my new Sewing Studio

a creative space away from home

Some artists long for the day when they can rent a creative space outside of the home. I was never one of those.

I loved working at home because it gave me the flexibility to work while my babies were napping or to move the laundry in between sewing blocks. It meant that I could flow effortlessly from work hours to weekend hobby, blurring the lines between work and play in a good way. And although I rarely worked in my pajamas, not having to actually leave my home felt so cozy and efficient.

My new sewing studio is a rented room in an office building quite close to my new home. It took me weeks to get properly setup, during which I still needed to work. The stress of that transition combined with the depressing vibe of the overhead fluorescent lighting and boring gray floors really did me in.

Now that I am settled in, I can appreciate some of the benefits from this new arrangement. For example, once I’m here, it’s easy to stay. I’m interrupted less by dear ones and the doorbell doesn’t ring with package deliveries. I find everything just as I left it, when I return to work, except for the garbage - my office comes with once a week vacuuming and trash emptying. That is quite nice.

The door to my office is glass, providing a constant reminder of the artificial lighting lurking in the hallways. Now that I have had a proper light switch installed, I only switch the lights on if it’s quite dark. My mood is a million times better working in a dimly, natural-lit space than when it was brightly and evenly lit by artificial means. As the day unfolds, the room grows gradually brighter, and if the sun comes out I smile as all the lovely colors shine true.

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You’ll find me most of the time, here, at my desk. I’ve got a comfortable chair, a pretty rug and a beast of a plant to make it all a bit homey.

The trees lining the street outside my window are bare now, creating an open view of the old church across the way. I’m looking forward to when the trees leaf out this spring.

My sewing table is beside the door, arranged parallel to the longarm machine. When I sew, I sit on that little white stool with my back to the door. But hardly anyone ever comes down this hallway, so it’s not as awkward as it sounds.

The set up around my sewing table is the same as it was before, so everything critical is in reach on the Ikea pegboard and the cabinets above provide lots of storage.

On the wall to the other side of the door is the prettiest part: my fabric storage and pressing corner. Three cheers for fabric shelves! They are so functional and so uplifting too! The drawers system alongside the shelves is home to my fabric scraps, and that little ironing board is where I do all my pressing. I just love how my Wheel Quilt shines perfectly in that white expanse. That is the benefit of white, after all.

Just before I moved, I recovered my ironing board with a Rifle Paper Co., canvas print. I am so enjoying its blooming beauty.

As you know, I have already been using my new design wall! This time I taped it up with double-sided mounting tape, recommended by a reader. That worked really well and should leave fewer marks than the carpet tape that I used in my last home. In America we installed design wall batting with staples, but the walls in The Netherlands are made of stone. Staples won’t do.

I really appreciate that my design wall is well lit in this space! One long side of the room has gigantic windows. Even in this dim, cloudy weather, the light that falls on the design wall is showing the colors more truly than in my old space. Yay!

Well, that’s the full tour of my new sewing studio. I don’t know if I will be here for long, so I won’t be painting. Still, now that I have settled in, corrected the lighting and put up some of my art, it feels welcoming enough. I am certainly thankful to be able to continue my work and to share that with you.

Thanks for reading!