If you were to ask my family, friends and coworkers, they would say I’m an organized person. It’s no secret that I like to have my ducks in a row. (My kids would say I run a tight ship.) The same goes for my hobbies. I’m at my most creative when my sewing room is tidy and well organized. But there is an area where I definitely need improvement: squirrel moments. I can quite easily become distracted by new fabrics, patterns or sew-alongs that I see on social media. When this happens, I somehow forget that I have lovely quilting projects in the queue already! I have enlisted a tool to help me stay focused: the Busy Bee Quilt Binder system by Lori Holt and Riley Blake Designs. I’m optimistic that this tool will help me stick to the WIPs and “next in lines” rather than zigging, zagging and chasing shiny new acorns.
I’ve made a start on my binder and wanted to share that with you. In this shot you can see the Quilt Project Index page. On the left-hand side is a column for WIPs. (I only have three true WIPs right now: The Quilted Snowman, a Pink Pumpkin quilt, and a Meadowland quilt.) On the right-hand side is a column for my Project Index. This column is numbered and corresponds to the pages which will follow, where I will document details of each individual project.
Here’s a closer view. My Project Index lists my three WIPs plus three projects I could begin in 2025 because I have both the fabric and the pattern or book that is required. Now, I will admit there are more quilt tops I hope to sew in 2025, but I am trying really hard to stay focused on these projects as my top six. I will only add projects to the Project Index when I have all of the supplies on hand and am sure I will get a start on them!
In this photo you can see that I have washi-taped a reminder note to myself. These are other projects I would love to sew in 2025, but they may have to wait until 2026. I am hoping that this note will serve as a reminder not to squirrel off into something else I might see on social media, because I already have awesome projects in mind. (I recently purchased Lori’s new Prairie Home book, and I’m excited to make some projects from that book.)
Side note: the quality of this paper is fantastic. It feels like a heavier weight premium paper. It’s not as bulky as card stock, but it’s thicker than regular paper. It has a finish that allows for post-it notes and washi tape to adhere without any pull-off when you remove it, but you can also write smoothly. I use a gel pen.)
Now let’s get to the real fun . . . an actual project page. Just look at the great layout that Lori has created. I love the color and the scrapbook/junk journal design elements. And of course, since it’s a Lori Holt product, she has thought of everything and organized it very well. Documenting information on this page wasn’t a chore, it was creative and energizing! My Project #1 is The Quilted Snowman. I documented my supplies, the design wall that my husband and I installed, my fabric choices, and the dates of my blog posts. This is all done on the left-hand spread.
The right-hand spread is an open page that allows you to journal or add photos. I printed a few pictures of my progress and washi taped them in place for now. Using washi tape will allow me to move, add or remove photos when the project is done and I’m ready to do my final documentation. The two strips of washi that you see on the bottom right-hand corner of the page are design elements on the page itself (not something I added), but Lori also designs washi! I am currently using some pink gingham washi left over from my daily household planner, but I definitely want to order some Lori washi! (Shoot, was that a squirrel moment??)
You may have been wondering why I had my Lori Holt Cute Cuts mat and a Cute Cuts ruler in these pictures. I use them to trim up my pictures! Sure, I could use a paper trimmer in my office, but it’s much more fun to use cute tools that complete the aesthetic!
If you look back at the first picture in this post, you will see the cover of a Bee Keeper 3-Ring Binder you could use to store your project pages. (There are several different designs to choose from.) In this photo you can see the inside of the binder cover (scattered pins) as well as some of the other pages that come with the project pages packet.
Whew! That was a lot of information, but I hope you found it helpful. This is one of those times that I wish I had a YouTube channel so we could have walked through the process together. I’d love to spend an afternoon with friends, working on our project planning!
If you are looking for a tool that will help you get organized and spark your creativity, I would highly recommend the Busy Bee Quilt Binder products from Lori Holt and Riley Blake Designs.
Thanks for stopping by! Take care and get carried away quilting!
~Taunja