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Wednesday, March 1, 2023

My Multi-Craftual Room

Multi-craftual seems to be a word I keep hearing recently, and it sure applies to me - I quilt, spin, weave, knit, crochet, dye, embroider, sew clothes, do stained glass, make jewelry, bead, paint... (you'll see I am a collector too, but I don't think that can be called a "craft"). I recently saw a video of someone's multi-craftual room and wanted to share mine. The rest of my home isn't like this, but this is my creative space.
We have lived in six different houses and this is the second time I have been lucky enough to have a room designed especially for me.
This is part of our basement. I wanted a room without a door, so I could 'spill out' if I needed more room.
I have a great old drafting table that is the perfect cutting table. My husband was given this table about 30 years ago. Above it are old kitchen tools, mainly from my maternal grandmother's home, as well as a sampler she made over a hundred years ago.
Across from the table is my spinning wheel, my paternal grandmother's sewing machine cabinet, a curio cabinet from my sister and a quilt ladder my Dad made for me. The clothes on the wall were from my Mom's family, except the little green sweater - that my Mom made when I was pregnant with my first child, both my children wore it home from the hospital, so I thought it deserved a spot on the wall. The basket on the sewing table was given to my grandmother when my Dad was born, full of fruit from her father-in-law, now I have old sewing notions in it.
One of my big splurges is my sewing machine cabinet - I absolutely love it and it has made quilting large quilts a breeze.
The back flips up and I add a folding table beside it.
It has a perfect spot for when I need to use the serger too.
The wall is full of small quilts I made over the years. The first one is the pale one, made with the large blocks that my maternal grandmother pieced. I find all the quilts an inspiration for colours, quilt styles and machine quilting ideas (only the first one is hand quilted). The little wooden shelf was made by my youngest son in wood shop when he was in middle school.
Around the corner is my weaving loom (an 8-shaft Schacht Mighty Wolf).
Next to the loom is a storage room. 
When we were deciding how to reconfigure the basement the one thing I wanted was a storage room, with a door, just for my craft supplies (the size was determined by basement necessities - like support posts and plumbing drains). It is so handy - it acts as a small workroom too. Along with the big sturdy shelves there is a small table, some bookshelves and some benches. The warping board for weaving is in there (in the photo it is the thing hanging in front of the bins above the bench). 
Next to that I have a few old print maker drawers that are perfect for threads and small things.
Off of the room there is the laundry room. It is a room with a sink for dyeing, and stained glass (also a place to start seeds for the garden and overwinter plants).
It also has a door - the only original door in the house - the door is handy to keep pets out when I am working with glass.
This room sure is my happy place!
It's nice when the pets come too.


All the best!♥︎