It seemed like a good idea at the time

It seemed like a good idea at the time - but it wasn't really !!

I decided one Saturday afternoon last winter that I needed to organize my Dear Jane blocks into something I could manage better.  Something that I could easily see what blocks I had completed and what blocks I had yet to complete, what fabrics I was using etc.

So I decided to cut the book apart - put each page in a clear page sleeve and put the finished blocks in the sleeve with the page.  And put it all in a big binder.  Sounds like a good idea - right?

So I set myself up a big binder - the cover of the book on the front of the binder.

Lilly was happy to help and spend the afternoon on the table watching this all come down - or nap!

Then I decided that the blocks that were in their little baggies and ready to stitch would be in another binder - with their pages from the book.   Some of the unstitched blocks had stitched blocks on the same page - so that complicated things a little.  But I now had two binders - big bulky binders!

As soon as I finished cutting up the book I regretted it!  I ordered this book from the Dear Jane website -- Brenda signed it!

The biggest problem I have found is I have two big bulky binders full of pages and blocks and baggies of unstitched blocks.  Too bulky to carry around and just pull out and stitch on the go.  Big and bulky to store on the boat!  And I need to take at least one binder with me because I needed the pages and pictures of the blocks that I had yet to stitch together because once the pieces are in the baggies I  have no idea what the block looks like.  So some of the pages are in one binder - some of the pages are in another binder - some finished blocks don't have a page in the one binder because it is in the binder with the unfinished blocks!  In the end I have found it has not simplified anything!

I used to just have a little bag of the baggies and then I would carry the book in my bag - a nice thin - light paperback book!

So - what to do?  I decided this weekend to order a new book -- and they have become quite expensive!!  I found one on Amazon.ca for $42.00 - shipping included.  Some of the books were being sold for $75 - 100??  My book should be here at the end of October.

I took all of the baggies out of the one binder and put the baggies back in my little special - Wide Open Bag ( made by Jo Anne )

I put all of the pages in their own sleeves in the one big binder - and that will always be just a binder with finished blocks!  I think that will be a good way to track the blocks I have completed.

Hopefully I can get back to stitching!  I haven't done the stitching this summer that I had hoped to do and I am blaming it on the big binder debacle!