Organizing and Thinking of Teaching?

Ok, so I should finish cleaning up the house as my Hubby is coming home tomorrow.  But- in the middle of putting away my sewing stash I started going through my oodles of patterns and came up with the idea to organize them once and for all!  Getting back into the groove of sewing I decided I needed to do something with my fabric stash as well.  I have tried doing this before- but for some reason it never worked out to my liking.  Finally I had the idea *enter bright lightbulb* to sort the fabric by COLOR.  I know- I am not the first to think of that.  If I had my dream sewing room I would have lots of space to store all my goodies.  As I live in military housing, I don't have many options. So I managed to take 6 totes and squeeze it all down to 4.  That made me feel better to think I don't have THAT much fabric.  And then I thought- I don't have that MUCH fabric.  I do have an order from Fabric.com on the way.  I am so excited!

Four totes- that is all!

So to organize my patterns- which I have failed miserably at as well- I decided to make my own pattern book.  I have been making black and white copies of the fronts and back and will put them in a binder with sheet protectors.  That way I can easily sort and re-sort- and write notes- include fabric samples- whatever!  And then the actual patterns will be sorted by maker and number.

I have to say that moving HAS helped me to be a bit organized as I am still unpacking my supplies.  I can't believe how spread out everything was!  Today I found my thread clipper and sewing gauge- I have not seen them in forever!

I have another reason to create order.  I am thinking of teaching beginning sewing here at my house.  So many of the wives I know always say they wished they knew how to sew when I mention I made something or what have you.  I am no expert- but I have been sewing for almost 3 decades- that accounts for something right?  It seems that sewing has become vogue as of late, but then again I feel that it is in danger of being a dying art form.  A lot of people think it is so much harder than it really is.  Sure- a intricately tailored suit designed by Yves Saint Laurent might be quite the challenge.  But most of us don't wear clothes that are that finely tailored.  I don't plan on only teaching apparel sewing- but I think I will work with what the student wishes to learn.  Hence- my pattern book I am making.

I am excited at the prospect of teaching.  Hubby is even on board- saying I should get another machine.  God bless him- he never complains about my huge stash of patterns, fabric and all the other craft items I have crammed all over the house.  I can't wait for him to get home- not too much longer!

Now where the heck I am going to put these totes?...