Welcome to Week 1 of our Creative Space Blog Hop
We have 16 creatives sharing their spaces, tips, and perhaps a few giveaways!
July 9 through August 19!
Week 1: Studio Clean Up – before and after pics
Week 2: Favorite Tools
Week 3: Organizing Tips
Week 4: Dealing with Scraps and/or Fabric
Week 5: Dealing with Embellishments/Buttons/Thread
Week 6: Dealing with Tools/Rulers
There are awesome giveaways on all the blogs, so check them all out.
Week one: Studio Before and After
Be sure to leave a comment on this blog post to be entered to win a free pattern pack for my 2018 Block of the month!
OK, I am not proud of this but this is the "BEFORE" picture so you will see what I had to work with. Yup, complete mess. This photo is taken from the stairs descending down to my studio.
My studio is in a big "L" shape with sewing machine area by the stairs, storage in the middle, and more work surfaces and storage down the big "L" part of the studio.
My sewing machine table has been worse, so this is actually pretty good. . . for me!
My cutting table really is bad, so bad in fact, I can't get to it because of all the suitcases and sewing machine bags all around it.
My sit down long arm is buried. Only its light strains to get out from under the stuff!
This is my pattern and class storage area above, and vending storage area below. I had already started on this area a few days ago, so it is not as bad as some of the others. I just got back from vending 2 weeks ago and had to get stuff put away.
These are the quilt storage racks I use to store all of my quilts, as well as the quilts I use in my programs and trunk shows. And yes, the lion push toy, like the potty seat, is one of those, "now what do I do with this?" sort of things.
My son and hubs built this for me. It really helps to store a lot of stuff that was formerly homeless. I use this space for my Go! Big cutter and fabric selection from the storage racks across from it. But this work space does not always see the light of day!
This is the other side of my quilt storage racks. It holds UFO's, fabric, projects waiting in the que, and my design walls.
After several hours of work. . . .
OK, now that I have spent a few more hours in the studio there is hope. Here are the parts that are looking better.
Sewing machine -- Bernina 790 -- cleaned off and ready to sew.
You know my grandson has been in my studio because there are matchbox race cars sitting on my stuff. He sneaks down here and plays while he is supposed to be taking a nap. And of course, Nana does not know this because Nana is napping!!
#43 where I found it after the kids were here over the weekend. Bryce thinks there should be a racecar on every surface.
Storage area boxes organized and most of the stuff cleaned up and put away. Ok, a few more things to get put away, but this is progress! And all the suitcases and sewing machine bags are all neatly stored, so you can actually see the floor and get to my cutting table.
Yes, my cutting table is now cleaned off and ready to get to work. And yes, there is a matchbox car on the cutting mat. The rotary cutter was safely put away before the kids came over, thankfully.
The south window work space is nearly cleaned up, except for Buster, who is my constant companion in the studio. This is one of his favorite spots to sit. Stay tuned for more about my absolute favorite Martelli turntable during favorite tools week.
Of course he wanted to be close to #43. Why, so he can knock it off, of course!
Here is my work space without Buster and you can see my convenient ruler storage racks hold all my square rulers.
And a little bit of blue willow china is part of my collection of children's dishes inherited from my mom. Did you spot Big Boy sitting on my GO! cubes? He is a reminder of my 16th birthday, when an old beau took me to Big Boy's for dinner. Big Boy's was a big deal back then! As you can see, he's been with me for a while.
Big Boy, that is, NOT the old beau.
Big board is cleaned off and ready for use. The cover is an old piece of upholstery fabric which used to be drapes on the windows in our old farm house back in Avon, OH. Been saving a pair of these for years and finally decided it was a perfect ironing board cover.
Normally I put striped ticking on my ironing board so I have reference lines for pressing. But I was out, so the old curtain was re-purposed.
Machine area looking good. Do you notice that Slimline Lamp over my machine? We are giving one of those away with this blog hop. Trust me, you want one!! It is the best sewing light I ever used.
Slimline LED lamp some lucky blog hopper will win!
Thread storage is finally neat and tidy. Next time I will show you what I keep in those cool drawers next to my machine.
Buster gives it all his stamp of approval.
Hope you had fun seeing my before and after studio pics. OK, there is a lot more to clean up, but I will be sharing lots of fun stuff with you over the 6 weeks of this blog hop.
Leave a comment and be entered to win a complete set of patterns for my 2018 Block of the Month!
Having a tidy sewing/crafting room is so soothing to the mind. I do try to put away my tools every evening, although I do leave my *projects* ready to restart the next day.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I fully understand and commiserate with the messiness that is created when you are actually working on a project, especially when just starting and pulling fabric. Oh my! Can that get disastrous!
Love your sewing studio! Love the separate areas for tasks. LOVE your feline Quality Assurance Inspector .. a very necessary part of any crafting space. :-)
Hi Shelley, thanks for commiserating with me on the difficulty of keeping a creative space neat and tidy. When I had kids at home I was a lot more conscientious. Then when they left and I reclaimed all their space I got lazy. Now that grandkids have returned I need to get better and keeping thing cleaned up. Thanks for stopping by.
Deletenot having my "own" space, i usually end up using the kitchen table with mot of the counter space during the week, and have to clean it all off each week! a pain in the.... but better than not sewing at all!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Shoshu, I can relate, I used to sew on a small sewing table in the guest room, space which doubled as my office during my teaching years. I feel blessed to finally have a large dedicated studio to work in.
DeleteWhat a great sewing space, it is always nice to have a niche to call your own!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anita, you are so right! Hope you have a space all your own, too.
DeleteGreat space
ReplyDeleteThanks Wayne, it is nice to work in a clean space.
DeleteGreat space
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the whole basement. I'm relegated to a small bedroom.
ReplyDeleteMonica, I feel your pain. I sewed in a small bedroom with the bed still there, on a small table for years. I got my own space when the boy went to college. Best money I ever spent. His education, that is. He got a job and I got his room! hahaha
DeleteWhat a great space! Thank you for all your wonderful patterns.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thanks for your kind note. I have to say that most of my design work does not happen in this large bright studio. I have a small office upstairs, where my computer and mailing center resides. I spend more time there than in my studio!
DeleteThat's a lot of organising. We are in the middle of a move so all my stuff is in boxes except my machine. I keep diving deep into boxes all the time. I love the colors of you BOM.
ReplyDeletethanks for your comment Shobs. Oh no, moving! Yikes. I fear that word. We just did a renovation of the whole first floor in our house, and guess where all the stuff went while we had new floors installed. Yup, my studio. Never again. If I ever have to move, well, I hope the only move I make is to the home.
DeleteWhat a great feeling to gets projects/fabric in their place. rozz01(at)cox(dot)net
ReplyDeleteHi Rosalind, yes it is a great feeling. For some reason when my space is tidy, my design work comes more easily.
DeleteI have a 'Buster' too...in the form of Mary Alyce...I don't think I could quilt, without her. They are our best critics. I think I would enjoy this challenge - especially the AFTER! But a mess tells me someone is busy and creative.
ReplyDeleteOh I am so glad you have a quality control helper. Here is a big MEOW to Mary Alyce. He keeps me company and reminds me to get up and feed him at intervals, so I don't sit too long.
DeleteI love your space!! Looks very comfortable!!! mumbird3atgmaildotcom
ReplyDeleteThanks Mumbird3, it is a very workable space. . . when it is clean! haha
DeleteYour space is looking better already. I love your doll dishes. And Buster looks right at home there. I just recently found and started on your 2018 BOM, so having a complete set of patterns would be an great win.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, so glad you are enjoying this year's BOM. It is really been fun to design and make.
DeleteGreat job cleaning up! I am always messing up when I am creating! Enjoy the process! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris, you may have noticed I didn't post AFTER pictures of everything. hahaha
DeleteI’m impressed with your cleanup! My sewing space looks a lot like your before picture.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in knowing how you made your ironing surface.
Thanks Colleen. The big board is just a piece of 3/4' plywood with a 1 x 3 frame screwed to the bottom in a size designed to fit on a regular ironing board. However, I put mine on a solid table so it is sturdy and a convenient height to use while I am sitting.
DeleteLove your beautiful kitty! You did a great job cleaning up. This is fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary, this is a great blog hop and everyone's studio is so different. Check out the other Tuesday blogger and see she is sewing in a corner of her living room. We all adapt to the space we have.
DeleteThanks for sharing your great space with us! I love your kitty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cecilia, Buster is quite a character! I have to constantly watch out for him or he gets into some kind of trouble climbing in drawers, pulling out ribbon, knocking spools of thread on the floor. He is a rascal. But he is also good company.
DeleteI don't often see my name in a blog. So fun. But the sewing area gives me hope, as I need to clean as well.
DeleteMy dream is to have a large work room. However moved to be nearer children and went from 14 x 20 to 9x9. Soooo dreams of that Sweet 16 went away along with a lot of other things. But the good news is I know where everything is. Almost. Loved visiting your creative room! Give Buster a good ear scratch from me.
ReplyDeleteHaHa, thanks Diana, Buster appreciated the ear scratch. I know how hard it must be for you to condense your space. But I hope being nearer to your children was a good trade. We gave up retirement property in the Ozarks to stay near our kids and grandkids. We have a small house but have made it work for us. I am so glad we gave up one retirement dream to hang onto one that makes us so much happier.
DeleteYour studio is not only awesome but huge! I am green with jealousy, lol
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, green is a good color! One of my favorites, haha, but I appreciate your sweet note. I took a while to convince the hubs, to trade sides of the basement with me. He had the big side (you see in the pics) and I had the small side for my studio. It was 9' x 16". At the time I set it up as my studio I thought it was huge. It was my son's bedroom until he went to college. I grew out of it quickly when my business grew and I suggested swapping sides. I got some kind of "over my dead body" response from the hubs. So when I started talking about adding an addition to the house for a studio HE SUGGESTED swapping sides. hehehe
DeleteI'm so impressed with all the space you have in your studio but I will have to agree, it was a mess. You did a great job with the clean up and I picked up a few great ideas. I've been wanting one of those Big Board ironing boards for ages. I must get my husband to make me one; today he could have used a project as he was at 'loose ends'! The ticking is perfect; what an excellent idea. Thanks, Reeze. Thanks for all your free BOMs.
ReplyDeleteHi LJ, thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my cleaner studio. Glad I could share a few ideas that you can use. You will love your big board, and it is not a difficult project. I find that if I say I need to use his tools, the hubs usually takes over the task. wink wink
DeleteGreat idea. I'm going to use that one, too!!
DeleteThank you for sharing your space with us. We are in the process of moving and my sewing/quilting gear is not organized at the moment. My sewing space in the apartment will be shared with my husband's home office space. Thankfully, I can use the whole walk in closet to store fabric and supplies.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, Deb, at least you get the closet! That almost makes it worth it. Best of luck with the move and the reorganization.
DeleteI agree with Buster, your space looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cherry, I am glad you like it. Buster is not easily pleased so I had to work hard to get that "almost a smile" look.
DeleteMy space is a re-purposed bedroom after my youngest daughter moved out. Even though she is married with kids of her own, her stuff is still in the closet! My horizontal space is a challenge to keep picked up but I really lucked out with some of those cubby hole Ikea shelves. It is so much fun to see where creative minds actually work and thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer. Sounds like you have a great sewing space, but you need to get after that daughter to come and get her stuff. That closet is valuable real estate! After my son graduated from college all his "stuff" came home while he was off on his first job in Texas. I appreciated that he was living in hotels as the company sent him from job to job, but the literal "mountain" of stuff had to go. Took almost 2 years and many trips to good will to finally get it all out of there so the room (now my studio) was livable again.
DeleteI envy you your sewing space! I have a small spot for my machine, and that is about all. So it is sew abit get up and find what you need next. Guess I get my exercise that way, but slows down production. ��
ReplyDeleteHi Diana, I feel your pain. Like most of you, I sewed on the kitchen table or the coffee table, or wherever I could temporarily set up my machine. I feel blessed now to finally have a spacious area for my work and lots of storage for my business. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
DeleteMy sewing room is small. Thanks for sharing your sewing studio with us. Love it!
ReplyDeleteHi dbuggy1. Does that stand for Dune Buggy? That has got to be way more fun than cleaning my studio was!
DeleteWow! Great job in tidying up your sewing space. Enjoyed seeing your studio and how you organized everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks Estie, over the coming weeks I will be showing you a lot of storage and organizing tips I have used over the years in my studio. Stay tuned.
DeleteThank you for sharing your fabulous sewing studio! I really enjoyed seeing your Grandsons cars and your beautiful Cat as part of your room. They always make our sewing time a happier time. I look forward to seeing more! Have a splendid day!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda, I love seeing those little cars everywhere, too. It reminds me that those little scamps have been in my space and how lucky I am to have them. Thanks for stopping by and adding a comment.
DeleteThanks for sharing the real productive space, I always have a huge mess when I create and we’re not even talking about all of life’s interruptions making a mess even messier.
ReplyDeleteI’m tempted to clean up my sewing room as I visit this blog hop. Thanks Reeze, I really appreciate knowing I’m not alone.
Thanks Quiltsmiles. It was a real motivator to do this blog hop and get my studio cleaned up. Wait till you see some of the other studios on the hop. It is a real education to see how others organize their spaces.
DeleteHappy to see your creative space. I love seeing others so one day I will know how to organize my own.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, I have learned a lot from other quilters and made do with a lot of non-sewing related storage solutions. You just never know what will work for you. That is part of being creative I guess.
DeleteGreat space! Getting motivated to clean up my space!! From Osawatomie!
ReplyDeleteNo my hubby did not post!! From Steph
DeleteOh wow, Steph, we are practically neighbors!! hehe Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Having your space tidy really does improve your motivation. Of course I want to see pictures of everyone else's sewing spaces!
DeleteCongrats on your organization of your studio. Happy sewing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy, it feels good to get it done.
DeleteWould you like to come help me clean my area?
ReplyDeleteLOL!
Let's trade Nancy, I will clean your studio if you will sew my next sample quilt! hehehe
DeleteNice job on the cleanup. Feels great doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteSure does. There is still more to do, but I have made a lane down the middle and can get in there to do the rest. LOL
DeleteI am amazed at all you got done in your clean-up! I could use some help in that department for sure!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy, it is always fun to find the top of my cutting table. My hubs uses it to fold laundry. But you won't hear me complain about that. The operative word here is "he folds the laundry!" hehehe
DeleteHow inspiring!! Given how busy you are, I sure don't have an excuse to let my space be one hot mess! Can Buster come over and help?
ReplyDeleteI'll send Buster right over to help. And he can deliver your patterns because you are the random winner of the BOM pattern collection!!!! Congratulations. Send me an email to claim your prize. reeze (at) morningglorydesigns.com
DeleteI'm glad the hoppers are showing their studios IRL instead of the beautiful and likely unmaintainable studios that are usually featured. The mounds of creativity make me smile.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to see everyone's space. It always gives me ideas about how I can make my space better.
DeleteReese,After seeing your before and after,I don’t feel as bad. You gave me encouragement to clean mine Blessings
ReplyDeleteThanks Cleta, it was a struggle to get stuff put away and then to REMEMBER where I put it. hahaha
DeleteAt least y’all have a room to yourselves! My humble little creative space is a bedroom that shares my husband’s closet, our desk, a dresser, and a large shelf for my material! I am glad I’ve graduated to getting away from the dining room table! The next house ..... dreaming of great spaces!
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara, sharing a space is no fun. Keep dreaming of those great spaces. Sometime dreams come true. Mine sure did.
DeleteThat's a great sewing room, wish I had it! My space is small and tends to get in a mess while working on a project or several projects at one time. We are looking to move inro a condo in the next month so, I will be cleaning out and packing soon!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your move Betty. Sometimes a good purge is just what a space needs. Last year my sister came over and helped me organize. It was tough love, for sure, parting with stuff I don't need or use, but hung onto for years. Thank goodness she was there to lower the boom when I started to get sentimental. hahaha
DeleteI do try to keep my sewing area clean and tidy but to be honest it looks more like your first pictures. My husband is always telling me "if there's a flat surface open you will be sure to put something on it" I think he may be right darn it. I keep telling myself that it will be better when we move to the farm house and I have storage spaces again and can hide some of it in my big 4 x 6 closet. I guess we'll see.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what flat surfaces are for? Otherwise, they wouldn't be flat. Men, they just don't reason things out properly. hahaha
DeleteGreat job cleaning up. Love that slimline lamp.
ReplyDeleteThe lamp is fabulous Donna, and worth every penny.
DeleteSo much room! Love the blue willow display and "Big Boy". So much accomplished in straightening-great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie, it is always nice to have the space to work on a project and not have to pick everything up to serve dinner. I know a great many dining tables double as sewing tables, including mine at times.
DeleteIt's so great to have everything tidied up and organized, isn't it? It's so much work, but so worth it. I need a set of bookcases or shelving to get my fabric housed better. Love your kitty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy, I sign up to do these blog hops just so I can get my studio clean. hahaha, at least it seems that way. It does help when my workspaces are clean and my tools put away. Now if I can just find where I stashed everything when I cleaned up!!!
DeleteGreat creative space!! Love the blue dishes too!
ReplyDeleteThose children's Blue Willow dishes always bring a smile, and remind me of my mother. She was an obsessed collector.
DeleteLooks like you did a great job. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Lin, it always feels good to get things in order. I am so not a good housekeeper, but my studio is another thing.
DeleteBuster is very handsome and I love those race cars...
ReplyDeleteBuster is very handsome and I love those race cars...
ReplyDeleteThanks CG, Buster is good company, except when he wants to be fed, then he is a pain in the rear. hahaha
DeleteBig boy ☺☺ now that brings back some good ole' times. Nice space. Mine definitely needs some clean up.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that a blast from the past? haha, that thing sat on my desk for all the years I taught college and I always got a kick out of it when students asked what it was. A whole generation clueless about Big Boy. hehe
DeleteThe slimline lamp looks delightful. As I get older, light in the studio becomes more important. Grandchildren in the workarea are wonderful. That's how seeds are planted. He may be the next great quilter. While I miss my cats, I do not miss the cat hair. I think to many, creativity and a mess go hand and hand. I usually know where my things are and can find them within five minutes even when things are in disorder. Often after I put "things in order," I have more trouble locating items. One lady at church told me that the order of your house is a symbolism of the order of your mind. If only I could get my mind in order by getting my home in order - or is that's what is keeping me from being able to accomplish that task? I'd love to win one of the giveaways.
ReplyDeleteHi Suze, thanks for the cheerful note. That lamp is great and so totally worth it. After cataract surgery I needed better light and this was the answer. I love those little grandkids who leave me little surprises. I have a box for each of them in my studio and put things in it I think they will like. Simple things like marbles, or an eraser, or a pretty pencil. When the come over they run and get their boxes to see what new goodies I have stashed in there for them. They can play with whatever is in the box while they are here, but they can't take any of it home. We call it Nana's secret box. hahaha, they love it.
DeleteYou did a great job.... looks way better. Love your cat....beautiful. Thanks for the opportunity to win your BOM patterns.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy. It felt good to get some order in the chaos. Love having a clean studio to work in, but hate cleaning it.
DeleteCindy, You are the random winner of the 2018 BOM pattern. Contact me through my website to claim your prize. www.morningglorydesigns.com
DeleteIt's fun to see that designers I admire are real people and make messes like I do. Being from Ohio, I remember going to Frisch's Big Boy on dates!
ReplyDeleteHi Ellen, I grew up in Ohio and Big Boy restaurants were the Denny's of their day. hahaha I remember them fondly. They had different names in different parts of the country. I can't remember what the one in Lakewood, OH was called, but I went on lots of dates there. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
DeleteWhat a great studio! Love your sewing area and the LED light!
ReplyDeletenikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com
Thanks Nicole, My sewing table and drawers were a gift to myself the first year my business made a profit! LOL
DeleteThis blog hop week is a great way for me to show my spouse that ALL creative makers are messy at times!
ReplyDeleteOhioholman (at) aol (dot) com
As if he needs proof, Subee! hahaha, it is hard to be creative and NOT make a mess.
DeleteI love your big ironing board! Is that a store-bought topper or is it a homemade board?
ReplyDeleteIt is homemade Patti. If you plan to make one have 3 friends go in with you because one 4x8 sheet of plywood will make 4 boards.
DeleteGreat space for sewing. Love Buster, bet he is great company.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy, Buster is a great cat and a good helper. hehehe
DeleteSo wish I had that much space. Mine is also a mess right now as I started a new job and haven't had time to get in there. Beautiful cat!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy. I really enjoy my larger space after so long in cramped quarters. You would think it would be easy to keep clean, but, alas, no.
DeleteI have a cat named Eve who looks quite a lot like Buster. There are so many little things in a sewing space for cats to knock off!
ReplyDeleteSo true Moe. And he finds them all and knocks them over. Today he tried to knock over my water bottle. I know use an industrial tumbler with a lid to save my work surfaces from water accidents! haha
DeleteEven as a mess it looked like it was still organized. Would love to have that much space and storage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne, it is a real luxury to have a large space after years of working in cramped quarters.
DeleteWow I am blown away. Very surprised at your disarray. You are indeed like the rest of us - just get buried at times trying to do it all. And I like that floral ironing board cover - adds some softness. Okay, time to tackle my stacks and heaps.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynn, yup I am not a tidy person and have to work at keeping things picked up.
DeleteI too have a mess in my quilting area. Working on #8 of the quilts I’m making for my siblings. Two more to go after that, but there already in process. I love that you showed you grandson’s Hot Wheel Car. He must enjoy being in your area when you are working. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rita, wow you are a prolific quilter. Wish I had that kind of determination. I get side tracked more often than not by that cute little 4 year old with the matchbox cars. :-)
DeleteIt is impressive to see how much you were able to get done. Right now I am concentrating on keeping my four very active projects sorted out and ready to work on--it does help.
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky, good luck on those four active projects.
DeleteWow! What a great studio! I have maybe half that space and one wall of it is filled with our computers & printers. Needless to say, it's loaded with shelving for machines, supplies, quilting/sewing books, and of course - fabric. Plus the closet is LOADED with fabric as well. I'm lucky though, I have a great machine and it sits right in front of a window where one of our cats loves to sit between the machine and the window. He doesn't mind the sounds of the machine at all but he does become indignant when I end up shoving a portion of quilt over him!
ReplyDeletethanks for the story about your cat, it made me laugh. Buster likes to sit ON TOP of my machine while I sew. I think he likes the warmth and vibration of the machine. But he is darned annoying when he drops his paws down and bats at my pins or snips!
DeleteLove your great studio. You made a huge change to the before status. martisovitsd(at)central(dot)edu
ReplyDeleteThanks Daniela, the studio was out of control and this was a great excuse to get it back in shape.
DeleteYour studio has some great storage. Before: well used and loved. After: ready to be well used again. Buster probably is thrilled that he can walk anywhere now without watching where he steps. Gee, ask me how I know. lol
ReplyDeleteYour studio has an amazing amount of storage. I fear that your before picture is very similar to mine on a working day. I dream of being as organized as your after picture. I love your designs.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing others sewing/quilting spaces. Hubby is making me a quilting table unit with storage so can work easier as part of lounge. Plus when we move won`t be such a upset. I have hangers on the wall for threads with place for my scissors which I make sure I replace after each use. Things are a muddle at present.
ReplyDeleteYou have a fantastic amount of storage space! I wish my husband was handy and could build me some tables.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great space you have! Lots of storage. My grandson loves cars too, actually anything with tires, hehe. Thanks for sharing your space with us.
ReplyDelete