Hello and Happy New Year 2026. I hope you all enjoyed wonderful holidays with your loved ones that were some combination of happy/healthy/peaceful/blessed/magical/exciting/restful and all the other good adjectives. For those of us whose holidays were tarnished by things like grief/sadness/illness/disappointment/loneliness, I am sending out a big virtual group hug and a high five to you right now, because we made it through and we survived and now we are looking at a blank sheet of paper, a fresh bolt of fabric, and an empty design wall of possibilities for what we will choose to make of this brand new year. Carpe Annum 2026!
The extra work of the Christmas season -- shopping, wrapping, Christmas cards, returning and exchanging -- necessitated a pause in the work of unpacking from our recent move and setting up my sewing studio in the new house, but we've used some of the quiet days between Christmas and New Year's to make progress in the studio again. No, none of these Stonefields blocks is newly created, but this is the first time I'm seeing them again since I packed them up in Florida in October. I have been struggling with motivation in recent weeks, especially with regards to setting up my sewing space, and I am hoping that these little quilt blocks will cheer me up and summon my "sewjo" to return to me.
 |
| Stonefields Blocks Unpacked and Back On My Design Wall |
Here's what I decided to do with my design wall:
 |
| 96 x 96 Design Wall Installed on Obtuse Angle Adjacent Walls |
The new studio space has lots of windows and closet space. Wall space suitable for an 8' x 8' design wall was in shorter supply. I considered putting the design wall behind my long arm machine, but realized that there wasn't enough room back there for me to be climbing up and down on a step stool to arrange blocks. So I convinced my husband that the design wall should go in this corner of the room instead:
 |
| Two 48 x 96 Boards Installed in Corner |
These are the same design wall boards we made when we first moved to Florida and this is the second time we're moving them to a new location. They are made of 4' x 8' sheets of insulation foam from the home improvement store wrapped in thick, fuzzy English Bump drapery interlining. (This post contains affiliate links). The boards are attached to the wall with industrial Velcro tape, and each time we install them my husband tries to get away with using three tiny pieces of Velcro tape per board to minimize damage to the drywall beneath when the boards eventually have to come off the wall. So Bernie puts them up first with three specks of Velcro tape, and then they come crashing down off the wall, and then we put ALL the Velcro tape on the back of the foam board like I wanted to in the first place. It's so much better when the design wall falls down empty than it is for the design wall to come crashing down when it's covered with carefully arranged quilt blocks!
 |
| Insulation Foam Boards Wrapped in English Bump Drapery Lining |
The biggest challenge of the design wall installation in this space was an ill-placed switch operating the light in the adjacent closet where I will be hoarding storing my quilt batting and my garment sewing supplies. I didn't want to cut down the design wall to accommodate the light switch because the two boards at full size give me 96" x 96", just enough to lay out blocks for large bed quilts. The solution we came up with was to install an automatic closet light switch that got chiseled into the door jamb to replace the wall switch. The closet door opens inwards to the left, so the only other option would have been moving the light switch all the way up and around the door to the other side, way more work. I like that the closet light will just come on by itself when I open the door and turn itself off when I close it, and Bernie liked that this solution involved less work for him and less chopping of holes into newly painted walls.
 |
| Happy Husband Installing Automatic Closet Light Switch |
The larger of the two rooms that I combined for my new studio was originally an ensuite guest bedroom, so I have a little hallway leading to a bathroom that is also accessible from the main living area of the basement. Bernie installed a pegboard wall to the right of the bathroom door for all of my rotary cutting rulers:
 |
| Pegboard Wall for Rotary Cutting Rulers |
I had the foresight to photograph the pegboard ruler wall in Florida before I packed up all of my rulers, and that made it so quick and easy to get the rulers up on the new pegboard wall in North Carolina as the pegboard sheets were the same size and I just consulted the photo of the old wall and put the rulers up in the same configuration -- no moving things around in trial and error to get them to fit, and every ruler will be where I expect it to be when I reach for it.
On the wall to the left of my bathroom door, Bernie installed the custom oak racks he made for my collection of long arm quilting thread. That top shelf is shorter than the others because of a light switch that was in the way and needed to be accommodated in my sewing studio three homes ago. Those darned light switches always get in my way!
 |
| Quilting Thread on Custom Oak Open Shelving |
I am aware of the pros and cons of open, exposed thread storage. One of the reasons I chose to put my thread in this hallway nook is that it's out of direct sunlight from all those windows. The shelves fit perfectly there. I know that dark, closed storage in an underground vault somewhere is the best way to preserve thread for future millennia, especially cotton threads that are more susceptible to deterioration from dust, sunlight and even artificial light. When I am setting up my creative space, I take all of that into consideration -- but function (storing my fabrics and thread in a way that allows me to see what I have and actually use it) is more important than archival preservation of textile supplies. After all, I can't "take it with me," as the saying goes, so my stash only needs to last as long as I do!
Here's a fun new addition to the studio furniture that IKEA just delivered yesterday. It's a 14" wide Alex drawer unit that just fits to the right of the Horn/Bernina Luxe Plus cabinet for my main sewing machine:
 |
| 14" IKEA Alex Drawers |
The mix of lighting in that photo makes it tough to tell, but the white color and finish of the IKEA drawers is a really close match to the sewing cabinet, which helps keep my space feeling open and uncluttered. I decided I needed drawer storage for scissors, rotary cutters, and appliqué prep tools somewhere closer to my cutting island for convenience and this fits the bill very nicely. It was only $105, too -- way more economical than anything sold specifically as "sewing furniture!"
 |
| Rubber Shelf Liner |
I have cheap rubbery shelf liner in the bottom of my scissor drawer to prevent the scissors from moving around and crashing into one another and nicking blades when the drawer is opened and closed over time.
I know I am fortunate to have such a large, beautiful space for my sewing room. I'm having trouble feeling excited about it because this is the first sewing space (and first home I've lived in) that my mother will never get to see or be able to visit. For those of you who don't know, she passed away from lung cancer this past June. We had a complicated relationship and did not always get along, but sewing was something we shared and we spent so many of our. best hours together in my old studio in North Carolina, especially when I was working on garment projects that were much more in her "wheel house" than mine like this skirt, that dress, or that Christmas caroling costume.
Unlike me, my mom was a frugal, no-nonsense, utilitarian seamstress who bought only what was needed for each project. No massive stash of fabric or vast array of tools and gadgets to dispose of, especially as she moved from South Carolina to Texas near the end of her life and got rid of a lot before that move. I do have her sewing machine and serger waiting in a closet for me to rehome someday when I'm ready to look at them, and I came across this Tupperware full of her thread and scissors that set me off bawling the other day:
 |
| Mom's Thread Left Behind |
New observation: comparing my mom's thread storage to MY thread storage reveals a lot about our personalities and why we often clashed! But looking through this box of tangled spools, mostly all-purpose polyester thread used in garments, mending and home dec projects, felt even more personal than going through the clothes in her closet. I remember the project associated with each of those threads. When I was ready, I wound the spools up neatly and incorporated my mom's sewing thread into my ArtBin box of all-purpose polyester thread, and I put her scissors away in the scissor drawer of my little IKEA unit.
Sidenote along the same lines, also bittersweet -- My younger son, Anders, joined the Holiday Singers group that I used to sing with this year and he needed a Victorian caroling costume on short notice. With my machines and supplies packed up mid-move and my complete lack of experience sewing pants, coats, or vests, I hired my friend Paula (follow her on Instagram here) to sew Anders' costume for me.
 |
| Paula Did a Fantastic Job on Anders' Caroling Costume, McCall's M8185 |
It turned out fantastic and Paula did an amazing job, but the sad part for me is that if my mom was here she would have loved being the one to sew Anders' costume -- or she would have loved helping me navigate the unfamiliar pattern instructions and we would have sewn this project together. You know, here in this amazing sewing room where I will be sewing all alone without my mom. See why I'm not having as much fun setting up my studio as I should be?
I inherited my mom's collection of serger thread, too, and below you can see it all lined up on my floor so I could figure out what all I had and how best to store it all.
 |
| Serger Thread Combined, Mine and My Mom's |
Previously I stored my cones of serger thread in awful plastic drawers that jammed and would send the thread flying when I wrenched them open. I ditched those plastic drawers before we moved from Florida and wanted to come up with a more attractive and functional solution this time. I have 151 cones of polyester serger thread plus 13 cones of Wooly Nylon, mostly basic neutral colors. In drawers, it was difficult to figure out whether or not I owned any serger thread in the right color for my project, let alone locate all four cones of that color, so I decided on wall storage and ordered three of these old school racks from Amazon that I will have Bernie install on the wall to the right of the doors in the photo above. That way it will all be visible and handy right near my serger that is still in its box but will be going into that Koala cabinet as soon as I get it cleared off.
Meanwhile, renovation construction continues and the whole main floor of my house is completely demolished, draped in plastic, and covered in construction dust. Taking down the Christmas decorations will be easy this year, as all we did was put up one live Christmas tree in our basement and decorated our Port-O-Potty with a wreath and lights.
 |
| Decorating the Port-O-Potty for Christmas |
Looking forward:
- Continue unpacking and organizing sewing supplies
- Unpack serger and set up in its cabinet
- Install firmware update for B990 sewing machine
- Finish setting up and testing the long arm quilting machine: realign leader centers, install side clamps, check tolerances etc.
- Find my FrankenWhiggish blocks and put them on the design wall
- Prep the next Stonefields block for stitching
I don't know which of those things will be accomplished this week or this month, but those are my top priorities in the sewing room. Please don't worry that I'm sad all the time, because I'm not. I am making a deliberate effort to appreciate the friends and family members who are still a part of my life and to make good memories in the present and plans for the future. I just like to keep it real and share the not-so-good stuff occasionally so anyone else out there who is having a hard time knows they are not alone.
ONE MONTHLY GOAL
Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room
MONDAY
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Monday Musings at Songbird Designs
TUESDAY
To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
THURSDAY
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
FRIDAY
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre
Beauty Pageant at From Bolt to Beauty
TGIFF Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday, rotates, schedule found here: TGIF Friday
SUNDAY
Frédérique at Quilting Patchwork Appliqué
Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts
Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework
18 comments:
It's so good to hear from you again, I've been thinking about you and your move. Your friend did a wonderful job with Anders caroling clothes. Yes, your mother would have loved to worked with your on his outfit. You are always going to miss your mother, the sadness is always going to come and hit you when you aren't expecting it. Your mother won't physically be in your sewing space but she lives on through your sewing creativity. Happy stitching and I hope the rest of the renovation goes fairly smoothly!
Lovely sewing space! Moving, renovating and processing grief can all be exhausting.
Anders costume fits him like a dream! You will make that space your own creative hide-away. Give yourself high fives for accomplishing so much already! This isn't the only space you've been setting up!
So good to see your post! That's the most attractive Port-O-Potty I've ever seen. Anders is a handsome young lad, he looks dashing in that costume. I love your "obtuse" design wall! And I can't wait to see a tour of your new home. No hurry, I'll wait. :)
Mom passed in 2010, and I still tear up when I look in my sewing basket - there are several needles she and Granny used plus sewing notions purchased in the 1960s - still have the price stickers on them with the obsolete ¢ sign from the department store in our tiny town.
I love Anders costume - wonderful he is doing the singing and caroling as you do - I remember your costume from your photos. Your house is coming along nicely it takes time but it will be done. For my design wall we didn't use tape on the back to stick to the wall but used very fine nails and then a thin wood frame along the sides and bottom/top to hold in place - no buckling so far and has held up well. I hope you will be pleased with yours it looks good.
Your sewing room is coming together so nicely, and I love how you did your design wall! Keep the mojo up.
It is so easy to sanitize a post. I really appreciate your sharing the joys along with the sorrows. Your Christmas wishes at the very beginning had me bawling. Too often, good intentioned people ask about our holidays and I struggle to answer. So, thank you for understanding that not everyone gathers with friends and family, opening thoughtful presents, playing fun games and enjoying a lovingly prepared meal. Divorce (not mine, but our children's) and mental health issues, some quite serious underscore our holidays and our everyday. That is only one side. We are blessed with wonderful friends, a solid marriage of 50 years and the joy of being creative people.
The various solutions you found for setting up your sewing space are inspirational. I could happily move in there. :) Love the Port-O-Potty solution.
Looks like you have a plan, hopefully the mojo will find you again. And thanks for the idea of a storage piece to go with my new sewing table, must see if I can find one that fits under it.
Such a wonderful sewing space. Love the pic of all your quilting threads! Hoping things all fall into place over the next few months, moving & renovating all are huge tasks. (Our present house is hopefully our last move, even got a bedroom with ensuite downstairs if/when one of us can't manage the stairs. That's my plan anyway LOL!).
I love the way you made the design wall and closet light work for you! Having supplies and things from your mom's sewing room seems like a fitting way to include her in your new space. Sending you love and hugs!
Happy New Year! So good to see you posting again and to see your new sewing space. I too had a complicated relationship with my mom, but that doesn't stop me from missing her often. You'll find that your mom has never left, as you'll feel her presence always--she is there in your sewing room right now, helping you make decisions and to continue to create. Hugs, dear friend. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/12/31/wednesday-wait-loss-465
Your new studio is taking shape nicely. I enjoyed seeing how you are organizing things. What a clever solution to that light switch!! And what a terrific caroling costume on your handsome son! Your friend did a great job. I understand your feelings about going through your mom's sewing things. I was in my mid 30s when both of my parents died a couple months apart. It took me several years to not tear up going through the bins of her "stuff" - sewing, crocheting, and genealogy things.
Your studio is really coming together, though it is bittersweet for you, Rebecca. Your mom's memories will be right there with you as you sew. My mom didn't sew, except for some handwork. She would always hem my garments that I made, because, well, that's just the worst job for me! LOL I really like the design wall and the obtuse angle and what a great idea for the light switch. Try to have fun as you get the rest of your room together. Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings. Have a great week.
After a second read of your lovely post, I'm seeing all the cool things you are doing to your studio! Love the design wall solution! With the crazy wall situation in your studio I think you hit on the perfect idea on how to maximize the space for your design wall. Can't wait to see new lovelies occupy it in the new year. I have to say your simple solution of a drawer liner to your scissor drawer is perfect! I'll have to steal that idea. I keep my thread in lots of thread boxes, but I don't own a long arm. If I did, I would use your thread display--its so easy to find the right color! Me, I have to take out several boxes before I decide and although that's not perfect it's what I live with. Blessings for the new year! Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss. https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2026/01/07/wednesday-wait-loss-466
Progress is progress. I think taking the time to consider how to make your sewing room function best for you is worthwhile. The sewing mojo will come along when it's time. The wreath and lights on the porta potty made me laugh.
Fun to see all the goings on in your new space; it will be so nice to have it all done. Fun to see Anders all dressed up for his singing. Thanks for sharing the memories of your Mom, with its joys and sorrows. It still gets me when I run into something of my Mom's or Grandmother's in my sewing room and I am always surprised at how raw that can be, even as years have gone by. Good luck with the rest of the moving in/renovating/and settling in. Here's to a fabulous 2026.
Rebecca it’s good to read your post and see the progress on your new studio space. The first holiday after losing a parent or spouse is the worst, without the reminders of your Mom. Her thread bin reminded me of my Gramma’s. Anders costume is perfect and he is a very good looking young man. Good luck getting more of your set up list done. It’s really beautiful and such a great set up plan. Thank you for sharing on ToDo Tuesday
Your studio looks wonderful, I love to see how you arrange it. Bon courage with all of it ;)
Thank you for sharing and linking up, and Happy New Year ;)
Post a Comment