Creating A Studio Space In My Heart As Well As With My Hands

Humm...what?

My workspace (s) have shifted many times over the past few years. From plein air painting, to knitting in public, to using the bedroom, to the front room, to the whole apartment, to combinations of all of these and more.

My bed as a table for fiber tools

I haven't had a lot of trouble getting into the frame of mind to create for lack of a specific space. I create the space first by intending to create. The decision makes the space.

I won't argue that having a dedicated, organized space would make putting that intention into practice much more efficient!

My large loom has not been set up in several years since I was never able to give it enough space in this small apartment to do so. Small weaving projects were the order of things.

In the next few weeks, this small household will be relocating from a small one bedroom apartment to a two or three bedroom house. A dedicated space for all the technology in use - be it digital or art or fiber - will be part of the deal.

The challenge is in creating a space that welcomes all the varied media I enjoy working with.

I designed a table apron for plein air painting

Drawing and painting area - this will be far more modest in square footage than many I have seen, but I will have storage for all my pencils, pastels, paints, drawing pads, sketching board, brushes, easel, canvas board & stretched canvas.

Carving and pyrography - right next to the drawing and painting, this will include a selection of dried gourds, wood panels and blocks, rotary carving tools, carving blades, as well as sanding, polishing and staining supplies.

Next is the reference library. I have an old laptop that is still functional enough to store all the digital references in knitting, weaving, sewing, vintage sewing machines, wood working, and other topics that I have collected. The physical books I have collected on these topics is far greater than the collection in the area library. My sewing pattern library is also quite extensive.

That brings us to the sewing area. My cutting table is the heart of the workspace, sharing fabric duties with nearly every other activity. My small herd of vintage sewing machines, ironing board, irons, and several racks of sewing fabric require a fair amount of square footage.

My wheel does require a fair amount of space

Finally, we come around to the fiber heart and soul of my studio. My spinning wheel, spindles, fiber, yarn, knitting projects, knitting needles, weaving tools, supplies, knitting chair, loom, tables for knitting and weaving tools handy to either part of the space will probably require the largest amount of square footage.

My aim is to create a workspace that allows for the widest possible creativity and production.

This will make me feel good!