Studio Tour!

Melva, from Melva Loves Scraps, is hosting a Studio Hop.  Thanks, Melva, for giving me the impetus to get my studio cleaned up this week!  Be sure to follow the links and see other studios, too.
I finally have my studio set up in the new house!  There are still a few things left, like wall-mounting my TV and picking up a cutting table from Ikea, but for the most part, it is ready to share.
In previous homes, my studio was upstairs in a spare bedroom, the better to hide my chaos.  In the new house, we don’t have an extra bedroom upstairs, so I get this awesome little room off of the living room.  My husband was worried about being able to see my messes through the glass doors, but I have gotten serious about organizing in the past year.  My studio is a place to be inspired, not overwhelmed by the chaos.
DSCN0323This is the entrance.  I have many, many quilts in my home, and most of them seem to be clustered here.  My husband originally suggested I make “something quilty” to cover up the glass in the doors.  I don’t think so.  I like having the design wall showing a peek of my work in progress, luring unsuspecting visitors into my studio for a little quilting overload.
DSCN0324My design wall is a key element for me.  It gives me a chance to step back from the quilt and see if the design is working.  I can get far away, and I can also let it sit for a time to see if I need to change anything later.  My dogs don’t mess up nearly as much when it isn’t on the floor.  The quilt on my design wall is my Snowflake Shimmer, which I am working on as a quilt along with Quilting Jetgirl.
DSCN0328This is my sewing desk.  It is a cheap one from Kmart.  I used to have an enormous Koala cabinet that I loved, but then we downsized.  I would eventually like to either replace it or find someone to set my machine into it.  The drawers to the left are a little metal cart with rainbow drawers.  There is too much glare to see it, but it is quite lovely.
My window has a view of my brand new white PVC fence.  Some dope had a brain fart the day she had the fence installed.  Some kind of viney plant will be planted soon, hopefully providing a more stimulating and less glare-filled view.
DSCN0329The crown jewel is, of course, my purple Bernina Virtuosa 153.   She was an expensive toy when I got her 10 years ago, but she has paid for herself and now is guilt-free.
I love having the Gutermann cabinet that looks like artwork.  I have a little meltdown when I have used too much of the thread and their are open spaces.  I wrote a post about my bobbin storage here.
DSCN0325For fabric storage I use the cube storage shelving units from Target.  Each cube is 11″ per side, which makes them just right to hold my fabric when it is wrapped around comic book backer boards.  The large bins hold scraps in the same color as the yardage on the shelf above.  Other bins hold projects that are in progress, or just corral my random crap. The small bins are perfect for fat quarters.  I need a solution other than stacking them, but part of that solution will have to be “less stuff”.  For now, they are doing a fine job.
IMG_1440This is part of my newly acquired stash of Alison Glass fabric.  She was kind enough to advertise a sale on Instagram while I was on vacation, and I was feeling indulgent.  It’s so pretty, and the little bin is perfect!  (Obviously, “less stuff” is a concept I struggle with.)
DSCN0330The hexie shelves are also from Target.  (I am really into English Paper Piecing, particularly hexagons.)  I thought they would be for quilty stuff, but my little Amish people took up residence.  There has been discussion of painting them, but I don’t actually like painting.  Now that they are on the wall, I am really liking the natural wood.
DSCN0326I have another design wall on my back wall.  This one acts as more of a permanent “inspiration wall”, and a home for the silk quilt that has me scratching my head.  The idea to have a black, white and grey design wall came to me a few years ago.  This gives me the chance to see how blocks will look with different backgrounds.
I have a TV in my room.  This is the place where my cutting table will go.  I have just been dragging my cutting mat to the kitchen or dining room and working out there, but it is getting to be annoying.  I have to walk all over the house, and I leave messes outside of the studio.  I see a trip to Ikea in my future for a cheap desk.  Then the TV will move to the wall, and the desk will go over the shelving unit.  Then, no more moving the cutting station to take pictures of my fancy dinner prep.
DSCN0327The last corner holds my davenport desk for storing EPP components, and my custom made ruler holder.  Oh, and a dachshund shaped chalkboard, because I have zero self control.
I will confess, there are a two closets in the house that are jam packed with bins of my sewing stuff.  I try to work through them periodically, with the eventual goal of not having so much extra stuff.  I’m hoping to spend a few weeks this year working through my bin of partially made tote bags and also some baby quilt tops that can be completed and moved out of the house.  The 2 1/2 denim totes are kicking my butt.  I’m considering just patching the holes on some of my jeans and putting them back in my closet.
How do you control the chaos in your studio?
 

16 thoughts on “Studio Tour!

  1. What a lovely space! I really enjoyed the “sneak peek” into your studio from the living room. That design wall pulls you right in! Those bins from Target are great, aren’t they? I have one in the guest bathroom that my daughter uses and it holds (and hides) so much stuff! Such a bright room with lots of things to cheer you. I love the hexie shelves. I enjoy their natural color as well, but if you ever decide to paint, I’d paint just the “bottoms” (backs??) and leave everything else natural. That way, the things you put in the shelves would show up even more! Thanks for sharing your space!

  2. Oh I love your design wall – I don’t have anywhere to put one so I use the guest bedroom as a ‘design bed’ 😂😂
    And those hexie shelves are gorgeous! ❤️❤️

  3. Your room looks incredibly organised. I love your wall of thread – so jealous! Loving the way your snowflake shimmer is coming together.

  4. What a lovely space! And the view of the design wall through the glass doors is amazing. Thanks for participating 🙂

  5. This is a beautiful space. I’m in love with the glass doors leading into your sewing room and that you can see your design wall from the living room. I think this is a great conversation piece when company comes to visit.

  6. When I saw the thumbnail image for this post I got really excited. I made my husband look. We both agree that having a view into the sewing a area is fantastic, but I am also biased because I was so thrilled to see your Snowflake Shimmer in the design wall! 🙂 I use lots of plastic bins to keep my fabric in, most of my quilts are stored in another closet, and for the most part I just can’t stand messes so I tidy a lot as I go (but I am weird like that). Thanks for the tour, you have a bright and lovely space. I esoecially like your idea of different colored design walls as background auditions.

  7. Gosh, what a gorgeous room! I’m envious of your big, bright windows and white walls. It’s clearly a very happy room, filled with things that speak to your heart. Thanks for sharing!

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