Closet Core Studio

Sweet mercy, the engines on my machines have been OH so busy churning out some lovelies I am not ready to share with you.... yet (but I think everyone who enjoys lakes, pools and beaches will be pretty happy when I do. I'VE SAID TOO MUCH).

Life got infinitely easier when my oldest friend lent me her fierce little serger. I had no idea they actually worked. The one I bought off Craigslist was more temperamental than a spoiled 2 year old after a bag of candy, and using one that actually FUNCTIONS has sort of changed my life.

This experience has only added to the deep, powerful longing for a new sewing machine.Being the classy, champagnes taste kind of lady I am, I've decided I can't settle for anything less than... Bernina. Even her names sounds classy, that Swiss minx. I'm eyeballing Craigslist while socking away my pennies but I haven't decided if I should go all the way and buy a new one. Anybody have an opinion on this? Listening to Daughter Fish' podcast Thread Cult with that sewing machine salesman, I became completely sold on new machines, after stubbornly insisting to myself for years that all metal was infinitely better.... Thoughts?

In the meantime, I thought I would show you where I've been shackled. I mean sewing.

Tis the sewing space of my dreams. I have so much room to cut and work at the table, and it gets great light during the day. The chandelier is so crazy bright I have no problem working in the evening.

This room was my biggest priority when I moved into the new apartment. I found the oversize B&W photo on the Library of Congress website (seriously, the best source for old photos EVER) and paid them to have the negative rescanned and emailed to me in high-res. I then blew it up and had it printed on a large format photocopier. I was planning on wheat pasting it to the wall, but to avoid hearing my landlord spazz out, I just stapled it for now. Hoping it doesn't get too distorted in the humidity of Montreal summer....

I'm super pumped about my new rainbow collection of serger thread, a surprise donation from a friend who does the repairs for Lulu Lemon. I practically sang a Broadway tune when she handed them over. The desk is the perfect size, and cost less than $60 at Ikea. Just a white laquer top on metal legs I spray-painted gold (see above, champagne taste). Couldn't be happier in this room, even when it is for hours and hours and hours while I maniacally test the secret thing I am testing.

Off to San Francisco & Sonoma County for a bonding trip with my mother, one that I hope does not end up resembling the movie Sideways (Mum looooves her vino). Any suggestions for fabric shopping in SF?