Quiltingboard Forums - Just getting started

I picked up this beautiful, heavy desk (with a little help from family and a friend) for free. It was sitting outside, waiting on someone to appreciate! Well, it weighs a ton! It took 3 of us to get it in the house! It was supposed to go into a different "no pets allowed" room, but there's no way that was going to happen without hiring someone else to move it! So, as you can see, there is one of my five step-kitties.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture.. It's an L shaped desk. The right side is 2 inches higher than the left side, and it has a LOT of table top space. I had originally wanted to put my quilting machine on that side and cut an opening in it. But I realized that the left side is the perfect height for me and I can pull out the top drawer to help with the weight of the quilt. So the right side of the desk is my cutting/spread out area and for general sewing (see my "new" Janome in the back?!). My son's machine will be put on the right of the desk so everything is close by for both of us. Those big drawers will hold a quilt. So I can work on a quilt and then put it in the drawer to keep the cats off. All my tops, batting and backing and other fabrics are stored in the Pet Free Zone.

Some things I want to do: This room needs more lighting and this corner is especially dark. I am hoping this weekend, we can move some wall lamps there but I may need some work lamps too. I want to cover both tops with contact paper. I wipe it good every time i use it and I don't want to get furniture polish-type stuff on my fabrics. And I just love contact paper and want to put a little personality on my Big Girl! I have also been thinking about making a big ironing board to fit on top of the cutting area, but I think I'll hold off on that. I can use my ironing board just fine and I can set it up in front of the cutting area and put the "spill over" on the table.

So really, I thought I'd have to do more with this thing, but it's pretty much perfect just the way it is! The right side has a flat-ish drawer that slides just over your lap that has little compartments (originally for pens, paper clips, etc) that just make me smile! I can't wait to fill it with pins, bobbins, markers, etc!