Sewing Day with Friends

Several years ago (probably about 8), we started a sewing group.  We meet regularly, nearly every Tuesday, and we work on projects.  Usually individual projects, but we have been known to work on a project together.  We used to have 6 in the group.  One moved 2 1/2 hours away, another chooses not to be with us.  We still get together with the one who moved, about once a year.  This year we went to her house.

Here we are with our "Snap Happy" bags.  We each made one, with our choice of fabrics.

Then, I had to pose them on the piano, so we can really enjoy seeing the bags.

Then, we all worked on our own projects.  Tina was putting binding on a sunflower quilt she had just quilted.  She won these blocks in a blockjack at guild.

Thanks for the smile, Tina!

Pam was working on embroidery.  She was lucky enough to work on it in the car, too, so she got a lot done.

Sorry we can't read it, Pam!

Kristi was putting borders on a couple of small quilts. Very pretty, Kristi!

 I pressed blocks forever, and got to sew the pieces on either side of one set of blocks.  An amazing number of blocks.  This is a store sample in the works.  More on it later.

We also had lunch (taco salad - yummy!), went to a local quilt shop, and drove home again.  A fun, long day. It was well worth the trip to see Tina again, and explore her home.  Her children are absolutely darling and Hannah made great zucchini brownies.   Thanks, Hannah!

I am sew grateful for good friends I can sew with, talk with and be encouraged and inspired by.  Days like these just don't come around often enough.

Until next time,

Keep Sewing!

Sewing Room Disaster Makeover

This post is a little embarrassing.  The "before" pictures of my sewing room reveal how much this room was out of control.  However, the "after" pictures make me feel a little bit better.  I still have more projects to complete than I should, and I am slowly working on those.  At least now I can find things.

 This is where my machine usually sits.  Only, this summer it has been on the kitchen table as I work on projects that are a little bit bigger.  Still, I couldn't easily get my machine back in here without some serious cleaning up.

 So, here it is cleaned up.  I didn't sort through all the boxes on the shelves, because I really had only part of a day to do this.  I still know what is in the boxes, and I am looking to get better boxes to replace some of the bags of projects.  I also am using the cute quilts on the wall as design walls.  I can pin a quilt in progress to it and not hurt a thing!

Then, there was the cutting area.  I was grateful to have this cutting table, as it was given to me.  However, it had outlived it's usefulness.  I wanted a cutting table that was a solid surface, no hinges.  I also wanted space underneath for storage.  I found a design I liked and got a bid for a custom cabinet.  Over $1,000. (gulp).  Then I saw a post here, and she had put together a work table.  It would almost work for me, except it needed a center support.  So, off to IKEA I went.  and I came back with a fabulous solution for just over $200. (yeah!)

So, here is the messy "before".  Except I started clearing off before I took the picture.  My cat loves sitting on here by the window.  And my rulers have to sit in the window.  The table looks like it is ready to collapse.

Now, a nice solid surface, with support and storage.  It has a bigger surface area on top than the custom cabinet.  It has more storage than the custom cabinet.  It takes less space than the first table.  The cat now has to sit on the window sill, but the rulers fit underneath.  I am loving this new space.

Then, there was the closet area.  It seems I wasn't putting things away very well.  Just kept marching onto the next project.

So, I took out a few things to donate.  Stored some things (like books) on my new shelf, and made space for other things.  Nothing much in front of the doors now.  Just some legos my son and I need to build and return to a neighbor.

However, the reality is I haven't finished going through everything.  I have the blue tub on the left that is full of all the things I took off the old cutting table.  Most of it needs to be filed away.  Plus, there is the 3-drawer unit on the right.  It doesn't fit in the closet, and I'm not sure how to deal with it yet.  I'll figure it out, but until them I am happier with my happy place.

All in a day's work, and soon I'll have another day to make it even better.  But until then, let's just...


Keep Sewing!