Clean that Studio!

Last month a call went out for those who would be willing to share their studios for a Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop 2020. It just so happens I saw this request as we were in the middle of remodeling mine. Talk about perfect timing! How could I not want to join in on this fun! So welcome to my new studios, my latest creations, and the reason my husband says he is looking forward to going back to work (because he doesn’t have to do the physical labor work there).

We have been in our home here in Maryland just shy of 2 years now. During this whirlwind time I can’t even count how many times I have rearranged the studio, moved things here or there, or made room for a new machine. It’s been a little ridiculous actually! But as sewist we are always trying to find the best space for our projects, best lighting in the room, and sometimes just some quiet private area where we can work in peace (I’m a Mom…I totally need this sometimes).

Once of the reasons we purchased this house was that it did have a finished basement so I would have a studio space ready to fill up. Boy, did I ever fill it up! Up to the point that we decided when I brought home my Janome Continental M7 that I needed to slowly start creeping upstairs. But where to go on the main floor? Well, you see, we are definitely not formal people. When you come to our house expect to see mud boots located near every door, after all we do live on a small farm with lots of critters. Back to the studio…the most logical place to put the soon to be name “Janome Studio” would be in the formal living area. So out goes all the living room furniture, in moves a bunch of sewing stuff! But what happens when you start to fill up that space? Back to the drawing board we went.

I have to give huge credit to the husband, he is always a somewhat willing participant when I have “another great idea”. Right before we all when to working from home suddenly, I had showed him a few pics of studios online, kind of my dream set ups, and in the end he actually said “Why don’t we just move the Janome Studio into our large living room and make the formal living room our main living area.” You can bet I did not hesitate to say YES! Well that one move turned into a large house reshuffle and some remodeling work! Sometimes he really shouldn’t be overly generous in his offerings! 🙂

So what happened for the Spring Studio Clean Up in our home? Let’s see the Janome Studio moved from a smaller formal living area to the large den after it received new paint, new floors, new fan, new blinds, a some new decoration…oh and another sewing machine to add to the Janome collection. The room that would now serve as our living room got a fresh coat of paint as well, a deep thorough cleaning, and a rearrange of furniture to make it now a cozy space for tv watching, dog snoozing, and family movie time.

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Since I did downsize the main living area, I felt like we needed to give the kids a bit of their own space as well. They had been utilizing the sunroom as their gaming area, but its chilly out there in the winter months, and toasty in the summer. So my next crazy idea was to give back part of the downstairs studio space back to them. How did we accomplish this…well this goes back to the more physical labor part! We ripped out the awful carpet in the downstairs bedroom, laid new flooring throughout the bedroom and bathroom, new bath fixtures, and a lot of rearranging. All of my Pfaff machines moved into the new “Pfaff Room”, my massive cutting table moved down to the end of the main studio, the longarm stayed right where it is (seriously who wants to move a 12 foot longarm), and we moved down a loveseat, rug, console, and a new tv for the kids to have for gaming. On top of that since both of my sons enjoy art, I am now also sharing a storage area/bedroom downstairs as their new art room so my oldest can work on his painting skills. I literally moved their mess right next door to mine! But, everyone is happy, has space, and best of all, since we are all stuck in this house together for who knows how many more weeks, we all have plenty of spaces to escape to!

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Finally, I go back to has the space served me well? Does it give me room, and lighting, and privacy…the answer is yes, it all does. Yesterday I was thrilled to be invited to host Janome’s daily livestream showcasing the facemask I’ve been making. The “Janome Studio” was perfect, minus when the sun finally burst through the clouds and we couldn’t just stop the show to close the blinds, I was a little in the dark but oh well..next time we will adjust it better.

So my advice when you are thinking of building or designing your studio, I think the #1 thing is to think of lighting followed by #2 space, at least that’s what my older eyes appreciate. Don’t be afraid to ask to take over more space in the house. By taking over the living room I am now also very present when anyone is raiding the pantry for another snack before dinner (I swear I need a lock on that thing), I’m right there for homework questions, and I have an incredible view to enjoy the greenery, birds, and horses as they spend the days in the fields. Find a space you enjoy looking at each day to find your inspiration!

Have you missed all the great studios from the 2020? I have the list for who is posting on what day! Hop on over to their sites and see these awesome places to create! Thank you Cheryl Sleboda of http://www.muppin.com for including me!

April 1 – Sam Hunter – http://www.huntersdesignstudio.com
April 2 – Marian Pena – http://www.seamstobesew.com
April 3 – Jennifer Fulton – http://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions
April 4 – Martha Wolf – http://Www.pinwheelprodns.com
April 5 – Jennifer Strauser – http://www.dizzyquilter.com
April 6 – Steph Carton – http://www.theelimonster.com/blog
April 7 – Simone Fisher – http://www.simonequilts.com/blog
April 8 – Kate Colleran – http://www.seamslikeadream.com
April 9 – Carlina Moore – http://www.alwaysexpectmoore.com
April 10 – Jen Frost – http://www.faithandfabricdesign.com/blog
April 11 – Leanne Parsons – http://www.devotedquilter.com
April 12 – Becca Fenstermaker – http://www.prettypiney.com/blog
April 13 – Sarah Myers – http://www.quilted-diary.com
April 14 – Mitzi Redd – http://www.reddhomestead.com
April 15 – Jeanette Larson – http://www.Jenonthefarm.com
April 16 – Camille Ainsworth – http://www.stitchinthenw.com
April 17 – Becky Philips Jorgenson – http://www.patchworkposse.com
April 18 – Bobbie Gentili – http://www.geekybobbin.com/category/blog
April 19 – Janellea Macbeth – http://www.janelleamacbeth.com/blog/
April 20 – Lisa Ruble – http://lovetocolormyworld.blogspot.com
April 21 – Debra Davis – http://www.tuning-my-heart.com/blog
April 22 – Rona Herman – http://www.Ronatheribbiter.com
April 23 – Sue Griffiths – http://www.duckcreekmountainquilting.com
April 24 – Sarah Ruiz- http://www.saroy.net/
April 25 – Jessica Caldwell – http://www.desertbloomquilting.com/
April 26 – Tammy Silvers – http://tamarinis.typepad.com
April 27 – Ebony Love – http://www.lovebugstudios.com/blog
April 28 – Cheryl Sleboda – http://blog.muppin.com