Sunday, July 07, 2013

Done and I'm so happy!

I started Saturday morning a little down.  It seemed like there was still so much left to do in the sewing workroom to make it functional.  Friday evening I'd gotten two more bags onto the fabric shelves.  However, you know when you're almost finished with a project and the end seems further away than it did when you started the project?  That's where I was when I woke up Saturday morning.

Then I got downstairs and I decided to listen to the wise words of wisdom that had been offered in the comments section on a previous post.  It was time to let the last of the fabric sit and get the room in shape so that I could sew. That meant that I needed to clean the room and pick some fabric to start working on...so that's what I did.

The room is finished for now and there were a few things that I did differently for this version of it.



I added a plastic thin sheeting to the bottoms of the lower shelves, just in case there is water again. Now of course, if the room floods this won't work but it is preventive for a little water in the room.  I bought these sheets from Quill.com and then cut them down to fit the shelves.

The cutting table has been placed further back than it was originally.  I started to feel a little closed in with the u-shape that I was using.  This new arrangement feels more comfortable...really I don't need as much space behind the table as I do in front of it.



Moving the white cabinet to the wall with the sewing machines lightened up the room.  Less fabric, more wall space gives the room an airy feel.  I needed that especially after looking at so many sewing sites on the internet and Pinterest and being struck by how light they were.



It's hard to get a light feeling in a basement room when there are just two windows that are high up on the wall ~ towards the back of the room.  So to get the lighter look I desired, I knew more wall space was needed, especially since my walls are painted eggshell. I added more white coverings to hide the fabric to further the light illusion. 



Which brings me to the two new matching floor lamps...they are lights with three way bulbs that are 50/100/150w.  I'm using the 100 watt settings on both of them. Lots of light and they match each other, as well as, coordinate with the shelving.



Then I shifted the white plastic bins and the shorter black fabric shelf.  This gave me a wall of shelving that is lighter because of the white fabric liners and better organized, holding more things. I did gain more shelves for fabric by combining the two pieces.



However, since I used the top shelf to store magazines...fashion and sewing...I lost a huge amount of fabric storage.  Previously there were magazines laying EVERYWHERE!  That's not a problem anymore.  There is more than enough space for Threads, Vogue Pattern Magazine and my Vogue Fashion Fabric Club newsletters.  Also, when the pile of magazines on the side gets too high, I know it's time to send them to recycling.

A few more pics of the room from all angles, cleaned and ready to be used.

The fabric shelves...



Fabric shelf across from the computer desk
with the shower curtains open & closed




The main fabric wall with the curtains open & closed




Second black shelf moved full of fabric
with the curtains opened and closed

The sewing area...




The white cabinet now holding my Janome 8000
with a leather tray holding little girl's patterns

Views of the room...





You will notice there is fabric on the cutting table...well I've already started working with it.  A couple of quick skirts to jump start my sewing mojo! Look for pics of them soon, as well as, a review of a new Craftsy course that I signed up for during the dark days of the sewing workroom redo.  

Finally, I'm back! This is the last post on the sewing workroom that you will have to endure for awhile. Thank you for hanging in there with me as I worked my way back!  I think I'm going to be happy creating in here for awhile...

...as always more later!

55 comments:

  1. Oh it's beautiful Carolyn!!!!! I love the changes you made - they suit you...and they look terrific. I'm so glad you shared the difficulty of this entire thing with us/me! I feel like in my own small way I was here cheering you on. Awesome to hear you have a project up and going!!!!!

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  2. Wow, most impressive!! What a well organized and useful space. I hope you won't have to do this again until it's your choice, and not because of a disaster.

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  3. I love it! Looks incredibly function. You are inspiring me to rearrange my room and store the fabric differently. I'm glad to see your mojo has come home and you've been sewing. g

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  4. Yay! You made it. I can't wait to see what comes out of your sewing room :)

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  5. Looks fabulous and ready to go! I lurve your fabric wall - I wouldn't be able to keep it hidden behind the curtains - it is so inspirational!

    Can't wait to see you newly sewn clothes1

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  6. Such a beautiful space, and now even better. But I hope you don't have to redo it again anytime soon!

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  7. Sew (ha ha) glad you're getting back to normal, and you have improved your work space too - hope you have many hours of happy sewing.

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  8. what an ordeal you have been through ... but THROUGH IT is a new look and functionality :)

    I follow you via email although I do have feedly set up now, I must admit to not using it much, email is much more convenient for me.

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  9. Well done Carolyn, and the room looks fabulous. The extra white will make such a difference to your lighting - which is all-important when we sew! Look forward to your next creation.

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  10. It looks wonderful and a great place to be creative. I am so happy your are finally done with it all and can get back to business. The skirts are a great starter.

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  11. Congratulations and good for you that you are ready to sew again!

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  12. OMG. Your fabric collection is phenomenal. I'm bowing down in awe.

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  13. Very impressive organization of space plus the curtains were a great idea to add the light feel. All your hard work has paid off, now to reap the rewards....sewing! Have fun.

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  14. Your newly reorganized sewing lair looks amazing, Carolyn! As much time as you spend sewing, it is well worth the effort to have it as comfortable, light, and functional as possible. I think you scored well on all three fronts. Enjoy your new layout!

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  15. Congratulations - job well done!

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  16. Congratulations, I know it was a lot of work now comes the reward for all of the hard work. Sewingggggggggggg!

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  17. Yeah, yeah, yeah, job well done. Your room looks great. Now you should celebrate with a huge glass of Mountain Dew and paper patterns flying thru the air.

    PS-I'm going to borrow your curtain idea for covering up my shelves.

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  18. So glad you're back in operation. Enjoy.

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  19. Looks great! I always like seeing your sewing space because I get some ideas on how to store some things. I love pinterest pictures but some ideas just aren't workable. You've inspired me to go work on my sewing room. I decided to repaint some furniture because none of it matched. Now I remember why I hate painting furniture......

    Can't wait to see the skirts!

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  20. It looks great. What a job to move everything out and back in. I am glad you can get back to what you enjoy.
    Happy Sewing

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  21. Such a great space. I can only imagine how relieved you are to have this completed.

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  22. So happy for you, Carolyn! The creation lab looks ready for some beautiful clothes to be made.Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

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  23. Looks fabulous. And all that fabric.

    ~Sewjourner

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  24. Hurray!! Rooms done AND back to sewing. You go girl.

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  25. Yay! So glad you've opened up shop again! I bet you will feel so much better when you've settled into sewing again. :)

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  26. Love the curtains over the fabric collection. They visibly unclutter the room and make it calmer.

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  27. Wahoooooooo!!! So glad to see your beautiful workspace. Thanks for hanging in there and making it work. I so enjoy reading your blog regularly. You are an inspiration. Thank you!

    Love the curtains. Love the organization.

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  28. Yay!!! I went through the remodel phase, not becasue of water but, the floor in my room was litterly crumbling apart so we had to put in a new floor and after all that work and getting finished, I still couldn't use my room because of other home projects we started. Anywoooo, congratulations on lots of HARD work! The curtains on the racks are Great and the room looks Dandy!! Happy sewing in the cave, can't wait to see your next creation!

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  29. Congratulations! That's a ton of work, and it's not fun at all when brought on by flooding. The curtains look great, and I love your computer/machine command station - you're ready to go!

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  30. Wow! It looks so neat and organized! Love this kind of environment - it's perfect for ideas to become reality!

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  31. Good job! It looks like an organized space for happy sewing.

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  32. What an accomplishment! Your sewing area looks so inviting now. Enjoy!

    Lynda

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  33. That looks like a lot of work. I'm so glad you can take a break and do some creating.

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  34. Well done on getting it usable again! Great space.

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  35. Looks great! The shower curtain and hooks to cover the shelves is brilliant and I'm so stealing the idea! Thanks!

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  36. Have fun! Life is too short to have regrets!

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  37. I have been reading your blog for awhile and love your clothes. I am wondering how did you attach the curtains to the shelves. I bought the same shelves but don't see how it works. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  38. Your "new" space looks great: light and bright and organized. It's amazing what light, white walls, and mirrors will do. Enjoy!!!

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  39. Congrats on finishing! I am so envious of your gorgeous stash. Everything is so neatly organized. Want to come to Indiana and help fix mine? :)

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  40. I get it!!! It seemed to take me forever to get my room back together too! For one it seemed like there was constantly something else that "had" to be done! And Now, you can come/go and do what/when/where you want.
    Yeahhhhhh for you! Have fun... nothing like having the sewing room the way you want/like it! Now, down to the business of sewing! lol

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  41. I'm so happy for you that your back to "functional" in the sewing room. It looks wonderful. Hopefully you won't have to go through such unintended upheaval ever again.

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  42. It looks amazing and very functional. Congratulations on getting it all done. Your fabric stash is enviable.

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  43. Well done Carolyn! Lovely and light looking.

    (If the shower curtains are fabric, not plastic, may I suggest hemming them up an inch or so; if(God forbid) you get water again, if the fabric is touching the floor it will wick up and into the stash.))

    Again terrific work.

    (Another suggestion, like you asked: I go thru my sewing mags like Vogue Pattern and Threads and tear out the articles that are pertinent to me, along with letters, whatever. Then I scan them and title the file with a pithy comment and file on my computer. Tremendous space saver and if necessary of course I could print out whatever was wanted.)

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  44. I am so happy for you! The room looks good. I want to run around in there and shop,LOL. Congrats.

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  45. Oh Carolyn, what a warm and inviting space! You have come up with a dream sewing space and I know you will enjoy that! Your fabric wall is just gorgeous, and I love that you can pull the curtains closed.
    beautiful and inspiring!

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  46. Congratulations on a getting your space back. There's nothing like working in a space for a while to know what needs to change. Happy sewing

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  47. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! Its done and it looks great, well done :-) Now like Arsenio said "Let's get BUSY" sewing that is.

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  48. You're new and improved sewing/office area is so very nice!! Can't wait for your future posts!!!

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  49. nice sewing room! I have less than 3 days to post pictures for where bloggers create & I seem to just be moving stuff from one side of the room to the other lol!
    Helen

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  50. Glad to see you're organized and back in business! I know you are inspired by Erdem so you need to check out what he is calling his Cecilia blouse and Frida skirt ensemble on Saks website. Saks is calling this trend "painted prints". I thought of you because of your talent in combinining prints and fabrics to knock off designer looks. Lots of amazing trompe l'oeil use of prints -the Cecilia blouse looks like a jacket over a blouse.

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  51. Can't wait to see the first project to come out of your newly organized sewing room!

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  52. Yayyyy, you're back in business! Glad you've got your sanctuary restored. I like the fabric shelves and curtains. Have fun getting re-settled in!

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  53. Hi, Carolyn -

    Hope I'm not too late for the contest. My flight arrived very, very late. I truly hope I did not miss the deadline.

    No doubt, you can tell by the number of times I've posted comments that I love your blog and have already come up with ideas for the fabric you are offering. Although we have never met, I feel like you are a dear lifelong friend who I look forward to hearing from at least two or three times a week.

    Take care, my friend.

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  54. Yay! So glad you have your creative space in order so you can get back to actual sewing. It's looks fabulous and goodness you're so organized!

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  55. Catching up on blogs and so happy to read that your sewing room is set up again!! Looks great!

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