My new creative space…

Finally finished! From this:

…to this…

…to this!

I’m so pleased. Would you like a quick tour?

You see those drawers in the middle there? Well, they used to house my clothes but they weren’t nearly big enough so I moved my clothes into a huge old chest of drawers and filled these with…

…yarn! Lots and lots of (too much) yarn. Is it weird that I stashed it by weight? That top little drawer is sock wool, 1ply, 2ply and 3ply. Below that are two drawers of DK, then worsted and aran, then a drawer of chunky.

My little desk is big enough to sew on and you see those little drawers on the left?

Well, the bottom six house all my pins and needles, scissors, sewing thread, buttons, embroidery hoops etc. etc.

And the top four house my knitting stuff.

Behind the curtain, under the desk, I have more drawers that contain all my sewing patterns (2 big drawers full!). There is also a drawer full of ribbon, trims and bias.

Above the desk there is a shelf of knitting patterns/books and one full of sewing books. The very top shelf has about forty 1950’s Homes and Gardens magazines. Inspirational stuff!

Well that’s it. It’s been a long, hard slog but it’s now a room I feel happy in - and one I don’t mind other people seeing. It’s organised too and I might actually finish that dress I started more than a few months ago…

Beccy

Still decorating…

Why does always it take so long?

All the shelves are painted, up and screwed down so I’ve managed to clear a lot of space in the dumping ground workshop by filling the shelves with my books. There are even more than this and I don’t think I’ll fit them but there is always a bit of space on the workshop shelves for things that are currently inspiring us.

I’ve got a separate space above my sewing corner for all my knitting, crochet and sewing books.

Most of these drawers are going to house (most of) my yarn – I really need to destash (or knit more things)!

I’m loving the everything white theme but it’s so clean and uncluttered I’m going to find it hard to bring my stuff back in. I’ve already taken four huge bin bags worth to charity but there may be more.

I reckon there’s a couple more days work and then I’ll be done with all the painting. I’m having to paint the black floor white in sections – first the space for my bed, then I did the rest leaving a strip from the door to my bed (and a square under the wardrobe), then tomorrow I’ll be starting the rest. It’s taking about five coats including a couple of primer.

Phew!

Nearly done.

Beccy

My (empty) creative space…

My creative space was most of my bedroom. These photos show just a small part but imagine the whole room looking like this! It was unruly and cluttered and while it looked quite inspiring it was pretty hard to find space to get anything done (or even find anything to do it with). More often than not the sewing machine found its way onto the dining table.

To be honest I’m a bit of a hoarder really! I needed a dedicated place for everything and to streamline it all.

It’s hard for me to throw things away, and it took three days to clear the room, but I needed to reclaim my bedroom. Every book, scrap of fabric, ball of wool and Interesting Thing is now bagged up in the workshop. This is my new creative space:

Lawks! It’s much smaller, cleaner and hopefully it will be tidier. I filled several binbags with rubbish and I have lots still to go through. I still need to finish painting and put everything back but I’ll be judicious! I couldn’t wait to show you the difference but I’ll take more pictures when it’s finished. There will be a whole alcove filled with top to bottom with shelves for books and I have a chest of drawers reserved just for yarn.

I can’t wait for it to be finished! It’s so bright and light. We used Dulux light-reflecting paint for the walls and plain white eggshell for the wood. The floor will also be white but the skirting will be blue. There will be lots of colour though from accessories like the blanket I’m making. I don’t want it to be sterile!

Beccy

All finished!

Just wanted to let you all know that the (probably) boring saga of the workshop is (finally) at an end.

We’ve got a website if you wanna have a look-see - we’ve even got a logo, like a proper business or something!

Lawks! Now I might have time to actually make something nice. I’ve adjusted my dressform (how is it possible to lose 2” from your bust and waist but 0” from your hips?) so I can work on some refashions that have thus-far existed only in my head.

I’ve also got an unexpected commission to make a plate for a chap but that’s almost finished so I think it’s about time I made use of that workshop and started on something new!

Right, I’m off – I was at a very late, very dancy wedding last night and I’m a wee bit tired!

Beccy

We’ve got taps!

…and benches and worktops. And stuff.

We’ve had a few days off work – Monday was a Bank Holiday so we got that off, but since it’s half term we managed to get a couple of extra days too – so we’ve been putting in some hours trying to get the workshop finished.

And here’s how it’s looking now. We’ve painted the finished benches and Elle came today to wield her circular saw magic on the worktops. It’s not that I’m scared of it (honest) it’s just that I can’t cut a straight line even with an 8-inch blade, well clamped guides and the will to do it! Elle is a demon with that saw - and she has a sense of urgency even during our current heatwave (which I lack – I just want to sit and drink Robinsons barley water all day).

This sink drainer was a godsend – it has the perfect shaped hole already cut for a Belfast sink and it’s (probably) teak. It cost us £6 on ebay plus the drive to Hull pick it up. It looks lovely now but it was a bit grotty when we got it (which wasn’t mentioned in the listing), but for £6? We knew we could clean it. A bit of elbow grease and a gallon of teak oil later (did you guys know that stuff can spontaneously combust? Yikes!) and it is now shiny and looking as good as new. The taps are chrome, 40’s and cost considerably more!

Our Belfast sink was also an ebay find and cost £5 plus the drive to a Mormon church in Rotherham to pick it up – Elle has a very handy other half who’s going to come and drill us a huge hole through the wall for the sink waste, then we can fit it in and we’re good to go!

I also hung a curtain today because I’m paranoid of night-time peepery. Ok, I’m not going to be getting changed in there or anything but a lit room with black uncovered windows always makes me feel like I’m being watched. This is one half of a pair of curtains we bought from Oxfam a few months ago, the other one is going to become a blind for the window.

And finally, we just managed to stop this going into a skip at college. It was dirty and worn and that orangey woody colour. There are also 20 trays in a lovely shade of school furniture brown. So, we painted the carcase in the same shade of white as the walls and the trays are getting a coat of pale blue Plastikote. It has doors that refuse to hang straight so I think we’re just going to leave them off. This will be great for holding all our tools and Interesting Things.

Right, I’m off – Junior Apprentice is on telly and I need to nurse my slight sunburn.

Beccy

My (ickle) creative space…

Yup, this is my cosy (bijou?) desk and it’s where I keep all my creative stuff – but not necessarily where I do all my creating. Sometimes things can get a little big – imagine trying to do quilting here? Everything I use a lot is on hand, but you see those curtains below the desk? That’s where I keep a lot of my Interesting Things. Stuff like old medical instruments, clock faces, keys, rusty metal, computer innards… you get the picture. There are also drawers full of art materials like paints and pastels, but they’re a bit boring.

My little cheapy sewing machine sits here all day. I’d love a huge, expensive, all singing, all dancing one but finances wont allow. And anyway, I only use two stitches and do the odd buttonhole or zip.

This is my daylight lamp – good light but it’s such an ugly, plastic grey thing I like to keep it covered with vintage tray cloths (god bless you Sally Army) The window looks down onto the chook’s run (if I crane my neck a little, I can watch them while I work)

I didn’t take too many pictures but the walls are covered in books. Hundreds of books, Amazon is my friend.

Remember these drawers? I decided I liked them just the way they were and have filled them with things that needed corralling. Like my collection of spare knitting needles and crochet hooks – many of them are vintage, and some of the hooks are made of bone.

Sewing thread – I was forever looking for that colour, you know, the one you know you have somewhere but can’t find that will match perfectly. Now I will, if I remember to put them back.

Fabric paints, needles, pins, elastic, the Precious Scissors (I buy so many pairs because mum keeps blunting them on paper, hair, ivy… now I can hide them)

I have lots of tiny drawers too, filled with handy things like press-studs and grommets.

And finally, my needle-roll I knitted ages ago. It is filled with every needle size I will ever need, while my circulars all hang from a hook to stop them getting tangled.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this tiny tour of some of my stuff. I’m working on a new tutorial which should be up in the next few days if I can get it finished – it’s been a long time since I made something new and tutorial worthy. Watch this space!

Beccy