Organizing

After a long break from blogging & sewing, I decided to organize my studio. Small changes inspire me. I think more clearly and feel more calm when things around me are neat and tidy.

The first thing I did was move my desk back against the wall to open up the space. I usually rotate it to face the window when I'm quilting a larger project. I also thought it was time to put some new stickers on my magic machine!

These thick paper stickers were from different scrapbook kits possibly by Simple Stories or Carta Bella. I love these stickers and now my machine is so pretty! It's calling to me from my computer... SEW! SEW! SEW!

As you enter the studio, there's a nook to left that houses my computer station, couch/guest bed, & IKEA Alex drawer unit that I've been patiently waiting for over two years and finally found on Craigslist last week for half price!

It is the new home to all my work in progress (W.I.P.). I liked the look of the chalkboard labels in a photo of it that I saw. However, there are too many things in each drawer so on the labels I wrote:

W.I.P.
Things
I
need
to
finish.

I'm a daydreamer at heart and get sidetracked easily. I have lists and labels all over the place. It helps me remember where I put things and keeps me focused. I'm doing pretty good so far ;o)

I removed the doors to this closet when we moved here six years ago. It's where I store most of my craft supplies, books, small pieces of batting & large pieces of fabric. At the opposite end of the closet, I recently added a shelving unit and a shelf above to hold my finished project bins. Last week, they were stacked on top of each other and jammed in the corner which made them very difficult to access.

It also houses large binders for my Ideas, Patterns & Stickers. The 'Ideas' binder is full of designs that I need to make into pattern booklets! I re-use empty tissue boxes by folding down the sides and using them as small baskets to hide clutter.

I keep all of my ribbons on the back of my door. I have tried many ways of storing ribbon and this is definitely the best. I found myself with overflowing tangled drawers of ribbons because I would dig through and unravel lengths to see how they would look on my project. Now I tie similar coloured ribbons to hinged metal book rings and hang them on wire door hooks. I attach wider ribbon & short pieces using binder clips before attaching them to the rings. Besides being eye candy, it's just so easy to just grab a few to audition for my teacup pouches!

I cut my fabric on the floor which is the permanent home of a 33 x 56" thick translucent cutting mat (Studio Collection by H.A. KIDD). I cut a hole right through my large Olfa mat! Thankfully I'm still able to work on my knees and I usually work on small projects so the mat is used mostly for squaring up & cutting binding. I do have smaller cutting mats that I use on my sewing table.

I re-organized my fat quarter shelves. I finally took my fabric out of bags after our moth problem a year ago. I had collected three extra bins and several piles of new fabric that I hoped would fit. Sadly these short IKEA Benno DVD shelves are discontinued. They are perfect craft shelves at only 6" deep. The finished fabric shelving unit is 42" tall x 7' wide. I used white wood trim to cover the gaps between the shelves, covered the top with 8" white shelving, and attached a cute scalloped edge cut from white cardstock. I may use wider shelving on the top and attach a rod behind the scallops for hanging a curtain to protect my fabric from fading in the sun.

I did manage to squeeze it all in except for my solids! I made room in two of the bench baskets and built lift-out cardboard inserts for easy access to both layers. The other baskets hold scraps & Christmas fabric.

I took a new self-portrait and I really like how it turned out. My space looks amazing and I'm surrounded by things I've made. What you can't see is that I'm surrounded by what looks like the aftermath of a hurricane caused by throwing all the messes out of the camera frame including a large fan lying on its side!

Of course my studio isn't neat all the time. Whose craftroom is?! When I really become involved in a project, fabric starts flying! (And my family starves.)

Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)