NEW STUDIO - Part 1

It's about time that I get around to showing you my new studio.   I keep thinking I will get it completely done before I show it, but that will take forever, so I am just going to show it to you even though it is not completely put together.
This will be a series of posts over the next week or so.

Welcome to Jillily Studio.  Imagine you are standing outside on my porch.  There's that red door.  (Matches my red windows!) 

 Now if you were already in my house, here's the entrance off the family room:

I was planning to cover the windows in the french doors to hide the mess, but I think I like it.  (Not the mess, but the doors.)  It lets in a lot of light, and I love light!  More about that later...

My studio space is not huge, (~11 x23)  but it is nice and big compared to what I have had before.  You can make any small space work for you if you are creative about storage.

Here's my fabric storage.  Built in shelves that flank the window seat provide plenty of storage area for my fabric.

The bolts are easy, they were the first thing I moved in.  I can put more bolts on the top shelves horizontally if needed, and there is more bolt storage area under the sewing table, too.  I keep rotating this fabric by cutting and selling, or sewing.

When I get my new line in a month or so, much of this will be cut into kits and bundles to sell at shows or online.

The cut yardage, or stash fabrics that I have collected, belongs on the opposite shelves.  I am still working on this area.  I have a lot more fabric to fold and organize, and EDIT.  (I figure if I have had that same piece of fabric through the last 4 moves, it is probably time for it to be donated.)  That makes room for more NEW fabric!  Right?

I put my cut pieces in wire baskets.  That way I can see what is in them, and get them down easily.  Before, I had stacks of fabric in a large cupboard, and it was a disaster--when you wanted to pull out one piece, the whole stack came tumbling out.  So I found these baskets, and I love them!

  I place the fabrics in the baskets verticallly, so that when I pull it out to look, I can see everything in there, and pull out just the piece I need.

Between the two shelves is the window and seat.  I planned this area so that people will have a nice place to sit when they come in to visit with me while I am sewing.  It's perfect place for a grand-child to sit and read or watch a video while I work.

We do have a good time together! 

 

Inside the window seat is storage for batting, pillow forms, and stuffing, etc.  Bulky items that are not very attractive by themselves.  I am planning to make a cushion for the top of the window seat, but that is not done yet.  (Add it to the list.)

My sewing area is right near the window seat.  I had this countertop made in an L shape to go along the wall and out into the room to create a peninsula.  My budget didn't allow for a lot of cabinets, so I just cleated it to the wall and have just one small cabinet with some drawers to hold up the end.  This also allows for a lot of storage area under the table top on each side.

Don't you just love that red leather chair I found?  I got it for free at Office Max.  I had purchased a new printer and some other stuff there and I had this reward $$ from their buyer loyalty program, so I went in looking for a sewing chair.  I was planning to dress up an office chair with a cute handmade slip cover, but now I won't need to!
I made the counter top wide so I can have plenty of room for friends to join me to sew.  (Or I can just be really messy and take up all the space myself.)

 Someone else can join me and sit inside the L or on the outside.  So far the only ones that have joined me were my grandkids--they sat on the red ottoman and colored while I was working. 

Now here is one of my favorite things in my studio.  My red armoire.  I have had this for many years, and it has been used in many different rooms.  But I knew when we built this house that I wanted it in the studio.

I only have one small closet in the studio, so I needed a closed storage area, and I love using furniture pieces mixed in with built-ins for storage.  This red cupboard holds my quilts. 

Many of my quilts are used throughout my home on beds, tables, or hung on walls.  I rotate those around.  When they are not being displayed in my home or in a shop somewhere, this is where they live.

Make sure if you keep quilts folded that you occasionally open them up and re-fold them in a different way so they do not develop creases or fade on one side.  Fold them with the right side in sometimes, and the right side out sometimes.

When I re-fold, sometimes I pop them in the dryer for a quick fluff up before storing them again.

On top of my red armoire is my collection of glass jars.  They also serve as storage/display for small things like buttons and thread and clothespins. (I still have some fake fruit in some of them from my booth display when I did the Sorbet Garden ice cream shop.)

I love how the glass jars are shiny and let the light shine through.  Now here's the part about light.  I wanted lots of natural light in my studio, but I also needed some wall space, so on the north wall (north has the best natural light) I put skinny long window up high.  That preserved some wall space below the windows and gives me the light I needed.  Then for those nights when I am sewing way past sundown,  I opted for halogen flood lights in my recessed cans in the ceiling.  I finally have a nice BRIGHT studio!

That's all for today.  In a few days I will tell you about my cutting table, display areas, design wall, ribbon storage, and my pressing station.  See you then.

Almost Done

I have been busy finishing up odds and ends for the house.  You would think that when you have a builder that you don't have anything to do, but no.  That is not the case. 

Decide where the sidewalk goes.  Do we want bushes there?
What trim should we use under the hood?
Where will we put that?  Measure that space and see how much room there is. 
Pick out some lighting fixtures.  Exchange fixtures that don't fit.  Pick out more light fixtures.   Change light bulbs to brighter ones. 
Buy storage containers.  Will they fit on the shelves?
Have them change this or that.  (many times)
Whoops.  That's wrong.  Can you fix it?
I think the stain is too light.
Paint trim on mirrors to match.
etc. etc. etc....

Anyway, it is all winding down to the end, and soon I will be able to move out of here.
Guess what this is?

That's a penny tile.  I have been in love with these for a while.  So I used them on my backsplash in the kitchen.  (Fortunately my husband liked them, too.)  Aren't they great?!  I love the mix of old and new.  Things work that way, you know.  What is old becomes new again.

I love the contrast of the shiny subway tiles with the matte finish of the penny rounds.  And the gray grout.
Love it.
They finally hung my pendant lights over the island.  I think that is the main thing I have been waiting to see in this house.  I have had them picked out for a year, and couldn't wait to see them up.  They are kind of industrially retro-y slickish.   Yes, I think that describes them.  At least to me.

Here's how the kitchen is looking now.   It really looks much better in person, but you get the idea.  I can't wait to put my stuff in there and accessorize it!  I love how much room I have around the island, so there can be lots of cooks in the kitchen.  I have always wanted a prep sink, and it will really be a help when we are getting ready for a big feast.  Now I can actually have a baking station, a clean up station, a range/cooking station, and a prep station.  Wow, it is like a dream.  Oh, and don't forget the eating station!  I need to get some stools for the island.  Do you think 3 or 4?  swivel or not?  With a back? What color?  I need your input.

On to the studio.  The studio is one of the slowest areas to get done.  I haven't shown you a picture for a while.  I don't think you've seen my black and white checked floor.  Isn't it fun?  I knew I had to have a checked floor and my builder didn't offer it, but I made them add it to their custom options.  Do you know how many booths I have tiled in black and white checkerboard?!  This is a Jillily item.  And not negotiable.

 They have installed the cabinets, but not the countertops that will sit on top.  I guess that will happen in the next day or so.  I have an "L" shaped sewing counter that sits on these two small cabinets and then goes to the wall and then toward the shelves.  (Follows that blue line on the floor.)  Those shelves will be filled with fabric and books and such.

Looking the other way, you can see two cabinets that will hold up my cutting table island.  The counter against the wall will be for designing and kitting and everything else I need it for.  I think the main thing my studio space needed was surface area.  I don't need a whole lot of room to dance around in, but I do need multiple surfaces to keep various projects on.  (However, I may do some dancing around anyway when I finally get in here.)

 Beyond the main room is a little alcove that will hold my office.  A counter will run under that window and along the adjacent wall.  I have some file drawer cabinets under the counter and one for desky stuff.  My computer will be in there and all my products will be lined up on the shelves (built in on the left wall) ready to be shipped out to my customers.  More cabinets on the wall hold office supplies.  (eventually)  I plan to have my calendar up on one wall, and in my fantasy I am actually really organized and know exactly what is going on.  I guess a new studio can't solve all my problems.  But it is worth dreaming about.

I'll show you more as they finish things up.  Keep watching because I have something else to share with you in a few days!

Happenings

At the family quilt retreat this year we did a simple little zig zag quilt.  It was lots of fun, and quick to do.  My daughter-in-law finished binding hers last weekend.  She made a baby quilt for her sister. 

 Isn't it darling?  She put soft minky on the back--perfect for a baby quilt!

Speaking of family, here we all are on Easter Sunday.  What a good looking bunch!  And they are sweet, too.  We had a great weekend together.

All the GRANDS together.  Those cute cousins have matching outfits because Grandma couldn't resist.  (And then I  just had to get Emmy a little princess dress, after all, she is the only girl!)

Moving along, I have been busy with my next two fabric lines.  One is almost ready, I have the strike-offs now, and the other is just starting the process.  I think you will like them.  At least I hope so.  I will show them in the next post.

Our house is coming along, but slowly.  At least it seems slow when you are living with most of your stuff in storage.  I bet I've forgotten half of the things I own.  I was just thinking the other day that I should file some of this business stuff, only to remember that I own a file cabinet, but it is no where to be found.  Sigh.  (Note to self:  File later.)


One great thing I have been so looking forward to is the new studio.  They have framed in all the shelves and the window seat:

 Just imagine these shelves stocked with fabric bolts and baskets.  And a cute cushion on the window seat surrounded by handmade pillows!  (Inside the seat is a great storage area for batting.  Just the right size, and out of sight.)

The  studio is really not that big--but it certainly is bigger than where I am now!  And it will all be laid out just perfectly with a spot for everything and plenty of surface area to work.  On the opposite end of the room is my office alcove.  I will now be able to keep the business area and the creative area separate.  This is where my NEW file drawers will be--and I'm sure I will have a lot of filing to do.

Be sure to check back soon, I am going to show you my new fabric.