Someone commented on my Youtube channel about messiness, saying that she was happy my work area isn’t pristine as that would be intimidating. And it made me think about the various stages of messiness.
The gradient scale of messiness, because this is important.
1. Kind of “messy”, but it’s not a problem and anyway to my mind, this is actually incredibly neat. Everything has its place, I know where things are, it’s easy to work on my current project and all is well with the world.
2. Okay, okay, things are getting “messy” but really it’s all subjective and yes, I’m having trouble finding things, but nothing I can’t handle. Besides, I’m working here and a certain degree of messiness is to be expected and even necessary.
3. Messy is to some, what neat is to others, I tell myself, and I’m working and anyway I just grab whatever is easiest and closest and call it a “prompt”. However if I’m being honest it’s starting to be a problem and I can’t find things I want to use, though I will never admit this out loud.
4. The tipping point: things have gotten out of control. I know it, in my heart, but I still continue to work, despite the mess, because the work takes priority and anyway I know what happens once I start “cleaning” things up. Still this has gotten beyond “messy” and I’m spending more time looking for things than actually stitching.
5. Clearly something has to change. I can’t even find the piece I’m working on and so resolve to clean everything up… tomorrow.
6. A thorough cleaning is done. I carefully put things in places that seem reasonable and make sense to me at that moment. It’s all so neat and tidy, I hardly know where to start!
7. My work area is clear of everything but the piece I’m working on, only now I can’t find anything and spend hours looking for things that I knew were “just over there”.
8. Begin ripping the place apart in search of various much needed items.
Repeat steps 1-8.
You’ll be relieved to know I’m currently hovering at around a 3. Totally doable!
❤️
I hear ya, LOL right now I just keep scooching things around to make a work space. All the other things are needed for this project anyway, why put is anywhere else?
Exactly! ❤️❤️
I can sew relate. I try to pick up once a week, but then I can’t find anything. When I clean out the notorious craft closet once a year, I find things I forgot I had…LOL. I do know friends who have everything neatly organized, but I get more done. No time wasted wrapping, folding, labeling!
Haha! Yes, we save so much time!! I will remember that. My biggest problem is that I cleverly put things away that I can never find again. Then, like you with the craft closet will do a massive “cleaning” and discover all kinds of things that I forgot I had or assumed I no longer had. I do have more than a dozen chalk pencil refills now and at least 4 color wheels because I keep purchasing new ones as I can’t find the originals. A small price to pay though. ❤️
That wasn’t messy (pictures 1,3 & 4). That was a work in progress. You’ve been busy – lots of classes going on and lots of projects going on. Looking forward to your next video!
Martha
Thx so much Martha. I just released one for my patrons, but am working on another for everyone else! ❤️
I want everything at hand, so I can just reach it.
Yup! Exactly. ❤️❤️
At least you contain all those beautiful bits pieces & bobs in one location!! – I tend to wander with things in hand – hand sew in the truck on a drive or in a different room – it’s the never ending treasure hunt to find where I set things – or find my favorite embroidery scissors after I just purchased another pair !
And just a thanks from a gal I had mentioned your site to – she made the comment how much she loves your videos and thoughts & chit chats because your share the real you and you makes us all feel like we’re ‘ normal!’ I have to agree ! Thanks for keeping us all going on the creative squirrel hunt of thread art!
Haha! Love this. Every bit of it. I’ll have to go count how many embroidery scissors I have, though I can’t blame it on losing them as much as seeing a pair and thinking – oh those look fabulous…
GIRLS GIRLS :).
At 76 I have the perfect solution for lost/misplaced items….
-Do a “sincere search”
-Followed by a brief second look…so I can feel no guilt for not looking hard enough
-The Fix…. Amazon to order a replacement
-Receive the delivery
-Guarantee… within 48 hours the lost item will appear
And so it goes ….
Hahaha! Oh dear. So true, Pat. Too funny and SO accurate ❤️❤️
Love this Ariane! Very much to the point, if it’s all neatly wound & put away, everything in it’s place, then your not working on anything. Your only showcasing all your marvelous threads. To have to pull all the threads you need, each time you work on 1 of your 3 projects, would be wasting time you’re looking forward to stitching on your piece. .
This is perfect! I have accepted that I’m not a “tidy” stitcher. Stuff ends up everywhere, but it somehow works for me and that’s all that matters. It’s like the back of my work. Not “pretty” but I don’t need it to be! Thx for the words of wisdom. ❤️❤️