Day 130 - the long stationary sort

I'm moving around my studio step by step trying to focus on the little things. At the moment its another set of mini drawers for all those tiny stationary bits. For now I've just made some little cardboard boxes to hold all the staples.  It's been a very long time since I've made any net boxes.  This keeps the different sizes separate and easily accessible.

Day 129 - pen pots all done

Well this had been a very satisfying project, I now have a nice space for all my pens and pencils brushes and tools.  I think I need a few more for some of my other craft materials but this has definitely improved.  My studio is really coming together slowly but surely.

Day 122 - fabric storage

I'm on a roll this week, fabric is something that just magically multiplies.  I got rid of a lot of my fabric last year and made more into patches, bur it is still teething to take over.  I had it all rolled up neatly but it was too easy to mess up and hard to find. This is a very simple solution, I cut card inserts to fit a specific box and rolled my fabric around the inserts to store visibly and neatly.

Day 120 - studio storage

Sorting out my studio is one of my missions this year (actually for the past three years) its just one of the things I have actually been conquering with this project. Today has been a huge step forward, I have been using this old dvd rack as cubbies to store all my tools, but it was big, bulky and disorganised.  So I took a saw to it and made it more compact and useful. I also finally made use of the pin board I found a while ago for easy access. 

Day 116 - ink caddy refinished

So after some time fiddling with my previous layout I decided to restart this project.  Sometimes it is less effort too just start over. I'm going to use the inks inside to stamp it over time. Took a bit more time than I had anticipated but now everything is stored neatly and easy to access. 

Day 115 - ink caddy continued...

Its still a work in progress but it is coming together nicely.  Once it's dry I can add some fun decoration and finish the drawers.  It will be a perfect container for all my inks and quills when it's done. 

Day 114 - creating an ink caddy

As part of this project I intend to sort out the chaos that is my studio.  I have made a little dent but there is so much to do.  Today I have begun a box for my inks and stamps is in the Blue Peter stage right now but over the weekend it will be transformed. 

Day 93 completed pen roll

This was a very simple idea, it took me  coulple of days to finish around work. But it could have been much more quicker if I had just gotten my sewing machine out.
I used two fat quarters of fabric a small sample of fabric and some ribbon. First I pinned the ribbon into loops to hold my pens. I used the pens to measure and space the loops. After I stitched them down I added  simple pocket for my other pens. With both my fat quarters together wrong side to wrong side I stitched the edges over and folded the bottom hem up to form another long pocket this should stop and escape.

Day 92- pen roll part 1

Today I have been working on a handy pen roll to keep my nice sets in. I am probably going to make more for my sketching pencils as well. I have only stitched down the pockets and loops so lots of sewing to do tomorrow. 

Day 77 - Tidy, organise Jewellery findings

 To begin with I just had bags and boxes, some of it was partly sorted but mostly it was just a tangle of chain, wire and cogs... I had originally intended to make some sort of jewellery of something for Christmas but decided instead to just sort it out!
Now everything is stashed away neatly, easy to find, even down to the tiny cogs and watch handles in an old pill box.

Day 49 - DIY wrap around skirt.

Well, today has been a bit of a faff, I didn't make what I had set out too, which was just a more comfortable, interesting pair of trousers from an old pair of jeans. I have such bad luck with trousers even when I'm not making them...so to save my sanity I made an asymmetric wrap around skirt using the fabric from the jeans and some blue corduroy, I need to adjust the waist band as is not straight and I would also like to add some loops for the wrap around string to go through, but after all the sewing I've done today I'm happy to just sit in it. Cat seems to like it :)
 

Day 27 - DIY sewing case

I like to have everything I need handy when I'm sewing, mostly I find I can't be bothered to find pins if I'm in the middle of something, or baste something if I don't have needle and thread to hand. So my brief was to make something to contain all the essentials, I wanted it small and simple and I also wanted a pin cushion in there for good measure. This fabric is one of the small remnants I have left from the wedding bunting this year and I'm really pleased that it has become something I will keep for a while. I used felt for all the pockets and details as it holds its weave even after being stabbed a thousand times, that and it doesn't need hemming so making slips and pockets is very forgiving and easy!

Please comment below if you would like instructions.

Day 13 - Tiny craft storage solution

I acquired these drawers years ago, they have always been nearly useful but mostly overflowing and disorganized. The solution is knowing whats in each drawer without having to pull them all open. I have tried a few different ideas over the years, from sticky labels (which fall off) to hot gluing beads, (which also fall off!)
So today I used lengths of wire through the handles. I must admit part of the problem was the overflowing part, and that has been combated by a sever downsizing and refinement of my crafty bits. This tower now holds all my beads and buttons and even my miniature charms and trinkets for my Steampunk Art Dolls and Mini drawer sets.

One tiny step in sorting out the studio, which is one of my big aims for this year.