Finish It {Studio Organization}

This is my FINISH IT pile for the week.

I’m going to be honest. I’m obsessed with finishes.

Projects at work, at home, and in my studio. I think about things I haven’t finished…a lot. I sometimes even torture myself.  But ooooh man. When a quilty or hand stitched project is finished? I feel like I’m on top of the world. The ultimate to do box checked is so satisfying!

But the reality is that life gets in the way. New pretty sparkly shiny projects become a MUST DO. I put projects in bins. I forget about them.

This summer I decided to take a real hard look at my UFOs and WiPs. I didn’t think I had a lot, but was curious about some of my “leftover quilt” bins.

 This weekend, I found a bunch of projects all jammed in several individuals bins. I made lists. Boy, I made lists. I separated into some empty shoe bins the ones I know I will make into projects before the meet the scrap bins. And new labels were made…no confusion on what’s in them.

Then I pulled these two projects that just had a patriotic feel and I had a great desire to work on finishing them this week since Flag Day and 4th of July are right around the corner.

A friend had sent me the vintage placemats a long while back. We never use placemats, so I thought I would applique them. I already have three completely stitched on and am loving it already!!

This needlepoint was tucked up with two other very patriotic needlepoints. Frames are on their way for the other two, but I really wanted to make this bigger one into a pillow. I figured it would be cute in in my large quilt basket.   I couldn’t resist starting the finished binding edge today. 

How am I going to manage my giant bin collection? 

I’ve made some deadlines, hard and soft. I’m not going to get stressed. I used my project planning sheets to make the long laundry list, but I am only going to go month by month in my planning calendar so it’s not too overwhelming for me.

But I can feel the excitement already of getting some finishes done!!!

 

If You Give a Quilter a Studio.....{Studio Makeover}

 If you give a quilter a studio....

Before photo

She'll ask you for new floors to go with it.

Maple Country by Home Legend

If you give her new floors,

She'll ask for the walls to be painted.

Paint:  Behr Bon Voyage

If you paint the walls,

She'll ask you for new window treatment fabric.

When you hang the new window treatments,

She will notice the fan blades don't match the floor, so you'll flip the blades around.

Since you are standing on it, she will probably ask you to move the island back towards the windows.

When you move the island, she'll notice she has more floor space to take pictures of quilts and blocks.

When she notices how clean the room looks with more floor space, 
she'll decide to she'll need some closet organization.

When she has more room in the closet, 

Cart from Country Door (vintage shopping cart)

She'll realize she has more space and store her rolling iron cart in it.  

She'll like the wire closet drawers from the closet so much, that she adds a unit with pre-cuts, 

When she realizes she likes to see her fabric, 

She will decide to rearrange her fabric and add her fat quarters with her mini bolts. 

She'll like the rainbow order so much, 

She'll organize her thread and buttons. 

But then she'll say she needs rainbow storage for her fabric scraps.

When she makes the storage bins, she'll say she needs to use up the fabric scraps.

You suggest she makes some more quilts.
She spies some empty areas above her cabinets.

When she thinks about minis, she'll want to go in the studio...

But if you give a quilter a studio.....

She'll want a longarm studio to go with it......

(To be continued)

WIP Wednesday: Countdown to Christmas

There is no denying it anymore.  

Christmas approaches quickly....and I am not exactly ready.

Do making scrap buckets and potholders count?

Based on the scrap bins from the book "Sunday Morning Quilts"

 I was sitting in the carpool line today listening to Button hollering "when is it going to move?" while taking a moment to glance at some blogs.  Ironically, I have not read someone's blog in a very long time.  Possibly, spring?  I fell upon one of my favorite Aussie quilters.  Sharon at Lilabelle Lane.  She posted about accountability.  Ironically, I was thinking the same thing.

After rearranging my studio, I can no longer claim that I am overcome with disorganization! I can no longer blame it on a commissioned project.  The last three months of the year are all mine.

  It is time to get to business!

So how do you make yourself accountable?

Lists of course!  And no new projects. Whatsoever!

Quilt Gift MUST DOs

It's all about my parents and in-laws this Christmas!

Gramm's quilt

Pop's quilt (binding)

Oma and Opa's quilt (top in progress)

Quilt Gift Would Like to Have Done

I'd really like to have a quilt under the tree for each of my boys.  It's a lovely moment in my head and will be difficult to complete them in secret, even though they already know what their quilts are. So the surprise would be the unexpected delivery!

Teen Boy (#1): Argyle Quilt (still piecing hexies...)

Need to applique onto background

Bean Boy (#2): Highlighter quilt (top finished)
Just need to finish binding!

Bunny Boy (#3): Minecraft (pattern designed and fabrics chosen)

Baby Boy Button (#4):  Scoot Quilt (pattern designed and fabrics waiting)

Christmas Quilts I'd like Available for Snuggles

Blizzard (top finished, backing ready)

Winter's Lane (top finished)]backing ready.

Home Decor Distractions....

New Dog Bed Covers (tops pieced)

Stars and Stripes Quilt (needs border and backing pieced)

Bean Bag Pillows for Game/Toy Room

New Throw Pillows for Game/Toy Room

Button's Nursery Rocking Chair Cushion

 Library Window Treatments

Dining Room Window Treatments

Me Projects

Scrap Buckets (only 6 out of 12 finished)

 Sewing Circle Tote (pattern and fabrics ready)

Swap with do.goodstitches bee gals!

Write up Tutorials and Patterns that are cluttering up my mind. (1 out of 3)

And now that I see this typed out!??!!?  55ish days left?  

I know! More days than that, but I need to give myself time to wrap and/or ship!

Ha.  Wishful thinking. 

 But isn't that what Christmas is all about??!?!

Save Me From Myself....

Yup.  I am having THAT kind of week.  For some reason, I decided to move things. This is sorta how it went.

Doesn't make sense?  

It really doesn't make sense to me either.  All I DO know is that while the boys took over my studio for school projects on Saturday (4 projects that took SEVERAL hours), I hung out in case they needed me and became over involved with moving my things around.

It started with the first stage: DISTRUST. I really wanted to figure out a better scrapbook storage system. I had trays and the plastic things you see below.  I gave the trays to a scrappin friend and bought more of the other ones to hold all of my paper.

 I then was able to consolidate a bulk my scrapbooking into the tall cabinet.

It freed up a lower cabinet in the island.   I left it empty for two days. It mocked me.

Enter second stage: INADEQUACY.  

I hunted around the evil empire, better known as Pinterest. 

 Ideas abounded.

I decided to just move the the items from the bottom right corner cabinet into it because I didn't feel like painting, redoing window treatments just to look like a "Made for IKEA" catalog spread.   I refocused on organization!

The empty space made room for my printer and Cricut (from an upper cabinet).

I used to have my old printer under here and am not sure why I moved it in the first place?

I'm tired of Mr. Grubby hands turning it off and on, not to mention he loves to mess with the paper! 

Moving it also allowed me to chuck the old falling apart table that was holding the printer and paper to the curb.

It allowed me to add my favorite new addition.  Pre-cut storage!

Yumminess right at my fingertips and the top one empty for the WIP I need to quickly clean up to get out of the way for laundry and homework time.

Oh.  When I moved the cricut? It freed up space for the paper, labels, and my binders so it could be more accessible to my fingertips.

Here is the big joke.  I basically ended up moving a bunch of things around which left two free shelves for what?

  Nothing.  

  Stage 3: FRUSTRATION

I had a plan, but it all it seemed to create was the need to move MORE things around.

  Which caused me to attack my closet.

   ENTER Stage 4 and 5: VICIOUSNESS.  Fabric was gathered that I will NEVER use.  Yearbooks were moved to the boys rooms.  I'm not even clear why I had them in my room?  Empty bins and baskets are piled up in my garage.  Things are nightmarish at this point, to be honest and REALITY quickly set in.  

It all has to be dealt with.

 I vowed I will not work on a project until I get this done and reach Stage 7: HAPPINESS

 In the meantime, I'm stuck at stage six: 
OVERWHELMED!!!

My room is my definitely my WIP this week!!!

Studio Spotlight

If you are here from Ellison Lane, welcome!

First off, I want to say.  To the quilters that have to take their sewing machine and sewing baskets out of some small linen closet and work on the dining room table?  I've been there.  To the ones that share their space with a guest bed and home "office".  Been there.  To the ones that have to go down to a dark, spooky basement.  Yup. Been there.  To the ones that have had to go to the room that was once an attic and is far away from the family?  Been there!!

In the last 17 years of marriage, I have had to sew where ever I could.  I even remember sitting on a floor with my leg awkwardly pushing the pedal when we were in a temporary apartment waiting.

I am so blessed to have this space now.

When we were about to move again, my only request to my husband that we found a layout where I could have my own space, close to the action.  

The view off our kitchen, which happens to be an open floor concept to the family room.

 First door bathroom.  Second door, studio.  Laundry room straight ahead.

Garage on the left side out to where my longarm "studio" is!

I have a load of pictures for this area...but for another day.

But back to my main area!!

I always get asked about the cabinets.  They are not custom.  We did not have someone build them. We went to Home Depot and Lowes and bought either pre-built or put them together ourselves from boxes.  They were added over time...not all at once.  It actually just started with a few of the lower ones in our last house.

On the right side when I walk in is what I call the work area. 

 Computer, files, printer, phone. Paper.

This side of the room are kitchen counter top height so I can sit on stools or just stand.

My cutting tools and current project file boxes are easy access for when I need to work.

And the TV. 

I can't live without background noise while I am working.  Especially when the boys go back to school.  The silence is deafening and makes me miss them greatly.

I use the upper area to display some of my mini quilts and my American Girl Dolls.

When my husband's grandmother passed away, we were offered some items and both he and I agreed that I would keep her yellow sewing basket.  It still has some great vintage scissors and notions inside.

My favorite area.

How could you not love fabric?!?!?

Yum.  I have mini-bolts on the top shelves and then baskets filled with layer cakes, fat quarter bundles, and charms.

And more yum. Some jelly rolls anyone?

My new Lindstrom 1930s toy sewing machine under the sweet mini quilt from a Name Game Swap.

Portable design wall behind the door.
There are actually two stacked. I pull them out and stand them together for bigger quilts

It currently has no projects right now because I have more tops completed and the other projects are in "cut" stages. 

But Button makes use of it every chance he gets.

The next area is my island.

This is, again, kitchen counter height.

Cutting. Ironing.  Pretty Jars with ribbons and notions.

The island consists of cabinets that made an "L" in my old attic studio in the last house. 

We reconfigured it to make the square.  

I also wanted an overhang area so the boys can sit on stools and work at it for big art and school projects.

 

I hope that someday I can address the counters!

 They, again, were just premade laminate counters we found at Home Depot.

They clean up well, but they are getting a bit "bleh".  I also never got around to painting the island like I wanted to.  Someday.  Quilting gets in the way!

I call this side my sewing area.  

We ordered file cabinets so that it would be lower than the rest of the counters.

My sewing machine stays permenantly on the countertop.

Fat quarters and more ribbon are up above in the cabinet!

I put my embroidery machine away in my closet when it is not in use. 

 I like to keep the counters as uncluttered as possible.

In the center, I have my buttons, patterns, and a plaque with my daughter's name on it. 

The main reason I have been quilting so much the past four years.

More jars.  Can you tell I like jars?  They are in the center to collect binding leftovers for my "someday" full scrappy quilt.  I also store all the leftover triangles I have to use as leaders and enders.

The tall cabinet store some of my scrapbooking supplies.  The other supplies are in my island.

But, generally, scrapbooking only happens on my retreats.

Above is my birdhouse collection. Actually.  It was my grandmothers.  She gave them to me when she had to move into their retirement home.  They didn't have room for them, so I told her I would keep them for her.  I made the birdhouse quilt at the time, but lately, the traditional colors are just not working for me.  I am pretty sure you will see something in the future take it's place.

We are just not going to talk about this very packed 10 foot high closet, are we?
I do love my bin organization for projects though.

And to keep Button busy?

He has a basket of toys to play with!

But mostly, he gets into my stuff.

My sitting area.  

The cover on the chair-and-a-half is for my pugs that keep me company.   They love to set their heads on my shoulder while I do handwork.

And yes, more jars.  My hexie templates, needles, and more buttons.  

I like buttons.

 And last but not least. 

Lighting.  

My dearest husband installed these because without them?

THE REALITY.

I wouldn't be able to sew at night without them.  This is a shot of my honest craft room.  Most of my sewing happens in the wee hours of the night when everyone else is sleeping.

Go to Ellison lane and join in the Studio Spotlight fun.

I am going to hunt for ideas.  I have been feeling  like I need to make my room less "old fashioned" as someone recently said when they saw my room.

***UPDATE:  The studio finally got a facelift.  I couldn't be more thrilled!***
STUDIO MAKEOVER