Saturday, January 18, 2014

My New Sewing Room!!

Hello Everyone! How you doing?
Great, I hope.
 
Finally after 20 years, I got a sewing room again.
Yahoo!!!!
My former living room is or was the biggest
room in the home that we live in now.
14X12 is not saying much,
but hey I am happy and that is all that matters.
I am now able to show you what the room looks
like at this point.
I am still not finished. I need to straighten up and
re-arrange more but I am getting there!
So bare with me.
 
Walk through the dog gates into my
Sewing Room. We will enter and go to the
left side, from there work our way to
the right side.
 
On the left of coming in an old china
cabinet that belonged to my husband's
mother.
 I still need to get this china cabinet out of
here, hopefully soon it will find a new
home in some other room. Oh yea, that
is zip lock bags on top of my "Gone
with the Wind" figurines. A cheap way
to keep the dust off. You weren't suppose
to see that, but now that you did, I felt
the need to explain. Lol's
Anyway I want a tall bookcase to go in
this space.
 
 Directly against the china cabinet is an iron quilt
rack that you cannot see. It is holding some vintage
quilts that I eventually want to show you. These
quilts came out of my bin that was stored in my garage.
The quilt with pink squares is a basket quilt. The other
quilt with green is a star. This quilt is similar to the
purple quilt that I made a long time ago that is
already on my blog. There is a door behind this
quilt rack that stays locked constantly.
 
You can see the window. I used to have thick floor length
red curtains that blocked out the sun, with checked
shades underneath. I kept the shades. I was not
looking for anything fancy in this room, at least not yet.
So, I took an old quilted king size
blanket and made the curtains that
you see here. One entire side of the blanket made
me a 17 inch deep valance. The valance goes across
the window and the door with very little gathering.
The shades just hang to the floor. This room is
still cold!!
I had to use the printer box to hold my printer to get
it off of my desk. I hope to remedy that this summer
and put a tall shelf there so it will hold computer
paper and supplies.
This is the sewing desk that was upstairs in my sewing
room. Boy, that desk is heavy!!! My hubby and I
scooted, pushed and shoved on towels down the
stairs to get it here in this spot. The boxes on top of
the sewing cabinet hold beads, beading in
one box. Another box holds upholstery trims.
Another box holds pincushions etc.. Much
storage in those boxes. Now I can swing
around in my chair!! hooray!
 
Well, I was wondering where this photo got off to!
Here is a close up of the quilts that were in the
garage. After they are quilted, I will wash them.
 
I have designated this spot in front of the window
as my cross stitch table. I will have to keep this area
clean if I want to stitch here. The plastic green Wal-Mart dresser
bins hold ribbons, lace and just a touch of cross
stitch in the bottom drawer. This room gets cold so I have
a little space heater to keep my feet warm. To the
right is a little white plastic bin. It holds stuff for
my sewing machine only.
 
My monitor always displays my miniature scenes.
I change them every so often. This particular
screensaver shows the gowns that I won from Felma's
giveaway!
 
I still have a small box on the top of the desk to sort
thru. Sabrina the witch is keeping an eye on it for
me. I have been sorting thru getting rid of things
again, so now my shelves are looking a little bare.
But don't worry - I have plenty of stuff to put up there.
I have been stitching on another little miniature quilt.
See it to the right of Sabrina's head. It is a Grandmother's
fan. Yes it is a cheaters, but I work hard on those little
quilts.
 
I meant to take photo's inside the plastic bins but
I forgot. What can I say. I have been going through
these bins. Look one bin is empty!! One bin holds
the television remotes. One bin holds only pincushions.
And yes there are plenty of them in that one bin.
Another bin holds just cutting scissors.Scrapbook
papers are hiding in one of those bins. The bins
still need cleaning out. Hopefully I get them cleaned
to show you on the next post.
It is nice to sit here, quilt or sew and watch a little
tele. My fireplace in the corner.
 
This space is beneath my sewing machine. these bins
need going through also. That plastic bin holds
trash. Maybe it is time to empty it.
 
Here is a little spot for my doggy's. Ira likes the
brown bed. Little Kane loves the blue crate. And
curry keeps scooting his blanket towards my feet.
I keep moving him back cause I am afraid of stepping
on him. Time to get Kane a new bed. And Curry
needs a bed so he stays in one spot. Love my boys!
 
It is hard to believe that my poor over-worked attic
once held all of this fabric. But it did! This was
15 bins that I emptied. I was quilting on my
9patch quilt and washing fabric as hard as I could
just trying to get this room up to par. I was up
many hours. The more I washed fabric, the more
I stitched!
I have tried organizing these
shelves. It is hard when you have so much. The very
top of both units will hold my quilts when finished.
At least I hope it holds all of them. Below that, I
call this section MY SHEET SHELF. This
section holds just twin, double, queen, and king sheets
and pillowcases. I even had some new ones in here!
I use these sheets for blocks, sashes and backings.
Once you start quilting a lot of this fabric does get
used very fast!
The next shelf holds only white sheets and a few
others that will not fit on the sheet shelf. And then
starts the fabric shelf.
 
This next shelf is my QUILT TOP SHELF. Quilts
waiting to be hand quilted. These quilts have waited
20 years for me to look at them. They certainly have
waited long enough.
The bottom shelf are 2 cloth bins that hold a lot of
applique blocks that me and my momma worked on
in the 80's. It was a thrill to open them. I will show
you them in the next post. So much stuff was packed
in those bins.
 
This room fits both of my leather computer chairs.
I will show you the quilt on the back of the chair a
little later. It is a quilt that needs mending. Which is
my next project.
 
This is the other shelving unit. The bottom shelf holds
batting and will hold polyester stuffing also.
The shelf above it is packed with fabrics. The same
with the shelf above it.
 
The top shelf will eventually hold more quilts and
a lace bin.
The shelf below it has a variety of fabrics. This shelf
holds curtains that will get cut up. There is a space for
pillow shams. Yea, I cut them up also. Behind the curtains
are lots of bed dust ruffles. I love these!
I cut the skirts off from the inner section of the dust
ruffles. These sections are white cotton and sometimes
they are paper like. If the inner section is a very
good cotton then I use that for blocks etc..
However, if the inner section is papery, that
is great to use as a foundation block for strip quilts.
Sometimes thrift stores carry loads of these
bed dust ruffles. Most people over-look these,
because they do not know what to do with them,but
there are tons of fabric here to use. Those long skirts
can be stripped for borders or most anything.
These bed dust ruffles sell as little as $1.50.
This is a great buy!
There are also cotton duvet covers behind these
pillow shams. These duvet covers are a great way
to take one side to use in a quilt for blocks etc..
and take the back side of the duvet cover to use for
the quilts backing. That way some blocks on the
top of the quilt can match the backing. Some of these
duvet covers at thrift stores sell for as little as $7.00.
Underneath the white apron is a section for
are some cotton thrift store
clothes washed and dried. Ready to be cut up.
I just finished the white linen apron and hung it.
 
This corner holds 2 plastic Wal-Mart dresser style drawer
bins that have been stacked on top of each other. Each
dresser holds only 3 drawers giving me a total of 6 drawers.
The bottom drawer holds Christmas fabrics.
The next drawer up holds red fabrics only. 2 drawers
hold little pieces of scraps and strips to make the STRIP
QUILTS. The top 2 drawers holds 2.5 inches or larger
strips to sew into blocks.  On top of the dressers are
cotton thrift store clothes. The good thing about
buying thrift store clothes is that they are already
pre-shrunk. So many lovely prints are there. And
shirting's, this is a great place to buy men's shirts.
 
Yay, my ironing board can stay up. It is such
a nuisance to keep putting away an iron and
its companion when you sew.
 
This use to be my fold away cutting table when we
lived in Oklahoma. In the room where it
was located at, it was able to stay open
all the time, but in this house, it could
never be opened. Plus anyone that
ever owned this type, know that it is
not very stable. At least mine was not.
 
This table mat used to be on that fold away table.It
is self healing, but mine never heals?? Anyway I
do not cut on this mat, I use other mats that I
place on top of it to cut my fabrics.
 
I have to show you this island!! I saw it here:
georgiapeachez.typepad.com - new-cu
 
And I just new this was for me!! I am not one
to copy, but this was the answer to a cutting table!!
I am not as organized as her photo's are, but hey,
this works for me. It had added storage!
This island used 4
bookcases that were from Wal-Mart. I just happened
to own these bookcases, and they were being stored in my attic.
They had been up there for years!  This was so easy
to do.
My hubby took the top off of the fold away cutting
table that I owned and placed it here on top of the
bookcases. I then placed that self healing large mat
(that you see above) on top. I am surprised that the
mat did not disintegrate! It had been in the garage
so long.
I absolutely love this idea!!
The extra storage comes in handy. As you can see I
am trying to fill up this shelf. The first 2 shelves hold
Halloween fabrics. This will be moved later. The bottom
shelf is holding some vintage items. Those will be
moved also a little later.
 
This side of the bookcase is towards the shelving
units. The shelf is currently holding quilt blocks
that have been cut out already and in sandwich bags.
Also blocks that need settings. And there are a ton
of 9patch blocks on the second shelf.
 
This side faces my window. These are the only
quilt books, magazines that I own now after getting
rid of 180 books.  The top shelf holds the baby box
that I converted to a sewing box. It holds only my
quilting supplies in that little box. It holds my rotary
cutters, thimbles, quilting needles and safety pins.
Love that little box. Of course I do love boxes.
They come in handy.
 
This side faces towards the dogs. The top shelf holds
my miniature fabrics. Those little plastic bins will
go back in the attic. Then there will be 2 shelves
empty.
 
I hope you liked visiting my sewing room!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hopblogger
 
 


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A Mother and Daughter Collaboration!

Hello Everyone!
 
As a Christmas present to my sister Lori
from my daughter Pep and
I, we collaborated on a Dog Wallhanging
or a little lap quilt.
 
Me, thinks that I have a little quilter in
my midst!
 
This little dog quilt was made because Lori
loves Terriors. She has had 2 of them. One that
died about 4 years ago from cancer and a dog now
that she owns names Grissom. Grissom is so sweet.
The colorful binding and colorful sashes were
created from Grissom's bandana's. Everytime
he went to the groomers, he came back with a
pretty bandana. The bright colors just enhanced
the black linen.
Here is the finished quilt. The sashes and borders
are black linen and so is the back fabric.
 
I hand stitched the outside borders and binding while Pep
stitched the colorful sashes and inside blocks and borders.
The bandana's were cut on the bias so the fabrics were
stretchy. I did the best that I could in trying to make
them straight and sew down even. However the quilt
is still lovely!
 
A close up of some of the bones and dog paws that
she hand stitched. So cute!!! Pep even made the
tiny stencils for the bones and paws.
 
Here is the cutest Terrior dog patch that I have ever
seen. Look at the lovely small stitches that Pep
appliqued the dog down with. The stitches are even
and just as they should be. Hey, that's a wonderful
job you did there, Pep!!
 
Here is the little quilt in it's binding stage.
 
The back linen with Pep's and mine hand stitching
along with the binding sewed on.
 
The little quilt all folded up and ready to give to
it's proud owner.
 
Hope you enjoyed seeing the little doggy quilt.
 
Hopblogger
 


Sunday, January 12, 2014

MY 9-PATCH QUILT IS FINISHED

Hello Everyone!
 
I meant to post this 2 days ago, but I got so busy that
I completely forgot until now. I finished my
quilt on January 10th. The only thing left to
do is to make a quilt label and as of yet
I do not know what or how I want to make
that, or if I want to buy labels?
 
My quilt had to be washed 3 times to get those
age spots out. And each time I pre-treated them
very heavily. With each washing my muslin
got brighter and brighter. I am so happy with
how the quilt has turned out! I hope you like it
also.
 
Here is my finished 9-patch quilt. Basically it has
taken me about 19 days to hand quilt this twin quilt.
Not bad, I say.

Here, I show one side of the borders that is quilted
already. I had to hand quilt fans in each of the 4
corners of the quilt, so I hope you can see it.
2 sides of the quilt has green
borders and the other 2 sides only have the cream
borders. I have not placed the quilt on my bed yet
to see which way those green borders are suppose
to lay, but I think they were added for length.
 
A better close up t see one of the fans.
 
All 4 borders are squared up with excess batting
and backing cut off.
 
I cut fabric 4.5 inches wide and folded in one side
towards the middle, but further towards the top. Then
I folded the other side in, making the size I wanted.
After all was folded and ironed, I began to machine
stitch to the back side of the quilt.
 
Here I was hand quilting the binding. This is the
fasting part of making a quilt. What I do is pin at
least 2 sides of the binding to the quilt. Then I start
hand stitching it closed on the front side.
 
Again, here is the quilt finished!
I will be hand quilting another quilt in a few more
weeks from now. I got some projects that need
finishing!
 
Thank you for visiting me!
Hopblogger
 


Monday, January 6, 2014

New Living Area

Hello Everyone! I do hope that
your New Year has started off good!
 
Well, we are still trucking along - moving
rooms around that is. Everything is far
from being finished. My furniture is heavy!
 
What ever you do - do not buy any heavy
furniture if you like to change things around
like I do.
 
I gave my daughter Jan the other matching chair
and ottoman we owned and kept just this one set.
It is angled in the bay window. I always keep
white matelassé blankets on our furniture. This way
my furniture stays clean. These blankets get washed
often and bleached because of my dogs. But you
would not know it by looking at them. They hold
up very well.
 
Our T.V. is on the left, sofa is angled ONLY FOR A
SHORT WHILE!
 
Unfortunately my china cabinet had to stay - but
no problem. I worked it out.
 
The chaise is going upstairs as soon as we can get
that room straightened up.  These things are
a waste of money. Mine never gets sat in!
Our living area will be spacious once it's removed. 
Truly, I literally do not have a lot of
furniture. Our home is small and too much in it, makes
it look so crowded. I am always getting rid of
some thing! - But IT IS NEVER ENOUGH.
It is still going to take a few months to finish. These
things take time to plan and some things do not
fit where you mean for them to. So, then you have
to re-group! As we finish a room, if it has
carpet then that gets shampooed - not once - BUT
TWICE for good measure.
I will update this room again, once this Chaise is
out of here.
 
Thanks for visiting!
Hopblogger