Progress Is Perfect - A Sewing Studio Update

I'm slowly moving into my new sewing studio. I thought I'd be in by now, but these things take a while, don't they? I keep trying to take a breathe and tell myself I have all the time in the world.  I have a terrible habit of thinking that if I can't get it done now, it probably will never get done. Why is that? I think it's because I believe I'm not getting it done because I'm lazy. But I'm not lazy. I'm working hard, I'm keeping life going in the midst of 2 house moves in 6 months, I'm getting ready to bring a new quilt kit to the shop (Willoughby, on the armchair above. Doesn't it look at home here?), and I'm just getting the kids back off to school after 3 weeks' break.  A time will come, the perfect time, when I can finally cover my huge pin boards in wadding to make some new display boards, when I sort the last of the boxes that have helpfully dumped in my studio for me to deal with, when I build the last of the Ikea furniture, and then tidy up enough to do my before and after post. And then I will realise that of course I was going to finish it. I just needed to wait for the right time.  But progress is beautiful too, right?

Sewing Studio: Display Boards

These are my display boards, old and new. I like these pin boards at Bunnings. I cover them in wadding, and then I can stick patchwork blocks to them, while also using pins if the paper in the blocks stops it from sticking. Once I cover the new ones, we'll screw them to the wall. The old ones were much smaller, much easier to cover in wadding, and portable if I wanted to move them to find the light but they didn't survive the moves well, and I'm ready to have something big and permanent to help with design, and hopefully full quilt photos also.  This quilt on display is Stitched in Color's Teeter Totter Quilt, recently released. It's all machine sewn, and I spent some of the school holidays sewing these blocks together with my 12 year old Evie. She's loving it! 

Sewing Studio: Quilt Storage

I'm so, so happy with this quilt storage. It's a pair of Hemnes display cupboards, and they just look beautiful at the entrance to the sewing studio, and are the first thing you see when you walk through our front door (unless you're too busy being ecstatically greeted by our dogs). They make me so glad every time I walk past them. I share the sewing studio with Tim, and we both work from home. These are situated behind where he sits, and the drawers are for him to use. The perfect Zoom backdrop, don't you think?

Sewing Studio: My Desk

My desk in my sewing studio is nestled in amongst these two windows. They face East and north, which in the winter in the Southern Hemisphere means I get sun on my most of the day. As much as I love the sun coming in in Winter,  I don't actually love to work this way. It means I have to juggle when the best times to take photos and videos are, but for now, while I write this, it's keeping me deliciously warm on a cool autumn day. Lovely! And thankfully, there's a whole lot less sun in summer.  So there you have it. Some wonderful progress that deserved documenting. I just love to work here. Love the quiet with the kids now all at school. Love the space that's all mine and not shared with the lounge room or my bedroom. Love finally developing storage that helps me use my stash, enjoy my WIPs, and no longer feel guilty about how much they encroach on the rest of the family. What a gift!  Do you have a sewing studio? What's your favourite thing about it?


3 comments


  • Victoria

    I love all of the little parts that make your quilting space special! When you add the pinboards are you screwing straight threw them and the batting? Any tips of this? I have a foam board but I like the idea of the pin boards as they don’t stick out so far.


  • Victoria

    I love all of the things parts that make your quilting space special! When you add the pinboards are you screwing straight threw them and the batting? I have a foam board but I like the idea of the pin boards as they don’t stick out so far.


  • Karen

    You’ve made much progress Jodi under trying circumstances. The next couple of months will hopefully see you enjoying settling in fully and beginning to reap the rewards of all your major changes. The pinboard from Bunnings looks interesting. Does it tend to bow if not fixed to the wall? It sounds like a much better option than coreboard or particle/pinboard.

    I have a small sewing/everything ‘desk’ (an antique sideboard) in the corner of our open plan living area. It has good light and easy access to our large dining table and kitchen bench, which is actually the best height for cutting fabric. Storage for fabric and wips is in our walk-in-robe and also the laundry (not so convenient).


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