Warts and all!

But first I HAVE to tell you, I did it!!!

Oh yes, after searching and reading I found what I wanted and I’m doing a happy dance.

Can you see what is in the right column?  Thats right, BUTTONS, for some of my favourite (but not all yet) linky sites.  I can finally say ‘Thank You’ to all of those wonderful quilters who host linky parties and enable me, as a new blogger, to meet all you wonderful people in blogging land.   It was another case of what if, what if I messed up, what if I lost my blog, could it somehow mess up my computer?  My ‘just do it’ motto of the year came to the fore.  Oh yes, I think this motto may just become permenant.  

Can you see what else is there?  BLOGLOVIN, you can now click to follow me, easy peasy, and now it says I have 11 followers, I am SO excited, so welcome to you all, you have made me so happy, thank you.  If you don’t follow me (yet) then I hope you will consider it, but thank you for reading here anyway.

Speaking of following, I had a bit of trouble, probably my fault but I joined Google+ and had a few followers, then I got an email from Fiona from Celtic Thistle Stitches saying I’d turned into a no reply blogger and she kindly sent me a link on how to change it.  I just found out I left Google+, and lost my followers, so sad, and so sorry if that includes you. I probably messed it up myself but I am starting to accept its ok not to be perfect, I'm not aspiring to be Mary Poppins after all (who is practically perfect in every way).  Blogger doesn't always send me emails of comments either, so if I haven't responded to you in the past my apologies, and if you are a no reply blogger I will post on the blog.  

But now I have to show you where I have been sewing over the winter.

Yes, it's the dining room. 

As promised,this is my sewing room.   Don’t get too excited as it is very much a work in progress.  It was a bedroom which doubled as a sewing room but now the bed has gone this is my big chance to get it right.  It is quite small, but all mine so a bonus, I know I am lucky to get a room all to myself just for sewing. 

There are storage possibilities once I have cleared out the cupboard, yes it is messy but to end up with my perfect room I have to start by showing the before photos so you can see the room warts and all.

Recently my fabrics have ended up here...... 

and here….

My Horne cabinet I bought second hand last year.  It was a bargin price but apart from not liking the colour there just doesn't seem to be enough space for me to sit, and the machine is too far away.  To use it I have first to move the cutting board and rulers.  

The light is also a magnifier, and this is my second machine, an inexpensive Brother for taking to class.  It wouldn't break my heart if anything happened to it but it would if anything happened to my Bernina.  

 my books are mixed in with cookery books, and stuff in the dining room............

just below my favourite novels by Diana Gabaldon.  No I don't read these, they might get damaged, I have them on my kindle too.

More books, it makes it hard to see what I have and haven't got when they are split up, and I often have to go searching.

 I just got this though, I do have more threads, this was just for effect, honest.

So, more or less a  blank canvas, here's how I see it. 

Problems

1. It’s north facing, so poor light
2. Over the garage and so quite cold in winter, even with the radiator on
3. The sloping ceiling, while aesthetically pleasing limits storage possibilities.
4. Odds and ends of furniture and poor storage.

Solutions

1. New ceiling lighting (expensive), or lamps for extra light
2. Purchase an electric fan heater for winter use, reasonable expenditure,  running costs only when room is used.
3. Live with it, change to another room
4. Complete restyle.  My friends husband who designed kitchens and bathrooms has offered to look at it and suggest various options.  Break out my piggybank and give myself a budget (Ikea).  Sell the Horne cabinet, get rid of the old drawers.

Thoughts

Lighting is a problem throughout the year and it is no fun to sew in a dark, cold room in winter.  I am presently camped out in the dining room with a complaining husband.  Although it would be a big investment to have new lighting installed it is a much better solution than a stronger  light and several lamps with trailing wires.

Even with the lighting sorted, I can’t spend hours sewing in a cold room.  Fan heaters are reasonably priced and would come in handy if the heating ever broke down.

I can’t do anything about the ceiling.  Husband did offer to swap (south facing room, lots of light, warm, less space), but he uses the room for work and book writing, he also feels the cold so a no starter.  My friends husband who designed kitchens and bathrooms has offered to look at it and suggest various design options.  

I can break out my piggybank and give myself a budget.  Sell the Horne cabinet, get rid of the old drawers.  Utilise the built in wardrobe.

Keep it simple, what do I need, tables for my sewing machine, cutting board and tabletop ironing board which could possibly be adapted to layer quilts.  Storage space for fabrics, equipment, books and patterns, etc.

Declutter and destash, I don’t have an excess of furniture or knick knacks in the house, why do I hold on to fabric, patterns, books, and equipment I will never use?  

The first thing I’ve done is get a quote from am electrician for LED ceiling lights, the little round ones with natural light.  Yes, it is expensive, and a bit more than I thought, but I think the investment will be worth it.  

I will keep you posted of the progress but I think it will be a couple of months before the room is finished, this is one project I don’t want to rush.  Until then there is always the dining room.

I can’t have a post with no quilt pics, so, these are what I found when sorting out the ‘soon to be a proper sewing room’.

As you can see they are matching (soon to be) cushions for the Sugar and Spice quilt.  There is a pic of the quilt in the last post if you missed it.  I also found three lovely soon to be cushion tops which match a WIP and I'll show you those next time.

This post I am linking up with 

Connie at Freemotion by the River Linky Tuesday (still need the button)

Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts, Sew Cut Tuesday ( need to find the button)

Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts Lets Bee Social

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday
Sarah at Can I Get a Whoop Whoop
TGIFF Hosted by Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts
Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts

Until next time

Smiles from

Kate