For Vero Part 2, The Cedar Chest

While pulling fabric for a few new projects I took pictures of the inside of my cedar chest. I use the cedar chest to store the following:

• vintage embroidered household linens
• a quilt that my great-grandmother made
• a quilt that I started and never finished
• stitching fabric for specific projects
• stitching fabric stash
• premade items - tuck pillows, afghans, Christmas stockings, etc.
• finishes

I need a better system, but for now everything is stacked in the cedar chest in a particular order. For instance, the stitching fabric is stacked with the large count fabrics (8 or 10 ct) on the bottom and the highest count fabrics on the top. I rarely use the large count fabrics, so I don't have to dig to the bottom of the cedar chest very often. I took this picture before I removed anything from the chest. See, it isn't quite full yet!

I like to store the vintage linens and quilts near the top, and the finishes are always near the top as well. When I need to pull fabric for a project, all of this stuff has to come out first. (Did I mention that I need a better system?) I usually put a blanket on the living room floor and take things out of the cedar chest in layers. This makes it easier to put back later! Here is a picture of layers piled on a blanket.

It has probably been 10 years since I worked on my quilt. I am quilting it by hand. I am probably 80% finished with the quilting, then it just needs a binding. I really should finish it, but I can't get inspired.

When all of that stuff is finally cleared out of the way I can get to my fabric stash. As I mentioned above, it is arranged by count. I use cut-up index cards to label everything and attach the label to the fabric with needle and thread. On the right you can see the ribbons I've won at shows. I have no idea what to do with them, so into the cedar chest they go!

I think that about covers the cedar chest. I also have a small footstool. The top lifts open to reveal a compartment inside. I use this space to store items that have sentimental value to me. Extra scissors with special fobs, mementos from my grandparents, the first needlecase I ever made, pretty thread winders, etc. At the moment it is in a bit of a jumble.

That's it! You've seen the inside of the cedar chest and the footstool. I'm not too inspired to take pictures of the stuff in boxes in the basement. It is mostly craft odds/ends and quilting books. So this is it Vero! I've come clean. Until now only 4 or 5 people had ever seen the inside of the cedar chest. That wasn't so bad, was it?