Waste Not, Want Not

Over the holidays my sewing room takes a beating as it becomes the 'wrapping centre' - code for the room that all gift and paper and cards get tossed into until they come out again in pretty little packages. It's great to be able to contain the mess but it is not a big room so sewing is temporarily suspended until I can clear things out again. I finally took the bull by the horns yesterday and did some long overdue sorting and organizing (you know it's time when your niece is musing aloud as to whether you might have hoarding tendencies...). I've also rearranged the furniture a bit - it's a nice change.

So, what does that have to do with men's shirts, you ask. Organizing included reclaiming several of the Official Cookie Tester's old dress shirts. I hate to throw anything out, and other than worn cuffs and collars they are in great shape. A pile has been building in a basket for a while now so the time was right to sort them out.

It really didn't take that long and now that they are all neatly pressed it's amazing how much new fabric I have to add to my blues - there has to be at least 4 or 5 metres! There's a red and blue log cabin that I saw on Mia's blog that they will be perfect for - hers was made with scraps too. I also want to use some for a Spiderweb à la Krista Withers... Swoon.

The bonus is that I got a lovely little supply of buttons out of it as well (Dori made me the lovely pear pincushion).

I was going to pitch the back yokes with the labels in them, but I think it would be fun to work them into the quilt too.

Of course, after all that mucking about and sorting and organizing, a girl needs a break...and maybe a nice little mince tart and a cuppa to wash it down with...M