A New Place to Be - The KC Studio Reveal

Two moves in two months has finally brought me home.  It's been exhausting and exciting all at the same time. While we've been working hard to get settled it's been mostly boring work (foreclosure fix-ups) like electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, locksmiths, and trying to convince an internet provider that our place does exist and needs internet. It's all stuff that needs to be done but doesn't make anything prettier and isn't fun to blog about.  

I've built a pantry in the kitchen (since whoever designed this place didn't think kitchens needed cabinets to put things, added storage shelving in the under stairs closet to store quilts (doesn't every house need this?), and knocked out a wall and rebuilt it (with the help of my son) so that the built-in desk area would fit my sewing table.  We're getting a handle on what still needs to be done and that feels good.  

The priority for me now is to create an inspirational space to create and sew.  My studio is the "family room" space in our place.  It is 15' x 15' and has one true wall, one full wall of windows to the balcony, and two sides that are railings where I can see to the floors below.  Being scared of heights I tend to hover around the one real wall.  The great thing is the light...so much light and high ceilings.  That all makes me happy.  It's the best part about our new place.

I took a bunch of pictures so you can see the studio as it is today.  In a few weeks its been rearranged about twenty times.  It's hard to find the right configuration especially in a room with only one wall and no closet or built in storage.  Quilters have lots of stuff and I like most everything at my fingertips, but put away.  I don't like clutter, so getting organized in this space was challenging for me. I've made use of the master bedroom closet to store batting, scraps, teaching materials and teaching sample quilts.  I don't have that many clothes so it works for me.

It may not stay this way, but for now, I'm ready to make things again.  Enjoy and hopefully finished pieces will be flowing out of the studio soon.

The studio from the top of the steps.

Rulers at hand in a letter holder I found at Target.

This is a studio/office space.  I do paperwork here in addition to making things.  

I love having a comfortable place to sit, to ponder work on the design wall, to curl up and read or sketch or to have a friend join me in the studio.  And yes, it's orange.

I have two machines set up.  This is my primary machine which I use for about everything.  I reupholstered my stool and covered my desk pad in fabric to match my chair.

I made a cutting station with two cabinets from Target and a piece of MDF from Home Depot.  I painted the cutting table a light aqua blue to add some color to the space.  The cutting table top is attached to the cabinets with industrial strength velcro so it doesn't move when I'm cutting.

The two Target cabinets are placed in an L-shape that gives me more horizontal space to put things and opens the space between them for more storage options and a more open feel in the room.

It's a bit crowded on my desk so I bought the blue cabinet to give me some extra office storage in addition to my file cabinet.

Vashon sits next to my desk.

One shelf is filled primarily with books, magazine and a bit of fabric.

I hit the new IKEA in Kansas City and got this clock.  I'm a modern clock collector.  My kids think I'm nuts to have multiple clocks in one room.  I disagree.  There can never be enough clocks.

Special things inspire me.  Want to go for a ride in my van?

I use my Pantone magazine holders to hold all sorts of things.  I hook on my water and best press so they're right by my ironing board when I need them.

Yoda watches over me.

Fabric is stored on these two shelves and in the Target cabinets.  I've reduced my stash of prints significantly in this move.  

Storage of all my solid color cards.

You can never have enough Yoda.

This is the built in desk area where my son Ben and I ripped out an ugly desk, rebuilt the wall to make more room and tada, built in sewing nook in the hallway.  We had to rip out the carpet too and look at the great job Ben did putting in a new floor.

I use the sewing nook area only for quilting.

The thread cabinet my dad built hangs over the sewing nook.

With only one true wall, finding design wall space was a challenge, but a priority.  I have an 8' x 8' design wall area with a great view from the orange chair.  The rug was another IKEA find, so cheap, but adds so much great color!

I painted the back sides of those Target cabinets with the aqua paint since they were ugly brown particle board.  Spruces it up nicely and adds more color.

The new teal cabinet gives me some hidden storage which I love and a place to put my printer.

The Target cabinets each have three drawers and shelves behind a sliding door.  They were easy to build and again give me lots of hidden storage for all those things I need to work, but don't want clutter up my space.  I've got some fabric in there too.

Fabric is organized by color with stacks of prints with stacks of solids.

Tools I use all the time are on my cutting table at my fingertips.

I'm back to traveling again after a few weeks at home.  I've updated my teaching/travel schedule under the Schedule tab.  Check out where I'm going to be in the next year or two.  I'm going lots of great places.  I might be near you. 

Happy to be back!