My word of the year is 'DO' and my BIG & EPIC 'Do' for the next few months is this project, 'The Gathering of the Quilts'.
This post serves as my recap of 'Doing' for June, I love when an article works for more than one thing!
On Monday was Episode #1 (see end of this article to watch it) and this is Episode #2!
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*** Gathering of the Quilts Episode #2***
Watch Episode #1 at the end
Quilt links from this video
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Stitched Quilt Pattern - has all these sizes: Wallhanging 43" x 47"; Double 85" x 89"; Queen 94" x 98"; King 94" x 106" https://pat-sloan.dpdcart.com/product/92662
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Free Corner Store
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Download Pat Sloan's FREE Corner Store_Pattern
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Back Story
- I started quilting in 1992, I showed my 'TRUE' first quilt in the 7/5/2021 video which I've put below for you to watch if you missed it.
- I started my business in 1996 part time while I worked my corporate job.
- Went full time in my business in 2000
- How big is my home - It is 1,800 square feet. No basement, So usable Attic. So it's small when you have a business to fit into it.
- How many years did it take to make all of those - 29 (1992 is first one I made, although I did make a bed spread in 1979) - Most of my quilts are for my business, that is the last 21 years . One year I wrote 4 books, each book has 15 to 20 projects. I've written 38 books
- Why did I keep them all until now and not donate them sooner? As a Business I've used many of the quilts over and over. They have gone to exhibit, to shops, to be put into other books, and I used them when I traveled to teach. I just kept them incase they were needed.
- Why didn't I plan out all this documenting when I first started my business? Actually I did. If I had a crystal ball that I knew what I'd want 20 years into my business, then I would have done it differently. I have photos but they are in archives, in folder, under names I might not remember 20 years after they were made. My need now is different than my need when I started my business. I can imagine you have something in your life you wish you had done differently. If so, tell me about it!
- Where were they stored before? In a bedroom of our home. Not much different than how it looks in the Dining room. I work downstairs so taking the 'Gathering Photo' then leaving them down here for me to work on the was important to making this reduction happen
- Did I finish these during the pandemic? Not at all. I didn’t even finish many UFOs during the pandemic as I broke both my wrists and lost half of the year, it was all I could do with help of my friends to keep my business running,
- Current total # of quilted projects in my home is 739 which included 30 tops. I know there are more as some on the stack or small and I’m sure i missed them in my shelf count
- How many did I give away prior to this? I guess at least 200. That means about 939 projects I've made.
Process
- #1 Question - How do I decide what to keep or as ‘loose goose’ asked What will determine if you donate or keep? That is a process I'll go through. Watch my video today and I explain it.
- Do i find it hard to give them away. I’ll keep those. Others are parts of my business, so I’m happy they will have a new home. I know I’m parting with a few hard ones but I can only keep so many.
- With the living room and dining room covered in quilts where do you *live*? My living room is not covered in quilts all the time, that was just for that photo. My dining room is now the temporary storage area while I'm working on thigs.
- How many am I keeping? Watch my video today and I explain that
- How will I store them? - sort by ones I’d display on rotation, then by book, magazine, other. They will be hanging in my home and stored neatly on shelves
- What am I doing to ‘document’ my quilts - they already have labels. I am taking photos of front, back, label. Renaming each photo with date and what it was for. Keeping digital photos in folder system. Loading them to my gallery at https://blog.patsloan.com/pat-sloans-quilt-gallery.html
Charity
- What charity? Gregg and I decided to work with one local charity where my friend is on the board and I know the people. This way Gregg and I see the results, we can help them if needed, and we do not have to pay money to ship things. Shipping adds up fast and instead we give that money to local organizations
- Can I bid on them? The Sewcilaites will be up for bidding in a few weeks. If any others come up for bidding I’ll let you know
- What about a huge quilt auction Or Have you thought about raffling off a few of your donation quilts on YouTube or in the Fb Group? -- Gregg and I have thought through ALL the options and how I want to devote my time to this, and decided on one Charity to work with.
** IF you are looking for places to send your quilts or Quilt TOPS I have a list at
www.ilovetomakequilts.com/quilt-tops-for-chairty.html If your state is not listed with a location email me [email protected]
Other
- Where can I see them? Visit My Gallery. I load them as I work on this
- Where can I get the patterns? In my Gallery I link to the patterns if they are still available. Many magazine ones are not. But I own the pattern so have the choice to reprint them someday.
My Gallery https://blog.patsloan.com/pat-sloans-quilt-gallery.html
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Q/A
- Vicki asked - Pat are there some you really don’t care for? Yes, I show you that in today's video
- Kathleen Wow, your husband is amazing! My hubby would not have let me do this - We are partners and support each other in what we do. Gregg is half owner of our company so this is his income too.
- Laura said That 800 number you always use seems less silly now! see - you need to believe what I say!
- Will I do a book? - I am of the belief .. Never say Never
- Gretchen said I’ll need a bigger house - Our home is just fine. The quilts will go to new homes to be used.
*** Gathering of the Quilts Episode #1***
If you enjoyed hearing my process leave me a comment!
