Thursday, February 25, 2010

Sewing room REpainted

I recently did a post on my sewing room.  But I had not yet repainted the walls back to the soft pink on the lower third yet.  Having done so this week, and putting all of my things away where they go, it looks so much better.  I also had someone ask me to do a post on  my sewing machines.  I am only posting pics of two of my machines, the ones I use most.  I have two others that I also use for various other reasons.  Come on in.
 When we bought this house, we let each of our kids pick their own rooms.  This was Gennifer's room.   When she lived here, we had an artist come in and paint a beautiful trompe le oil on the wall where her bed went.  It was a painted headboard, with giant posts, and a straw hat with ribbons blowing in the wind.  It was so pretty.   She also had him paint her name on the opposite wall in a very pretty script.  It added so much to the room.  When she got married and moved out, I immediately began moving in!  My sewing room, that is.  Some would even say she was barely out of the driveway before I was hauling stuff in there!  Not quite, but almost!!!  In my opinion, this is the best room of the house.  The patio is directly off the french door and the pool beyond, with a beautiful view of the grove.  Very peaceful.  Sometimes I just go in there to sit and relax.
Moving around the room from left to right, on the door is a large quilted tote I did in my Thimbleberries class a few years ago. I have an old weathered shutter leaning up against the desk where I attach my patterns that I have yet to use  with clothespins.  The desk was Eri's childhood desk.  She didn't want it when she moved.  Lucky me!!  I have filled it from top to bottom with my "stuff."

The closet, also chock full of good "stuff" and my wedding dress from 1979 on my wicker dress form.  I removed the closet doors and had my friend Tommy G. put an electrical outlet in there for me for light.  It is wallpapered in a tiny pink and green floral that I love.  
    
My sewing corner, with my heavy duty Viking on the left that sits on an old drafting table, and my antique Featherweight sitting on the right on top of an old sewing cabinet.  The Featherweight belonged to my Aunt Connie.  It runs like a dream, and this is where I do all of my piecing.  I have an old leather office chair that rolls back and forth on a hard floor mat.   Next to my Featherweight is a cast off triple lamp on a stand that Genny was going to toss.  I said.....NO...I can use that!!!  And I love it!

Moving around the room, you can see my cutting table, and underneath, bins stuffed to the brim with more fabric.  At the back of my table is a shelf where I have several favorite trinkets given to me by friends.
One of those special trinkets is the little cast iron Singer play machine that my Grandmother, Nana had as a little girl.  Nana is coming up on 96 years young, and she says she sewed on that!
In that corner is actually a butcher block rolling cart that I used to have in my kitchen.  It is so functional in here because it is the exact height for working on a project, and it has a huge deep drawer for stashing things in, and two deep shelves for storage too.
I have my stereo here, and a tool caddy, and hanging over the towel bar there is a quilt top I did a couple weeks ago that is waiting to be quilted.  Above this cart is  my design wall where I put up blocks and things I am in the process of making.
And next to that is my very favorite spot of all in this room.  My floral wing back chair, and new ottoman.  The ottoman is small, and tufted, which I love, and the top opens up for storage too.
 
Yep, it is all back to normal now. I love the soft pink and green.  This is a place that is all my own.  No one even comes into this room but me and Ducey the Sweetie Wheatie.  From time to time I have a friend come and sew with me in here. It fits two just perfectly.    
I am posting a picture of the Slider for my friend Lauri who asked about it.  It was suggested to me by Diane Gaudynski for using your domestic machine to "quilt" or finish the decorative stitching on your quilt sandwich.  This is a teflon piece of plastic that is very smooth and you tape it to your machine so that the fabric glides effortlessly over this teflon while you move the quilt to do your decorative stitch work on it.  It works wonders!!
Are you getting hungry from this long post?  How about a pizza?
Oh wait, that isn't a pizza.  It is where I keep my blocks that I have yet to put into quilts.

A few years ago I participated in a quilt project where each person chose 1 block to make.  But they had to make a block for each one of the people in the group.  The quilt was a sampler and it had a garden theme.  Really cute, but I can't remember the name of it off hand.  There were about 15 or so of us in this group.  My block to make was the pumpkin.  I can see there that I had several left over.  I made them each different, all in shades of burnt oranges.  I do not have a blanket stitch on my Viking, but I used a similar machine stich and machine appliqued them all.  This was so fun, and for the life of me, I don't know why I never put the quilt together.  Maybe that should be my next project!
I found lots of blocks in this box that I had forgotten about!


clean and unused pizza box makes a perfect place to store your blocks while working on a quilt.  Especially if you are taking them to and from classes.  However, if you stick it up in the closet out of sight, you are liable for forget all about them!
 Now I am going to finish my tea and try to decide what project to work on next.  Now don't forget to read the post below this one to enter into the drawing for the red and pink cake table topper.  I will have my husband pick a number and announce the winner on Saturday.  Thanks for the visiting my favorite room!

15 comments:

Lauri said...

What a great sewing room. And you've got all the goodies to make projects fun. I think I'd spend a lot of time in there.

YaYa's Funhouse said...

oh, I love this room. If I had one like this everyone would wonder what ever happened to me....don't think I would ever want to come out.
Love it.
This is my first visit. I will return.
Have a great weekend.

Debbie said...

Oh I loved this post, and I LOVE this room. It's perfect...AND...Your desk and shelf are the exact same ones Mel had in her room when she was growing up. The year before she married we bought her a new bedroom set that she took with her when she moved and that set got passed on to my granddaughters. I loved it...AND your little black singer my Grandmother had one exactly like and it is the one I learned to sew on. My mom still uses it to take to classes etc. small world. I think you should make that quilt with all the pumpkins etc. Soo pretty that would be.

Genn said...

Great tour Mom. You've really made that room into something neat. I loved it when it was my room too. And you guys always thought I spent to much time in there!

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

I can see why it's your favorite room... it's fantastic! You have so many neat pieces in there... I love the old sewing machines!!

Maryrose said...

Great post, your tour made me feel like I was seeing your beautiful sewing room for the first time. Now if I could only get a cup of tea and a slice of whatever bread you're making tonight.

Katie said...

I LOVE those Sewing Machines!! Awesome Blossom that the old singer was Nana's!
I wish I would have taken an interest in learning to sew as a child from my Mom. I'm Schoolin Myself though ;)
That is a Wonderful Room to Work Your Magic!!

everyday katie said...

What I wouldn't give for a sewing room. You have a place for everything...and you have everything! You're a lucky girl.

Pam said...

What a cute sewing room. You make me want to dig out my sewing machine from the garage and start sewing!

deb said...

oh what a great post...I love your room and it looks so peaceful,,,what a great place to sew!!!
that little singer is adorable too!!!!!
I see you spending lots and lots of time in there from now on!!!!!

Vivian Love said...

Great tour of your sewing room!

Diane said...

Hi,
Surprse, surprise!!!!!

I hate sewing. Always have and always will. But, Gen's old room is too cute.

Mom

Diane said...

Hey.......I think I should be in the drawing now.

Mom

Kris said...

MOM!!! What a surprise!!! I know you hate to sew! Who do you suppose I take after in that department? Go to the table topper post to put your name in for the drawing.

Kristi said...

Great room Kris! I remember when it was Genny's and she had the painted headboard, I always loved that room. Glad you made it your sewing room, it looks so peaceful. Love what you have done!