SUNDAY STROLL - QUILT STUDIO

I've always had a sewing room or area I claimed for my sewing 'stuff' but moving to Tennessee allowed me the luxury of a place set apart just for my passion. Since, to my way of thinking, a Stroll is just another way of saying a leisurely saunter and there is no way a saunter is what I want to do on this very cold, I mean really, extremely cold afternoon, let me take you the short path from the back door over to the HOBBY SHOP. I share the space in this busy little shop with Flutemaker. His side is a wood and metal shop and

of course I use my side to play with fabrics. Here we have stepped in out of the cold and you can see it is jammed packed. The cutting area is high enough to cut and baste fabric without the pain of bending over a desk top height for any length of time.

Look up at our 'plain-sight' attic. We had the ceiling built two feet higher so that we could store all our extra paraphernalia where we could get at it easily. The true attic is also stuffed to the max.

Here in the center with the cutting table is my sewing station at an office desk I have jerry rigged to accomodate the sewing bed at desk top level. I have so much room now to manipulate my quilt size fabric for machine quilting. You can see my chair swivels to work at the second desk or the sewing machine.

Sitting at the machine I can look straight at my design wall and be inspired and think of different ways to move blocks in different patterns to decide which I prefer.

Although I have had my ironing station at the desk beside where I sit, I prefer to get up and stretch and iron my work so that my hunched over sewing posture gets relief from time to time.

Here are just some of the tools of the trade. Things have certainly changed since I started quilting and we drew our patterns on newspaper or opened out cereal boxes to cut templates. Cutting has been revolutionized with rotary cutters and plastic rulers that don't distort after several uses.

The right hand wall is to my back as I sew, but that is my thread area and storage for fabric and notions. I also have a wonderful distraction when I get stumped or very tired. Under the black striped fabric is one of Flutemakers musical instruments.

Here is the first Hammered Dulcimer he made for me. It is on a tall base for standing and playing. The stripes are cardboard cheater sheets that name the strings they are under.

Over on the left wall behind my design wall are two tall kitchen cupboards that I pushed together for storing fabric, lots of fabric.

Here is a quick peek into the wood shop. Since all wood needs sanding we have a double curtain at the doorway that can be dropped to fill the space and keep all the sawdust on the other side of the shop.

Here is a second sewing station where I keep my old and very dear friend, my faithful Singer. My new machine has a deeper area for stuffing large bed size quilts in for quilting. But little seamstress is still in good working order. This also happens to be winter storage for my front porch plants.

Before we go back out let me show you my computer station and give you a glimpse of a quilt program for designing patterns and quilts. I don't use it often but it's there when I need it. Also I can play quilting music CDs or games from time to time.

Button up your coat and lets scurry back to the house and have some hot cocoa. Then if you want to stroll with someone else go on over to Aisling's house and see who else is waiting for you to share their stroll.