This month we have a very special sewing room... When we went to market in May we met this amazing woman that works with
Bari J. as her offical licensed clothing pattern designer and her name is
Suzy Homemaker. This woman really became part of the AGF family by sweating with us and sharing with us all the joys of market.
So this car racing enthusiast allowed us into her home and showed us where she comes up with her patterns and sews magical wonders...
Welcome to my sewing room!
I thought long and hard about what I wanted in this room - my room, my palace, my sanctuary and my retreat.
(the cigar boxes hold my embroidery supplies and the big black box is full of vintage childrens patterns from stuff my mom sewed for me as a kid)
The obvious was storage but next I needed electricity, light, counterspace, floor space, a place to put pins and a place to take notes. I've spent hours savoring the images in different magazines and blogs dedicated to the design and feature-rich functionality of
workspaces. Most of it I couldn't afford. I spent all my money on a couple of terrific sewing machines and well...more than a little fabric.
and then a liitle bit more fabric ....
So now a few details about my studio:
I love chalkboard paint and it doesn't hurt that I also like black (and white). I knew I had wanted a design wall and orginally had set out to paint a big chalkboard square on the wall. I quickly realized that what I really wanted was a chalkboard free-for-all; I wanted to be able to write whatever I wanted, wherever I wanted.
I had painted my sewing machine table black already when I realized that I was always grabbing for a notepad when sewing up pattern mock-ups; the lightbulb went off and I painted my table with chalkboard paint too!
and a close up
I really like the black wall as a backdrop for just about everything and my ability to put important dates and reminders up on the wall, really helps me stay on task.
The next thing I am really happy with are my "pin cushions" I am always walking around with pins in my mouth looking for somewhere safe to put them. Now I have pin cushions everywhere. (this was emphasized when a friend tweeted an x-ray photo of her throat after havng inhaled a pin!) On my pinboard are also notes from inspiring sewers and pictures of people I love and/or are impressed by.
One (autographed) picture here is of me with famous chefs Michael Chiarello and Hubert Keller - if I'm not sewing, I'm cooking. They don't call me Suzy-Homemaker for nothin'.
Last but not least, I really needed accessible power outlets (which are a rare commodity in my 60's California Rancher) and LOTS of lights. Lots and lots of lights. Don't be decieved, this is a room held up by extension cords...don't tell the fire department please.
Eventually, I will cover the light cords with fabric when I get around to it. I've got a couple of patterns due to my partner and a few babies on the list to sew for first!
On why I sew with AGF:
So that is my sewing space... I have been a fan of AGF for years, I drive over an hour to touch (and buy too much of) it. The key here, is the touch; you've never felt anything like AGF and while it's all nice and wonderful to work with fabric that has a nice 'hand' it is even more-so when the fabric glides through the machine so effortlessly -- this is something you don't realize until you sew with Art Gallery. In addition to Art Gallery having such a smooth and even weave (and possibly more importantly) AGF fabric is printed on-grain. If you cut a pattern piece to the print of the fabric, it will also be on-grain. I sew garments and having your pieces and print true to the grain of the fabric can make all the difference when it comes to favorable results.
(The items on the clothesline are a dress made with an AGF scrap challenge, skirts made and lined with AGF solids and a housewarming embroidered tea towel for a friend.)
Imagine my delight when AGF decided to bring on my sewing pattern partner BariJ as a licensed designer? It's a match made in heaven for me! I can't say enough good things about Art Gallery Fabric or the company and its support of the sewing community. Thank you AGF for allowng me to share my little slice of heaven.
Well with all that said I want to thank you for taking a tour of my sewing room... I hope that it has inspired you to make your functional space a bit more fun!
***
Suzy, thanks for showing us your space and we can't wait to see you at Fall Quilt Market.
Follow the mis-adventures of Suzy Homemaker on
Facebook,
Twitter and her
blog... this woman has it going on!
Have a sewing room you would like to share with the AGF fam & friends? Email
anais.cowley@artgalleryfabrics.com and show her your sewing space... who knows, you could be the next feature on The Creative Blog!
Tata for now,
<3 The AGF team
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