Studio Changes

I love my studio but in terms of workflow - it doesn't work all that well.
So yesterday we discussed what to do and decided on another desk/table at one end with all the beads moved to one area rather than scattered in a couple of areas.

I need an Office area for filling orders, a paint/play area, the all important sewing area with cutting area and ironing area and periodically an area for cutting my Fusibles which require space for the cutter and ironing and packing.

Also I get frustrated having to go to the other end of the studio for threads so they needed to come closer to the sewing machine.

We dropped into a Salvation Army store and were thrilled to find an computer desk complete with two large drawers (Ikea - Anton - discontinued but in excellent condition and about 1/3 original price) which fitted perfectly under the window. All the art materials are now in the large drawers tucked underneath (Ikea Alex) and the two desk drawers as well as in the nearby tall Alex drawers.

Beads and their shelves were moved to this end too - so it will be easier to pack bead mixes and gather supplies for latest projects.

This built in unit holds everything from half finished projects to my plastic bags for packing kits etc.


Sewing machine now is closer to the design wall (can't show the wall as it has my latest show quilt on it) but closer to the threads.

Office area now less cluttered as it is not trying to share space with paints and computer and general mess.

I bought a new bookshelf today (another trip to Ikea) and now all my books are also in the Studio instead of the 'sweatshop' where Peter does all the cutting.

I am very happy apart from the couple of accidents when bead boxes decided to come undone or slip from my hands. It is amazing how far a container of beads can spread.

And for those that comment about my apparent lack of stash - I don't have one - unless of course you count the 3000+m of hand dyed fabric that I occasionally share with you. I am also very lucky that when I need fabric I just either paint it myself or ask Peter (nicely) to dye it for me. How lucky am I?

Studio Organisation

Another trip to Ikea yesterday to buy the other drawers I fancied. I have lots of wire baskets like these and they can be unwieldy and things fall through. But most of all they look untidy and in my current obsessive neatness and ordered mind (stop laughing) I want order.

So after an incredibly painless trip to Ikea and a couple of hours assembly - I now have these 12 drawers to fill today. These are the Alex drawers on castors but I bought two sets and put one on top of another (without the castors obviously). I think I will be able to get all my office and packing stuff in them and maybe room for some miscellaneous items like paints and brushes and pens and pencils and other fun stuff. But if they don't all fit then I will just have to get some more won't I?

Renovations Day 3

The wall is removed and the ceiling is down. The stuff on the floor is the cellulose insulation which was the messiest and dirtiest part of the job. It went everywhere and had to be removed slowly in buckets.

The skylights went in and flooded the room with light. New insulation is now in place .

Went with the electrician to a lighting store and selected gallery style track lighting. Also planned power outlets and will be having 12 double points. That is 24 outlets in the one room. Do you think I will have enough?

Tomorrow - ceiling and plaster!

I have been playing around with the floor plan and scale shapes of everything that I am trying to fit in. Even though this studio is bigger than anything I have had before - I am still struggling to fit it all in but it will all be fine in the end.

Studio Organisation

I have been asking around for ideas on thread storage and have had quite a few interesting answers.

Lynda Thomson invited me to check out her blog for Studio Organisation.

Check it out for some great ideas and feel free to add your own.

I have been collecting Texture inspirations for my next C&G Module.

Studio Photos

In response to Helen's request to see our working spaces, I have taken a few photos. I used to have the one studio (which used to be our son's room) but then I realised I kept walking through a room the kids used as living room when they lived at home. So I got rid of the furniture and suddenly had a new studio.

I use this one for sewing and it has a great design wall which takes up the whole wall so is used for inspiration as well as works in progress. I have lots of Ikea wire baskets which are OK but the ones under the cutting table are the more expensive Elfa ones which I do think are superior



The other studio has a great big cutting table (a quilt show prize) with a really cool mat which covers the whole table that I had sent from the US but worth every cent. We cut heaps of fabric and this has made life so much easier. Peter is so much happier and I like to keep him happy. Who would have ever thought that buying a big cutting mat would get my husband so excited. I also have another table (yes - another prize) which wasn't really getting much use till I started doing the C&G Course and suddenly I realised I had a perfect work table for painting and stuff. It pulls out to double the size which is useful sometimes too.

And of course there are the beads which keep breeding.