Where I Create: Making a Garage Into a Room

Last night I was out in the garage/studio quilting and Mr. BP came out to bring me a coffee.  We started chatting about all of the changes in our lives these past six months and it has been quite the adventure.  If you would have asked me last year at this time if this is where I would be and what I would be doing, well, I wouldn’t have believed you.

With that, there have been some challenges.  Learning the best way to organize quilts to go out the door (78 since October that have all been done by me).  Figuring out where to put a larger scale operation than a sewing machine and one Etsy order at time.  Some of the disorganization has caused a few extra weeks on some orders and growing pains with the number of boxes coming in the door.

Can I stop right here and say a big “thank you” to those that have hung in here with me and supported my growth?

So, during the holidays all of the boxes not being worked on went into storage and Mr. BP started working on a makeshift studio for me.  {I say makeshift because we plan on remodeling the kitchen and that will include the studio space possibly moving to a sunny area at the back of the house.}

Here is how it started:

There were “driving lanes” with outdoor carpet that Mr. BP scraped up.  We then just unrolled some linoleum that I found on clearance and taped it down with carpet tape.  I just wanted a clean floor surface.

Next, we used 4 bookcases and two doors to make a work table.  I have seen this all over Pinterest, but I saw it originally years ago in a BHG publication.  Each bookcase was on clearance for $16 and the doors were $28 each.  I was adamant that I could layout at least a 20 square quilt on the table and that it was at waist height.  It is actually a little taller than that, but I love that I don’t have to bend/hunch over to work.

 A little paint and an old sheet that I stenciled with Martha Stewart fabric paint and stencils {coming soon} really transformed it.  Mr. BP took the bottle of craft paint to Home Depot and had it color matched for the wall.  The top of the table I painted with leftover Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Provence.

 We hung a paint drop cloth to hide the dryer vent and hot water heater.  Little note: before we did this, I had cleaned the garage and that drop cloth is what would be meticulously folded and unfolded for me to get on the floor to pin the quilts and lay them out.  I thought I would die in December from the cold floors {even with a space heater} and hip pain.

 One of the deciding forces when buying this machine was the quilting space and the flush mount table so I would have a great work surface.  The folding table is where I was sewing before.  We plan on adding a door to the top of it and another skirt to make a table for my serger and hopefully Silhouette Cameo {soon!}.

 To hang the drop cloth, I used a PVC pipe and screwed large hooks into the studs.  A simple folded over rod pocket was all that was needed.

Can you believe the little red hutch came like that?  I found it at a garage sale for $20 and hauled it home.  My vintage chalkboard is on an easel that came out of Mamaw’s house and was already red and vintage.  Total score!

 The whole space makes me happy!

 You might wonder where all my “stuff” is – well, all of my crafting items are still in Florida in storage.  I have only purchased what I needed for quilting/projects here.    Once the space is permanent, then I plan on doing some great decorating and storage.

Love ya,

Bev