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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

My Sewing Studio


     I want to introduce you to my sewing  studio.  I have waited a long time for this.  I sewed in my front porch, my garage, my kitchen, my basement and now I have My Own Sewing Studio.  It's great, I went from sewing for my self and family in one small room to sewing for others in three.

                     Conference Room
     I'm on the second floor on Main St which I love I get a lot of light coming in from the windows.  You walk up the stairs and see my door lucky number 3 and walk in to my conference room and display area.  This is the room where I meet with my clients and we look through my swatches.  This is also the room where I keep my aprons to ship for my Etsy store.

    


                  Sewing Room
     You walk down the small hall and the first room to the left is my sewing room.  This is where I keep all my sewing machines and sergers.  The way I have it set up is in an L shape. I do this so I can wheel back and forth between my machines.  Behind my sewing machines I like to keep some storage, zippers, grommets, etc., anything I use on a daily basis.  This is also the room where my students learn to use a sewing machine.

   

                                                    Cutting Room
  My last room I think is my favorite. This is my cutting room.  I built a custom cutting table on wheels. It is 60" wide by 96" long. I do all my cutting, ironing, hopping my embroideries, you name it I do it. No more working on the floor or the pool table/ping pong table.  It is just great cutting and squaring off my fabrics.


      It is still not 100% the way I want, but it is getting there.  I have everything organized how I use it most.  My apron fabrics are all together, right above that are my bias tapes. My backpack fabrics are all together, my drawstring cording are right above.  My embroidery threads are all together, my sewing threads are together, my serging threads are together. My hoops are together and near all my backings for my embroideries. 
     I only like to handle items once, so I try to save time by being organized. I have to many things I want to sew and don't want to waste time looking for little items that make my life easier.  I keep multiple measuring gauges, marking pencils ,12" rulers, scissors , etc, within reach at all times in different locations. This way I don't have to stop in the middle of my project to get every little thing I need.   I also keep a small bucket for trash on my cutting table for all those small pieces of fabric or pattern pieces i need to throw away, again within arms length. Whatever i can think of to make my sewing easier, faster and more enjoyable I do. You know how the saying goes so many sewing projects so little time. if only I didn't need to sleep.

     I hope this has give you a little look into my sewing studio and encourages you to get going with your sewing.   My daughter is now 17 and my son 13 and I figured it's now or never.  Hopefully you don't wait this long.
Best wishes

Friday, November 11, 2011

I made myself a backpack

     Today I finally made myself a backpack.  I have been making them for my son, his friends, to sell on Etsy, now I have my own and I love it.  My backpacks are made out of rip stop nylon.  They are durable and easy to wash. 
     I think my son has four or five different ones.  He has one for each soccer team he likes and/or plays for. Now I have my own. The front I did because I was trying my logo out and the back because I thought it was funny. I'm still working on digitizing and am not sure if this is going to be my final embroidered logo, but I think it is getting close.
     Now I can personalize the front and back of the backpacks with almost anything, depending on your mood. It can be your soccer backpack or dancing backpack, or you can have a funny saying on it, maybe a nice flower. 

     This just goes to show that you actually have time to sew for yourself once in a while.  

Snowman embroidery pros and cons

Today I tried a new embroidery the snowman. It was cute and I thought why not. The first one I tried with home decorating lining for the body parts, but it didn't look the way I liked. It as fleece, but the wrong kind for sure.  At bottom when it started doing the satin stitch the threads started to pull and it will unravel sooner or later.  For me that is not good enough.

My next try I just happen to have polar fleece in my stash and it came out so much better. The design just seemed to pop off the towel, it is softer to the touch. I know for a fact that it will not unravel. This just goes to show that I was right to save all my fabric.  I'm really starting to love my fabric stash.