Friday, June 1, 2012

Quilting Modern! Let's Party!

Welcome to the "Quilting Modern" weekend book celebration blog BLAST!  Eighteen amazing bloggers, sewers, quilters, business owners and all around good eggs will be coming to the party.  They have volunteered to co-host this party and help Katie and I celebrate the book.  There will be things to see at every site and chances to see projects, read their thoughts and maybe even get your hands on a free book.  Be sure to visit everyone and say Hi from Katie and I.  Posts will be appearing throughout the weekend, so make yourself a list and be sure not to miss anyone.

Katie and I are kicking off the celebration with a tour of our studios...well, one studio, one livudio.  We've both learned to make the most of the spaces we have.  I'm lucky that I have a room where I can shut the door and work.  If you love to sew, you find a space and make it work.  Of course, I've rearranged since I last did a post on the studio.
My Bernina 820 is now used primarily for quilting.  It's in a table so the bed is flat with the table and I can't tell you how much that helps when quilting large quilts.
Inspiration is important to me and I try to surround myself with things I love in my studio.  That little pottery vase is from my mother and it holds my sewing machine oil.  The tomtar were made by Kajsa of Syko.  They will always be a part of my studio.
My dad built this thread cabinet for me decorated with yardsticks that my husband found for me at an antique mall.  Using the walls for storage helps me make the most of my space.
Can you believe he found a yardstick that says, "modern by every measure?"  My husband is amazing. Cindy's pincushion is one I don't use, but will always treasure!
I've gone vertical with storage, but I dismantled one of these.  I found too much vertical in a small space makes for one claustrophobic quilter.  The orange and green cubbies help me organize projects in progress.
I love putting things in other things.  I use boxes, and cubbies whenever I can.  I love these little drawers because when I baste or bind I take the whole drawer with me.

Yoda watches over me as I work.  I use this desk and my sewing machine table as cutting stations.  My rulers are stored in the pockets of a magazine rack behind the desk.
I don't have room for a free standing ironing board, so I made this shelf topped ironing station.  I take out my ironing board when I need to press large items like quilt tops or backs.
I store things everywhere...underneath the sewing table, under the desk and the ironing board and my step ladder hide behind the design wall.
I use command hooks everywhere.  Where are my scissors that should be hanging on that silver hook?
My stash is behind me when I'm sitting at my sewing machine.  When I close the closet doors it disappears.
I keep this large laundry basket on the bottom shelf by my cutting station.  I dump all scraps here.
When I have time, I sort the scraps in the big bucket into these sorted by color groups and selvages.  Notice my roll of batting that is stored vertically on the top shelf of the closet. I roll and store small quilts here too.  The big quilts are rolled and stored in the master bedroom closet.

Four units are stacked vertically to get a bunch of storage into only a 12" x 12" floor space.
My design wall fills one side of the studio.  It's not attached to the wall...it leans.  It's good so I can store things behind it, but every once and awhile it topples onto me.  I couldn't live without it.

And lastly, welcome to the studio annex, aka the dining room/kitchen and often expanding into the living room.  To be honest I use the bed in our bedroom too, but that bugs my husband so quilts only enter there when I have to.

Notice the sewing machine up on the counter.  This is where I'm doing the majority of my piecing.  I'm learning to sew standing up.  I'm working with a physical therapist to relearn how to sew and quilt and at the same time keep my back and neck in good shape.

Please know that my studio and annex are never this clean, the design wall never that empty and the dirty dishes in the kitchen are cropped out of the photo.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!  Consider the party started!! Now, I'm going to grab a drink and maybe a bag of chips and mess up this place with lots of fabric, scraps and pieces of thread! Hope you enjoy the weekend and enjoy the party with:

A Stitch in Dye - Malka Dubrawsky
http://stitchindye.blogspot.com
Film in the Fridge - Ashley Newcomb
http://www.filminthefridge.com
Generation Q - Jake Finch
http://generationqmagazine.com
Handmade by Alissa - Alissa Haight Carlton
http://www.handmadebyalissa.com
Happy Zombie - Monica Solorio-Snow
http://thehappyzombie.com/blog
iheartlinen - Rashida Coleman-Hale
http://www.iheartlinen.typepad.com
Oh Fransson - Elizabeth Hartman
http://www.ohfransson.com
One Shabby Chick - Amber Carrillo
http://oneshabbychick.typepad.com
Pink Chalk Studio - Kathy Mack
http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog
Quilting is my Therapy - Angela Waters
http://quiltingismytherapy.com
Red Pepper Quilts - Rita Hodge
http://www.redpepperquilts.com
Sew Take a Hike - Penny Layman
http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com
West Coast Crafty - Susan Beal
http://westcoastcrafty.wordpress.com
Wise Craft  - Blair Stocker
http://blairpeter.typepad.com

We will wrap up the party with an appearance on Pat Sloan's American Patchwork and Quilting radio broadcast on Monday.  The show airs at 4:00 p.m. EST.

For more information about Quilting Modern, visit the book's page at InterweaveStore.com.
Finally, don't miss Quilting Modern's Flickr Group for photos by quilters inspired by Quilting Modern to share images of their creations! There are already a few ambitious (never-get-any-sleep?)  quilters who have finished quilts using the book's projects. We love their dedication!

Be sure to check back often this weekend...there may be a surprise or two.  It's always good to leave comments.  (Hint, Hint!)

105 comments:

Amorette said...

there are some great ideas for storage and organization that i will have to put into effect! i love the quilting standing up idea, but not as much as i love those metal dining chairs!

Erin M. said...

That's a great stash you've been building. Thanks for the tour. I do appreciate that you took the time to show us your organization. The color in your studio is wonderful.

Candied Fabrics said...

Jacquie! What a gorgeous studio! I'm amazed that in that small space you still have room to display a couple of gorgeous quilts! Don't you wish there were little elves who would come in to the studio every night and make everything as tidy as it is when it's all spruced up for a studio tour??? sigh...one can dream...

gale said...

What an amazing studio. I would love to know where you got the green drawers. I have this thing for drawers...

Sharon S said...

Ahhh, inspiration to get my sewing room organized! Thanks for the tour.

Kate said...

Your book just came in the mail - I can't wait to have a good look at it this weekend!

Emily said...

Fun post and I am all ready for the party! (is it ok to wear PJs?) It is great to see your space and also good to know that you organized for the photos, I was about to have a cleaning party in my studio, geez! Lets Party!!! ( I shall put on some music to get in the mood!)
Emily

Emily said...

I love your sewing room! So perfect! :) Although it does need more fabric laying around. Messiness is the ideal place for creativity to take over! Thanks for showing us around.

Little Island Quilting said...

I love being nosey - thanks for that! Can I just ask where you manage to buy a whole roll of batting? Thank you.

cakath said...

Beautiful photos and what a great use of space. I try every week to clean up my studio space but it quickly moves back into disarray. I can always tell when I have to stop buying fabric because there is no flat space left to stack it. A major reorganization seems to be needed right now to accommodate the latest piles of fabric...but you are very organized and provide a great example of smart use of space! and organization and above all, tidiness.

Jennie P. said...

I love how everything is so organized. Sure wish I could say the same about mine!

Anna said...

I love the colour tags on your scrap bins! I must say that I actually already have your book, and it's WONDERFUL. Kudos to you and Katie for including so much about the *process* as well as patterns. Reading about the thinking and the "how" of designing putting parts of an improv quilt together has been really exciting for me. Enjoy the book fest weekend!

Vicki said...

Looks great! I'd love to hear more about the sewing table your big bernina is set down into. I want to get something like that someday. And I like the yoda. :)

Jenelle said...

It's fantastic to see how you've organized your space. There are so many good ideas here. I also wanted to tell you that I remember seeing your table top ironing station in another post and it actually inspired me to make one of my own. I love it! Thanks for sharing!

Camilla said...

Great to see such an efficiently organised compact space-and to see that you do expand into the shared areas! My studio is my dining table, which is nice to feel part of things, but I don,t have nearly enough organised storage and it's a pain to have to get out and put away...plus I would love to have a design wall I could leave out. I have a design floor 5of us tiptoe around!

Lisa said...

Your studio is interesting, I adore seeing where other people sew! I have a room for my sewing too, but really I just store everything in there and keep my sewing machine in the dining room, where I work on my latest project. Thanks for the party!

Martina said...

Wow, thanks so much for sharing. Love your space! And I am looking forward to bloghop and learn more!

Sharon said...

I always enjoy tours of other's sewing spaces. Your room is so organized and colorful. Thank you for sharing.

cinzia said...

in that small space lives a great imagination! thanks for sharing.
Does it really help to sew standing up?

Sequana said...

Well, my goodness. Your working space looks almost exactly like mine! And by that I mean we have the same pink gripper handle on one of our rulers.....haha.
I piece standing up quite a bit too; seems to help with my sore shoulders. Thx so much for the tour.

kristyn said...

I love your use of space. My area is a small corner in the bedroom of our one bedroom apt with folding tables that pull out for cutting quilting. Maybe this summer I will try some of your tips to make the most of the little space I have.

Deanna said...

I loved the tour of your studio. It gave me some ideas for mine. My favorite part were the things from your family and friends. I have kept all the art work from my two boys and display it in my studio. It keeps me inspired!

beth said...

i love seeing sewing studios! you have some great ideas for keeping things organized. hooks, for one and bins for another. i am really craving a design wall - is yours batting over insulation?

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your studio pics. I love seeing what works for successful quilters to get ideas for my own craft space. I love your color wheel quilt! So I'm curious about your comment about sewing standing up - is that supposed to be better for your back and neck? I get a horribly stiff neck when I sew.

krislovesfabric said...

What a wonderful space, thanks for sharing it with us!

Unknown said...

Thank you for showing how you organize your sewing room. I found it very helpful.

Jenny M said...

Love your thread cabinet and thank you for your studio tour. Yes, please share your tips for sewing whilst standing up.

Hannah said...

It's so neat to see the tricks other people come up with for making the most of a small space. We're going to have to figure out how to reorganize my sewing space and my husbands office to somehow make room for baby in a few months, so I'm finding all of your solutions especially valuable right now!

B Greene said...

Congratulations on the book - it is at the top of my wishlist!! Thanks for a peek into your studio - how inspirational!!

stitchinpenny said...

Love your studio. Mine is buried right now.

Kristy said...

Seeing how other people decorate and organize their spaces always intriques me, and I love how quirky we all are too.

Can't wait to blog hop with the best of them!

grendelskin said...

What a fabulous, well-planned space you have there - and the photography is terrific too! I still madly covet your thread shelf, have done since the first time you shared it with us. Thanks for the daily inspirations, I don't comment much but I read every post.

Kelly O. said...

I love how you've made the best of the space you have--i have an entire basement and I feel more disorganized the more space I have!

sclangs said...

What a great space! I love the color wheel quilt!

tropicslady said...

We remodeled my studio over the winter holiday and I have not yet put everything back into the space. Most of it is still in a spare bedroom. Seeing your studio has motivated me to finish organizing and storing. Yay!

Lynn said...

What a fun post! Thanks for sharing your organizational tips and the tour!

Anonymous said...

Love the book and thoroughly enjoyed the tour of your studio. Thanks! Nancy in Denver (nkadenver at yahoo.com)

Valerie said...

What a fun studio! I was cracking up at the studio annex part-so true! I can't help but slowly spread out over the house as projects develop....congrats again on the book!

Bethany (Make Me A Quilt) said...

Your stash is making me sick with envy! LOL :)
I really love the quilts you have hanging on the walls, so inspiring!
Bethany

Anya said...

Wow! So many great ideas to get organized. And your stash is so pretty!! And thanks for your honesty about how messy things can get when quilting!

Mary P said...

There are a lot of great ideas here. I need to look into a re-org of my own sewing room.

Vicki in MN said...

Awesome tour of your studio, wish mine looked that clean!

Kim said...

Loved seeing your studio space. I'm always looking for ideas for a small space. You have some great storage bins & cabinets and your large sewing table - oh that's awesome!

Elsa said...

Great creating and sewing space. Love all the different storage bins and cabinets you have. Thanks for the tour!

Unknown said...

I love what you've done with such a small space! Very inspiring to other city dwellers. :)

Debbie said...

thanks for sharing your space! I love the little ironing table/storage unit.. Great idea.
What kind of containers are you using to store your fabric? I'm trying to find a better way to store my stash so that it doesn't fall out onto the floor so often :)

Erika Mulvenna said...

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your studio, and best of luck to you with the Quilting Modern kick-off party!

Ebony said...

That was so much fun to see! You make me want to pull everything out of my studio and reorganize it. I love your cheery space!

Sarah said...

Love how you've created beautiful and functional work space(s). I manage to be in several rooms of the house, also! And we need to talk about the neck/shoulder problem...
Looking forward to the Quilting Modern weekend!

Ashley said...

What a gorgeous space! I love how organized everything is - it's something I've been trying to get better at for some time. I may have to refer back to your post for some ideas! :)

A huge congrats on the book!! It's absolutely wonderful and I'm so happy to be part of your book celebration weekend. I think everyone should own a copy - it's top on my list! can't wait to show a couple quilt tops I've made from it!

Anne / Springleaf Studios said...

Oooh . . . can I raid your stash? It's always so fun to see other studio spaces. Love getting new ideas for storage and working. I really like the laundry basket for scraps. Scraps are one thing I haven't handled well yet. Check out my studio post too.

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I love all your storage ideas - my sewing room is small (about 7'x9') and I have things squeezed in all over the place but I think I'm going to have a closer look at your photos and see if I can 'pinch' some ideas!

SewLindaAnn said...

Wow Jacquie, thank you for sharing. It was wonderful to see your space. Hope you and your therapist find lots of ways to help your back. Have a good weekend.

Jo Ann said...

Loved the tour. I would love a room to myself to sew in. I share a room with the computer and of course the husband - so I am forced to tidy up or feel guilty - and it is only 9X 9 so it is uncomfortably small.

pink daisy said...

Yikes! Makes me want to clean "my" studio. My favorite is the thread rack with the yard sticks.

Canadian Quilter said...

Just received your book this morning. I am taking the rest of the day off so I can sit and dream my way through the pages!

Jenny said...

what a great space! thanks for the tip on going vertical...i need to do that!

Jo C. said...

I love seeing others quilters spaces. Makes me want to start over. And ..wowzers...that stash!
boppiesgirl@gmail.com

Esch House Quilts said...

You've really thought out your space well and used every inch! I love the Jessica Jones fabric on your stool/machine too :)

Tamie said...

I'm so excited about your celebration weekend. Also, thanks for the studio tour. Even though everyone's space is different, you can usually get an idea or two.

Carolyn S. said...

I left Katie a message too, saying how I work in a small space. On further reflection, maybe that's a good thing, it forces me to stay somewhat neat and organized. I used to have quilting stuff all over the house, now it's confined to one half of a room and a closet.
The book looks great, so looking forward to getting a copy. Congrats!

Colleen @ The Busy Bean said...

I love seeing new ways to organize studios. Pulling bits from all the spaces I've seen has really helped out my mess.

I've used a little bit of the book already... Just a small piece on a new York beauty pillow -I pieced the center like the "shattered" quilt. I was trying it out before I start a big one. I have the fabrics all pulled out and ready to start. It's one I can't wait to finish.

the Campfollower said...

I love your little studio Jacquie. Thanks for the great ideas for setting up my next one. You have the best pops of color.

ann said...

mmmmmmm ......... you've got some good ideas goin' on there. I may just have to steal one or two. thx for sharing

Erin Marie said...

I love seeing others' sewing areas, especially storage ideas.

Suz J said...

Jacquie, why am I not surprised that your studio is both practical and beautiful? I love your storage solutions, and that fact that it is not all just business. I reorganised my sewing space, but then went on a buying spree (although I'm sure I decided I wasn't going to buy anything spontaneously this year!) - and find that I don't have enough room to store the new stuff... so it must be time to reorganise again!

Heather Wambach said...

You are beautifully organized, it makes me happy to see and anxious to get my own organization underway!

Kelsey said...

That's great that you're seeing a PT to hopefully prevent any problems caused by sewing so much! I know that my back or arms/hands sometimes ache after an afternoon/evening at the sewing machine-- I can't imagine how quickly that could escalate were sewing more than just a hobby for me! (Also, thanks for sharing your space with us! Can't wait until the day when I can have a dedicated space for making things.)

Unknown said...

I love your stash - so pretty and organized. Mine is all in drawers and I can't see it. I love seeing everyone's sewing spaces :)

Ebeth said...

If you can share any tips about protecting your neck and shoulders, please share! I don't have room for and can't afford to buy specific furniture for sewing and often find I'm "goosenecking" as I sew. Sigh. I don't want sewing to hurt. :)

Congrats again on the book. I was just on Amazon wondering if I could get it now or if I should wait for the next paycheck.

lwghosts at yahoo dot com

Iris said...

I've loved reading about the new book the past few days. Your quilting studio seems so functional, and I'm envious of both your stash and how it's stored!

Unknown said...

I love seeing your set-up.

Patti said...

I had a fabulous time doing the virtual tour of your sewing space. I even picked up a few hints along the way! So much fabric love too!

CitricSugar said...

Thanks for the tour, Jacquie! I love seeing how other quilters organize their spaces. I don't have a dedicated space but am always looking for ideas for the day I do!

Hope the book has the blow-out bash it deserves this weekend!

DKB said...

I have on occasion sewn standing up. I kind of like it. I discovered it years ago when I lived in a studio apt and the only place to put my machine was on the kitchen counter

SusieDW said...

It's all GOOD! Thanks for the tips.

Mary said...

I just got my copy of your book today. I love it. It feels good to hold and WOW what inspiration. Funny, I have read your blog for a long time and never seen a pic of you. It is fun to put a face to your blog.
Thanks for the fun book.

Taya@TypeB said...

Love a party! Great storage ideas in your lovely workspace - thanks for sharing!

Danell said...

Thanks for sharing your space, I love to see how other quilters organize their things. And I got some great ideas!! YEA.

tusen said...

I love your sewing space. I can see some great ideas, too. And looking at your machines I'm reminded that I desperately need to sew a nice cover for my sewing machine :)

Lisa said...

it's absolutely beautiful!! ACK! Look forward to hearing your interview!

peacedgoods said...

Well, having had two back surgeries and a nasty neck, I am so interested in the sewing standing up. How do you manage the foot pedal? tinygirl@suddenlink.net

Steph said...

What a great tour! I love that you took pictures of nearly everything but the ceiling. It really gives a great sense of your creative space and how you have wonderfully made it your own and made it work for you.

Anita said...

Thanks for the tour, that was fun and inspirational. Let's be honest. I want your stash. No, really I do! If you ever feel the need to purge, just shoot me a message and I'll take some of it off your hands. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Diane said...

I have to get this book!

lorena said...

Your studio is an inspiration. Thanks also for sharing the annex, I have one of those, too. ;)

liberal sprinkles said...

Thanks for the look at your studio. I love those yardsticks!

Anonymous said...

Love your ironing board! Have you ever posted a tutorial for it? Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us!
Georgeann, Carrollton, TX

Kathryn said...

If only my place could look this good! Thanks for the tour. Kathie L in Allentown

sh said...

Very nice! I wish my space was that tidy! just kidding, I know how quickly a mess happens! Love the bright and light colors of your stash.

mary said...

Congratulations. This is very fun. Mary K

Marcia W. said...

Thanks for the tour of your sewing space and annex. It is so organized and neat. The colors in your quilts in the photos really pop.

Margaret said...

Wow, amazing workspace. I like to sew standing up. Way back when I had an office job I tried to get the company to get me a desk that i could stand at because my back was always hurting from sitting so much. They did not go for it.

Josée Carrier said...

Congratulations for the book! I definitely want to buy one. It's great to see your sewing space. I have a small space too and it's great to see ideas on how to organize things. I particularly love your ironing board and your sewing table.

raebethriv said...

Thanks for the tour! Its not hard to understand why you're so productive! An organized simple space is the key, something that I totally lack. I did pick up a few ideas though!
See you soon,
-rachel

pkmegs said...

What an amazing workspace, if only I could be as organized. Congratulations on the book, it looks great.

RSHudson said...

Really enjoyed the post and the "tour"; looks like an inspiring book too! (marshudson at comcast dot net)

jen said...

i love your craft room! amazing job. can't wait to see the book in person!

Katherine said...

Inspiring room to create in, Jacquie. Loved the peek at where you work your magic!

Anonymous said...

Love the spool quilt. I've been saving selvages because of your inspirations. I can't wait to get a copy of your book. It sounds like what I need to understand modern quilting.

cat and vee xoxo said...

hi, can't tell you how much I have enjoyed sticky-beaking around your studio, thank you so much!!

I noticed your saying towards the end, that you are learning to sew standing up - I'm not sure what sort of back/neck problem you have - but I sewed standing up until I got a life-changing chair.

It's called a 'Bambach saddle chair' and it's seriously changed my life - I wouldn't be able to sew without it. I hurt my back badly early last year, and still see a physiotherapist every two weeks.

My main problem with sewing standing up, was not being able to get my sewing machine to the right height - I'm 180 cm tall, so we just couldn't get the right sized table/bench - so getting the saddle chair was a real saviour.

thanks again, I am LOVING the book/blog tour, and will buy your book for sure. Cat.

Lori Wambolt said...

Thank you for the tour of your studio. Great idea to do a party theme blog tour! I'm having fun visiting the various blogs over a weekend.

Jodi - usairdoll said...

What an awesome space! Love it and your fabric stash, oh gosh it's just beautiful. hehe. I'm trying to get my extra bedroom setup as my space so it's always great to see what others do. Looking forward for the hop and learning more about your book.

usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

craftytammie said...

jacquie, loved this peek into your creative space! for awhile, i was sewing with my machine on the washer, which i actually liked! anyways, congrats on the book - it looks fabulous!

Suzanne said...

Congrats on a wonderful book, Jacquie, and thanks for the studio tour.