The big (and final) REAL Studio Reveal!

The past two weeks I have been taking part in Vicki's 'Real Studio Tour' and today is the last week for the tour.  In week one we revealed our favourite non-sewing tools and in week two it was our favourite storage solutions.

This week, and one that is likely a hard one for a lot of us, it to post pictures of our studios...as they are.  Warts, mess, and all.  No cleaning up, no making pretty for the camera and the world at large.  Just the real deal. 

So, here goes...

Above is an overall view of my 'studio', which also serves as a spare bedroom
(with pull-out couch), computer room, and pretty much

anything that doesn't fit anywhere else in our apartment.

To the left of the door is our water cooler (kitchen is too small for it to have a home there).  You can see the sign on the wall that is reserving that space for a new bookcase, which has arrived since these pictures were taken and is waiting to be put together).

To the right of the non-existent bookcase, is my computer area.  It's difficult to tell in this picture, but the section that is covered in blue and white swings out and that's what I use for an ironing board.  That 'fabric' on top is a made-for-ironing pad and I also have a folded towel beneath it to absorb any excess heat.

This is my cutting table....a vintage kitchen table, which is up on blocks to make it high enough for me to stand and work comfortably.  Above the table is my inspiration board...a mirror in a past life.  Beneath the table is a cabinet which hold fabric, projects that are waiting their turn, and a container that holds all the rolls of things I use.  

We've turned the corner now, and beneath the window is where I do my sewing and hand stitching.  It's a very small table so tends to get very messy very quickly when I'm working on projects.  Beneath it (hard to see) is a plastic grocery box that currently is holding some of the white laces and supplies I'm using in my white cloth project.  You can see that piece on the table.

This is the next corner.  Another re-purposed cabinet.  This one holds a lot!!  On the top is one of those lazy-susan type things (normally used by scrapbookers) which holds my markers, small sewing tools, and whatever else seems to fit.  To the left of it is a little corner cabinet which also holds some little things - collectibles and more sewing supplies. (p.s. See the final picture for another view of this area and  further explanation of what's there).  The top section in the unit is all my watchmakers cases filled with beads.  More beads in the section below that, and behind the closed doors is fabric.  The jumble pile on the floor is all the white fabrics I am cutting up to use in my white embroidery work.

Here you can see the pull-out couch, along with the stack of books that are currently leaning against the wall waiting for the bookcase to be constructed.  In order to fit the new bookcase into the room, the water cooler has to be moved and will be going into the spot where you see the books now.  What was there?  Well...see those bit plastic totes in the front of the picture?  They were full (and I mean FULL!!) of denim scraps, which I have gotten rid of and the totes have been re-homed to a friend.  To the right (and out of the picture) is a four drawer filing cabinet tucked right in the corner.

 We have turned the corner once again and now we come to my closet.  It has floor to ceiling sliding doors and here I've shown you just one side of it.  The lower plastic shelving units contain all my crazy quilt fabric stash...sorted loosely into colours.  The two areas above that hold all sorts of crafting goodies - all labeled so I can find things fairly easily.  I haven't shown you the other side of the closet, because it's just more of the same.  To the right you can glimpse the doorway back out into the hall.

And below is the second photo of the corner unit.  On the wall I have a thread spool holder that my husband made for me.  Below that is a little shelf that holds things like my scissors and some of my pincushions that have been given to me....all within easy reach when I'm sewing.  You can see the top of the cabinet better in this picture and can now see the plastic little drawer unit I use for storing small sewing 'bits' - things like dome fasteners, sewing machine needles and such. 

So, there you have it....

my studio....warts and all.

Hope you enjoyed seeing it!

Thanks Vicki, this has been such fun!!