by jjjj 21 Jul 2009

I did it in the same way I would cleanse my wardrobe. When did I last wear this (use this embroidery design) and would I take it out of the wardrobe and wear it (would I ever choose this design for a project).


Now I am not quite that brave, so I did take a full back up of all my embroidery design files before I began - hedging my bets so to speak.

The task is now complete and I have reduced my everyday collection of designs by some 2000. I shall be far more selective on the designs I download in future and question myself about choosing and using.

Maybe the quest for 'just the right' piece of embroidery for any project will be acheived a little quicker than before.

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by sandynavas 22 Jul 2009

I have been trying to do the same thing - but every time I delete those I know I would never use I see some more exciting ones that I download. Some nights I spend hours just previewing designs and trying to decide if I should keep them. I wind up keeping more than I discard so I start the project again and again. I don't think I have ever made it through all my categories.

Thanks for the inspiration!! You should challenge everyone to clear out - maybe we could get some free designs if we clear out the most.

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by shirlener88 22 Jul 2009

jjjj, I commend you on your work - great idea. *4U

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by marjialexa Moderator 22 Jul 2009

Good for you!! Hugs, Marji

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by mops Moderator 22 Jul 2009

I think we could all do with a clean-up, it's something I started on several times, deleting all designs from a number of sites I did not like, but never completed finished. Good for you!!

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by tindo 22 Jul 2009

My embroidery machine is at the doctors and I have been lost for most of the week so I also cleaned up my files. boy does it take a long time. i also backed up all the designs. I hope I get my machine back before the weekend....i miss my friend!!

3 comments
jjjj by jjjj 22 Jul 2009

Hope your machine returns fit and ready to go. It'll have to be busy to make up for it's absence! I also back up my design files on a weekly basis (to an external hard drive) I'd hate to loose all I've collected over the years.

jjjj by jjjj 22 Jul 2009

Where in the worls are you?

jjjj by jjjj 22 Jul 2009

Sorry this was not meant to be typed here - with or without the typo - please ignore. Thanks.

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by claudenicolas 22 Jul 2009

What a good idea to do that cleaning,it appears to me so difficult, and how much time to do that!!!!!

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by jjjj 21 Jul 2009

I quite agree with you asterixsew, it would take a very strong minded person to pass by freebies at the start of their embroidery adventure.
The cleanse took me two days. The weather in my part of the UK (East Anglia - it's said to be the dryest part of the UK) has been wet, wet, wet the past few days. This is a winter sort of job really but I needed to do something with a sense of acheivement to bring some sunshine into the house. You never know if the rain does not stop I may have to put an AD on here for 'cleansing services' :0 that way I wouldn't have to worry about the weather, I would be kept busy 26/8 (26 hours a day 8 days a week) if other people collections are anything like mine were.

3 comments
asterixsew by asterixsew 21 Jul 2009

which bit of East Anglia, I spent my childhood in Norwich

jjjj by jjjj 22 Jul 2009

Cambridgeshire, I like Norwich as a place to visit, have some very happy memories of being there with my children and an Aunt.

jjjj by jjjj 22 Jul 2009

Where are you living now asterixsew?

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by asterixsew Moderator 21 Jul 2009

Congratulations to your 'clean up' How long did it take?
I think that when one starts off embroidering everything going gets collected. Then at some point realisation kicks in and the reality of only being able to use a small part of the many designs in ones 'collections'. Then one has also found out that many of the free designs are not of a good quality and are not worth ones time and effort on sewing out.
I like many could do with a good sort out BUT currently dont have the time for the sort out and clean up. *4u for your clear out. Which bit of the UK are you in?
Hey perhaps this is a service you could offer?

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by simplyrosie 21 Jul 2009

Oh goodness, that sounds like a lot of work! :-) It's nice to have a clean "house" now I'm sure!

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by colonies1 21 Jul 2009

good idea.............*4u

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