Showing posts with label studio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label studio. Show all posts

2.21.2011

The beginning of another week...

so far Monday has been full of it's usual craziness. Luckily, over the weekend, I managed to get a few major things crossed off my to-do list (moving my "office" area & reorganizing it, sketches for a prom dress, catching up on a few blogs, finished a little something for a giveaway, took photos for an upcoming tutorial, along with some cleaning and organizing of the house). This cut my must do list in half.

I am didn't get any "real" sewing done today, but I managed to pick out a pattern for a new queen sized quilt for my bed using innocent crush. It has taken me forever to decide on a quilt for my room and I think I have found the perfect one. Hoping to start cutting it out this week!


 This afternoon, I worked on the prep part (cutting, etc...) on a purse for a class in early March and I realized I am almost out of woven interfacing, so a quick run to Jo-anns might be necessary. The studio is also going through its annual spring cleaning (which I really hate cleaning, but I am getting better). I start spring cleaning fairly early since it seems to take me forever to get it tackled, but the #1 goal this year is to get everything off the floor (I am a total pile-er, lol) and into its own home. A lot of things have already been donated, tossed or kept and sorted. I can't wait to show you photos when I am finished up!

9.28.2010

Switching it up...

every season or so, I change up my inspiration board on my wall. I am lucky to have a huge board to use just as an inspiration area (it started out as a large painting on canvas that I picked up somewhere and I just covered it with muslin). My process always starts by going through several of my magazine tear-outs (a lot of times when I tear out something, I know if I want to use it as a main piece on the big wall), when sorting them out and clear trends tend  emerge (they may be ones that are actually "in" right now, but a lot of time they are just things that I like together). The tear-outs that make it up on the wall are all things that I really love. Once, I have a few piles of inspiration, they get pinned up on the wall along with color chips. Here is where my fall-winter inspiration board is at right now:
So far it is pretty plain (I always add things throughout the months and it generally all gets filled up and has a lot more texture to it. Buttons, zippers, fabric, etc all make it up there) Right now I am in love with these 4 trends: Black & White with a hint of Red (lower left corner), Muted, Earthy Princess lots of white, ice blue, a light gray (top right corner), A Fall Pop of Color lots of mustard, soft red, chocolate, and cream (top middle), and Nature-Inspired with lots of fur, butterfly prints, and wool in off-white, camel, custard, and charcoal (bottom right corner). The inspiration board gets used in multiple ways from inspiring my illustrations, designs or just how I plan to choose my wardrobe for the season plus it just makes my studio feel complete and happy. Do you have a favorite way of storing, choosing, or displaying your favorite inspiration pieces?

9.25.2010

A few things from the studio last week...

I spent a couple hours cleaning off my work table:

I also started quilting a quilt sample for my Beginning Quilting Class. (*I only have the outside border left to quilt, it's not perfect but I love it anyways!)

The binding also got made and wrapped up on a piece of heavy chipboard to keep it nice and neat and easy to unroll: 

And I finally finished up two more shirts for X. I still have one more to go to be completed finished with the button up shirts. (The pattern is the Kai's shirt from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross)
 *size 3T, I left the pocket off, fabric: print from Amy Butler solid Kona solid from Robert Kaufman.

*size 3T, I left the pocket off, fabric: print from Michael Miller 

A few more things also got worked on: hemmed a shirt, worked on a stroller cozy for X on our morning walks/runs, and traced off a few patterns for upcoming projects. For the month of October, I am trying to conquer my list of works-in-progress, so I can really start working on some holiday projects and clean out some space in the studio. (I wrote out a master list and there are 29 projects on it of things that I either have all the stuff for or traced and cut out or partially sewn.) Do you have a ton of things that you are working on or have you already started your holiday projects?

7.17.2010

Already the Weekend!?

I can't believe it is already Saturday. This week has really gone by way too quickly. I am so close to being finished with my studio reorganization process (I am so glad that I have really focused on getting it all sorted, purged, cleaned, etc. usually when I am in the process of cleaning, I find lost/forgotten about projects and start working on them instead finishing the task at hand. This time I have not started any new projects or finished up any while trying to do the cleanout, so that in itself is a huge deal for me. Next week, I will share the whole new & improved studio!) 
Now, I have been doing a few other things when I can't be in the studio like pattern writing, backing up my computer, planning out a few blog projects, working on my schedule, working out and other various things. Last night, however, was the Magic Valley Modern Quilt Guild's monthly sewing night (at the Quilt Barn), I spent a little time trying to think of what I would take with me since: a) I didn't feel like packing up a lot of sewing stuff, b) I didn't really want to start any new projects, c) I have a giant list of things that I need to get done, but haven't quite got started on (things like clothes and underwear for x, some shirts for me, etc.). Going through my fabric stash, I decided to grab all the that I wanted to make clothes from for X. Sewing night for me was spent doing the prep-work (and chatting, laughing, and eating some yummy Fiesta Ole) for x to have some new clothes. Here's what I got cut out:





3 pairs of pants, 1 pair of shorts, 4 shirts (all the Kai's shirt from Weekend Sewing, you can see the first and second one in those previous posts) and I cut 1 shirt out (another summer blouse) for me. Next week, I am going to try and get at least the shorts and a shirt done for X in between all of my other projects, along with cutting out some knit t-shirts, shorts, and underwear for the little guy. I can't wait to see his little wardrobe come together. 

7.12.2010

Thread Stash..

Over on Sew, Mama, Sew they are having a fun giveaway and one way to enter is to show off your thread stash and answer a few questions about it. I thought it would be fun, so here we go!

How did you select colors for your personal thread collection?
I tend to use the same colors over and over again- I would say the top 2 rows are my most used colors of thread, they seem to work work most of the fabrics I buy and I just gravitate towards them. I restock them time and time again (and I hate the feeling that I might run out of some of my favorites).



Do you always match the color perfectly to your project?
This depends on the project, sometimes I tend to match it semi-perfectly if it is going to be seen (as in topstitching, quilting or if a neutral won't look right)

Do you ever use contrasting thread?
Yes, I do like to change it up a bit! (I find this is especially nice in projects that are for children)

Do you use the same color in the bobbin as the upper thread?
Not always, probably about 75% of the time they are both the same, but the other 25% they are not. 

What if a fabric has big areas of very different colors?
I go with what catches my eye best (if you squint a little you can isolate the main colors, basically the main colors will sort of pop out and I go with that otherwise I just wing it!)

Do you have any tips or suggestions about choosing thread?
I say go with what you like or make a little test swatch (sew with the colors you are trying to decide between about 1" apart using the stitch length and pattern you will be using, then decide which is best)

Can you show us a picture(s) of your thread collection?


Most often used thread


if I can't find a color on the first wall, I check here:


Thread for the serger:

 

Almost out of thread spools and other various ones that I really don't organize:


vintage: 


bobbin boxes, organized by the color and machine:


Do you ever buy thread because you fall in love with the color (without a particular project in mind)?
Sometimes. I just acquired more thread from my grandma so for now I try to only replenish my most used colors, white, black, dark gray, and browns. The rest of the time I use what I have on hand. 

Do you “invest” in thread?
I say yes! to this because having good thread really can make a project better and last longer.

What types of thread do you have? (elastic, quilting, all-purpose, wool, etc.)
I think I have almost every kind of thread in my collection. (elastic, invisible, all-purpose, serger/overlock, upholstery, buttonhole, embroidery, vintage, heavy-duty, quilting, hand-quilting, silk....

7.11.2010

What I have been up to lately...

actually not doing a ton of sewing (gasp!), instead I have been reorganizing/purging/cleaning my studio (something I loathe, mainly but I have an insanely busy fall schedule coming up and I need to get super organized and prepped, so things run as smoothly as possible). This is a really large job and super boring (plus it causes me a little bit of anxiety since I really like to hold on to things plus you really never know when you are going to need something, right!?, but I am learning to let go a little bit). Can I say that I am in LOVE with  how the whole space is turning out, seriously love, love, love. Almost every single piece of furniture has been moved, cleaned, utilized for a new purpose, plus the new layout already seems really effective. Here is one side of the room (the only side that is actually completed so far, if you want to see what my studio looked like before check out this post):


So my dress form is now closer to my sewing area (get ready to see a lot more use out of her) and not out in the middle of the studio. (This area used to have a table where my serger and extra sewing machines hung out collecting dust along piles of in progress projects, scraps, and who knows what else.) In the large rubbermaid (it is one that is used for holding gift wrap), I store my drafts of patterns and draped projects, etc. Underneath, my radio I keep a box for extra paper (leftovers from various projects) and my rolls of tracing paper, vinyl, and misc. sewing things. 


My desk became a clutter magnet, so I moved it clear across the room and it now holds my sewing machine (on the left) and my serger (on the right). This was probably the best decision I made, it really is a nice large table (compared to the small dining table, which is now my regular desk) plus there is enough room to move the serger back if I need to use more of the table for larger projects. The reason I chose to have my serger next to my sewing machine is simple: I use that machine a lot for finishing edges on most projects and sewing knits. 


The pressing area. Also where the thread, books, and a few other things are stored, plus a pillow for the cat, Bentley, to take his nap on while I am working. So that is part one of the studio clean out. It really is easier to move around and you don't feel all boxed in with all kinds of stuff. (I have plenty of space up there so it wasn't like I needed to be all cramped in a corner, lol) I think I will make my goal of getting it all cleaned up by Friday and hopefully will get some sewing done, too. 

Other things, mostly computer work, have been happening as well. Next, week look for another free quilt pattern and a few changes to the blog. 

6.13.2010

The weekend...

so far I have spent it recovering from the flu... so sucky, but I did have a great day on Friday. I even made it to the Magic Valley Modern Quilt Guild's first sewing night (It was a ton of fun, but I actually didn't do any sewing. I spent most of the time cutting up fabric for my wonky star blocks (they are for our first swap and I totally forgot to take my camera, so no pictures).  

Since I spending quite a bit of more time in my studio, I thought it would be fun to show my process of working on things (also to keep up with the process pledge that I took). I tend to have several projects in progress all at different stages, whether I am designing new patterns, working on samples, or sewing for fun. Here is what a typical couple of hours looks like:


*first I grab a cup of coffee and turn on the radio. I don't usually listen to cds while I am trying to work on stuff because I like to change them up a lot or skip ahead and it just turns into a time suck...


Most of the time, I have to clean up my main table due to my overwhelming mess all over it. Slowly, I am trying to get it picked up after I finish each little project but it doesn't always happen and I am okay with that. 


Consulting the Big To-Do list... I actually got 4 things finished up on there. Generally, this list is my goal for the one week. Things get added as quickly as they are removed. My main list of to-dos is actually on a clipboard. That list keeps track of everything including all of the sewing, computer work and anything else that needs to be done. 

 

busy at the sewing machine... 


Marking some pieces and the table got cleaned off...



putting up a quilt on the quilt wall...



cutting out a skirt... just another day in the studio!

3.13.2010

Hi, Saturday, How did you get here so fast?

I have no idea where this rest of the week has gone, but it is the weekend so, Yippee for Lifetime movie marathons, breakfast pizzas, bubble baths, trips to Jo-anns, hanging with my little man, and sewing time. I have postponed the solid sketch board until tomorrow, mainly because I was useless yesterday with this impending cold or crazy allergies that are occurring right now. So here is a little bit of what I have been working on around here:
 I made a quick notebook to keep all my sewing notes organized in one place.

I also changed up my inspiration board (I have actually been in process of this for the last few weeks) 
 A look at the whole board

Aqua & red color story

A pink, orange and yellow story follow by an ice blue and spring green story on the right 
Spring color story

I am really inspired by this board and have been coming up with a few projects that might make an appearance on the blog ;)
On Thursday night, the first meeting of the Magic Valley Modern Quilt Guild took place. It was an informational meeting to setup how/what we would like to get/run the guild. It was fun to see all the people who came out and to see what other people are doing with modern quilting. I am now the president of the guild and am very excited and honored to be part of something that is going to be a such a great experience. 

Now to be super geeky, I thought I should have a notebook dedicated just to guild, so I found an sketchbook upstairs in the studio and thought to myself, "this isn't very cute..."
so I made this quilted cover for it.... yepp, really entered the super geek category now :) 

I am also working on a little project for Xavier-
I am at a stand still with this project, mainly because I can't decide if I want to make it a wall hanging or a lap quilt... ahh, the decision making... 

well, I am off to polish off another box of Kleenex and hopefully get the sketch board ready for tomorrow. Have a fun rest of the day!

2.15.2010

It's raining and it's a Monday and I'm loving it...

contrary to The Carpenters, but Rainy Days and Mondays is one of my favorite songs by them. I hope everyone had a fun Valentine's Day, it was really low key around here- just some balloons for x and I spent the day reorganizing my room. I am glad that I got that off my to-do list. Today is going to be filled with cleaning, purging, and organizing the studio. It is quite the disaster up there. 
 *buttons to sort
*a pile of fabric to and other goodies to sort and find a place to store them
*piles & piles & piles of papers, patterns, drafts, and random stuff to sort

Plus, a closet to clean out, books to organize, and a long list of sewing projects to complete. I have so many things that I want to work on, but am holding off until I get the studio cleaned out. I have drank my coffee, grabbed a pile of garbage bags, stacked up a pile of empty boxes, and so it begins...

What are you working on?

1.06.2010

Wednesday

X and I spent some time in the studio this morning... I actually got a few projects started before he started getting into everything. Here are some of the highlights from this morning:

the main part of the studio is cleaned up from a mess of projects...

found my paint palette, now to clean it up and start a new painting

X's latest project

working side by side

carving a rubber stamp for the valentine cards this year (I stopped sending out Christmas cards, instead I send out Valentine's, which include a photo of X, working on a concept for that)



yepp, working hard here

carving....

yes it was a good morning, hope that we can do this again!

1.04.2010

Some Inspiration

so every few months I take everything off my inspiration board and redo it. I love this process and find all sorts fun in taking the time to put it all together, plus it keeps me on track for future projects. I thought I would share it with you along with the color combos I am loving right now.

Here is a look at the entire board. I have four stories going on which will inspire future designs, fabric selections and photo shoots. (Most of the photos are torn out from magazines, while I add paint swatches to highlight color palettes and other notions to bring out more of the story) For the next month, I hope to show you how I use each one of these stories to develop projects or influence my artwork. I hope you enjoy seeing my creative process.


1. Glitter/Sparkle
I didn't really go with an color on this one, I am just in love with big chunky sparkles with bold color choices.


2. Neutral

cream, robin's egg blue, tan and gold


3. Spring

white, salmon, sky blue, grass green


4. Love Story

Red, Plum, Black