Barbara Schutzgruber – Storyteller & Weaver

If you live in a colder northern hemisphere climate like I do here in Michigan, you’ve heard the phrase ‘spring cleaning’.  It’s the opening of windows, organizing of closets and shaking out the bedding that happens after the house has been closed all winter due to cold temps and snow. Well… this year my motivation for ‘spring cleaning’ has come in October! Maybe it was due to finishing up the pieces from my AGWSD summer school course [see September 2017 blog UFOs–the Ghosts of Workshop Past]. Maybe it was due to the beautiful patch of weather with sunny days and mild temps. Maybe it was due to a pause between projects.  Whatever the reason, I finally had some time to put things away, bring a sense of order to the sewing room, and un-bury the work table.

WOW!  What difference that makes!

The downside of this is that I am now looking at baskets and bags full of handwoven fabric scraps– all those bits and bobs of fabric that I just cannot bring myself to throw out because of the time and effort that went into weaving the yardage.

So…. now what to do with these small strangely shaped pieces?

I decided to make some small purses to have for sale at the Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild Holiday Sale in November.

Playing with these new shapes and combinations got me thinking. Could I stabilized the softer ribbon I’ve used to make cowls to make a purse? Yes!

As I un-buried the work table I also found map pieces leftover from making my Cartography Chic map hat and purse. [see March 2015 blog Cartography Chic]

Why not use these scraps to make a small pouch with a lid?

I must say having several completed smaller projects gives me a sense of accomplishment and having a workspace where I can see/find my scissors and other tools when I set them down is great. But I know it won’t last– and yes, the table will be covered again with bits and bobs just waiting to be reimagined and who knows where that will lead!!