This tip is one that I need to use on a regular basis. Clean off your cutting table Please don't tell me I'm the only person who piles fabric, books, patterns, snacks, etc. on my cutting table. I know I can't be in this alone. What is it about a big flat surface that attracts "stuff"? It is like a magnet for things that have been taken out, used, or not, and discarded. Sometimes I have three or four "piles" and other times it's just chaos. But taking a few minutes to clean it off will mean that you can get more sewing done next time you are in the mood. Go on...
Enjoy every stitch!
Diane
I'm really lucky! My cutting table is really large, so I have plenty of room for cutting AND for my piles. I do really enjoy it when the whole thing is cleaned off, though.
ReplyDeleteNo you are not alone! I have found a way to NOT let this happen anymore to me. My cutting table has the large fold down leaves. I only use one so I keep it DOWN until I need it. If I leave it up PILES appear! My room is small so this also works to give me more floor room. I also have a cutting surface near my machine for small tasks. Now we have the dining room table issue too!;-) Lovely set up you have there!
ReplyDeleteLola
You are not alone in that! Mine has rulers, fabric, patterns etc. etc...I do try to clean up right after each sewing session, but....well, you know, (LOL). Julierose
ReplyDeleteGreat tip!!!! When my cutting table is covered with "stuff" I am completely out of sync and I don't get much done until the top is cleared. It is good to clear the decks every now and then. Thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteWhat if I don't have any other place to put it? hehe Don't worry, it always gets cleaned off when I get the rotary cutter out. I learned that lesson when I accidentally cut into more than I wanted to one time!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip... if I had a cutting table at all... Whoehahahahahaa!!
ReplyDeleteLuckely I'm one of those creative people who is also very organized. I can't stand clutter and have my worktable always tidy. Most people think creativity is the same as being messy. Well, not me...
Well, I have to cut on my dining room table. I had two grandmothers who piled their dining room tables with stuff, and I have an aversion to that. So, I've figured out a way to help us keep the dining room table less cluttered so that it's easier for me to clear it off for my cutting mat. :-)
ReplyDeleteLarge flat surfaces collecting stuff is a problem no matter where they are in many houses. My mom had a chest freezer next to the back door in one house we lived in and we were constantly having to declutter it in order to get stuff out! It was annoying sometimes. I have the same tendency, though. In fact, many flat surfaces attract clutter. It's a constant battle.
You can see that you're not alone in letting piles accumulate, Diane. I have a 12" x 18" mat that I leave out all the time but there's extra space behind the mat where I tend to pile the cut fabric that I don't need at the moment. It gets stacked up soemtimes and I have to take time to clean it off. A clear cutting table lets me focus on what I'm doing and not on the mess. Maybe it's a good thing that I have to pull out my bigger mat and put it on our kitchen table to use it. I can't leave it out except between meals. Thanks for the tip. It's a great reminder to just keep putting away.
ReplyDeleteThis is sooooo true.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Bianca, nothing is more paralyzing than clutter. But, with no dedicated sewing space, I'm always clearing away things first. Here's my secret: I use a piece of cardboard as a "tray" under the clutter, and move the whole pile off the cutting mat in one easy motion! I'd prefer to have a place for everything, but so far this is a reasonable compromise. :P
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