Railroadersbrat

So, not to bore anyone, I'm just now getting back into quilting after about an eight month hiatus. Depression had tanked me pretty deep, I finally got to the doctor and was put on some antidepressants, I'm feeling better, so I'm back in my sewing corner working on my sister's quilt.

Now, I don't have a lot of room, so when I need to cut down fabric, I use the island in the kitchen, it's just off of my sewing corner. It's not a big island, with some extensions I can put my 36 x 48 cutting mat on it, but I went for my 36 x 24 this time because I'm working with 44" wide fabric. I decided late last night that my sister's quilt is going to need at least one more row because I don't think it'll be quite big enough for her and her cat, plus she has her grand girls coming over a lot and they like to snuggle in with gramma. I make some fast calculations and figure out how much more fabric I'm going to need to cut and then I go into the kitchen and start cutting.

Naturally, this is one of those times that my other half decides that a bowl of cereal for a snack would be good and normally, he keeps quiet and lets me concentrate on what I'm doing. I'm setting up my fabric, getting it lined out, have my ruler in one hand, rotary cutter in the other and he starts whipping off with 'are you sure your measurements are right? I don't think the fabric is lined up like it should be, are you sure that's the right ruler for this? How long has it been since you changed your blade?' Since he has quilting knowledge, it doesn't surprise me that much with those questions, but I answer them in rapid fire, including that I had changed my blade not too long ago and it's still sharp.

Welp, at the first cut, I can tell immediately that oops, I didn't change my blade, it's so dull I don't think it could cut a warm stick of butter. So, I change the blade, go back into the kitchen and I'm slicing through my fabric nice and easy. I get through the bigger pieces, I'm onto my strips, I goof yet again and instead of cutting 2" strips, I cut 2.5", but I don't realize it until I'm back in my corner reading the pattern. I'm leaving those as is because I do need binding eventually and it was my plan to use the accent fabric anyway, it just means I'm ahead a little bit.

There's now a new sewing corner rule - if my fabric, cutting mat, ruler, rotary cutter is on the island, that's an extension of my sewing space and no one is allowed in there while I'm cutting, not even my four legged kids. I'm wondering if anyone else had to add on a new rule in their sewing rooms/spaces/corners because of something that's happened? Would love to hear from others!

copycat

A rule in my Quilt-a Way (name for my sewing space), is to always close my rotary blade and Lock it when I'm finished using it.
It gets me in the habit for the surprise visits I have with my grandchildren. When I know they are coming I go a step further and put away all my sharp items in a drawer. ( rotary cutter, pins, seam ripper, scissors, stilettoes)

peaceandjoy

My only rule is pretty simple: DON'T TOUCH MY STUFF!!

It's the rule not so much because of something that happened, but because I want to prevent anything from happening, whether injury/harm/damage or loss.

Now, the place I sew is what is really meant to be a family room, and there is no wall between it and the kitchen. So, if grandchildren who are too young to really understand or follow that rule are visiting, anything that could harm them is put out of reach. The children are closely watched.

I'm glad that you sought treatment for your depression and are once again sewing!

SusieQOH

My husband avoids my sewing room at all costs!!!!!!! He says he doesn't know how I can work it in haha
My cats come in to hang out with me but don't do any damage. They mostly want to find a spot to nap and are
sometimes successful!

tallchick

Oh Stacey, I think we have all been in your shoes at some point in our quilty lives! When I first started quilting I would only work on quilts when hubby was out of town for work and I could leave my projects out. We lived in such a tiny place that I had no room to leave anything out. Now that I live alone, I no longer have those issues and my current quilt inspector generally hides when I am in my studio. It’s really hers, but she does share! Perhaps you could hang a sign that says “Shhhhhhh, creativity in progress, do not disturb”

lindaschipper

I had one of those days Saturday. Got my new Elite Stitch Regulator from Grace earlier in the week, but life got in the way and didn't get it hooked up until Saturday. This regulator will fit several different brands of machines, but of course the book doesn't tell you to follow which set of directions for the various machines. I finally followed drawings for the one that looked like my machine. The screws for the encoders weren't long enough so my husband had to remove spacers to make them fit. Then where the instruction books says to but the touch screen at, the screw isn't long enough there either, so I had to move it to the bar that fits between the handle bars. All wires, hooked up, and touch screen didn't come on. Reread the instruction books (there are two of them) three times, fussed and cried , and maybe even cussed. Finally walked away and through tearful eyes told my husband I was sending it back and would pack it up the following day. Arrrghhh!
Sunday I walked out and decided to give it another try, since I had given it time to think about how awful it was being to me. Unplugged the wires and replugged them in again on the control box. Still nothing. Turned around and looked down. It wasn't plugged into the power strip on the floor!! Plugged into the socket it suddenly worked. How did I miss that??
I still have a learning curve on all the bells and whistles. Still can't get a stitch length that I'm happy with, but I can play around with that again tomorrow. Remember ladies, if you don't plug it into the socket, it won't work!!

Onebyone

My sewing room is the bonus room upstairs, No one knows the stairs are there if the door is shut. I can spend many hours up there looking for something I had in my hand the day before and now no where to be found, and no one knows I lost something again.

cashs_mom

I have a dedicated sewing room upstairs. About the only rule I've had to add was that I have to unplug the machines and put the foot pedals up on the table when I'm done sewing. I had one of the dogs lay on my foot pedal once. I heard the sewing machine running and went to look and there he was sewing away!

quiltsfor

The only rule I have in my quilting room is: No kitties allowed. There are to many pins/needles, sharp things, dropped pins, lengths of thread that falls to the floor and other dangers for them to get into. As much as I love my kitties, I want them to be safe.

Anniedeb

I have no dedicated sewing room, just my dining room table. When I'm cutting, prepping, or just thinking about my next step, I need to talk it out. As in I talk to myself, out loud....I think out loud. My rule is that DH cannot talk back to me. He often will interject something, and then that just usually adds to my confusion!