From the very (very) beginning

Today I’m going to discuss studios. Every studio or work area needs a makeover periodically. And before we start making things, we should take inventory to see what still works for us. We all have a specific area where we create. It may be the size of a pantry, but it is our space and we’ve done quite a bit to make it work for us. Depending on what you make, your “studio” should make things easier for you.

Let’s start with tables. I recently moved my studio to the dining room where my greatest advantage is the 88 x 44-inch table. It’s very sturdy but before I start reorganizing, I need to be sure that the table is the right height.

Worktables need to be at a height that prevents back and neck pain. To determine that height, grab a piece of masking tape in your dominant hand. Stand in front of a wall about 1-2 feet back.  Now with your arms to your sides bend the dominant arm to a 90-degree angle. Extend your arm forward like you are cutting fabric with your rotary cutter, extend only as far as you can without bending. Stick your piece of masking tape on the wall at the height that your arm extended. Now, measure from floor to the masking tape. This is the proper height for your table. If you need to adjust the height, you can find all kinds of options on-line.

Next up, sharp objects. Every craft requires an assortment of sharp tools. Rotary cutters can slice through a digit requiring stitches, without you even feeling it. So, I suggest that first you get into the habit of locking or sliding the protective covers over them.

For storage, I saw a blog where a woman bought seating foam, cut it to the size of her container, then cut slits in it to fit her sharps. This gave her more room and prevented dulling the tips. Whatever you choose, be sure you put them in one place that is up and away from little people when you are not near your work area.

One tedious project is organizing needles and pins. Whether they are hand/machine sewing needles, embroidery needles, knitting needles or crochet hooks, T-pins, long pins, short pins, silk pins, and safety pins. We need to sort these, inspecting them as we go along to ensure there aren’t any that are broken, or in the wrong package. Once sorted you can purchase inexpensive plastic totes with dividers, allowing a compartment for every kind of needle and every size. Knitting needles, crochet hooks, and punch needles need pocket pouches to sort them by size.

Soon, I’ll have a simple pattern for these pouches on Stitchology’s website.

If you’d like to see how my makeover turned out, visit my website, www.stitchology.com, to see some of my other ideas. I may even let you see what it looked like before I started.