How I Spent My Weekend

Sewing room before move

Edited 10/19.  I removed the captions so that the photos would enlarge and lost some of the text in the process.  I added some photos and rewrote the text.  But, why blogger if you use the caption function do the photos no longer enlarge!?  PITA!!  Well this was only partly successful and I give up.  I will never use the caption feature again.

  

 Not sewing that's for sure.  Last week I moved everything in my studio and sewing room around on paper and this weekend we did it for real.  I switched places, sewing space/room  now all in the studio and studio all in  the sewing space.  I say space and not room because it's all connected in a loft that surrounds and overlooks my dining and living room.  This is what my spaces looked like before, also before I acquired two vintage machines to add to the  crowded feeling.  I moved the computer to the sewing room even though I use it for work but I was able to fit the printers on a bookcase at the back and free up space on my desk.  The eaves really restricted the height of anything that I put on the end of my desk before.

 

This was how the studio looked before.  I rarely  used the second drafting table, it just became a dumping ground for pattern pieces and my main work space,  Now it's the  base for my ironing station.  The drafting table on the left and my reference books behind made me feel like I was crowded into a tight space and the sewing room  felt the same way.  Considering how much room I actually have it was in serious need of rearranging.

 Studio after move

My sewing counter and ironing station to the right.

 

Looking from my sewing side towards the cutting table.  The ironing station and my gravity feed iron are in the foreground.  All of my pressing tools are now easily seen and right at hand.  I have had my pressing ham and seam roll for 30 years at least.

 Looking into the sewing room from my studio

You can see the flat files that I use for my work drawings and for storing paper on the far side.  Just visible to the right of them are the bank of file cabinets that I use to store my patterns and Burda magazine patterns sheets.  They are stored by year in folders and the magazines are on top in holders by year.  You can see it below.  Alex, see how organized I am. 

I display fabric I want to use in the current season on top of the bookcases next to my cutting table. Yeah, like I am really going to sew everything here this fall.  I can always dream.  But, seriously it's good to have it displayed so that I remember what I have that I'd like to use.  I am cutting out a black tweed cotton blend for pants and a cardigan and top next.  Easy sewing where I don't have to stand too long.  My foot is still bothering me unfortunately, but it is getting better.

There are still bits and pieces to put away but it's usable.  The sewing counter, ironing table and my cutting table all have clear surfaces.  I worked in my studio today and it's really a pleasure not to feel cramped.  I have lots of clear surfaces to lay out photographs and catalogs.  Heavenly to have so much space.