was intended to do just what the title says, and that is to let you know how my life is in my studio. I want to share my thoughts, some of my processes, my general life in the room in my home where I spend most of my time, excluding the bedroom.
My life as a professional seamstress started in 1971. I was fortunate enough to take a nine month course that taught the Bishop Method sewing process. This process was the going thing at the time. I remember my instructor, she was a very particular and quaint elderly lady that knew her stuff. I remember making straight A's in her class. I completed 971 hours of sewing and instruction which qualified me to be a certified seamstress.
My first space for sewing was established about the year 1969, which was a table under a window in my kitchen. I used the skills learned in Junior High and High School to make a few things for myself and my apartment. The breakfast table was my cutting station. As my supplies increased I decided that I needed more space, so I moved into my walk-in pantry. There were shelves on the walls that held my canned goods, staples and the like. It was kind of dark in there, but I rigged an extra light and sewed in there for I don't know how long. I think I got kind of clostrophobic and moved back into the kitchen.
Years later when I moved there was still not a space for sewing, so I used the dining room as I had used the kitchen and pantry in my last apartment.
I made clothing for my two boys and myself. There was also the occasionally making of clothing for others. I made usher uniforms and special occasion attire for extra money to make ends meet. I remember sewing most of my next door neighbors Sunday outfits. She was a sharp dresser, and I was proud to help her look like she had just stepped out of the bandbox on Sunday mornings.
I moved to California in 1992 and gradually set up my sewing space again. I can remember the day when my new husband came home and I had stripped all of the carpet from the back bedroom. He did not say anything, but if you could have seen the look on his face. I told him that it was very dangerous sewing in a room with 1969 shag carpet and that it need to go. The floor was an old tile that I scrubbed to remove the carpet pad remnants and shined it up. It looked pretty good to me. I was now on my way to doing a lot of sewing and I had a whole room to fill up with all of my sewing goodies. I remember building my first table from an old wooden bar that was out on the patio. It was already pretty high so I only had to add about 5 inches to the top and a four feet by six feet board that I padded and covered for ironing and whatever. This room lasted for years. I loved having my own space so I did not have to start projects and take it all down and put it away until the next time I mustered up enough strength to pull it out again. I built shelves around the walls when the lower space ran out. I even had the doors removed from the one closet that was in the room, and used it for storage . I also used my serger in this closet by putting a desk in it. I had bolts of fabric lined up on shelves just like JoAnn's. LOL The fabric buying never seemed to cease. There was fabric in those large plastic bins and in the hall closets. I kept this room until somewhere around 2006 when we decided to move back to Virginia. I packed this room first because I had to make sure when we arrived I knew exactly where every spool of thread and button was. I cataloged everything and had a ledger with the number on each box that would identify just what was in that box. During the process of putting our home on the market, the housing market took a plunge, and the possibility of selling at the price we wanted was not going to happen at this time so we decided not to sell. And guess what? I had all of that stuff to unpack and try and start all over again setting up my sewing space. Well I started setting everything back and we had some water damage in the kitchen that led to having to replace several floors, so my setting up was put on hold. While the repairs were being done I decided to sew in the family room so I could be close by when the contractors had questions during the repairs.
My life as a professional seamstress started in 1971. I was fortunate enough to take a nine month course that taught the Bishop Method sewing process. This process was the going thing at the time. I remember my instructor, she was a very particular and quaint elderly lady that knew her stuff. I remember making straight A's in her class. I completed 971 hours of sewing and instruction which qualified me to be a certified seamstress.
My first space for sewing was established about the year 1969, which was a table under a window in my kitchen. I used the skills learned in Junior High and High School to make a few things for myself and my apartment. The breakfast table was my cutting station. As my supplies increased I decided that I needed more space, so I moved into my walk-in pantry. There were shelves on the walls that held my canned goods, staples and the like. It was kind of dark in there, but I rigged an extra light and sewed in there for I don't know how long. I think I got kind of clostrophobic and moved back into the kitchen.
Years later when I moved there was still not a space for sewing, so I used the dining room as I had used the kitchen and pantry in my last apartment.
I made clothing for my two boys and myself. There was also the occasionally making of clothing for others. I made usher uniforms and special occasion attire for extra money to make ends meet. I remember sewing most of my next door neighbors Sunday outfits. She was a sharp dresser, and I was proud to help her look like she had just stepped out of the bandbox on Sunday mornings.
I moved to California in 1992 and gradually set up my sewing space again. I can remember the day when my new husband came home and I had stripped all of the carpet from the back bedroom. He did not say anything, but if you could have seen the look on his face. I told him that it was very dangerous sewing in a room with 1969 shag carpet and that it need to go. The floor was an old tile that I scrubbed to remove the carpet pad remnants and shined it up. It looked pretty good to me. I was now on my way to doing a lot of sewing and I had a whole room to fill up with all of my sewing goodies. I remember building my first table from an old wooden bar that was out on the patio. It was already pretty high so I only had to add about 5 inches to the top and a four feet by six feet board that I padded and covered for ironing and whatever. This room lasted for years. I loved having my own space so I did not have to start projects and take it all down and put it away until the next time I mustered up enough strength to pull it out again. I built shelves around the walls when the lower space ran out. I even had the doors removed from the one closet that was in the room, and used it for storage . I also used my serger in this closet by putting a desk in it. I had bolts of fabric lined up on shelves just like JoAnn's. LOL The fabric buying never seemed to cease. There was fabric in those large plastic bins and in the hall closets. I kept this room until somewhere around 2006 when we decided to move back to Virginia. I packed this room first because I had to make sure when we arrived I knew exactly where every spool of thread and button was. I cataloged everything and had a ledger with the number on each box that would identify just what was in that box. During the process of putting our home on the market, the housing market took a plunge, and the possibility of selling at the price we wanted was not going to happen at this time so we decided not to sell. And guess what? I had all of that stuff to unpack and try and start all over again setting up my sewing space. Well I started setting everything back and we had some water damage in the kitchen that led to having to replace several floors, so my setting up was put on hold. While the repairs were being done I decided to sew in the family room so I could be close by when the contractors had questions during the repairs.
Years ago my husband suggested that I take this room for my studio since I had started making patterns and quilts, but I knew that was where he was most of the time watching sports on the big screen. After using this room while the floors were being put in I decided that that this was really a great place to work, especially with three windows and so much space. And so, this double wide room has become my Studio, and I'm loving it. Next time I will bring you into my studio and I'll tell you about some of the things that goes on in here. This picture depicts the north wall and the center of my studio. This is where I display some of my pieces over the never used wood burning stove.
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