Keeping Organized

So what is this you might ask....

I am preparing to make some samples for a commission. I was looking at the piles of fabric spread out on my worktable thinking about how each piece needed something done to it- put in a dye bath, or soda soak in prep for scraping or screening. I realized I have MANY decisions in front of me.

I am 50 years old and working three part time jobs- the studio work being one of them. If you are middle age you can see my problem. How am I possibly going to be able to keep track from one week to the next while switching between jobs what the plan is for 12 pieces of fabric? So I lined them all up. I wrote on a scrap of paper for each piece some descriptive information and it's current state (soda soaked already or not). Then I decided what was the next thing it needed (go in a dye pot, soda soak - an overnight procedure because of the drying time, or ready for more color). Then I had to decide what the next color to be applied was for each piece so they would all work together for the samples. SO many decisions made easier by those scraps of paper.

Then I realized that when I took five or so pieces off to go soda soak how was I going to match them up with the piece of paper so I would remember the next steps...The beauty of digital cameras!

Just take a picture and then you can refer back to it. It is working because I did this last Tuesday and today is Sunday. I have gathered up the now dry soda soaked fabrics that are ready for screen printing or scraping, brought them up to the studio, and put them back in their spot with their label. Ready for the next step.

Some of these fabrics are store bought. Two years ago I would have considered them done, unchangable. Not anymore. I can alter any cotton fabric in front of me now to make it work for the spot I want it in. How cool it that!

Stay tuned for the results.