End of Summer Clean-Up
Tuesday, September 4, 2012I love a tidy creative space. Twice each year – once in the Spring and again in late Summer – I like to do a complete clean-up, clean-out, and reorganization of my embroidery studio.
There’s just something about the process that I find really creative. I have an opportunity to tidy up and move my stash, rediscover things I forgot I had, and to make a list of embroidery threads and other things I’ve used up and need once again. Since I tend to be heavy on the stitching during the winter months, this gets me ready to hunker down with my needlework while the cool nights turn what’s left of my veggie garden into a squishy mess for another season.
I tend to find a lot of “missing” stuff when I clean out my workroom, like embroidery scrissors. I display them and keep them ready for use by standing them in glass flower frogs from the antique store, similar to the one shown to the left. I have three of them in different sizes and they are so handy! Keep a small plate or saucer under them if using them on a wood surface to keep the points of the scissors from scratching the surface.
Each time I clean out my workroom, I also find a bunch of small stuff that needs to be stored properly – hopefully where I can see it so I won’t forget about it. Here are a few of my favorite storage ideas:
Over at the ArtCraftIdeas blog, they’ve used vintage canning jars mounted with adjustable metal rings mounted on salvaged moulding to hold a wide assortment of what-nots and gotta-haves. The rings are easy to find at auto parts stores – they’re used a lot on engine hoses – and come in a huge range of sizes.
I love that this system allows the jars to be displayed right-side-up, or turned upside-down, depending on what is being store. Clever!
Use wicker or fabric baskets to color-coordinate your embroidery fabrics and keep them within easy reach. They’re inspiring to look at, and fun to display.
You can put all your Aida fabric neatly folded in one basket, your evenweave or Carolina linen fabrics in another, or organize them by thread count.
Old kitchen items can also be called into service. Check out this display of balls of pearl cotton displayed in an old mesh sieve featured over at Bird Brain Designs. You could also use a colander or an awesome old metal bucket.
Notice the handle little bubbles used to hold each ball of pearl cotton. What a great way to keep the thread tangle-free in your workbasket!
In my studio, balls of pearl cotton and shuttles of Memory thread are displayed in huge glass canisters. The balls of thread look like sweet treats – it’s eye candy for the workroom!
What are some of the unique ideas you’ve come up with to display or organize threads in your workroom? We’d love to have you share your ideas.
Why can’t DMC USA distribute the Magic Guide needlework fabric in the US? I have been purchasing through UK websites and the shipping is very expensive.
Great ideas
It often comes down to licensing issues or whether a product does well enough in a particular geographic area. Luckily, this products is available through other channels.