Time for a Studio Makeover

Panda is certainly a smart pooch who can be trained to do all kinds of cute tricks...but even with all the yummy treats in the world, she can never perform all the feats of Bennie, my Bernina!  But alas, the Bernina is in the shop for repairs as the Bernina Stitch Regulator keeps skipping stitches.  So while Bennie is away, Panda is happy to fill that void in my life!

Paper Model to Rework Studio Layout

With Bernina missing from the studio, I decided to tidy up a bit...and went about dusting and organizing almost every corner of the studio.  I also had a side project in all this which was to measure all the furniture in the studio to see if it was feasible to purchase a long arm quilting machine.  After test driving several long arm machines at PIQF and watching Angela Walters free motion quilt on her long arm in the various Craftsy classes, I am eager to try!  Adding a long arm is a huge investment on money and space.  I was hopeful that with some creative rearranging, I could carve out adequate space in the studio to add a long arm frame/machine.  So I went about measuring all the furniture dimensions and Doug helped to create paper models to reconfigure various room layouts to see what might work. 

Well after creating paper models for all the current furniture, he then created the paper model for the long arm rack and space to maneuver around and reality set in...it would not/could not all fit and I would have very little space to do the piecing to create quilt tops that would then necessitate having a long arm machine!

Yup--not feasible space wise!

So really the only solution would be to look for alternative locations for a long arm machine...outside of the quilt studio!

As a consolation, Doug did agree to help me do a bit of a studio makeover.  I am rereading my copy of

Organizing Solutions for Every Quilter:  An Illustrated Guide to the Space of Your Dreams for ideas to maximize the space and create better work flow.  I was up late last night giddy with new ideas and energy to revamp my happy space.  He's even willing to help give the walls a fresh coat of paint and rehang shelving, art and boards to fit the new furniture layout.  And he even brought home some paint swatches of various teals!  He's pretty awesome!!  I guess once the makeover is complete, I will have to lift his ban on entering the studio!