Inspiration for Yarn Storage

Today is I love yarn day, and it has me thinking that I need to show my yarn more respect. Not that my Ikea storage boxes aren't working, but I think I need to decorate my studio with the same energy I put into my crochet designs. I was so inspired by Raising Up Rubies studio. She really demonstrates what I am talking about, and everything she puts in her studio has personality. I have a studio, but for some reason, I usually work at the dining room table! I think if I had a studio as amazing as Raising Up Rubies, I might never leave it! 

I want everything in my studio to be something I love. Antique treasures I have found, or  clever uses for things I already have. I have decided the first thing I want to collect are vintage candy/ cookie jars to store yarn in. They would be especially great for my collection of yarns for freeform crochet. I think they look wonderful sorted by color like this:

Dottie Angel repurposed a pair of clogs to use as a needle holder. I love the idea of making a souvenir into something useful!

This old library card catalog was converted into a sewing and yarn storage unit by bitsandbobbins. So charming!

Now I have a good excuse to go antique shopping again. I feel truly inspired today!

Contemplating Yarn Storage Ideas

Although I have had a studio space for a while, I still store my yarn in Ikea cardboard boxes that I keep up above my wardrobe cupboard. Not ideal as I can't see what is inside, and I keep pulling the wrong boxes down! I was reading one of my daughter's favorite stories to her the other night, and the characters, Topsy and Tim, had to help out in a haberdashery shop. I love the way the yarn is displayed in pull out drawers under the counter. You can see it but it is out of the way, and you would have a wonderful workspace on top! I have been researching, and trying to decide how I want my yarn to be displayed. I dream of having my yarn accessible and displayed in an attractive manner.

If I had a bit smaller stash, I might be able to go for some fun quirky ideas for storage like these sheep shelves.

I love this gum machine ideas as seen on One Late Night's Blog. I would love to find a cool antique piece to display some of my most beautiful skeins.

Being more realistic, I am hoping to get my handy woodworking husband to make me some shelves that resemble yarn store displays. I am very inspired by these handmade shelves below, as seen on Easy Makes Me Happy's blog.

I also love the idea of this cabinet, made by Couch's Little Workshop, where I could put all the best looking skeins in the shelves, and store the odds and ends in the drawers below. It would be neat if the doors could slide into the cupboard like some TV cupboards do, so if I want to keep the shelves open, the doors won't be in the way.  

I am still assessing my space to see what will be the best option. When I decide what that is, I will be sure to do a blog post about my yarn display!

Studio Sneek Peek

The Studio is coming together and it is so exciting!  I want to spend all my time there.  I was originally going to carpet the floor, but I fell in love with this parquet flooring.  I chose it because it looks modern and with all the different colors, it goes with any furniture I put on it.  I have furniture pieces that I want to use from my life before marriage.  Some of it is cherry, some pine and some walnut.  It all works when placed on this flooring!  Now, I just need to research how to clean it, to give it a bit of polish.   I am deciding where to hang my pictures and posters now. The "yarn man" will have a home very soon!

Studio colors!

I haven't finished cleaning out the studio space, but to keep myself motivated, I have bought some paint colors to try on the wall.  I know that I want a pear color.  I have chosen three different paints to sample. One is more green, one is more gold, and one is in the middle of the two.  I think the middle one (the largest sample) is my favorite.  I have mostly magnolia walls in my house, so I decided to splash out with some color in the studio!  I think the "Altogether Charming Wools" (yarn man) print will sit well on this color.  It is bright and cheerful, without being an obvious choice.  I can't wait to see the entire space painted.  I have to remember to take some "before" photos before it is too late!  Next, I get to decide on the flooring.  I am going to try to finish the cleanout this weekend.  Woodworking dirt requires a lot of cleaning...  I am keeping my eye on the big prize though!

My studio mascot

Until the studio space is ready, I am putting together a collection of things for it.  When I was studying fashion design in London, I used to love to go to "jumble sales" on the weekends.  One lucky day, I came across a wonderful Needlecraft magazine from the 1950's.  Inside, there were embroidery transfers for  the cutest whimsical fairies, which is really why I bought the magazine and made a shawl that I still wear.  I will take photos of it for another blog post!

After I got it home, I discovered this "charming" yarn ad and I have saved it to hang in a special place.  I never knew where that would be until now.  I want to hang this yarn man in a prominent place to watch over me as I work.  Now, I just need to find a great frame for it!

New family members

I have been wanting a dress form for a long time.  My niece is willing to be a model for me which I am thankful for, but I need someone who is able to stand for hours as my designs evolve.  Luckily, I came across these while I was shopping for supplies for my latest design submission for Interweave Crochet.  I was excited to find the child's form as well.  They aren't the quality I was hoping for, but they are definitely better than pinning on myself or bothering a real person!  I have named the lady form "Layla", as my dear friend Layla got me started on the path to crochet design when she sent me a surprise gift of a French crocheted bracelet that I had admired in a shop window while visiting her in London.  I am going to let my daughter name the child form.  She tried making her first garment on it yesterday and I was amazed at what she put together.

They are the first addition to the design studio that my husband and I are planning to arrange.  He is into woodworking and is moving his workshop to a new space, so that will free up some room for our design studio.  I have big plans, but I am not sure how much space we will have until all of the woodworking equipment gets moved into the new workshop.  At least I will have a dedicated place to design, and I am hoping to buy a sewing machine, now that I will have a place to put one.  Now I just need to decide what is essential for a design studio.  Good lighting, drafting table, filing cabinet.....  I can't wait to move in!