Friday, February 18, 2011

Sewing in the Sun

Welcome to my sewing space! I moved almost a year ago, and I still can't believe how lucky I am to live in such a quiet, sunny apartment. I'd blame that window for why I work slowly--I end up staring out the window, daydreaming and watching for cardinals and blue jays--but at my last place I stared out the window and watched the pigeons that had a nest under a neighbor's air conditioner.

I try to keep the ironing board folded up and hanging in the closet when I'm not working, but sometimes it only gets put away to make room for the air mattress when guests show up.

Over on the left is a computer desk and a bookshelf back to back. I keep fabrics for projects I'm currently sewing on top of the bookshelf, so right now it's a big pile of green solids.

That's not as much a "design wall" as it is "the only art hanging in the house at the moment." When I make more blocks, I pin another scrap strip of batting to the wall and slap them up. I can't reach much higher, so nothing else may go up!

I only remember to water that plant when I come in here to sew. You can tell I haven't been sewing much lately.

The top of my table is metal, so I have a coaster next to my machine to soak up condensation-soaked summer glasses. Only clear liquids are allowed. Margaritas count as clear :)

Behind my machine is a speaker thing so I can listen to the radio or an iPod while I'm working, but I don't always put it on, because the machine is too noisy for me to hear anything!

The drawers on the left hold yarn (there's another under the table). When I made the standard post-move trip to Ikea, I forgot to buy cubes for that bookshelf to hold all that miscellaneous stuff...and I probably won't go to Ikea until I move again, so this is how it's going to be. Oh and hey I lied, there's art on top of that bookshelf!

That closet hides my fabric and batting, which is inside those big bins, and there's a little on that top shelf, in front of board games and other things you stick in closets. I don't make enough quilts to justify that much fabric, so don't let me buy any more. Unless I really need it.

6 comments:

  1. Very nice space Mary! I love all that sunshine peaking in. Margaritas, check. Dehydrated plant, check. No fabric buying??? I don't think so! I will enable you whenever you want!

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  2. nice and sunny! Oh come now! let's go buy EXCESS!! you need more stash! hahaha! I'm a bad influence there...

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  3. oh mary, i love the space and i'm jealous of your sunshine~ the green quilt is looking fab so far too. and, btw, i will try to be good and not encourage stash expansion, BUT, I do live right next to the IKEA in Hicksville and will gladly pick up whatever storage bins you need (assuming i can easily transport them to manhattan) and bring them to the next meeting...

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  4. Mary, what a beautiful room! It makes me think of sunlight filtering through leafy trees; a large white mushroom with long, graceful legs reaching up towards the light... (haha, I'm all for leaving ironing boards up and ready).
    The greens are perfect. I could see this piece moving to one of your blank walls when it's done.
    I admire your restraint and realism about buying fabric. It's hard to do but it helps keep that nice airy feeling you have. I've been working at getting a little more "air" in my studio for the past couple of years :)

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  5. Expansion .....fabric should always be expanded..thats why there is so many items created for storage...smiles.. high ceilings translates to Ikea Lack shelving...smiles...

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  6. Don't you spend your lunch hour at City Quilter? You don't need a stash...you have a store! Nice sewing space you have, Mary.

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