Keeping it Real

I've been kind of quiet on here lately, but for good reason. 

I've been working like mad on a couple of quilts, one due before Christmas the other as soon as I can finish it.  I'm one of those that as I'm working things tend to get messier and messier until the deadline is finished and I can take a breath. As I scanned my studio before heading off to bed last night it occurred to me that you might enjoy seeing what it looks like when in use. 

Time to get back to the machine today is sandwich day for the quilt on the ironing board. 

I'll be back in a few days with pics of the finished quilt. 

Thanks for stopping by and sharing part of your day with me.

Merry Christmas & God Bless,

Marcia 

A Tour of My New Studio

It's only taken me three tries to finally get my studio/shop set up just right for sewing, quilting and packaging fabric. I thought you all might enjoy a tour of the studio.  Our new house is about half the size of our last house and surprising to some we absolutely love the smaller house! 

I have to say that my husband is the best husband a girl could ask for! I happily gave me the entire finished portion of the basement for my shop/studio. 

Straight in front of you when you first walk in is the sewing, pressing and project cutting stations.  The fabric shelves extend around the right side of the room.

On the sewing table to the side of the machine is an area with all the little gadgets most often needed when being creative.

To the left of the sewing station is the office/computer area.

This is my personal stash, WIPs, and a comfy rocker for handwork or a friend to join me for a day of fabric play and visiting.

To the right of the sewing area the shop's fabric shelves continue around the room. I'll be adding some more shelves soon for all the new fabric on it's way. In front of the sliding patio doors is a room divider displaying several of the quilts I've made and situated to protect the fabric from the afternoon sun. Just outside the sliding doors is a wonderful porch swing where I can take my hand stitching and enjoy the fresh autumn air.

Opposite of the fabric is the cutting and packaging station as well as my design wall. 

A wonderful feature of the area is that it has a full bathroom so I'm not having to run upstairs all the time. Thank God for the little things! 

 It is a wonderful creative space and shop area and I thank God and my husband for blessing me with such a wonderful gift! I'm enjoying working here and look forward to many hours of sewing, packaging fabric and sewing with friends who come by to enjoy the creative space with me!

Thanks for joining me on this tour of my studio and shop. 

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

God Bless & Happy Quilting!
Marcia

New Sewing Studio for a New Year

As I stand in the door of my freshly redone sewing studio I feel like I'm sewing in a completely new room.  In reality it is the same room that I've spent the last two years sewing and creating in, but with new paint and curtains, new shelves and an additional table it seems like an all new studio! I love it!!

View of my studio from the doorway.

The curtains are made from a 3 yard remnant I found on Hancock's of Paducah's remnant table.  A little over a year ago we were visiting some good friends who live in Paducah and she took me to Hancock's of Paducah just to show me their remnant table. Oh my goodness! I don't know how my friend is able to live so close to such an awesome remnant table (I mean who's ever heard of a 3 yard remnant!?!).

To the left of the door you'll find my design wall, pressing station and this  awesome storage cubby.

I hate to admit it but, I actually went through my stash and got rid of some fabric that was approaching 40 years old. Mostly knits that I knew I would never do anything with. Though there were some nice 100% cotton pieces that I just couldn't toss away.

To the right of the door is a U shaped sewing station made from my Great Aunt's kitchen table, a new folding table and the sewing cabinet I received as a High School graduation gift (though my newer machines won't fit  in it).

Here are the before pictures of the same room:

While functional, not nearly as warm and inviting.

The Computer desk and office area has been moved to a completely different room.
This is the wall that now hold my design wall.

 

It amazing what a coat of paint and some curtains can do for a space!! 

 

Thanks for stopping by and sharing part of your day with me! 

I hope you're enjoying the new year!
Blessings,

Marcia

Sewing Studio Redo

After a fabulous Sunday morning spent with our church family, I had an extremely productive afternoon. I've been wanting to do some reorganizing in my sewing room/studio to make it a more usable and efficient. I wanted to paint as well, but had to accept that I just didn't have time for that.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take before pictures, until I was finished cleaning, purging and rearranging. 

Cutting & Sewing Area

 I Love this table. It was my Great-Aunt Ella's kitchen table and it makes the best sewing table. Since it's metal I can pin directly on the table and not have to worry about putting pin gouges in it.  It also makes a great sewing table for my machine, giving me lots of area to support quilts & dresses while sewing and quilting. 

An Entire bookcase "aka fabric-case" of fabric and pressing area.

 To the left of the "Fabric-case" is the most amazing thread rack I've ever seen. I don't know who actually made it. I received it as a gift from a friend I worked for as a seamstress. The pegs are removable and each shelf tilts forward, making for easy accessibility. There's a handle on top, making it portable and it's wide enough it can be free-standing or it be hung with brackets on the back. Wish so much I knew someone who could make me another one just like it!

Second sewing area with the Serger and Back-up Machine.

A second bookcase fit perfectly on the other side of the window and makes a great place for notions, supplies and pattern storage.

Computer/Office area

 Took the old bulletin board and wrapped it in "Make Do and Mend" fabric by Michele D'Amore. Love this fabric! It was so easy to cover. First I popped off the hangers, then laid the old bulletin board on the fabric as a pattern. Cut the fabric big enough to reach around the edges to the back. Pinned the fabric on the front to keep it straight, flipped it over, pulled it taught and stapled it to the back. Reattached the hangers and hung it up.

Just above the doors inside the sewing studio, I put a very special drawing that my dear friend, Becky created in memory of my little Matthew, who left us much too early in life.

The new set-up is great! Much less frustration and a whole lot of fun to sew in now.  Now I just need to get an area rug, make some curtains and a new ironing board cover and I'll be sewing away in bliss.  I'd be in heaven if I could just find some time to put some paint on the walls. I'm thinking something in a light sage green would be nice. 

Well, it's time to get back to the machine....today I'm finishing up curtains for the church.

Merry Christmas and Happy Sewing,
Marcia ~ The Little Pink Rose