to see if it was what I needed. Long story short, this system was not working for me.
I realized what I wanted was a container I could lay the thread in, on its side, so I could quickly see what color it was. I didn't really have anything that would fit into the drawer I keep the thread in, but being broke, I wasn't prepared to buy something. So I waited........
Last week, I was cleaning out my kitchen cupboard, and found I had a tin in there with a few tea bags in it. Cute tin, isn't it??
The tea bags were put in another container, and the tin? It found a new life as the holder of my spools of thread! The larger spools go in the tin; the smaller ones in the lid:
Lovely aren't they?
So how is my new system working? Well - I've been so busy sewing the dresses for Madeline's Christmas, that I haven't done anything else! I am sure once that project is complete, I'll be much happier with my new thread storage system.
So, today's tip is: if something isn't working right, if it is taking time rather than saving time, figure out what the problem is. What can be done to correct it? Are there materials around me that I can reuse instead of buying? Take care of the little things so you have more time for the big stuff!
For example - this is what I have stored my thread in for years:
It kept them all in one place, but there was one problem - I couldn't see what color the thread was without picking up the spool. I sorted them by color, so all the white and beige were groups together, etc., but still, I often had to pick up the thread and hold it up to the light to see if it was what I needed. Long story short, this system was not working for me.
I realized what I wanted was a container I could lay the thread in, on its side, so I could quickly see what color it was. I didn't really have anything that would fit into the drawer I keep the thread in, but being broke, I wasn't prepared to buy something. So I waited........
Last week, I was cleaning out my kitchen cupboard, and found I had a tin in there with a few tea bags in it. Cute tin, isn't it??
The tea bags were put in another container, and the tin? It found a new life as the holder of my spools of thread! The larger spools go in the tin; the smaller ones in the lid:
Lovely aren't they?
So how is my new system working? Well - I've been so busy sewing the dresses for Madeline's Christmas, that I haven't done anything else! I am sure once that project is complete, I'll be much happier with my new thread storage system.
So, today's tip is: if something isn't working right, if it is taking time rather than saving time, figure out what the problem is. What can be done to correct it? Are there materials around me that I can reuse instead of buying? Take care of the little things so you have more time for the big stuff!
29 August 2007
Today's Tip - Sewing Pattern Storage
The more I create and make things, the more I find a way of doing something that makes it easier. So, to hopefully make life easier for everyone else, here is a tip for today.
Storing sewing pattern:
For years I've tried to find the best way to store my sewing patterns, especially after they've been used - have you ever tried to put one back into its envelope??
My latest solution, which I love, is to put the pattern pieces and instructions into a plastic bag with a zipper top. Yes, it is plastic which has a host of environmental issues attached to it, but it is easy to see through and there is even the handy section on the bag for labeling. Here I write the pattern company name and the pattern number. I store these in boxes in numeric order.
So how do I find a particular type of pattern? I store the pattern envelopes in clear sleeves that I keep in a binder. Yes, more plastic, but it protects the paper and will let me flip through the notebook to find what I need. A quick look at the back can give me more information about the pattern to let me know if it might work.
One day, when I get some spare time (Yeah, right!), I want to photograph all the pattern envelopes and store them on a USB drive, so I can have visual access to all the patterns I have without having to carry them around with me.
Hope this helps someone else get a bit more organized!
Storing sewing pattern:
For years I've tried to find the best way to store my sewing patterns, especially after they've been used - have you ever tried to put one back into its envelope??
My latest solution, which I love, is to put the pattern pieces and instructions into a plastic bag with a zipper top. Yes, it is plastic which has a host of environmental issues attached to it, but it is easy to see through and there is even the handy section on the bag for labeling. Here I write the pattern company name and the pattern number. I store these in boxes in numeric order.
So how do I find a particular type of pattern? I store the pattern envelopes in clear sleeves that I keep in a binder. Yes, more plastic, but it protects the paper and will let me flip through the notebook to find what I need. A quick look at the back can give me more information about the pattern to let me know if it might work.
One day, when I get some spare time (Yeah, right!), I want to photograph all the pattern envelopes and store them on a USB drive, so I can have visual access to all the patterns I have without having to carry them around with me.
Hope this helps someone else get a bit more organized!
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