asabrinao

Hi, Fellow Quilters,

This is one of those "out there" questions and I don't suspect I'll have much luck, but you never know until you ask, right?

I'm a college professor in Ohio. My longtime fiance is a journalist in Austin, Texas (we're logistically challenged). I don't teach summers, so I'll be spending the summer with him in the lodestar state. Here's the thing: my visiting professorship at the college ends after next year and in order to qualify for a permanent job I NEED to finish my book (the old publish or perish thing will be my downfall, I swear…). In grad school, I discovered that sewing helped me concentrate (go figure!) and the way I work is to have my sewing machine (Juki 2010q, aka "Wilma") set up next to my writing stuff. I write 500 words, sew twenty minutes, etc. I get a lot more writing and sewing done that way. I'm working on a theory as to why it makes me more productive. I think it has something to do with exercising different parts of your brain (I worked at a bread bakery in graduate school).

Here's the problem: my fiancé has a roommate and a small apartment. When I spent time in Austin over the winter holiday, I tried working at his place but there were just too many distractions. A coffee shop wasn't any better (although I did get a lot of hand-piecing done). I think I'll be a lot more successful if I have my own work space over the summer. And, so, this is where I turn to you, dear quilters.

I'm looking to rent an office space this summer and here's what I'm hoping for:

1) A "furnished" office space (be it an actual office or a guest room or a corner in your basement). By "furnished," I really mean a desk or table and a chair. If there are bookshelves and/or a couple of other side tables too, great. I can provide a folding table, if necessary.

2) I don't need internet, but if it's there, great.

3) I'll probably get to Austin sometime in the first week of June and leave by August 15 (and we will likely take a weeklong trip to Montana in July). These hours are negotiable, but, ideally, I'd like access to the space M-F from 9-5. I probably won't always make it by 9 in the morning (especially on Fridays, when I ride with a bicycle group until noon-ish) and I definitely won't be there after 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening. I generally don't plan to use the space on weekends.

4) I'd like to leave my books and notes and Juki in the space during the summer, so as not to haul them back and forth every day.

5) I was hoping to pay about $200 a month for June and July and $100 for August, but I'm not sure how realistic that this.

6) If this is a room in your house and you're interested in a cup of tea in the afternoon (and some quilting talk), I would consider that a plus.

7) I don't smoke or play loud music; I have no pet allergies and I'm obscenely tidy (though, I have been known to utter the occasional profanity when my quilting drags). My current landlady is one of my closest friends (I didn't know her before I rented from her). She converted her large, Victorian home into two separate apartments; she lives in the front and I live in the back and I bet she will attest to my general sanity and good (usually clean) humor.

If you're interested or know of anyone in Austin who might be, let me know via this thread or a PM and we can go from there.

Thanks, kindly,
Azita

Jan in VA

Oh, I wish you the best of luck finding just the right spot for the summer! Summers in Austin can be 'trying', to say the least, but how I wish I were back there right now that we're having our 4th or 5th snowfall of 2014!! I have a couple of local contacts that I well send this post to for you.

Best,
Jan in VA

asabrinao

Thanks so much, Jan! I spent last summer in Austin (and three in Tallahassee while finishing my doctorate), so I know exactly what you mean. I tell my fiancé that leaving Ohio in June for Austin shows how much I love him . We just a snowfall in Oberlin, Ohio last week too, so a little Texas sunshine would be nice right about now. I think I understand why Quiltcon is in Austin in February.

Thanks for sending this post along to your contacts!

oldtnquiltinglady

I am doing a quilting class for a bunch of grandchildren this weekend in Austin, and will take a couple of copies of this post with me to show to my kinfolks while I am there, and if any of them show any interest, I'll PM you with information for you to contact them. Most of them live in Kyle, so if that is a problem, let me know and I won't bother. I understand I-35 traffic is horrendous now, and gets worse in the summertime.

Good luck in your little publishing venture--when we lived there I typed a student's thesis. Quite an all consuming part-time job; but we did it and she graduated with honors.

Onebyone

I would check with the rental agencies. Lots of empty office spaces in most towns now.

asabrinao

Dear JoAnn (quiltinglady),

That is so thoughtful of you! Thank you! My fiancé lives in Mariposa Heights, which is about twenty minutes or so from Kyle. I-35 is not my favorite, but it's not a deal breaker either (and twenty minutes or so seems a standard, if not GOOD commute these days).

Thanks again,
Azita

asabrinao

Dear Onebyone,

That's a good suggestion. I didn't try that because I assumed rental companies would charge more than I could afford, but I think I will just check some out!

Best,
Aso

JanieH

Good luck on your search. I live in Houston and would love to have you but you probably don't want THAT commute!

asabrinao

Dear JanieH,

If only! I've only been to Houston once or twice, but loved it when I was there. We visited the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel. So extraordinary.

Thanks for your kind wishes!
Azita

IrishNY

You might consider placing an ad on Craigslist. It would give you a larger audience to find just the right place. Good luck!