wow, what happened to the worktable?

I do try the KISS way of doing things.  I really do!  vbsigh  Let me share how I got to this photo.

May was very hectic due to weekly exploratory posts over on ...and then we set it on fire...!  I tackled the ambitious project of experimenting with Lutradur which was a new material to me.  Then I combined that with 12 x 12 inch pages themed mother and daughters which I put in a fabric memory box.   This was the prize winner for underestimating projects.  lol  Definitely worthwhile and I'll be finishing that all up.  But I made a horrendous mess in my Coop and Saucer Playroom.    I shut the door and went off to Winnipeg on Monday.  I planned a stop at my local Bernina dealer, Sew Inspiring, to pick up one small item that was amended to two before I even left.  As I was paying for them I overhead a conversation about Plexiglas inserts and a portable table.  That lead to purchase number three as I realized it was my birthday soon and this table opportunity had just fallen into my lap.  :) 

May's marathon helped me identify my priorities.  Mixed Media Art has seduced me away from my first luv, fabric.  I am missing my quilting.  Sew...

I have been thinking a lot about my passion.  What do I like to do and how do I do it???  And I do hope it doesn't turn out to be furniture moving!!!  ;~)

I want fabric and stitching to be in most of my work.  I like to stand to piece but to improve my MQing skills I need to sit and so does Nina.  I can indulge the messy stuff with dyeing/painting/stamping fabric as well as paper.  And journals can incorporate cloth. Really!  :)

Nina is a big girl and to shine at FMQing she needs to be down in a table.  I had the Rooster all convinced to remodel my traditional sewing cabinet which has the smaller opening when I saw this 'fidget' table at Elizabeth's store.  Look at all the work I'm saving the Rooster!!!  And the truth be told, I needed more leg room.

After trying to keep my lovely quilting surface as well as the new table I ended up folding the cabinet away and  butting up two old Ikea cupboards and an old wooden table to surround Nina.  The drawer even opens for some added elbow room.  It works.  I'll tweak the levels, order the Plexiglas insert, find a round stool and QUILT!  Nina will always be ready.

Mini is strutting her stuff from command central.  I cannot live without this cutting table.  I wish I could have it fully extended but the reality is I clutter half of it and only use the cleared part.  :(  Mini is near the wet area and can stitch a quick line.  She doesn't seem to flinch when I get to flinging paint like Nina did.  ;^)  She is set for quick piecing, ironing and fast runs to the design wall.  I did lose my ruler spot but I have also learned I am NOT a peg board girl so a shelf up there will hold my ruler stand.  The drop leaf extends over part of the MQing area and when I'm leaning on it, two plastic drawers nicely support the top.  They also store 'stuff'!  :}

Out of view and already filling the very back is all the stuff I need to find new spots for.  But, I have warned all my little playmates that if they don't fuel my passion and don't have a spot.....   SURELY, this has to be the last time for tweaking.  ahem, I am already eyeing up the fabric stash behind those curtains as fabric seems to be creeping over flat areas and gathering in corners because the shelves are quite stuffed.  Purge coming!  Well, I've purged to the minimum, maybe restacking will help!

Which brings me to the monthly wall hanging.  I am liking this commitment to myself.  May was a little harder to keep up with but I am finishing it up because Nina wants a crack at MQing it.  Her faster speed could help with the piecing but ya know, I'm learning to enjoy the process.  :)

June could beabout big wild pink roses but it is gonna be about pinkness, wee roses and bunnies!  I can't recall how I got the centre FQ's but they are kinda cute.  The two fabrics on the right are new and part of my reviving stash buying dilema.  Where are all these little critters coming from?  The left are oldies but goodies.  I want to feature the bunny motifs and I'll be thinking churn dash or ??? options while I finish up the May baskets.   I am liking the bigger wall hanging size and will be doing the dreaded math to figure out my design plan and size requirements.  I can't wait to chase bunnies after I get the baskets completed and the playroom all tweaked!

The applique block for DD#1's quilt was May basket but I didn't get to it.  It is a fairly complicated block with a woven basket.  But I'm not behind because I have this trapunto block finished and I was holding it in reserve.  :)  I might need to remove some stuffing though as it is quite distorted now that I'm actually looking at it.  hmmm  I need a rabbit or two to nibble on those flowers.  lol

I wonder what the rest of Canada is chasing this June? 

The REAL Studio Tour- mid project

  Welcome to The Coop and Saucer Playroom and the mid project reveal for the Real Studio Tour. 

It seems like I am always mid-project and I am always mixing wet and dry projects!  I do try to keep my fabric stash, my sewing and my beading on the right hand side of this room.  My large craft table divides my space nicely.  The window faces west which isn't the best for light so I keep sheer curtains to diffuse the strong rays.  The wall on the left is designated for my mixed media projects.  It probably gets the most cluttered.  The cubby with the green baskets used to store fabric scraps sorted by colours but now holds paper, also sorted by colour.

Much as I try not to get stuff on my fabric, my impatience leads to just one little quick technique on the table.  I suspect that even when I get a workshop for all the messy stuff I will still try for that quick little thing in the corner of my designated sewing space! lol

My fabric is stored in two Ikea bookcases which fit nicely in the chimney corner.  I made covers to hide everything with white feather ticking which is very cheap at the large discount store.  It also my design wall.

I have two sewing machines.  Nina is an 820 Bernina and has the throat space for my machine quilting and the design stitches for my fibre art.  Nina is sandwiched between bookcases and I am deciding if this will work.  She once was permanently alongside the cutting table.  But she was in danger from paint spray and spilled stuff!  :(   I am not planning to make very many more big quilts but if the need arises I would drag Nina alongside my cutting table so I can spread the quilt out more

Mini is an old  Bernina and she is up for quick mending and  quick stitching on paper.  I had coveted a Feather weight but Mini is pretty light and a lot of the feet I had before I got Nina fit Mini.  She is a lot more portable than Nina who is a big girl.  The sewing machines do tend to stay clutter free.  Thank goodness! 
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The bookcase to the right of my sewing area holds backing, buttons, beads and thread. When I found this over the door ironing board I was ecstatic.  Then I decided last week to remove the door from the closet and moved the ironing station inside my main door.   I thought it might not work.  But when I am 'in the zone' I don't leave the room and it retracts pretty easy.

My cutting table has gone from being half used to always fully extended.  I luv the height and it is always cluttered and always in use.  I purposely put it in the middle of the room so I can access three sides.  I proceeded to completely fill underneath it with storage.  The two Ikea drawers are repurposed from my girls' bedroom and are shallow for 12 " blocks and pattern pieces.  The  plastic carts hold all kinds of supplies and I wish they were almost all shallow.  Beats digging!  ;)   My Rooster did put two legs to support the corners better as that tends to be where I cut.

The mixed media wall gathers many of the supplies for altering cloth and paper for my art.  The wall is short due to the roof slope but I'm pretty short so I can't reach much higher.  The near left is for my scrap booking.  The centre counter is all about wet.  The last section is an old wooden office cabinet and will probably collect my idea folders and my latest technique book.

I am just thrilled with the results of removing this closet door.  It has really opened up this whole corner.  The door is stashed behind the cupboard and brings it forward which means I'll not be able to pile things on the floor.  ;)  I've added more shelves to the cupboard and it holds scrap book supplies. Tucked out of sight and under the roof slope is a bookcase for more of my book stash.  A light in here would be a help!  lol

My big cutter moved from the old office cabinet to between these doors and  it hasn't collected too much stuff during this week.  My grand son (5) has already tried out the new set up and approves!  lol

One good thing is that my centre table doesn't get horribly cluttered because I am forced to clear it off regularly for the next project.  I have made many changes over the years and once again I can't imagine improving my work space again but I've learned to never say never when it comes to the creative process which seems to have me always in mid- project. 
 
Thanks for visiting.    I hope you visit more 'real' studios over at the Field Trips in Fiber blog who are also in mid-project.   May you be blessed in all your projects wherever you are in the creative process. :)