Virtual Studio Tour

Cloth Paper Scissors is hosting a Virtual Studio Tour October 15-17, and members of their online community have been invited to join in. So, welcome to my work space!

We moved to Florida in 2001, and I commandeered one of the bedrooms to become my creative space. On the west wall, above, we had a closet company build in this computer work station, book shelves, and storage area. It's so convenient. And I use the area to display some of the small projects I've made or been given.

On part of the north wall is the sewing station, above, that houses my Bernina 440 QE, thread storage, and more books. My little Featherweight is hiding in there, too. I need to get it out more often. For some reason, the Featherweight intimidates me! Note the red mesh pop-up laundry tote. I used those to store works-in-progress and to carry things to classes or quilting retreats. I just got back from one, so it's full of things I worked on.

Adjacent to the sewing area is the pressing area, above, and more cabinets for supplies. The top of the cabinet is just right for display of more small projects. And there is wall space for quilts and other hanging projects. I made "The Wet Dog" quilt in a story quilt class with Mary Lou Weidman. And the fabric-paper bird strand was one I received in an exchange during the book study of "Stitch Alchemy" by Kelli Nina Perkins. The large rolling table is a cutting area and a "catch all". Things pile up there until they get put in their proper places, or until I'm ready to clear the surface for use.

On the east wall, above, is more storage for magazines, and a large glass-front quilt display unit. I have a small collection of vintage quilts as well as some I've made in there.

Half of the long closet on the south wall, above, I call the "staging area." Projects waiting for their binding or to be machine quilted or embellished reside there. And completed small quilt projects hang on the rack on skirt hangers. More mesh laundry totes are pressed into service to hold works-in-progress and various papers, stablilizers, and fusibles. Paper storage is also located here.

The other half of the closet houses the fabric stash and batting. I'm as happy as can be in my studio, and happy you stopped in for a visit. I have an extra machine if you'd like to stay awhile!

Overhaul in the Sewing Room...

There comes a point... a point at which I just cannot continue working in the sewing room until I tame some of the chaos that piles up. I reached that point recently, so I set aside the works-in-progress and got busy sorting, organizing, and purging. I'd had my eye on this Closet Maid storage unit and it went on sale at Target. So did the little canvas bins. The unit had clear assembly directions which both my husband and I appreciated, and in an afternoon the unit was ready to hold all those bits and pieces. Sorting everything was a two-day project, but so worth it.

The top of the unit provides a good place to display various small items. I quite like pincushions as the photo above shows. And this little purse journal now resides there, too. It was a giveaway on Susan's Studio Adventures blog. So cute! I can't quite bring myself to write in it yet.



And now that things are better organized, I'm back to working on the usual several projects at once. It probably won't be long until another tidying session will be required. But meanwhile, I'm really liking this storage unit. The bins are labeled and things are much easier to find. Yay!