Day 8 / Me-Made-May 2015 / Sewing Room

Friday's are 'theme' days during Me-Made-May and today's theme is 'sewing space' with an emphasis on the machines we use.  I sew on a Bernina 1230 and a Bernette for Bernina Funlock 006D Serger.  Both machines were purchased in the mid-1990's with the sewing machine 'previously loved' (i.e. used) and the serger brand-new.  May I also mention that I absolutely would not be able to sew without my magnifying Ott Lite on wheels.  You can see the magnifying glass above the serger in the photo below.  I use it for all my machine and handwork projects.... and that's while wearing my reading glasses too.

I'd like to take this opportunity to show you around my sewing room, but before we move away from this photo, below.... one cannot miss the beautiful horse print above my desk.  I love horses!  I've always loved horses for as far back as I can remember and have owned horses, not only in my youth when I was brave enough to ride hunter/jumpers, but also as an adult with a less adventuresome spirit.  I fell in love with this print because she reminded me of a sweet, beautiful mare I used to have.  No horses now, but I will always adore them.

Today I am wearing another Kirsten Kimono Tee and a NEWLOOK 6192 soft gray skirt.

I am blessed to have my own room.  You might remember my sweet husband painted it for me earlier this year.  You can read more about it at this post.  The color is Sherwin Williams' Abalone, and I love it!  He's painting the ceiling in the photo below.  Yep, everything was painted!  It was so stressful at the time, having to clear everything out..... but now that I'm back in and tweaking the organization, I really love my room!

My husband surprised me with this lovely writing desk recently.  It's a Black Mountain Nicholas Sparks design.  There's more information here if you are interested.  With a business background, desks always seem sort of 'important' to me..... and I love this one.  Have thoroughly enjoyed the chairs I recovered using no pattern.  Gosh, has it really been two years?!!!

Against one wall is a fairly large white pegboard my husband customized for me.  It took me forever to decide how to organize it and still not sure this is 'it', but at least I'm functioning and am able to find things when I need them.  I like to hang the quilt samples I've made for inspiration.  You can see a little more, bottom left, of the Ott Lite on wheels.  Can't seem to find it on their website today, but I think it runs @$189 at Hobby Lobby.  I used a 40% coupon and it's worth every single penny as I would not be able to see well enough to enjoy working on my projects.  It rolls, swivels, and moves any way you need it.  It also lights up around the magnifying glass.  Radio to the right atop an heiroom TV cabinet that used to belong to my Oklahoma grandmother.  Oh my goodness, how I remember watching the television in this cabinet all my growing up years when we'd visit at her house.  My aunt had it reconfigured for my mother to be used as a cabinet, and upon my mother's death, it was given to me.  It's full of my mother's antique plate settings.

These little wooden carts-on-wheel, you can also barely see in the photo above, bottom left, as well as photo below, are kept near the table that I sew on.  We found these at a local store and they are terrific organizers.   I store my extra fabric in labeled Banker's Boxes.  Need to find a better place for these. :)

Atop one of the wooden rolling carts, is a tiered metal stand that I recently picked up at Wal-Mart in the bathroom accessory section of their store.  Quilting basting pins, special threads recently ordered, pin cushions, all sort of notions that I use frequently are stored here.  My Alabama great-grandmother's little silk asian box is kept for my handsewing supplies.  Another sweet memory from my childhood..... I remember this box, as it matched her large pincushion.  As she was an avid seamstress, the pincushion is in terrible unusable condition....

....but some reason this little box survived well.

And I use it frequently and think of her.

On the other wall is rolling shelving that holds..... well.... everything it seems.  From patterns at the top, to projects in the works, to the stash I want to keep out to plan projects, to photo albums at the bottom waiting to be scanned, digitized and shared with family. 

To the left, is a smaller cart on wheels that holds batting and larger projects.  Doesn't everyone keep an exercise ball in their sewing room?!  I do as I also exercise in here too.  This is a multi-purpose, multi-function room for me.

To the right is my printer, bulletin board corner....

...and a large lateral file cabinet.... all handy near my desk and computer.

An antique dresser, also a family heirloom from my Oklahoma grandmother is kept near my desk for file organization.  This is the original mirror.  It's so old it's not real clear..... but I love it so.  It used to be a part of my grand-parent's master bedroom set.  I also have the matching chest of drawers kept elsewhere in the house.  My husband made the little wooden index card catalog that was a gift to me one Christmas.  Bottom left is a shadow box full of handmade gifts my sweet daughter, Melissa, made for me.  They are hand sewn, crochet and embroidered.  I need to find a place to hang it up, but meanwhile it's near my desk too.

Sewing and project work is done on a large table in the center of the room whose legs used to be white, but I painted them a medium-dark gray to match the gray-theme of the room.  Forgot to take a picture, but recently purchased a sisal rug trimmed in dark brown for flooring.  Underneath my table is kept clear for one of Towa's little dog beds, as she likes to keep me company during the day.  Photo below, shows my current Alabama Chanin project.

And because I missed posting a photo yesterday..... I'll show you what I wore to dinner last night with my husband.  I'd worked outside all......... day........ long....... on our gardens and chicken area and there was not going to be any photos of that!  It was so nice that my husband suggested a dinner out.  I'm wearing NEWLOOK 6192 skirt, with a Kirsten Kimono Tee along with the new Jersey Bolero-style Jacket/Cardi, Pattern N, from Happy Homemade Sew Chic by Yoshiko Tsukiori.  May I also add that my husband is being such a good sport about Me-Made-May and even took this photo below, with my iphone (that he is completely unfamiliar with), in front of a random building with a few people milling about.  He is very private and that is way beyond his comfort zone.  He's a good guy.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of where I work.
Happy Sewing Everyone!