Craft Room Reveal - Sewing Area

I've been showing off parts of my Craft Room over the past few weeks and today I want to show you the part that is near and dear to my heart.  It's the sewing area.

It's really one entire side of the room, across from the scrapbook area.  I love JoAnn's generally, but really regret two (expensive) purchases I have in my craft room.  First, this sewing table - almost $200.  It's small, and the drawers don't open well.  The other thing that is more frustrating (especially tonight) is the ribbon storage unit I bought.  It wasn't well made and I struggled with it until I finally gave up tonight.  (See my solution below).  I am happy with the painted pails that hold needles, bobbins, pins and buttons.

This is the corner next to the main sewing table.  It has my serger and some items I bought at a garage sale. I'm using the lanterns for supplies for headband making and elastic.

As of tonight it is also storing my ribbon after the epic fail of the ribbon holder.  I have some styrofoam balls recycled from Christmas ornaments that I used in another craft.  I took the dowel rods from the ribbon holder and sunk them vertically into the balls.  I put the ribbon on and lined them up on the table shelf.  (BTW, that little table was made by my dad in high school back in the 1940s.)

This is my cutting table.  I bought it at a Blockbuster that was closing for $30.  It's 6 feet long with a durable plastic top.  I covered it with two curtains I bought on sale at Target.  I covered it so I could use the area underneath for bin storage for scrap fabric and yarn.  It works really well with a plastic cutting mat on top of the fabric cover.

Last but not least is my fabric storage.  I described the shelf fabric storage in another post, but I've combined it with the shelves in my closet.  I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I have too much fabric and need to start using it before I buy anymore.

So, that's it!  It is my new favorite place - where my family knows I'm at when they can't find me.  Yep, I have everything but a bed in here.  Let the creativity begin in earnest!

cindy

My First Quilt

I'm a wimp about quilting.  It's very intimidating to me.  I love rag quilts, probably because no one in my family made them, so I couldn't be too intimidated.  My grandmother made many quilts, even years after a major stroke, and all by hand.  My sister made her first quilt less than 7 years ago, but as usual she started big - I mean really big.  She made these huge colorful banners for her church.  Yeah, that big thing with the ribbons.

This one too:

So you can see why I might be a bit intimidated.  I finally overcame my fear, bought a pattern and some bundled fat quarters and made my first quilt:

I love the colors.  The blocks are multiple sizes and didn't line up perfectly, but you have to look close to see it.

I can't remember the pattern, but I do remember I purchased it at JoAnns.  I followed the directions for the binding and I'm pretty proud of it.

I was a weenie with the actual quilting.  I "stitched in the ditch".  That means I followed the seams of the blocks on the quilt top to sew through the quilt sandwich (quilt top, batting and quilt back).

I must say I'm pretty proud of it.  I made it a while back and today when I look at it I'm surprised I made it all by myself.  I pretended to be my sister and jumped in boldly - go big or go home.  (O.K., my quilt isn't big, but it's a metaphor for doing something you've never done before.)  Next time I'm going to try "real" quilting and stay out of the ditch.

cindy

DIY - Easy Colonial Costume

This post can now be found (with the Alexander Hamilton update below) at my new blog, Pretty Home Threads.  Check it out!