Class Sneak Preview

So, I know there are a lot of you out there anxiously awaiting the class release! It will be out officially on Wednesday, August 1st!

However, I thought that since you've all been waiting so patiently I would give you a little sneak preview...

The first is a super cute Intermediate Paper Piecing project in a class called "Keep on Paper Piecing", although I've nick named it "Franken-piecing". Angelyn has chosen such a cute project that shows you a variety of intermediate level paper piecing techniques.

Isn't he cute?!

Click on the picture to find out dates & more information.

The second is an Embellishment class called "Mixed Media". I've never seen such a unique project before. It combines a few techniques from Carol's other embellishment series and looks oh so fun!

What kinds of neat things can you find for your mixed media project?!

Click on the picture to find out dates & more information.

The third is an awesome Snow Vest taught by one of our staff, Debby! You may have taken her Snow Skirt class last session. This vest pairs nicely with a snow skirt if you made one last session.

Adding one of the beautiful trims we have in the store completes this vest nicely!

Click on the picture to find out dates & more information.

Come check out the samples hanging in the store, and don't forget to visit us during Sale Weekend to get 20% off your class fees and supplies!

Bernina 7-Series Sneak Peak

BERNINA Introduces Its New 7 Series Line With Patent-Pending BERNINA 9 Hook Technology

Innovative and Versatile Machines Designed for Sewing, Quilting and Embroidery

AURORA, IL--(Marketwire -07/09/12)- BERNINA of America is pleased to announce the launch of a new line of sewing, quilting and embroidery machines called the 7 Series, available at dealerships in the U.S. in September. Consisting of three machines including the BERNINA 710, the BERNINA 750 QE (Quilter's Edition), and the BERNINA 780 E (Embroidery), the new 7 Series features the world's first, patent-pending BERNINA 9 Hook (B 9 Hook). The B 9 Hook uniquely combines the advantages of the two best hook technologies, the rotary and CB hook, enabling higher sewing and embroidery speeds, 9 mm stitch width, and extra bobbin capacity. BERNINA's new DesignWorks Software and companion accessories, which will debut in October, are compatible with both the B 750 QE E (with embroidery module) and B 780 E. The DesignWorks products can be used with select BERNINA embroidery machines to cut custom shapes, paint and create custom crystal appliqués. Authorized BERNINA Dealers were given a first look at the 7 Series today while attending this year's BERNINA University training conference in Washington, D.C.

"We are pleased to introduce the new 7 Series, which combines a simple and classic design with cutting-edge technology and superior stitch functions," said Paul Ashworth, President of BERNINA of America. "With attention to every detail, the BERNINA 7 Series represents elegance packaged with the ultimate in sewing innovation."

The B 9 Hook allows for sewing speeds of up to 1,000 stitches per minute and up to 9 mm stitch width. The centrally placed driver and two oscillating lobes of the B 9 Hook allow the thread to flow unobstructed and quietly, offering top sewing quality and precision. The B 9 Hook also features a bobbin that can hold 80 percent more thread than BERNINA's standard bobbins.
The BERNINA 7 Series features three innovative and versatile machines, including:

• BERNINA 710 (MSRP $4,599)The B 710 is the ideal machine for the sewing enthusiast who enjoys the creative process and traditional techniques with a contemporary touch. The B 710 combines innovative ideas with lots of space, providing more room for all your sewing projects. It features 680 sewing stitch patterns, including 200 decorative stitches, and comes standard with five presser feet. The B 710 is also compatible with the BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR), designed to assist you in mastering free-motion stitching techniques with ease. Also, with the addition of the right accessories, the B 710 will take the user from crafting to home decorating to quilting with ease.
  
• BERNINA 750 QE (MSRP $5,499, $7,499 with embroidery module)The B 750 QE is specially accessorized for the quilting enthusiast. The B 750 QE includes a total of 837 sewing stitch patterns, and is equipped with over 30 quilt stitches, eight presser feet and 70 embroidery designs. It also comes standard with the BSR, making it the perfect fit for the quilter who is looking for a machine with the best quilting features available. The BSR detects the movement of the fabric using an optical sensor and regulates the needle movement to create even, consistent free-motion stitching. The extensive range of available accessories, including an optional embroidery module, offers the B 750 QE owner the option of expanding their creative options to other sewing specialties such as heirloom, home decorating, crafting and garment sewing. The B 750 QE is also compatible with the new DesignWorks Software and companion accessories.
  
• BERNINA 780 E (MSRP $10,999)The BERNINA 780 E offers top quality embroidery, sewing and quilting functionality in an elegantly designed machine that leaves extra room for imagination. The B 780 E comes standard with the BSR and an assortment of nine presser feet. It includes a total of 1,306 sewing stitch patterns and is also capable of 360-degree, multi-directional sewing. Additionally, over 130 high quality embroidery designs are built into the B 780 E along with elegant fonts for personalizing your projects. You can even quickly upload your own embroidery designs onto the machine using the convenient USB port. The B 780 E is compatible with the BERNINA Embroidery Software V6, and the new DesignWorks Software and companion accessories
  

The 7 Series offers many features to make sewing easier. Each machine is equipped with a color touch screen for intuitive navigation and features the integrated BERNINA Dual Feed which tames hard-to-manage and fine fabrics. The 7 Series also includes an extended freearm area with ten inches of space to the right of the needle and a practical extension table with ample space to hold your larger sewing projects. Additional features include a presser foot that automatically lowers and lifts. It will even cut the thread for you at the end of your seam or color change. All machines in the 7 Series are also equipped with a semi-automatic needle threader, one-step buttonhole sewing program, slide speed control and a built-in Sewing Consultant that is ready to assist you at anytime. Additionally, the 7 Series provides an exclusive level of stitch control. Whether altering stitch length, stitch width or needle positions, or even creating combinations, the 7 Series will remember the stitch details for you.

The DesignWorks Software features the CutWork, PaintWork and CrystalWork components, turning your embroidery machine into a mixed media tool. With CutWork, you can cut shapes, patterns and designs from multiple layers of fabric. PaintWork allows you to apply pen drawings to fabric and textiles. Finally, you can create crystal appliqué patterns for textiles and garments using CrystalWork.

To learn more about the state-of-the-art BERNINA 7 Series, exclusive B 9 Hook and DesignWorks Software Suite, please visit www.berninausa.com/7-series.

About BERNINAFounded in Switzerland more than 100 years ago, BERNINA is the world's premier manufacturer with a proven reputation for offering state-of-the-art sewing and embroidery systems, sergers and embroidery software. BERNINA's leadership is marked by an impressive number of industry leaders, influencers and artisans who chose to partner with the company. BERNINA products are sold in the United States through a network of approximately 450 fully trained independent dealerships. In 2008, the company introduced the revolutionary BERNINA 830, a machine designed to change the home sewing industry. To learn more and to find a dealer, visit www.berninausa.comor call (630)978-2500.

Okay folks, here is what we're going to do this week.. leave me a comment telling me what you think of the new Bernina 7-Series and I will choose a winner on July 23rd. That gives you 2 weeks to check out all of the great information floating around the inter-web on this wonderful new line of machines! Stay tuned with SLH as well for new on when we will have these amazing machines in the store for you to come in and play with!

My Favorites - Karen

This week our featured Staff Member is doll extraordinary, Karen Smith! See what she has to say about her favorite sewing items! 

Q: What is your favorite sewing/quilting book?

A: Books are a weakness for me!  I love books and have just about every book that has ever been published regarding cloth dolls.  I also have a weakness for magazines and have just about every magazine on cloth dolls.  I think that I get the most from Patti Medaris Culea’s books.  Her most recent book is the best – it is a compilation of her first 4 books – called “Creative Cloth Doll Collection.”  It’s a wealth of cloth doll construction and everything to dress and embellish a doll.  My second favorite (right now) is “Cloth Doll Artistry” by Barbara Willis.  She has some of the most beautiful embellished dolls too.  (These can all change with my mood)            

Q: What is your favorite sewing notion?

A:  My favorite and most useful notion is the Stuffing Tools for cloth dolls.  I have both sizes – the larger one for body parts and the really small one to push stuffing into little fingers and toes.  You cannot really stuff a cloth doll without one so I always have this on my class lists and Seams Like Home stocks both sizes.  They are so useful for pincushions, stuffed animals and etc. too.  My favorite stuffing is Premium Polyfil by Fairfield. 

Q: What is your favorite sewing foot?

A:  My favorite sewing foot is my Free Motion Embroidery Foot.  This foot lets me create just about any fairy wing I design.  Also, I can add wonderful thread embellishments to my fabric before creating a doll.   I also really can’t sew a doll without the open toe foot as it allows me to see the stitching line and to sew with accuracy. 

Q: What is your favorite hand/machine sewing thread?

A:  My favorite which is really quite boring, but so incredibly useful, is hand quilting thread by Coats and Clark.  I have tried many different brands and types but this thread is the best for everything from sewing arms, legs and heads to my dolls, but also to add embellishments, beading and making wired ribbon flowers.  I can tug it fairly firmly and it just doesn’t break.  I have every color that has come out.  But it absolutely must be the “hand quilting” thread, not machine quilting.  I also like a lot of metallic threads by Madeira and Superior – they add the “fairy” touch.

Q: What is your favorite sewing blog(s)?

A:  This one is a difficult one to narrow down to one or even two.  I love Joggles – this site has just about everything a doll artist/mixed media artist would like.  This site also sends out a “mid week muse” video tutorial that is usually interesting showing techniques for new or interesting products.  I also like to visit Dollmakers Journey  -  they send out a monthly newsletter with information on new patterns and products.  They also have a sale every month on a pattern category and lots of links for upcoming challenges and etc.  I also enjoy Patti Medaris Culea’s site – she has some wonderful patterns and really good links.  But I check out many more too.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into our gift card drawing! Thanks for stopping by!

MyFav's - Sara

Join us this week to hear about Sara's favorite items! 

Q: What is your favorite sewing/quilting book?

A: One book that is my good ole stand by for Christmas fun is New Noel. It has a few simple and beautiful Christmas stocking patterns that I have used to make stockings for everyone in my family! Also the other patterns, table runners, placemats and pillows are super fun. I know the colors they use are bright and nontraditional but I have done most of my projects in green and red and they are beautiful! Definitely my holiday go to book! Also I love the Quilter’s Academy books – All of them!!! They all have lots of useful information about quilting, sewing, sewing machines, quilting tools and other good tidbits of information. For those of us out there who are sewing and quilting and are mostly self-taught, these books can take your sewing to another level! I love the confidence I have gained in my quilting and sewing through these books and I use them as reference tools often!

Q: What is your favorite sewing notion?

A: I love my Frixon Pen! You can use the pen on fabric, on your notes, in books, patterns for super sharp and precise lines and marks. And the best part is you can erase all of your marks! On fabric to make the marks disappear all you have to do is use your iron! Heat or friction makes the pen disappear! Once you wash your project and fabric the marks will never come back! Love it! Wonder Tape is also one of my favorite notions! I use to help apply my binding to hold it in place as I’m sewing it on by hand. It makes the task a lot easier and the finished product is nearly perfect! My last favorite notion is my Mini Iron II! This specialty iron has a few different attachments and they make this iron so practical! I love the small iron tip as it’s perfect to fuse the applique pieces onto your projects! Since I love fusible applique this iron is wonderful for me but the other attachments have many other functions too!

Q: What is your favorite sewing foot?

A: The #5 Blindhem foot is one of the most practical feet in my arsenal. It’s my best friend when hemming pants and the seams are nearly invisible because of this foot! Another favorite is the #35 invisible zipper foot! I have struggled with invisible zippers many a time and this foot has little guides that the zipper coils fit right into so you can perfectly attach an invisible zipper! This foot has made my garments and projects go from looking homemade to looking flawless! My last two favorite feet have made me a successful quilter, they are the #50 Bernina Walking foot and the BERNINA Stitch Regulator! With the aid of these two feet I have been able to quilt all of the quilts I have ever made! It feels great to be able to piece and then quilt all of my projects from beginning to end. I now have a major passion for quilting, it has become my favorite part of sewing!

Q: What is your favorite hand/machine sewing thread?

A: I have recently fallen in love with metallic threads, most specifically the YLI Yenmet threads! They are sparkly, shiny and make your projects stand out! I have enjoyed quilting and machine embroidery with these threads. The trick to achieve no thread breakage is using a size 90/14 Metallic needle and loosening top tension on your Bernina. With those two tricks I have never struggled with the Yenmet thread and I am now obsessed with them! Another favorite thread of mine is Aurifil. This is my favorite cotton piecing and quilting thread. I know many other staff members have raved about it already but I can’t say enough about this stuff! My dream is to have Aurifil in every color!!! With 216 colors, it’s a big task but one I am more than happy to work towards. J

Q: What is your favorite sewing blog(s)?

A: http://www.coletterie.com/ The Coletterie is the blog for Colette Sewing Patterns. They feature lots of real sewers and other blogs who are successfully using the Colette Patterns, which are awesome by the way! There are also lots of fun and interesting tutorials on garment making techniques and step by step guides on how to put together their patterns.

 http://weallsew.com/ We All Sew is the wonderful and amazing Bernina blog. This blog has free projects, features about the new and hot ideas in the sewing world and lots of tutorials from Bernina Educators and Sewing Celebrities. I check this blog weekly as there is always something new and exciting to discover!

P.S: Don't forget to leave a comment or tell us what your favorite notions are. You will be automatically entered to win a $25 gift card to the store! 

MyFav's - Maret

Welcome to Week 3 of our MyFav's blog series. Check out what Maret has to say about her favorite sewing/quilting related items!

1.      What is your favorite sewing/quilting book?

Why are these questions so hard?!  I love books!  Nothing is more relaxing and inspiring than a cup of coffee (or red wine) and looking through the newest books. 

Right now I have been devouring Fiberart Montage by Judith Baker Montano.  Judith is our featured teacher at our first quilt retreat in Halibut Cove this summer.  Her creations are pieces of art!  Her book combines photography, watercolor paintings, fiber creations and silk ribbon embroidery…all the things I love to do!  Her older books are timeless resources for hand embroidery and silk ribbon techniques.  I love doing hand work. 

2.     What is your favorite sewing notion?

When cleaning my sewing studio, I discovered 4 Kwik Klip notions! You really only need one, but obviously when I couldn’t find mine, I needed another and another and another!

This is the best tool for closing those safety pins while pinning your quilts.  No more broken fingernails!

3.     What is your favorite sewing foot?

I LOVE the #10 edge foot.  This foot allows you to get up close and personal with the edge of your project and gives a professional finish to your seams.  I have used in on a leather bag that I made and people are amazed at the details on the seams!  It looks better than store bought.

I also LOVE the #43 free motion couching foot.  This foot is a must have for any machine embellisher!  I also LOVE  the hemmer feet, # 60, # 61 and #62.  These feet help sew narrow rolled hems on scarves and garments.  I also LOVE…oh wait, I’m only supposed to pick one favorite?!  The list just goes on and on….

4.     What is your favorite hand/machine sewing thread?

I love to piece with Aurifil thread.  It is a long staple Egyptian cotton thread that doesn’t leave tons of lint in your sewing machine.  It is also great for machine quilting because is embeds in the quilt, instead of lying on top as some thicker threads tend to do.

We are slowly bringing in more art threads to be used for embellishments.  King Tut, Masterpiece, and Rainbows just to name a few. 

I also love silk ribbon, floss and thread.  We have the ENTIRE line of Judith Baker Montano’s hand dyed silk threads and ribbons.  Scrumptious!

5.     What is your favorite sewing blog?

This blog makes me laugh!  Zombies have invaded, but at least this one has a sense of humor and “thehappyzombie.com” makes me happy.  Monica Soloria-Snow is unsupervised and armed with sewing needles.  Not your traditional quilter/sewer!  I love seeing what new tricks and techniques she comes up!

Karen Snyder is a mainstay in the quilting industry.  She is an author, fabric designer, and previous shop owner.  I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago and spending some time during dinners getting to know her.  Her style is more traditional quilting and her blogs are always entertaining.   Her blog, “annalenaland.com” features her sewing projects as well as her love of photography.

Okay so, not a sewing blog but a life blog…I love “hands free mama.com” blog.  Our lives get too busy and our eyes are always glued to the computer screen, phone screen, movie screen,  tv screen so much that that sometimes I want to scream! While we need to have some interaction with electronics…do remember to put them down and enjoy the moments around you.  Rachel Macy Stafford writes posts so eloquently…read it-live it.

And don't forget, leave a comment here to be entered into our $25 gift card drawing. We will randomly choose the winner next Monday!

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to come in the store to check out the items Maret mentions above! 

Happy 10th Birthday To Us!

To all of our loyal customers,
Thank you for your support and business over the last 10 years! Come join us on June 2nd for our 10 year Birthday Celebration! We will have cupcakes (from local business "Simply Cupcakes") as well as a super duper coupon that allows you to choose your favorite item to get a discount on! Below is the coupon for that discount. You can bring in a print off of the coupon or show us the coupon via your phone when you check out. There is a limit of one coupon per customer and the coupon is only good for June 2nd!
Hope to see you in the store!

My Favs - Angelyn

Okay SLH Fans.. this week our featured Team Member is Angelyn! Here is what she has to say about her "Favs": 

1. What is your favorite sewing/quilting book?

OH GEEZ. My favorite? Well for all around fun quilts, my favorite book is probably "Dare to be Square" by Boo Davis. But right now i'm also sucked into the Colette Sewing Handbook and Carol Doaks Mariners Compass Stars paperpiecing book! But as my sister and Sara would tell you, I own just about every "Art to Heart" book that was ever made. I think i maybe have made one or two projects from the 15 or so books i have, but I LOVE THEM, and i just tend to collect them.  One day I will get to all the fun projects those books hold!  TOO MANY BOOKS TO LOVE!!

2.What is your favorite sewing notion?

Umm...beside my seam ripper. :) Well lets see, Honestly my one notion I couldn't live without is a 4" pair of Omnigrid needlecraft scissors. I  use them for everything from snipping threads to pulling off paperpiecing paper. And they are still sharp despite being dropped repeatedly into my floor ( which they stick straight up out of)

3. What is your favorite sewing foot?
OH man... well 90% of the time I use my (AMAZING) 1/4" patchwork foot for piecing, but I also love my #10 edgestitch foot(which is great for topstitching and closing seams when you turn things) But the one foot that I think is the all time coolest is the #18 button sew on foot (thank you Bernina) It makes it possible to sew buttons onto anything using your machine!!

4. What is your favorite hand/machine sewing thread?
So, I have to a agree with my sister and say Prececia and Aurifil are by far the best piecing threads. I may be bias but you will not find a better thread for piecing than either of those. BUT...my mom just decided to bring in King Tut by Superior Threads...and all I could say when it came in was...aww crap. :)

5.What is your favorite sewing blog?

Seriously? Favorite as in singular favorite...hahaha! ok. 1. "Oh, Fransson" by Elizabeth Hartman, 2."Make it and Love it", 3. "Artisania"- by Sonja Callaghan ( ok, if you like paper piecing, you will LOVE her blog, she is amazing. Her patterns are amazing) and there are many more but my list would go on and on and on and on...well you get the point.

And don't forget..leave a comment here before next Monday and you could win a $25 giftcard to the store! Have fun and we look forward to seeing what your "Favs" are!

MyFavorites - Enjoli

Welcome to our "MyFavorites" blog series. Here you will get a chance to know our staff members better. We will have a good time and assuming that our distributor can keep up with us we will have stock in store of all the products you hear about here! 

Enjoli is up first, so here it goes...

Q: What is your favorite sewing/quilting book?

A: My current favorite book is “Practical Guide to Patchwork” by Elizabeth Hartman. I want to make every quilt in this book, AND in June Elizabeth is releasing her second book that promises to be just as great as her first.  It’s called “Modern Patchwork”. I’ve also picked up a few new releases that are fantastic, called “Modern Minimal” by Alissa Haight-Carlton, and “Quilting Modern” by Jacquie Gering. 

(NOTE: "Modern Patchwork", "Modern Minimal" and "Quilting Modern" are all new release books and have not made it into our store yet. Keep an eye out for them soon!)

Q: What is your favorite sewing notion?

A: This is a hard question, I have so many favorites, its hard to choose just one. I love my “machine needle pack”, it holds all of my packaged and loose needles and has labels so I don’t have to guess which ones are which.

I also can’t go to any class or sit and sew without knowing where my “Bohin sewing gauge” is. It is awesome and has survived my 2 year old using it!

And last but certainly not least, my “Rainbow Easy Kut” snips are my favorite for clipping threads on chain piecing or paper piecing projects. They are easy to use and stay sharp forever!  

Q: What is your favorite sewing foot?

A: Right now my favorite sewing foot is my Jeans foot! Despite the name you can actually use it for sewing knit as well. And since I have been altering jeans into maternity jeans and sewing up knit maternity tshirts it has come in super handy. And even though its not a sewing foot, it helps to use a straight stitch plate when using the jeans foot because the opening in the stitch plate is a single hole instead of an oval opening. The jeans foot (for my Bernina it is foot #8) has a single keyhole opening as well and the sole of the foot is hinged so that you can go over the thickness of denim. Check out the video on Bernina’s website to see how cool this foot it!  (http://www.berninausa.com/product_detail-n25-i51-sUS.html)

Q: What is your favorite hand/machine sewing thread?

A: I am partial to sewing with Prescenia or Auriful thread for piecing and quilting. The Prescenia thread is so thin that you keep a true ¼” seam when piecing. You still get super strong thread but you don’t have the bulk of some other types of thread. As for Aurifil, well…I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It is just a great all around thread, also very thin. I use it for everything, piecing, quilting and even embroidery. It is not a shiny thread like you’d find with Isacord (which I also love for embroidery) but embroiders out beautifully and runs through my machine like butter without leaving a lot of fuzz!

Q: What is your favorite sewing blog(s)?

A: Oh my..I currently have 60 websites/blogs bookmarked on my web browser! :P I have to say that my top 5 are:

1)    “OhFransson” by Elizabeth Hartman

2)    “Handmade by Alissa” by Alissa Haight-Carlton

3)    “Tallgrass Prairie Studio” by Jacquie Gering

4)    “Fresh Lemons Quilts” by Faith

5)    “Stitched in Color” by Rachel Hauser

I visit these sites constantly and find myself adding projects from each of them to my “To-Do’ list! Each are so inspiring and have fun tutorials and projects, as well as beautiful pictures to just lift your spirits!

Leave a comment here telling us what your favorite sewing books or notions are and next Monday (the 21st) you could just be the winner of a $25 gift card to SLH! 

New Blog Series - My Favorites

Okay here it goes... Today is the official (actually un-official because I'm behind) launch of our new blog series called "My Favorites". You will get to hear from each staff member on their favorite crafty blogs, book and tools! We are going to have a great time and all of the items (books, notions, etc.) will be in our store for you to come check out in person and/or purchase for your own!

And, of course since I manage the blog I get to go first! So in the interest of making sure you all can collect some of my favorite items for your own, my list of "My Favorites" will post next week on May 14th. So be sure to check back here on that day so find out what books, notions and other crafty items I hoard in my studio!

Looking forward to sharing and chatting with you all!

Gene's Sewing Studio

Welcome to Gene’s Studio

Hello everyone and welcome to my little corner of the creative universe! Come on it grab a beverage and sit and sew awhile!

My media of choice is fabric and fiber. I enjoy garment construction, quilting, home dec sewing, machine embroidery, knitting, and surface design.

My studio is over our 2.5 car garage. My room is 19 x 22.5 feet. It is my place to create and relax. I have 6 sewing machines and 2 sergers that I use. I usually have 1 serger and 4 sewing machines set up at any one time. Please follow me as we continue on our tour.

After climbing the stairs to get up to my studio this is the first view that greets you. It is standing on the landing looking down my wall of bookcases towards the south wall. On the left side of the photo are bookcases that contain books, supplies, buttons and yarn. In front of the window on the left is my ironing station. To the right of that is my design wall followed by another window (the shade is down hard to tell it from the design wall. The back of the chair is my guest sewing station. The sewing machine on right side of the picture with the back showing is my 200/730 set up for embroidery. Behind that facing the camera is my primary sewing station. The Dr Seuss fabric sitting in the foreground is on the end of my cutting table. Most of the cutting table is out of the picture. Directly to the right out of camera range is the railing to the stairs where I have a metal closet organizer surrounding my thread cabinet.

Here is my thread cabinet it was origionally used to store punch cards that were used to program computers. It has 33 drawers that are 2.25” high by 8” wide and 16” deep! It is awesome!! To bad all of my thread does not fit in it. The thread cabinet backs up to the stair railing and has a metal closet organizer surrounding it that provides lots of shelf space.

This photo shows most of my unboxed fabric wall (the fabric shelves go approx 6 feet to the right out of the range of the camera). To the right of the open shelves starts all my boxed fabric. Most of the fabric in the boxes is cataloged in a 3 ring binder. I use banker’s boxes and they are 3 deep against the wall. I use the flat surface the boxes create as a shelf to hold an extra roll of batting and a bunch of polar fleece. The end of the cutting table can be seen in the foreground of the photograph.

Stand with my back to the fabric wall here is  a look at the book end of my wall of bookcases. The bookcases to the right off the edge of the photo contain supplies, buttons and yarn.

Here is a close up of the dividers I made so I can keep my books organized and be able to find the one I want with out having to search the whole bookcase.

Here is a photo of my main sewing station. It currently has my 440 set up on it. To the right on the edge of the photo is my Bernina 180e set up for embroidery. The blank spot on the cabinet behind the desk lamp is where my Bernina tackle box goes. When the picture was taken it was at the shop for club weekend.

In front of my main sewing station is my design wall it is about 6 to 7 feet wide. To the left is my ironing station and behind me is my Bernina 200/730 set up for embroidery.

This photo is showing my 200/730 set up for embroidery and the back of my 1630 that is setting on the guest sewing station. It also shows my cutting table. The far back corner is where I was standing when I took the first photo. That is the top of the stairs.

Here is a close up of my iron station. I like to stand and look out the window when I have to iron/press! On the bookcases there is my yarn collection, button collection and some bolted fabric. My serger station can be seen in the foreground. To the left of the serger is my guest sewing station.

Here is a close up of the cutting implement pegboard at the top of my stairs. I am not even sure how many scissors and rotary cutters it contains.

And last but not least is Ms. Violet Royale. She is the governess of my studio she sees and knows all! She is about 24 inches tall and purple!!!!! She sits on top of a tall narrow bookcase. I love her!

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of my studio! I have enjoyed showing to you. I feel very blessed for having it and I love when friends come over and sew with me!

Happy sewing to all!!!

Lisa's Sewing Studio

My sewing space is located in our small bedroom that is frequently occupied by guests.

I do not get to sew as often as I would like but enjoy sewing tote bags, purses and baby items. We are expecting our 6^th grandchild so I need to get moving!

I started out sewing on a Brother NX400 which has since been moved to the back of the line. I love using my old 830 and have since acquired a Bernina 1130. I love the “older” machines but am saving my pennies for a “new” 830!  I also have a Deco 340 and have so much fun using it.

Working as a tech, I have been bitten by the Bernina bug (caution: it is an incurable disease ~ worsening with frequent trips to Seams Like Home!) My co-workers are so talented and inspire me with their creativity. This in turn, causes me to start more projects. 2012 is the year of completing those unfinished projects! The quilt in the picture was started in 2005 and is now complete! Wish me luck on the rest…..

Lisa

Meg's Sewing Studio

Hi!  I’m Meg and I’m a sewing machine repair technician here at Seams Like Home.

I moved into my childhood home 3 ½ years ago, and now have a great space for sewing/crafting.  Having to show my area in this blog prompted me to clean up the room, and really get organized.  Look now, because it will never be this clean again.

I am using my formal dining room as a sewing room.  What a lot of space!  I have the TV to watch while sewing, and my Aussie to keep me company.  One end of the room has my sewing machine, and the other end my cutting table.

My favorite tool is the design board.  Using the top of a bed for laying out a quilt got to be a hassle if someone needed to sleep, and having the quilt horizontal I just didn’t get the whole picture.

The dining room table was too low to use as a support for a cutting surface.  The top of the dog kennel is higher, so I put a board across the kennel and now have a great cutting area.  My newest tool for cutting is the rotating cutting mat.  Now the dining table is free for me to have a space for beading and paper crafts.  I especially like Tim Holtz tags.

I have been sewing since I was 12, doing mostly clothing and home dec.  I made my dress for my senior prom.  Well, I made the dress, and on the day of the prom my Mom was sewing on the pearl accents. 

I started quilting in 1986, but never felt that there was enough time to devote to it.   I retired June 2011, and now I have time.  I especially enjoy Breakfast Club here at Seams Like Home.  Marcia picks a new quilt to do every month, and she introduces new techniques with each quilt.  I get to use those beautiful Bali Pops in many of the quilts.

The quilter’s saying is “the one who dies with the most fabric wins.”  I’m doing my part in this contest.  I have so much fabric that I use an empty bedroom to store it.  One wall is nothing but shelves where I have boxes of fabric by color and by theme.  I love the Asian-themed fabrics and the blenders that go with them, batiks, and I have several boxes of my hand-dyed fabrics.   I also store my needlepoint projects and yarn here, along with patterns, batting, and pillow forms.  In a different bedroom there is wall storage for all my quilt and craft-related books.

Thanks for visiting.  Now I’ll get back to sewing, and mess up my room.

Chris' Sewing Studio

Hi, and welcome to my sewing room - or as my kids used to call it: "Mom's Sanctuary where she communes with fabric".  

Since none of the rooms in our house are plain squares,  I took advantage of the narrow part of the room by the window to set up workstations along either wall so I could just turn in my chair and use whichever machine I needed at the time.  The cutting table has lots of room underneath for those bulky items like batting, pillow forms, machine cases, etc.

We spend a lot of time at hardware stores for our never ending remodeling projects, so I've gotten a lot of ideas for organizing there.  I used parts cabinets for organizing needles, buttons, snaps, etc. and the peg board for scissors, hoops, and anything else that can hang.  The work surfaces are solid doors laid atop file cabinets or shelf units. They come in various widths and can be a real bargain if you look in the "scratch and dent" section of the store. You can always put the bad side down!

I have a storage cabinet by my sewing machine with drawers and I put a small ironing surface on top for quick pressing, or a small cutting mat for trimming. I also love swing-arm lamps! They clamp onto the door top (in the doorknob hole) and can be moved into just about any position.

Ahhh, the fabric. Behind the ironing board is a wall of fabric. This time, I used those wooden closet folding doors as shelves - narrow and sturdy so they don't bow. On the left you can see the result of my "I love fleece" phase. All the furry friends you see I've collected for the Anchorage Log Cabin Quilters Teddy Bear Tea project. The plan is to make a small quilt for each of these critters. In the meantime, they add cheer to my room and keep me company.

One of my favorite storage devices, which was my husband's idea, is the slack rack mounted in that small, flat space behind the door. It is a great place to hang pressed strip sets or other pieces and it takes up virtually no room.

Of course there is also a closet  and other corner in this room dedicated to yarn, must fix, and all the other crafts that I've tried out over the years. I'm trying not to overflow my space, but I'm finding that quilting needs a lot more room to maneuver large expanses of fabric, so maybe I need to reorganize? Thanks for visiting, I'm off to commune with fabric