The new sewing room is ready for its "reveal," as the reality decorating shows call it, but I feel a disclaimer coming on. First, taking pictures of this tiny room is like trying to photograph a phone booth (remember those?) from the inside. The color of digital photographs taken in daylight is much better than nighttime but, again because the room is small, it's difficult to get a good daytime picture. The large window brings in wonderful constant northern light, no morning or evening glare, but it necessitates using backlight. Wonderful for sewing and mental outlook, but not so great for photographs.
Second, my personal style is not cute or girly and does not include blue. (I never attempt girlishness at my age, but admit to a certain comfort in having old things about me, even Don on occasion.) I had some old blue & white things I wanted to use, and I pulled out some childhood mementos that have been buried for years. The result is a somewhat cute, somewhat blue, somewhat girly refuge.
One aspect of quilting that I love is the connection it gives me to my grandmother and all the grannies before her, whose pride and necessity required so many handmade goods. (I also love that today's fabulous machinery and equipment make connecting with the past much easier and more likely.) Some of the items pulled out of storage remind me of those women, and some are meant to entice my grandchild to share time with me there. Someday these pieces I'm connected to will connect her to our common past too.
This space will evolve as my creative efforts change. But for now, just having a room of my own is quite a thrill.
4 comments:
What a great studio room! You have definitely done a good job with a little bit of space. I adore the old patterns framed, the bookcases into a cutting table is nifty and is that all of your fabric???? where's the other closet that you are hiding?????
Oh, ye who have been at this for 20 years, cut me some slack--I'm still a rookie! ;-) I only started sewing again 3 years ago after a 20-odd-year hiatus, and have been quilting fewer than 2. And yes, there are a few "pre-selected projects" grouped in individual tubs in the closet, but let's not go there right now. The shelf fabric is the free-range stuff.
Maybe we could start a movement--send fabric to Jane Ann! Which do you want--my mom's old polyesters or some corduroy? *wink*
Just for that idea I'd love to attach a picture to this comment (can't do that, can we?) of the polyester patchwork quilt my grandmother began, which mercifully became a pillow. (Can you imagine sleeping under a polyester quilt? I'm talkin' the double-knit stuff!) It sits in my new sewing room--just to remind me that beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. (A shame--her handworked pinstitch is lovely!)
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