Monday, July 6, 2015

A New Beginning

Sewing Table by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

It seemed appropriate to finish off the Busy Girl Sews Tour with a look at how I'm setting up my new sewing room in Texas. There's a part of me that wanted to wait until every piece was in place, but I knew that would mean holding off on showing you the room until some time this fall. I'm working slowly through everything, trying to take my time and really organize things instead of just stuffing them in baskets and cupboards. It's time consuming yet so worth it to do things this way. I'll spare you the photo of my unsorted fabrics, notions, and tools, but believe me when I say that there's quite a bit left to be organized before I'm through.


My new sewing space is, quite frankly, a dream come true. Our house has an enormous loft at the end of the upstairs hallway which is large enough to hold my husband's office, our home gym, playtime and library areas for the girls, and a sewing area that is at least twice the size of what I had in California. It gives me plenty of room to spread out as well as add a few new areas to my studio that make it even more friendly.


I'm probably most excited about my new cutting station. Being rather tall (almost 5'11"), it's been a painful thing to lean over my sewing desk and cut fabric over the past few years. The first thing I did after arriving in Texas was purchase a high square pub table from Amazon which is the perfect height for me to work without straining my back. I added an adjustable stool from Target so that I can sit at the desk too whenever I want. Bonus tip: most tabletop desk organizer units are absolutely perfect for storing your cutting tools. I've had this one for months, and I'm absolutely crazy about it!


The area that used to hold my cutting mat will now be my pressing station, and it will be so convenient to sew and press seams at opposite sides of the L-shaped desk that used to belong to my dad. I still have all my tools lined up along the edge in glass and wooden containers as you can see in the picture at the top of this post. Did I mention that this is part of the view outside my sewing room window? I tell you, it's been hard to get any work done since I arrived. All I want to do is gaze out the windows all day long...


Right now I have at least half of my fabric folded and sorted. I decided to go back to my old system of storing linen and canvas prints in this black wire drawer unit, and larger scraps are still being kept in my wooden Melody Miller drawer unit above that. The big plastic tubs to the right are waiting to hold quilt backings and works in progress.


I'm still using my great grandfather's old cabinet to store fabric, and I put my wooden cubbies and my antique scale and typewriter back on display above that where I love to see them. Sometimes I think the non-sewing things we keep in our rooms are just as inspiring as the fabric!


I saw this linen storage bench at Target over the weekend and immediately knew that it belonged in my sewing space. Batting, interfacing, and pillow forms fit perfectly inside, and my sewing files and some inspirational design books are in the baskets to the left. This bench makes a great spot for me and the girls to curl up with a good book or get together for a little mother-daughter chat during the day.


My scrap tins are now lined up along a table that also used to belong to my great grandfather. Having them out on display instead of tucked inside a cupboard makes it so much easier for them to be used. The girls can stand next the table or sit on the storage bench while they sort scraps for me.


Just to the right of my sewing space is the new library that I've set up for my girls. I've long been wanting to create a special reading area for them, and this spot next to a big window couldn't be more perfect. The large book display works as a natural divider between my space and theirs. One side holds their picture books and the other side shows off a good portion of my sewing library.


My husband teases me that I said I was buying it just for the kids, but seriously, how could I resist?!

I can't tell you what it's meant to me to put together this sewing space over the past week. Somehow it's both a new beginning and like coming home. The crazy schedule with our move meant that I had to pack up most of my sewing room back at the beginning of May. I've gone for two months without sewing a stitch, and it was so hard to lose that part of myself. While it's good to know that I can still exist without my sewing, I can honestly say that sewing continues to make my life a happier one. And really, that was the whole point of my book after all.

May you have the happiest of weeks ahead of you, my friends.

28 comments:

  1. Just perfect and so much inspiration as I work on my sewing area. I have that same desktop organizer and just started using it for my rulers too😉 thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love those desk organizers so much! I almost bought another one last week, but I'm trying not to be tempted... :)

      Delete
  2. Ahhh, your new space is top notch! I love all the natural light :) best wishes in your new home! Glad you are sewing again. :) - Jess (Quilty Habit)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ahhh, your new space is top notch! I love all the natural light :) best wishes in your new home! Glad you are sewing again. :) - Jess (Quilty Habit)

    ReplyDelete
  4. How cool is that. I'm happy for you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not only is your new space large and light filled it is perfect for family to play and work together without being under foot every minute. You are really thinking through your organizing and work stations. I like your taller cutting table. Creative Sewing Bliss...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! I'm super jealous of your space. Is the white tub/drawer unit something you built yourself? The book display is precious. I love being able to see the cover of my favorite books.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Heidi, glad you and your family arrived safe & sound to your new home in Texas. Your new sewing space looks beautiful! Enjoy continuing to set it all up exactly how you want it and most importantly have fun using it! Kelly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kelly, thank you! It's been such a joy to see this space come together. Now I can't wait to start sewing!

      Delete
  8. Heidi, thanks for all the inspiration along the Busy Girl Sews Blog Tour! I've met so many bloggers, got very creative w/a few pieces of fabric, planned a sew day each week (I'm sorry you had to suffer for 2 months w/o stitching), that must have been agonizing.
    I love your organizational style! Fantastic tips in the book and now that I got a birds eye view, it's in the works for my sewing area this Autumn. The book nook is so cool, I have no little ones , but have in my library , I've used and collected 5-6 sewing/quilting books:)
    Not quite as tall as you, about 3" shorter but I do need a higher surface in which to cut. your cutting area is divine! Thank you, Heidi, for blogging and sharing your talents. I do appreciate you:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane, you are SO sweet! I'm just thrilled that you're using and enjoying the book. I appreciate you too!!

      Delete
  9. Oh my goodness Heidi - what a wonderful family room!!! Who needs bedrooms? Bring out your sleeping bags, quilts and doonas and you could practically live in there! I am SO excited for you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a beautiful room Heidi! By coincidence I'm rearranging our family room having been given a lovely large desk for my sewing. The room also doubles as a playroom for my grandchildren so, although it is nowhere near as large as yours, you have given me some great ideas. I especially like the 'library' area and am even now thinking about how I can recreate that in my room. Happy sewing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yah! This looks so nice and homey and cosy! :) Great light too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow-zie! That is some terrific space you now have to work with. A little jealous here. :) Enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love your new space! I have a desktop organizer in my office which I use and love but I never thought of one for my rulers!!! I know where I am going today :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh how I LOVE a sewing room post!!! Enjoy creating in your new space!

    ReplyDelete
  15. It looks lovely, and so wonderful that it is big enough for your kids playroom and hubbies office! I've often thought about that in wanting a dedicated sewing space, but the down side to that would be being alone for much of the time. Great view too!! Is it very hot right now in the area of Texas that you're in? I lived in Dallas for two summers and it was HOT and HUMID!! Hope the weather is tolerable for you there! :-) I've gotten your book and want to do some of the projects, but TIME is an issue!! I hope to get to some of them for gifts: there are some good ideas in the book. :-) Hugs, H in Healdsburg

    ReplyDelete
  16. WOW - your studio is lovely!! Creative wishes for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I literally gasped when I scrolled down to see the first pic of the loft space!! How divine!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. It looks lovely, and happy, and inspiring. A great place to work and play. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you so much for sharing your space! This move seems to be so great for your family and you will love spending time in your sewing area while the girls are so close by. Love your book and I'm looking forward to sewing some of the projects.

    ReplyDelete
  20. What an amazing sewing space!! I have that same Pottery Barn wooden wall cubby and I love it so much. It's sized perfectly to hold my charm packs and jelly rolls. You are so right - sometimes the accessories bring as much joy as the fabric!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for sharing your new space with us. It looks great, and the light in there, that will be perfect. Taking my granddaughter her own sewing machine next week and your book to pick some projects out of. So happy for you and your new home.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lovely Heidi, I just came over to see how you're settling in to Texas! And you've so inspired me! My sewing room, while big, has been really hard to feel at home in because it's not organised well. Partly because I'm not very good at that kind of thing (I get overwhelmed by details), and partly because all the wall space is taken up by windows and a design wall and I don't have a good system for my scraps since moving. I love all your touches that make it feel like a living room, not just an office. It's made me feel like it's definitely worth putting more thought into, rather than waiting till I've finished all those WIPs!
    And thank you for your lovely comments on my blog. You're such an encouraging friend. xxx

    ReplyDelete

Aren't you the sweetest for leaving a comment! Due to all the ads that bombard this section, I have to moderate everything first, but look for your comment to post in a day or two. Thanks so much for writing!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...