Workspace Makeover, Part I
February 22, 2012 Warning: Lots of blah blah blahing today ...
While I was offline, I found myself with time to clean house ... or at least clean my sewing room. There was waaaaaay too much stuff in here and it was getting crazy messy. I didn't have room for new fabric, I couldn't hardly see the floor (yes I know, bad grammar), I couldn't get to the closet, the spare chair was piled high with ... I dunno, ... stuff ... UGH!!! It was terrible.
No I didn't take any photos to prove it. I was too embarrassed. Just trust me, kay?
So I begged my bestest friend Kate (let's just say she doesn't exactly live across the street ... more like she almost needs to pack a lunch for the drive to my house) to come over one afternoon to help me 'cause that girl has like a black belt in purging & organizing. The word ruthless comes to mind ... in a good way, though. ;)
PLUS she knows me really well. PLUS she's a quilter/stitcher too (thanks in large part to me, tee hee) so she totally understands what I have, why I have it and has an impartial perspective on what I really need to keep and what I should get rid of (I know, more bad grammar).
The last time we went thru this exercise - I'm a work in progress - I got a taste of what it really feels like to be a hoarder in the middle of an intervention. Now in all seriousness, I have a relative who's a bonafide hoarder, as in she could be on one of those reality shows. And she was a MAJOR seamstress/quilter so I'm no stranger to what unhealthy fabric collecting looks like. But I reeeeeally don't want to end up like that and seeing what happened to her is a very strong motivator for me to keep my fabric obsession under control.
Sorry, went off track a bit there.
What I was getting at about tasting hoardism is that when Kate was trying to help me part with certain things, I actually had the beginnings of a panic attack ... you know, elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, tight chest, feeling trapped. And all she was doing was trying to convince me I could get rid of a little shoebox full of tacky Christmas fabric - SCRAPS no less - from the 80s. I mean come ON! WHEN am I ever going to make something with gold lamé again?! Yeah, like NEVER.
That panic attack really surprised me and kinda scared me. It was a good wake up call, let me tell you.
But I was now at the point where every time I looked around my sewing room to find inspiration and motivation, I felt stuck. I couldn't think. I felt anchored in the past with all my aging - albeit lovely - fabric. I realized I'm no longer interested in making pretty things out of old fabric. Or fabric I bought on impulse. Or fabric that was given to me that didn't give me butterflies in my tummy. Or fabric I'm simply SO OVER.
All this ... this STUFF was clogging my creative arteries. ENOUGH! BLAAAHH!!!
So I called in the big guns and we went to work. Three hours later I was waving good-bye to her and about 100 lbs of fabric ... including my precious scrap bin ... and I've gotten rid of even MORE since then. Confession: she's having a garage sale in May so she said I was allowed to take back anything I NEEDED before then. And I may have already brought back a few FQs. But the exercise of removing all that fabric from my house is proving to be very theraputic.
ANYHOW (geez I'm long-winded today!) that purge got me started on a makeover of sorts here in my workspace where I sew, write & blog. Now that my room is looking presentable, I thought you might like a peek. I don't want you to get too excited. I'm no Sarah Richardson. But I think this room is pretty and I love being in it. So I've written a little series of posts to show you around.
Today - because I'm starting to bore even myself here - I'll just quickly show you the floor plan I drew up a few years ago.
I'd never done this before - drawn a room & furniture to scale on graph paper - and it turned out to be a great exercise.
With graph paper, a pencil, a measuring tape and an Ikea catalogue I was able to see what I had to work with, identify what I needed and figure out what would fit.
There are a few Fung Sui problems with this layout, like my back is to the door when I'm sitting at my sewing machine and my desk, but that's the compromise I made so I could look out the window and spy on the neighbors watch the world go by.
So even though it's not perfect, it's perfect for me ... for now ... and I'm grateful.
My Sewing Room 
Reader Comments (30)
Sometimes you'll have to clean your sewing room and surprise yourself with the fabric you're going to find;-)
Hildy
Now you've got me worried that I'm a hoarder (of yarn) now!!!
Was that bad grammer? Seemed alright to me, shows you how bad my English must be!!!
V x
I'm laughing now as I've put 'now' at the beginning and end of that sentence!!
Told you my English was rubbish. ;)
Good for you!!! As I look around my sewing area I realize that I need to do a major purge. I was once told by a moving company that for every year you live in a place, you accumulate 1000 pounds of stuff. Thanks for your story and the motivation!!
You crack me up! I can so relate to this post as I have fabric that I KNOW I will never use, but can't seem to part with. What is my problem??? My tastes have completely changed (thanks to you and a few other bloggers like Amy) and I know I will never go back to my old ways. I need an intervention but all of my friends are just as bad as me! I live in Washington State. How long would it take your friend to get here????
We recently watched a programme about a man who only had little tunnels to crawl through all the stuff in his house - it was very scary! I have been trying to get over the "it's too nice to use" syndrome ...... after all, fabric ranges, like clothes, go out of fashion, so I am making an effort to use up the old stuff!!
I never thought I would admit it, but fabric does "go bad". Once it hits its "use by" date and it is still in the storage cupboard, it is time to let it go. You will feel 100 pounds lighter in more ways than one!
Sounds like my room. My daughter stood in the fabric store last weekend and said I thought you weren't going to start anything new so why do you need more fabric. Then she said you're going to the quilt show in France, then a big sigh, I suppose you're going to buy more stuff whilst you're there. I think she must be someone else's child.
I have to admit - I used gold lame′ for a Christmas gift - a fancy dress for a doll. It's so awful to work with, the rest of it went in the trash! When I have fabric to purge, it goes in a big black trash bag (out of sight, out of mind) in the basement. If I don't miss it right away, it goes to a group for charity quilts.
You didn't have room for new fabric....nuf said HAHA!
I can't wait to see into your room! I've been very much enjoying the fruits of your labor, if you know what I mean =) Not to worry, much of it has gone to a good home, where I will use it and enjoy it. I have actually been doing a little bit o' purging myself in prep for Kate's garage sale in May =)
ps no baby yet, but I'm going in Feb 29 for ultrasound and possible induction?! I'm ready for babe to come, but not sure I'm ready to be induced hehe.
I feel your pain! My "sewing/quilting/craft area" is overflowing with stuff! Fortunately we are going to be swapping furniture in some rooms soon, and will give me extra space to work with. I look forward to see all what you have done in your room! :-)
It is going to be the best garage sale ever!! and Kristyne I am not done with you yet....there are still two more months for further purging!
Kate
Omg, Kate you're not seriously going to make me get rid of MORE, are you?! Please, dude ... be gentle! LOL!!!
Um. I think I need an intervention. As I was reading, I was thinking... where is that garage sale going to be? tee-hee.... oy vey... 80's Christmas fabric... stab my heart... I have a box too... maybe.. it ... is... time... to... say... sionara...gasp... M.A.Y.B.E.... oh I could so relate to your agony... but it does sound like all is well and you are ready to CREATE! Which we love to watch you do! Hurry and bring on the new room posts! Thanks for the pep talk. You are right - I feel the same way... I have been making myself use up old and no buying new til I do... but I am stuck in an 80/90's time warp and it isn't very inspiring.... I need to face facts. I will never use this stuff up in time, meanwhile gorgeous lines come and go and I have yet to enjoy them... when I finally do, they will be old and I will be wishing for new... much to ponder.....
{Gasp} I hope you didn't purge the Children (and I don't mean the human ones.) Could you send your friend over to my house for the day???
I'm looking forward to seeing your series of posts about your sewing room. It's always fun to see another work space. Congrats to really investigating why you were feeling the way you were! I always feel that when we're uncomfortable it's because we have something to learn. And you figured out what it was! :)
Oh dear, that would be a hard thing to do, I am proud of you!! Your friend is sooo nice to come and push you :-). You will be refreshed and ready to go now.
Hi Kristyne, thank you so much for this post - I am so glad to know I am not the only one whose sewing room has got that bad, and I can so relate to feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start - not to mention that panic attack kind of feeling about letting stuff go! Sadly I am too embarassed to let anyone see my room, so I kind of have to tackle it on my own, but your post has given me some motivation to get started, thanks!
My sister is like Kate too, ruthless - in a good way too! I love you drew out a plan too - I do this a lot!
S x
I know it must have been a difficult process to go through your fabric for purging. I had to do the same when I was moving to Fort Mac since what was not moving was going into storage (costing $$). But I used the rule of thumb: if I don't see myself using it in the next 2 years, it's going to another good home!
I am right there along with the others,but my stumbling block is, with the price of beautiful quilting fabrics,I m reluctant to just toss them. And most of them were $$dear too!!! I know you are in the business and may get it in other ways,but paying $12 a yard well,that is it right there for me.
Hooray for making room for the stuff you truly love! I hope you enjoy your "new" space! I've been ever so gradually giving away my UFOs and itty bitty scraps to clear out some space in my sewing room. It's harder than I thought it would be, but I rarely miss the stuff I've let go of once it's gone.
Congratulations on the giant sort out! Now you have room for new fabric!!
Oh my! I just found your site and read through the whole thing. For me it read like a book. You should think about writing one. Also adding other people's comments. I just loved every minute of it!! I'm sure part of it is how familiar your situation felt. I have a very messy and packed room which I would love to decorate much as you have done to yours. So far I believe I am "winning" as I have cartons of fabric in a coat closet, my garage, my laundry area, my attic and of course my sewing room (which is supposed to be a rec room). It is my wreck room. Ugh! Anyway, just think about it. You are a great writer. I want to hear more!
I shudder to think what your Kate would say about my room!