Thursday 27 September 2012

Sewing Room

There has been a lot of fabric sorting going on here in my sewing room, inspired by the arrival last week of a new white cupboard...........
............the fabric stash has been organised, lots was given to the charity shop, some chosen by my daughter to make party bunting........and the rest is being lovingly ironed, folded and stacked...........
............as you can see i'm using the colour stacking system which seems to suit me best :)............
.........the left over layer cakes are rolled up and tied with pieces of pretty selvedge which i always save and hoard........not sure how to store unrolled jellyrolls before using them.........any ideas???
.............i found these sweet ribbons last week, pink rosebuds on blue, pink and white.......the big bright orange button was bought specially to go on a particular project which i'll show you in a future post........
...........i wonder what i'll use these for.......i love these adorable new lecien prints...........
...........in other crafty news here is my happy festive project in this month's crafts beautiful magazine, a gingerbread houses cushion with cross stitched houses, patchwork and lots of little decorative extras...........
 ..........and two tags, one shown below....the other is very christmassy so i will save it till nearer the time :)
...........my rustic robins design is featured in cross stitch collection magazine this month, and there is an interview with me in this issue too, with a lovely write up ...........to find out more visit the making spot......
...........i love the red and white look for christmas and am looking forward to making some more decorations this year beginning very soon.......as soon as i've finished filling up the fabric cupboard and piecing together the farmer's wife quilt that is...........
.............i've found lots of lovely pieces of fabric that i'd forgotten about so it has been a really good job to get done....and now it's all colour coded i can select it more quickly for new projects, though i might not want to take it off the shelves in case it messes up the tidy stacking system............ next i'll be sorting out the ribbon collection...who knew i had so many gorgeous spools and bundles of that stashed away??
........lots of people have kindly asked where they can get the love patchwork bookazine mentioned in my last post.........it's available in the uk from w h smiths stores..........another question i've often been asked recently is what do i use to stuff the pin cushions i make?......the answer to that is polyester toy filling :).........thanks to everyone who gets in touch either by comments or email........and thank you to everyone who pops in here to read my blog..............wishing you a wonderful weekend......back soon  xxxxxxxxxxxx

54 comments:

Ali said...

Ooooh gorgeous fabrics and I love your gingerbread cushion - just lovely xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Helen,I love the gingerbread cushion too and am going to head to Smiths tomorrow for the magazine. have a great weekend.Xxx

Jane said...

Hi Helen, how neat all your fabric looks now. As a non quilter the words jellyrolls et al sounded like something delicious to eat! I am sure they are not but your cupboard of fabric does look like a candy store. Wonderful,
Jane x

Anonymous said...

Great cupboard and extremely practical too, your fabric looks so pretty stacked in it.
Love your latest magazine projects, the little gingerbread houses are so sweet and I love the little robins too!
Have a great weekend Helen,
Vivienne x

Rhona said...

Ooooh, very organized! Love the gingerbread house cushion, very festive!

gillyflower said...

You are so organised Helen! Everything looks so neat and accessible. Gorgeous lecien fabrics, and I love all the latest projects - you have been busy!
Have a good weekend
Gill xx

Patty Marker said...

I just took a break from my sorting and stashing project and was thrilled to see such pretty inspiration. Now back to work! lol

Anonymous said...

It all looks so fresh a pretty,
the mag looks fab
Thank you for sharing
Thea x

Marigold Jam said...

As always everything looks wonderful! An idea I use for ribbons might work for your jelly rolls and that is to clip one end in a big bulldog clip and hang them that way you can see what you've got and they stay flat and together. I don't know if it would work with fabrics too as they might be thicker or maybe too long but might be worth a try?

debbie @ happy little cottage said...

I love your new white cupboard!! It will be so pretty with all of your color coordinated fabric! The gingerbread pillow is adorable, and it making me ready to make cute things for Christmas. For all of you in the US, Love Patchwork is available at Barnes and Noble, and Joanns! xoxo Debbie

Naturally Carol said...

Hi Helen, I had always imagined you with neatly stacked fabric, colour grouped and ready to go! You choose the prettiest fabrics and your new cupboard will hold them beautifully. That's a great little pincushion project too. Have a lovely weekend!

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

All looks so inviting and inspiring Helen,
thats such a terrific cupboard.
Now to store the roll ups...
pink or blue painted glavanized buckets? stored upright so the colors peep over the edge.
xx
julie

homemade@myplace said...

love your exagons and the cushion!!
happy weekend, xxx Ale

Rebel Blossom @ Studio 2sixty said...

I adore your new white cupboard, and all your lovely fabrics...it's such a dreamy, sweet space!
So nice to find your adorable blog!

Debby said...

Oh how very pretty everything looks!!!! I store my extras from jelly rolls in a drawer until I can find a good use for them. Once the drawer begins to fill up its time to get to work!!

Lori ann said...

i hope i can find that magazine! you are not only so very creative but so humble too helen, it's a lovely charming trait.
i will have to look through this post several times to keep up my inspiration for tidying my space too and sewing too. LOVED the peek into your world. the pillow is so cute.
have a wonderful weekend,
love, lori

Gracie Saylor said...

Thanks for sharing some of your lovely latest projects, Helen, and links to some beautiful resources! Also, even though I don't understand much about jelly rolls of material, I appreciated some of your commenters suggestions for storage which I might be able to apply to some of my craft materials. xxx Gracie

Teresa Kasner said...

Hi Helen.. I admire your fabrics and how organized you are. I can't start another craft addiction until I get my yarns stored nicely. LOL! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Tangled Sweetpea said...

I simply adore your new cupboard Helen! Ooh and the robin design is gorgeous, perfectly Christmassy!
Victoria xx

vintage grey said...

Such a pretty and neat sewing room! Love your white cabinet! Love the cross stitched houses and those tiny buttons!! Happy sweet weekend to you! xo Heather

Maria Glazacheva said...

Bonjour Helen!
Comment sont jolie vos fotos!! J adore!!
Bonne semaine!!
xxx Maria xxx

my4lilgirls said...

I so need to sort mine, oh to find the time at the moment!!!
Love the gingerbread house cushion, its just to sweet for words, I'm gonna see if that mag is available over here
Have a lovely weekend
Karen x

Henry's Shed said...

Ooooh! I WANT that cupboard!! It looks so pretty with those neat little fabricy piles! And the patchwork hexagons are gorgeous!
Karen x x

Fiona said...

So neat and tidy! I love the bunny guarding the fabric stash too.... congrats on the publishing. Fiona

KC'sCourt! said...

What a beautiful room! Lovely fabrics. Your blog posts are so interesting and pretty what's the secret?
Julie xxxxxxxxx

serendipity said...

That cupboard is perfect for storage. It's always feels good to have a clear out. All the more room for new fabric :)

Vintage Sheet Addict said...

Helen your sewing room is lovely, it must be a wonderful place to work! I love sorting, ironing and folding my fabric stash too! The fabric ends, could they be put on to double-sided sticky tape and made in to tape for pressies? Your blog is always a special place to visit! Have a lovely weekend! Ada :)

sew said...

Your room looks perfect!
Does fabric have a mind of its own & get jumbled up the moment your back is turned?!
I'm sure that Bunny will keep an eye on those neat shelves.

fee @ chipper nelly said...

love love LOVE. Hmmmmm, wondering how long it would take me to get to said charity shop for your cast offs!!!
happy weekend - fee x

♥ Priddy Priddy ♥ said...

The only time I could ever think of 'iron & loving' being used in the same sentence would HAVE to involve fabric!
Looking so wonderful once again, the robins look very, very sweet
Nicky
x

Fleur Cotton said...

I have cupboard envy!!

How lovely to be able to see all your beautiful fabrics.

Have a happy weekend organising them all!!

Fleur xx

Country Rabbit said...

Absolutely beautiful Helen, i just love where you create!!!! ;0)
love your colourful, pretty fabrics and adorable bunny makes + your patchworks are so dreamy!!!!!!
I adore the scandinavian whites and furniture ;0)x

gilly said...

That's a great cupboard, and love all your gorgeous makes too. Your posts are always so inspiring... think I really need to get my fabric colour-sorted too. Maybe this weekend!
Have a good one,
xx

Clara {Clover and Violet} said...

Love your sewing room and your new white cupboard. I have the same question about storing opened jelly rolls. Great idea for the layer cakes. Your posts are always full of such sweet inspiration, thank you so much for sharing!!

Frances said...

Helen, your organizational skills and creative imagination are so inspirational!

The gingerbread house and robin embroidery are each grand examples of your designing talent. The clarity and beauty of each image belies the thinking and embroidery that produced it.

Thank you for the links in your posts, too! xo

Simone said...

I bet you gotlots of pleasure stacking up the fabrics in your lovely new white cupboard! I would be very upset if I had to use them!!! I am liking the look of the rustic robins very much. I don't know how you get the time to fit it all in Helen. I think you should write a book on time management! x

Tammy said...

Your stitched and patched cushion is very pretty. So amazing how you are constantly coming up with new projects and ideas. Have a wonderful weekend. Tammy P.S. I see that Heather received her giveaway package ... I sure hope mine arrives soon. :)

Eiileen said...

Love, love, love them all!

koralee said...

I so love visiting you...you have such a happy home! Your little robins are soooo darling my friend. Your polka dot stool has me thinking I need to add some fabric to mine.
Happy creative weekend.
I just can't help thinking what a blessing it is to do what makes you soooo happy!

Annie Cholewa said...

How inspiring, to have all your fabrics so beautifully sorted and available at a glance :D

I've been collecting red and white fabrics for something I have in mind. Can I ask please Helen what the birds and trees fabric on the left of the cushion is?

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Hello Helen...Your sewing room is looking so pretty and beautifully organised!...Congratulations on your latest feature...your festive projects are so inspiring as always!
I love the idea of rolling the layer cakes and tying with pretty selvedge. I've been wondering how to store my left over jelly roll strips and have decided to hang them over a pretty wooden coat hanger for now on the inside of my craft cupboard door...
Hope you are having a lovely Sunday!
Susan x

mynestofyarnandbuttons said...

Hi Helen,
Your fabrics looks so organized and beautiful. I love a neat and tidy sewing room. I think is so much easier to create and see exactly what you have to work with. I actually bought a jelly cabinet this weekend to try to get more organized once again!!! BUT you have done a fabulous job. I love all your magazine features!!
Hope you had a wonderful weekend, xoRobin❤

trish said...

Dont you just love rediscovering your treasures that have been tucked away?
Your sewing room is such a beautiful place to be. I would never want to leave it. :o) I adore your white furniture. I can not wait to be finished painting all of mine! :o)
Have a wonderful week.
Trish xo

Becky said...

I stumbled across your colorful blog and I love reading and especially look at your photos. Your work is inspiring and helps me with color choices in my work (crochet and knitting)!

Patricia Reid said...

Hello,Helen!How I love your latest blog post! The wonderful way in which you have stacked your fabrics according to their colour ... just perfect! Gorgeous fabrics and so pretty to look at.
Your Christmas/Gingerbread House pillow is sweet and I can hardly wait to find my CB magazine in my mail box!
Many thanks for your answer to my question re: filling for a pin cushion ... I really appreciated that.
Hugs,
Patricia Reid

Attic24 said...

It always amazes and impresses me how hugely productive you are! Designs seem to fly out of your fingertips at record speed! Those robins are absolutely adorable, well all your work is, there is such a simple sweetness to everything you design and make, it tugs at my hearts strings ♥
Sending much love, always a pleasure to visit with you
Lucexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

claire said...

sorting your new cupboard looks like a satisfying job to do :)

Pomona said...

I am very envious of your glass-fronted fabric cupboard - something that has been on my wishlist for some time! It makes it so much easier to see what fabric you have. Your projects look lovely - really clever!

Pomona x

Anonymous said...

Lovely, all lovely, Mrs. Phillips! I so enjoy your blog. You choose such pretty colors for all your projects. Just looking at them makes me happy! Best regards, Elizabeth Hansen, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA

Natalia Glazacheva said...

Hello, Helen! Thank you so much for your kind comment on my post :o) I`m so glad to be back and read your inspiring and colorful blog again. I always love your cute projects. And I do love how you organized all your stuff :o) Congrats on the new publications! You`re a great Artist :o) Your patchwork cushion is stunning, dear friend! Just a treasure! Congrats and best wishes on your daughter`s birthday :o)
Happy autumn to you and all your Family
love
Natasha

Debbie (Little Gingham Bear) said...

Fab cushion love the mix of stitching and fabric but would kill for your cupboard lol xx

Maria Glazacheva said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Siobhán said...

Those robins are adorable, I must look for the magazine! I love your hexagons--such fun colors! Your colors are so nice and cheerful.

Sam I Am...... said...

The gingerbread house pillow is so cute! I love embellishments too.
Oh, all those wonderful, gorgeous fabrics! YUM! Do you wash your fabrics before you use them?
Love your bunny too.
Alicia Paulson got a windowed storage for her fabrics too. I think that's the only way to go when you love fabric....you have to be able to see them! Great cupboard!