Home Studio Chaos

This time of year can throw any professional crafter into a tailspin, but add a December book deadline and craziness abounds. Here's a behind the scenes peek at what creativity looks like in my house.

My dining room sewing set up, the chairs become portable shelving. Note the paper bag full of scraps they're test patterns that didn't make the cut. It all needs to be cleaned up and put away before dinner, a necessity that helps keep me organized.

This morning I've been working on vintage dachshund, cat and deer patterns for my upcoming book 'Stitched Whimsy'. I'm stitching the prototypes with flannel and Minky. I have some wonderful vintage prints, fuzzy eco felt and corduroy ready to use on the final versions. My sewing machine is a little Bernina, a twenty year old wedding gift from my parents. No bells and whistles but it's a workhorse that's seen me through years of Better Homes and Gardens costume making.

The Hedgehog Softie I created for Stitched Whimsy worked out so well I've been making a few extra for the weekend fairs. Jon cut out eight sets of pattern pieces and I've been assembling them production style. These finished arms are ready to meet their bodies.

I do have actual studio space upstairs over the garage but I find it's easier to work down where the kids are. When life is busy, part of the studio becomes a dumping area. It's hard to tell but underneath this chaos is a treadmill that has been seeing very little action.

I have an awesome felt selection from Commonweath felt. I've been using their 100% wool 35% wool and bamboo felt in many of the designs for my upcomming book.

I separated my fabric collection into warm and cool colors. I owe a huge debt of gratittude to my sister for filling out the selection with wonderful prints she collected in NYC.

I'm not going to lie it's a thrill to paw through prints and felt to find the right combination for a design.

Decorative top stitching finds it way into many of my designs. I can't tell you how happy I was when this designer kit arrived from my friends at DMC.

After my little one goes to sleep I'm too brain dead to work on book designs, that's when I nestle into the couch with piles of busy work. These 'Little Hoots' are awaiting hand embroidery. They sell so well it's hard to keep them in stock. I'm contemplating adding the pattern to my book...

More late night busy work these birds of a sweater first seen in Craftcycle are in need of wings and legs they're stationed by the television remote. Despite my creative stash I still make weekly runs to JoAnn's for missing items. At the top of this weeks list - more stuffing! Here's wishing you a happy holiday season filled with creativity.