Let the sewing space makeover begin!

I absolutely love, love, love the new color in my sewing space. The color is Topsail from Sherwin Williams. The painters applied 2 coats of Duration paint in a satin finish. It really brightens up the room.

Now, the fun part begins – rearranging things to better suit my needs. What you see in the picture above is the space after teaching a private lesson yesterday. The stuff under the cutting table won’t remain there permanently.

Changes so far:

(1) Moved steam press to a different electrical circuit, so I can use my iron while using steam press.

(2) Moved quilt rack between chairs in sitting area.

(3) Removed hanging rack and relocated spinning wheel near antique desk.

(4) Set up dedicated die-cut station (moved white Horn chest where spinning wheel was).

(5) Set up a dedicated “staging” area for projects in process (still figuring this one out).

(6) Figure out “side table” solution for machine quilting area. It needs to be moveable (thinking about a 2nd rolling cart in a different color that can store under the cutting table when not in use).

The rest of my changes are purely decorative – get a sewing machine print framed, recover seat cushion for secondary sewing space, new slipcovers for chairs and a small side table/beverage holder for sitting area.

Also need to order a new sewing machine insert for my Horn cabinet as It snapped in half when I lowered the machine using the lift. Something caught where I couldn’t see it. Whoops!

Decided to keep my existing sewing machine/cabinet for now. Not sure if I want a Juki straight stitch or a fancier machine. The fancier machine will require a cabinet with a larger opening than I currently have. Decisions! Decisions!

All outside paint projects except the front door & trim replacement were finished last Friday (10/28). I spent the weekend packing up and putting away breakables, pictures and other cherished items. On Monday, Al and I met with the project supervisor to go over the week’s schedule and review any last minute details. With that complete, Sadie and I departed for a short stay at my parents’ home just outside Athens, GA. My original plan was to return home after our therapy dog visit at Northview HS on Wednesday, but that changed because the paint crew was running behind schedule. We’ll now return home Saturday morning.

Mom asked me to bring a sewing machine so I could alter some pants for her. My dad found some things that needed mending and added them to the pile. It took a couple of days to get through the pile. My reward to myself was a little retail therapy at three quilt shops within 30-45 minutes of their house. I picked up fabric to make the Buzzy Bee block in the Scrappiness is Happiness QAL and found a pair of small pinking shears to add to my travel machine toolbox.

If you attend classes, retreats and bee groups on a regular basis, having a dedicated travel sewing machine and sewing notions kit makes life so much easier. I repack mine after each sewing session. It only takes a few minutes. This means all I’ll need to do before leaving for the event is add the project(s) I’ll be working on and any specialty rulers, interfacing, thread, etc. to my tote bag. Easy-Peasy!

Suggestions:
(1) Invest in an 18″x24″ folding cutting mat.
(2) Invest in a 12″x18″ wool press mat.
(3) Invest in a power strip with a longer cord. (8′ or 12′ perhaps?)
(4) If you have an Oliso-mini iron, consider adding a SteamFast mini iron or similar. Some venues now request that you leave the Oliso-mini iron at home because it requires a much higher wattage of electricity than a standard craft iron. No need to overload the circuits!