The Spring House Maintenance, A Plan for some Sewing Projects

shared with permission from Ann, On Sutton Place. 

I have my little routines, that is no secret. I tweak and modify all the time to make the best use of my efforts to maintain the old homestead. In reality I would like to totally empty the house, clean, scrub, paint etc. and put everything back after all the carpets have been removed and replaced by hard surface floors.

I want all this work done before the official "Spring" arrives so that I can concentrate outside in the garden and flower beds. That said, in recent years the Spring clean has been a fairly easy ritual. However, this year I am behind due to circumstances beyond my control and I do have more work looming.

I take this time to address the Lenten/Spring Project. While doing the clean and purge per room per week I choose to make new window coverings, pillows etc. I presented Husband with some new fabric for bedroom draperies yesterday. You would have thought that I was proposing funeral home decor! Since I have gone fairly plain and simple in decor he balks at any change from that esthetic. That doesn't mean that I will listen to him, mind you. I just wanted his opinion. Quite frankly, he rarely even notices the changes. It took him 3 days to notice that I changed all the furniture in the family room from upholstery to leather. Really. Scary, isn't it?

This routine of mine essentially clears the house of the Winter stagnation that I dislike even though Winter is far from over here. It lightens the spirit. Mentally clears the cobwebs.  Counting this week, Ash Wednesday week, I have 7 weeks to accomplish this major work. I tackle a room per week and a secondary area in order to get it all done. I have two long hallways, one up, one down, that always need work because they are busy places. I will share anything sewn during this project, of course.

Of course, the Spring theme quilts come out of their storage sleeves and brighten any space.

Tentative plans:

• Spare Bedroom could use some new Curtains. 
• Master Bedroom might also benefit from new Curtains but I am torn. The current lace ones were a little pricey and I think they might just need rewashed but not replaced.
• Husband's office needs so much work I can't even think about it right now.
• I need some new decorative pillows in the living room and in the family room.
• The kitchen always gets a full seasonal Tweak. I found some lovely Red Waverly floral that I picked up at a flea market that I am thinking about. I need new table runners and table covers. I found one that I like in a Primitive quilts and Projects magazine  that would work out just fine for the kitchen table. I am thinking about starting one of the wool applique projects.
• I want to make some new Easter linens. I like white linen, with white on white or off white embroidery. That would be a basket liner and something for the big table. 
• In addition to this I am part of a team at my church for the Lenten Fish Fry. Last year I breaded over two tons of fish! You heard that correctly two tons of fish. Wednesday and every Friday I have plans, fish plans. 

Curtains, pillows, table covers on the way, I hope.
Before I start this tomorrow I will peruse the vitamins sitting in the cupboard that I forget to take all the time. I don't know if they help or not but might be worth a try.

Martha Stewart (well, her hired staff) are already Spring Cleaning. Organizing the canning jars and glassware in the basement storage space.