While moving from the UK we stayed in a really fun "flat" for about 10 days. It was originally in the Mews where the carriages and later automobiles were stored. Now most of them have been made into apartments.
The one we stayed in was very fun. It only had one bedroom, a living room/dining room, a small kitchen and one bath but they allowed us to keep our pets with us. There was a tiny courtyard that was gated so Mac could sit out on the steps and watch the birds.
I loved how funky it was decorated...so not me but fun for a few days! There was a purple wooden moose-head above the fireplace, a huge chandelier above the stairs, and very large print wallpaper on one wall of the bedroom.
It was fun being in the middle of the city after living out in the country for the past few years but I did miss my sheep a bit....
Today I am taking a break from the move stuff and just organizing my computer...or should I say doing routine maintenance that I am bad about doing routinely. I had to add some RAM which is making the whole thing run soooo much faster (why did I wait so long to do this?) and I cleaned out old programs and files that I no longer need. When in doubt I backed it up onto a disk first...So now, even though it is an 8 year old computer sitting on a desk made of packing boxes (desk will not be here until december) it is working like a charm. I can put off replacing this old horse for at least another year. Now I have to sort through some of the old program CD's and get rid of the really old ones...I still have some 5 inch floppy DOS programs hiding at the bottom of this box! Scarey!
So what am I going to do with the money I saved on our computer? Well....I just borrowed Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space by Lois Hallock and put out by That Patchwork Place. I have a decent size room to use for quilting but I seem to mess it up too quickly. I was hoping if I took a bit of time to plan it out it may work better for me.
The room is about 11 foot by 10.5 feet. There is a double closet along one wall. the light isn't very good - the room is at the back of the house which faces the woods. So I know I will need to add work lighting. The good news is the fabric will not get direct light so will not fade!
Right now I have a mistmatch of pieces - a couple of bookcases that are different heights, 2 cabinets with door of varied heights and an old kitchen table that isn't the right height for sewing but has lots of space on the top that I like. So do I try and modify what I have or really go for it and get some new furniture? And if I could only get one or two new pieces what do you think is the most important piece in your quiltroom? sewing table, cutting table, fabric storage?
So much to think about......
14 comments:
Welcome to your new home! Without a doubt, my cutting table has become the heart of my sewing area! The others (storage, sewing table) are important; of course, but the cutting table is also my layout area, my basting area, my border-pinning-on surface, etc. How's that for one long, run-on sentence?
I just put in a new track light where there was an existing ceiling light in my longarm - what huge difference it made in this room but the light is concentrated over my longarm.
http://maryquilts.blogspot.com/2008/11/let-there-be-light.html
For me, fabric storage is key, I have to be able to see what I have to work with. I used an old desk for my sewing machine for a lot of years and my cutting table is an old buffet that was part of a dining room set that was left in our Marietta house when we bought it.
My shelves for fabric and books from IKEA
http://picasaweb.google.com/mmcjohnson/MyQuilts#5045324361737328018
My cutting *buffet* in my old studio
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7027/1400/1600/967432/ladder.jpg
I recommend beginning with a work triangle, i.e., sewing table (good chair and plastic mat on the carpet), ironing station (it does not necessarily have to be an ironing board), and a cutting station. I hung my shop lights with daylight bulbs, but a lighting professional at the local hardware store may have some better ideas.
no modifying, go for it and get what you really need -- don't listen to that shriek you just heard from DH.I would think key for you would be storage!
Great idea to plan ahead of time.
A sewing table/desk is MY favorite, then the cutting table, then storage. Of course, a person wants all of everythng, but my 'work' increased output 100%, after I bought a nice sewing desk/table on wheels, with foldout back portion for BIG quilts, and with rolling cabinet under it. I keep a small pressing station to the left of my machine, and a chair on wheels.
My cutting table (high) has saved me a LOT of work -- no more bending over, sore back, etc. Hey, getting older means you should arrange more and more convenience items. Love Mary's suggestion of LIGHT!
In my case each item is in a separate room - not the greatest, but ya gotta take advantage of what you have.
Welcome back to the States! :) I quilt in my kitchen and use my pantry for my fabric, which isn't helping but stick with me... I'd have to say shelving and a good cutting table is a huge issue for me (outside of lighting). If I were to spend money I'd do lighting first and a good cutting table.
Is there an IKEA anywhere near you? If so, I say go for new. There are so many neat, inexpensive things there that work perfectly for quilting. I adore my standing "kitchen" island in the center of the room - great cutting table and storage. One end could also be adapted for pressing if need be. It's from their kitchen collection that is free standing. The bookcases are marvelous too. You don't need them for fabric storage since you have that closet, but they are great for books and totes too. I love the glass doors that keep dust off of everything. They are the "Billy" system.
It is a funny little space! Wonderful chandelier, though. I hope you love your new quilting space!!
A purple moose? I love it! And I loe that purple nine patch top. For ideas on your sewing room, I agree with Tonya and get what you want. Light is important, storage is next on my list. I don't have everything in one room since my sewing room is so small, but I have expanded to the extra bedroom for storage, and the hall linen closet, and the three other bookcases, etc. My sewing unit has the extra table at the back that folds down, or up. It is always up! It is great for machine quilting. Right now it has stacks of fabric covering it!
Ah, yikes, I would kill for some real sewing space, so I wouldn't even know where to start. Lucky you!
Sewing table number 1, cutting table number 2...storage number 3...I have that book also and it has a lot of good ideas...good luck and hope to see pictures of the new sewing room..Toni
you received great suggestions-my sewing room includes a desk with my computer-love being able to turn from sewing machine to computer and have a break. how about a design wall- no one mentioned that- my blog post about the queen size quilt shows my design wall very well- I use the space between the computer desk and the sewing table-it measures 72 inches by 72 inches-this is the wall furthest from the doorway-so I can stand back and really see a quilt come together and make changes. I can turn from my machine and sew parts of blocks together as I need to.
my room is about 8 feet by 10 feet.
I am catching up on my blog reading. I would like to say welcome back to the States! As far as to your sewing room question that is a little hard to answer. When I bought a banquet style table and raised it up to the right cutting level I was very happy. The only problem with having that big table is that I tend to let things like fabric stack up at the end (and middle) so I have less cutting space then before. Ugh!
I have that book. It's very good. More practical than some others I've seen. Most of my sewing room furniture is from Ikea. In particular I bought a sideboard to use as an ironing station. Having storage underneath is wonderful. :-)
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