A Work in Process: The Studio

My studio is shaping up as I prepare for a new year of teaching art.

Earlier this month I walked into a local consignment shop and had a love-at-first-sight moment with an antique breakfast hutch. I wanted to take her home then and there, but I hemmed and hawed (and hemmed some more) and waited three weeks to bring her home. I have to be honest, I don't do this sort of thing with furniture and home goods, but in two weeks I will have nearly 20 students coming to the house each week for art class. I needed some place to store supplies.

Now I can't imagine what I did without it. I love to just sit and look at the shelving and am very thankful to have a home for the endless supply of paper and paints in the cupboards and drawers of this beautiful hutch.

Of course, this new piece of furniture required a complete overhaul of the studio. I threw out/gave away over 10 bags of scrap fabric, leftover yarn, crayons, used paper, stickers, decade-old scrapbooking supplies, patterns, dried paint, empty markers, chewed up pencils, and sorted through several years of Christmas cards sent to us over the last 2 decades. Whew! it was a crazy three days… but, I am so happy to have an organized space; to have the WHOLE table to work on! {swoon}

The minute everything was in place I wanted to play, but I also didn't want to mess things up too much. I chose the least messy project to start: crochet.  I re-opened my Etsy shop (after a two-year hiatus) and listed my Blue Flowered Cowl and the Vintage Lace Wrap for sale. Then I made a blanket for a new baby at our church, based on a free pattern inspired by Call the Midwife. The pattern was simple and easy to follow, and I finished it quickly. When it was done I decided I needed to try my hand (again) at a Japanese pattern for a scarf. My favorite thing about that scarf is the name of the pink yarn: Rosalinda. (I pick my nail polish based on names too.) In the end, I'll wear it, but it is too short---which is what sometimes happens when you are using scrap yarn.

When Rosalinda was finished, I was "in the zone" and my crochet hook would not be put down. So I found this post on Moogly for a hat using a QuadTr (who knew?) to make really cool looking braids. By the end of last week, I had made one in Paloma Grey, and another in Oatmeal. This afternoon I have started a Popcorn Blanket square, though I'm not sure I'll make a whole blanket, I'd like to see how this pattern works out. That, my friends, is how you spell c-r-o-h-e-t--c-r-a-z-y. But, I'm using up a drawer full of yarn and I'm grateful for this last summer whirl of creative fiber art. Soon it will be time to haul out the paints and have fun with my students. Can't wait!