This never felt like a living space to me….it was always just “storage”, unfinished, ugly, cold --- never cozy and inviting, just a necessary overflow space for stuff that couldn’t fit in the studio side of the basement.
WHAT A HUGE difference! The carpet is done. New baseboards are all up. There is a new door installed to DH’s lawn mower garage/workshop space. my feet feel cushioned, the noise level is way down, and it feels COZY! It feels like a living space ---
The two sets of industrial shelves have been installed and I have moved my sewing machine museum to those shelves. Photos to come of that later.
Today? The Return of the Stash! Anyone want to come help haul and fold? I think I’ll be spending much of the day petting the fabric and putting it back where it goes.
The other day while searching for flannel sheets to use for my design wall, I came across these fleece blankets in a gray that I thought would do the job just as well and be cheaper – they were $10 a piece. I bought two.
I know some have seamed sheets together or duct taped the foam insulation boards into one big piece..but there is no way this thing would come down the stairs in one piece…no where to lay out an 8 foot X 8 foot design wall to cover it --- so I’m doing it in two pieces which will be butted together.
I actually only have a 7.5 ft high basement wall, so my insulation boards had to be trimmed to fit. I laid the fleece down and cut about a 3” margin and simply wrapped the boards using carpet tape to stick it to the backside of the boards.
It’s not pretty, but it will do the job!
Two design wall boards ready to be taken downstairs and mounted on the wall --- as soon as I do all the other things down there that I need to do to make room!
Do things stick? Oh yes they do! And I figure if it turns out that I’d rather have flannel after all ---it will be an easy fix, having the wall space and the insulation boards on hand was the difficult part – covering them with batting or flannel or something else if this doesn’t work won’t be a problem…..only --- I think this is going to work just fine!
My thoughts and prayers are still with friends, family and those of you in the path of Hurricane Sandy ----hang on tight everyone, it looks like it’s a doozy, and the after effects past land fall look pretty extreme.
I’m hoping for QuiltCam time this evening, so look for me at 9pm Eastern --- those of you with power, that is!
37 comments:
Good idea with the grey blanket. I can't wait to see it all complete. Be blessed.
Hi Bonnie,
I'm so happy for you that your sewing room has had a makeover. You deserve it!! Can't wait to see more pictures.
I hope to see quiltcam tonight if we still have power. I'm in southern Massachusetts and the winds are picking up.
I missed quiltcam this past Saturday thanks to a migraine. I noticed in the comments that someone asked about your feelings about pastels. I was wondering what your response was and if you're only using neutrals for your spools?
LOVE the desogn wall. I use a design bed... extra bed room, but I think I could make a design wall on the one side of my sewing room.... HUMMMMMM
some day I will learn to spell! it's DESIGN wall
desogn is just a creative word my fingers made! LAS (laughing at Self) new one
Love the design wall! Wish I had one, too. Happy Quilting:)
I hope to join in Quilt Cam tonight. This has been the best thing for getting me in my sewing room and getting things done! I love it. Hopefully we will have power here in Western New York State. I need to get ready for a quilt retreat in two weekends so it will be some cutting time for me.
Bonnie, I've googled Fleece Blankets but everything I find is rather pricey! Where did you find your bargain $10. ones? I'm ready to do my own design wall.
I just want to know how you keep going while sorting and folding "THE STASH". Every time I think I have whats left of my brain geared to working on THE STASH I get side tracked by the fabric itself.... oh wow that will go great with this..... did I have a plan for this?...dose this go with color stack...bug stack...house building stack...landscape stack...do I need to start a stack for Dragon Skin...aprons...
I bet this would look great in at least 3 patterns I have an idea for....Is there enoufgh for all those? do I need more of it?
Get the Picture!lol
Design Wall looking good. I am still looking for a place to put one. maybe one that is temp and can be put up when needed. live is exciting. looking forward to QuiltCam. I am also looking for a place to put a machine in my house, have to go to shop to sew. yuck. Its dark outside.spookey. lol. All so I can sew with you.
We are hitting the road today to drive back home to southern Ontario. our usual route is through new england , might have to detour
That looks great... I have a spare double bed in my quilt room that I use as a design wall since it and the dresser block access to the wall.....much easier than crawling on the floor.
How exciting! I remember how disappointed I was when we moved into our "new to us" home in January and the bonus room - my sewing area - was like a butcher's freezer! Very little heat made it's way to this room. And every time I tried to plug in a heater, the fuses would blow if I had my iron on at the same time. My sweet hubby hired an electrician to come in and put in new heavy-duty outlets so I could plug in a heater. You are going to love your new space!!! And your design wall looks perfect. I've never used fleece for a design wall - great way to think outside the box :*) I used flannel for a while on mine but eventually went with batting which is perfect! I also kept my 2 boards separate so I can move them around if I want.
Yes, I'd also like to know where you found those great fleece blankets. So happy for you to get your basement comfy!
Love the design wall. Put mine up with some 3M picture hanging things, they hold well even with a small quilt with batting etc on. Also make it easy to change the covering as they are like velcro strips.
Wish I could come help fold, always more fun with others around. Lynda from Chicago
Bonnie, one word "SLIDERS". They will work very well on your new carpet.
When I had my retail store, I put sliders under my VERY heavy upright cooler (fresh flowers),and I moved it alone! Well, actually I had them under every display that I might move. And I would move them fully stocked!
Wonderful invention those sliders!
Deb
Where did you get the fleece blankets from? I need to go get one tonight!
Bonnie, you are going to have so much fun sorting and folding your Stash! I did that last year, and found long forgotten wonderful pieces of fabric (and some not so wonderful that I donated to a local charity). I love what you came up with for your design wall. It's going to be great! You are going to wonder how you ever made it without one! I can hardly wait to see pictures of the redo finished. Love, love your new carpet tiles too!
Last year I bought those fleece blankets from Big Lots. A twin size was $5. I still have them in the package....know what I will do with them now! GREAT idea!!! Thx, Bonnie!
Your room is coming out great. I hope you have many happy hours there!
What a stylish design wall this will be!
Hi Pauline - I believe there was an earlier post where Bonnie said she was at Wal-Mart when she picked them up...
Do you get any natural light down there?
I just love my sewing room and thank heavens I have a place where I can leave my mess, shut the door and not have to put it away every evening so we can use the table to eat. Like in the old days :0).
Now your space is going to be cozy and even more functional!
enjoy it. See you on the web tonight....if I have power.
Happy Sewing
I am so thrilled for you to finally have your design wall! And I look forward to seeing the "redo". Every time we fix an area in our home that has long needed it, it is such a refreshing feeling (and I wonder why we didn't do it sooner).
will be interested to see if the fleece works well.right now I use a flannel back tableclth but something a little more permanet/stable would benice, but have only 6' wiode space. I hope there is power tonight so I can quiltcam! One of the reasons you're so appreciated is that you show us your *real* self, bloopers, oops, home projects and all, not just the world traveling, world known, book writing super self :>) ( which is wonderfu;l as well) but the *down home girl* gives us all encouragement to eep on and enjoy the process!
Karen
I bought one last year at Wal-Mart and it works great. It is very scratchy - great for holding up quilt blocks, not so great for a bed blanket. Mine was also about $10.
I love the idea of your grey design wall. I'm still using a flannel sheet tacked onto the wall in the sewing room. It works so I'm not rushing to change it. I think the advantage of the insulation boards is that you can pin to them. I sometimes pin to the sheet as well, but its a little more difficult. With the boards you can just stick a pin straight into it. Hope all is well for quilt cam tonight. I'm way out West, so if you are on, I'll be tuning in.
What a great idea to use the grey fleece blankets to cover your design wall! A while ago I read on a blog, that focusing your camera on something grey, and then moving to your quilt blocks would produce truer colors in the photograph. I do have problems getting true colors in my in-door quilt photos; recovering my design boards with the grey fleece blanket should solve that problem.
I'm using the exact same insulation boards, also cut in half long-ways and shortened to fit my 8 foot ceilings. Lightweight, stiff, easy to pin to. my fleece goes all the way across the seam and acts as a hinge when I need to fold it to move it. (not often, but convienient) I have a taller pair in my quilting room with the higher ceiling. I store my pins along the edges of the boards once they're up. You may need to shallowly pin the blankets to the boards. Looks great!!
I bought one just like it at Walmart..to keep in the car..I wondered what she was gonna do within when I saw itis an earlier pic.
Thanks for the info on the design wall and the great idea Bonnie, I never thought of using insulation board, I used to have a flannel backed table cloth on my wall, but I took it down to paint and I don't rally want to hang it up...it looked ugly, but I really miss it. How or what will you use to hang it on the wall?
Your studio makeover looks great, good to have a nice cozy warm room to work in... good luck with all the folding!!
I am considering moving my sewing room down stairs so we have a spare bedroom upstairs for when company and when my Mom comes to stay for awhile as I don't want her going up and down the stairs, she's almost 90 and has knee problems.
I am definitely going to get some of that insulation and make a portable design wall, that I can pull out when I need it as I don't think I will have enough wall space to hang it.. my rooms aren't nearly big enough for all my quilting stuff.
I look forward to quiltcam tonight... I missed it the other night.
I love the GREY design board idea! Mine is covered in white batting, but next time it needs a new cover, I may "go grey." One difference with mine is that I use that real thick insulation board. It's more expensive, for sure, but my wall is in what in most houses is a dining room and I don't want to risk pin holes in the wall. Won't happen with that thick board.
And by the way, old enabler Bonnie, I just bought a $25.00 "New Home - Paragon" sewing machine at a yard sale. Two tone cream and green - just DARLING machine. It's a small head - thought it would be light - but I think it's almost the heaviest machine I own! HA on me! I have no idea how such a small item can have such density....
Bonnie I think your cabinets look great with the finished quilts on top and YES, I would be glad to come down and help you fold fabric. Right now the lights are flickering here in southern NH so don't know if I'll be there tonight for Quilt Cam!
P.S. The fleece blanket was a very creative idea and I think the gray was a good choice.
Stay lit! lol
Gail in NH
I think you will be happy with your choice. I used a cheap fleecy felted blanket I bought at Walmart for years. It really has worked better than anything else I have tried. It's in the wash right now...hoping it will clean up after collecting all the dust from the overhead heating vents in my downstairs. Then I'll get it back in use. I think I might put it on a insulation board like you are doing and leave it portable some way.
Great to see all the progress you are making. You sure are a workhorse!
I taped my two foam boards (like yours) together, what a trip that was!! It is great to use pins in, but I think covering them with what you did is a great idea. I was just pinning. I also had to cut a foot or so off to fit standing up. I should have just left them separate rather than tape them together because now they are very difficult to maneuver. Off to quilt cam :)
We are fine here in Toms River, NJ. This a.m. we have electric. My DD has water up to her front door which is probably 3 ft.above ground. She lives on the bay and the surge from bay/ocean has her still under water in her garage. It is an amazing site in the state today. There was a tanker that slipped it moorings in a marina north of here. The boat is like 7 tons and floated a mile away when the water receded and it was beached. Looks funny. People have been killed here from trees falling on their houses in the night. Such a shame. No one can predict that sort of thing.
Cool! I have a washboard wall, too. Mine is in the bathroom and I have my Grandmothers' washboards hung there.
Great idea for a design wall. I hope you are able to get many years of use from it.
Lisa
sewlisa14@a-znet.com
Post a Comment
If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.
Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.
Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)