Plans for 2020

Today’s prompt for the 31 Blog Writing Challenge hosted by Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com is my dream project.  I have two projects that I would love to accomplish next year.  I have always admired lone star and broken star quilts.  I recently purchased a Compass Star pattern by Roxanne Carter of Quilting with Roxanne that I want to try.

I love the way she combines the lone star piecing with foundation paper piecing techniques.  I was hoping to create one with my Mother. She needs to get well, so we can quilt together again.

The next pattern that I want to sew is the Amethyst Project Bag by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness.  I have taught a project bag called the Simply Chic Carry All created by Michelle Griffith of Michelle’s Designs.

That pattern made you fearless when inserting a zipper and combining lots of sewing techniques thus requiring lots of time to create it.

The Amethyst Project Bag appears to have fewer elements to construct, so less classroom time will be needed.  But it will allow my students to still learn lots of bag making techniques in the process.  I consider this a win!

Do you have any projects that you are planning for next year?  Feel free to inspire me to add more to my wish list!

A Small, but Mighty, Sewing Studio

Today's prompt for the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge hosted by Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com is sewing space.

I have never used the words, small, but mighty to describe anything in my life except my current sewing space.  In 2012 my husband and I downsized our home.  It was a smart move since all of the boys had left home.  This also meant that I left behind a very large and much loved sewing studio.

So I have had to make some choices about what I want to focus on, and what I really love to work with to keep my creativity within its boundaries.  I remember Alex Anderson discussing her decision not to build a larger sewing studio.  She reasoned that a larger addition/studio would raise her taxes, so there was the financial aspect.  She also knew that her current space was working, but it probably just needed to be decluttered.  That helped me to focus on what I really love to work with in my studio and to let go of the other stuff.

In addition Cheryl Sleboda also hosts a Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop.  This has encouraged me to dig deeper into my space and find forgotten things to work with and remove unnecessary items.

I have discovered that I am in love with sewing machines of all kinds.  I just wish they didn't need so much space.  I am also a “tool gal”, having the right tool for the right job makes a world of difference.  But I have discovered that no matter what size you have to work in, you can still be creative and make wonderful things!

Now I need to clean up some creative clutter in my studio!

The 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge

This month I am participating in the 31 Day Blog Post Challenge hosted by Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com.   

She has created a list of fun posts to share with all of you and I am excited to be a part of the fun! 

So let me introduce myself, I started quilting shortly after the birth of my first son, and I haven't stopped since.  

I have always had an interested in all creative things thanks to my creative influences, my Mother and Grandmother.  They were great at taking a few resources and creating something wonderful.

I live in central Missouri, U.S.A. where I teach sewing and quilting classes.  I am also an online instructor with Craftsy/Bluprint and on my own platform, which can be found on my website: www.LindaBrattenCreations.com.

I have a free monthly newsletter and companion Facebook group, Linda B Creative where I share projects and Quilt-alongs to inspire my fellow creative people. Please subscribe to join in the fun, by Clicking Here!

The is the Pumpkin Spice Quilt-Along project from the Linda B Creative Facebook Group

While my roots are traditional quilts, I really love to create Studio/Art Quilts.  My passion is to use mixed media products to enhance my sewing and quilting projects.  Do any of you use mixed media products on your projects?  I would love to hear what you use and how you use it.

This is one of my favorite wall hangings, Peacock Passion.

I hand painted the peacock on Dupioni silk.

 Be sure to check out all the other bloggers participating in the 31 Day Blog Challege, they can be found here!

Off to write my  Linda B Creative Newsletter for December!

Welcome to the 5th Annual Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop 2019!

Hello and Welcome to my creative corner of the web.  I want to start by thanking Cheryl Sleboda of www.Muppin.com and www.SewMuchCosplay.com for hosting this blog hop as it was just the motivation that I needed to finish this project.

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My name is Linda and I love all things sewing and quilting. While my roots are in traditional quilting, I love to create art quilts and add a bit of mixed media to each piece. I also teach workshops and create patterns to help others develop their sewing and quilting skills.

This is a small sample of some of my mixed media art quilts

This is my whole cloth quilt, My Fantasy Garden by Linda Bratten

This is one of my Sew Very Sketchy pattern line that teaches others to create with mixed media.

I live in Central Missouri, USA, in a small home on 15 acres.  Shortly after our sons left home, my husband and I decided to downsize and relocate to a rural setting.  However, that meant that I lost my extra large sewing studio and a large basement for storing my "material passion". Living in the country also means that it is a 45 minute drive to the nearest town with a fabric/craft store.

My humble abode.

We live at the end of the road that the locals call, "Friendship Bottoms".

While I have had both a large studio and a small studio, I have learned that I have the tendency to fill them accordingly.  Thus it is best to keep the area small and manageable.

My ironing station.

 I am fortunate to have great machines to work with and large cutting and ironing workstations.  This combination means there is little floor space in my studio, and I personally cannot grow any wider or I will not be able to maneuver around the room!

So to get started, here are my "before" photos of the areas I needed to work on.

Poor Jane is a collector of sewing notions and other mixed media products.

A drawer in serious need of help.

While I enjoy not having as much over all to maintain daily, it is sometimes a struggle to keep the clutter cleared.  Also finding appropriate storage for all my different interests (translated all my mixed media supplies) can be challenging.  Then there is the fact that not only am I busy as the solo-preneur of Linda Bratten Creations with a busy teaching and designing schedule, I also help my family run a local furniture and mattress business. This means that some weeks I catch myself coming and going, with a bad habit of leaving piles of projects on my workspaces.

That being said, I was able to participate in the Spring Clean Your Studio last year.  That helped me to implement some basic habits to keep my work surfaces clean.  This year's call to participate came when I was actually in the middle of decluttering my studio storage.  So I will share with you some of the things that I believe will help me to maintain a more functional studio.

I had a ton of mixed media products in excessive, un-stackable packaging.

Getting rid of the packaging made storage of the products easier.

One of the things that I did this year was to remove packaging.  As a teacher when I share a product that I love to use, I show the package it came in so my students know exactly what they are looking for. I decided that a photo of the package is easier to store.  After removing several bags of recyclables and trash from my studio, my drawers now shut and my shelves hold my favorite supplies and they are easily accessible.  During this portion I also checked to make sure products were still useable for their intended purpose.

I also discovered that I must have an unusual desire to collect notebooks and journals.  So I donated and shared my abundance in this area with others. It was probably a great help for me to be aware of this tendency, especially when tempted in the stationary aisle.

So drawers that looked like this.

Were sorted into functional storage areas.

With large identifiable labels.

I also used my time to sort through what products and parts (many used to create purses and bags) are needed and grouped like items together.  I now have a central location for purse hardware, buttons, ribbons, paints, stencils, etc.  This should cut down on the time I used to spend looking for needed items, and should give me more creative time and less stress.

Small stackable totes contain UFO's and Class Samples.

More half finished Class Samples contained in gallon storage bags.

I also corralled all my UFO's and half finished class samples into plastic gallon bags and totes, labeling them and setting them aside.  My next plan of attack is to decide what I really want to finish, and what needs to be passed on.

These are my Class Content Binders, Samples, and the top of my desk.

The remaining binders, books, and samples

Finally, a place to plan!

Finally, last year I commented that I needed to go through my 3-Ring notebooks full of classes, patterns and content and purge what is not necessary for me to keep.  I am proud to say, that it has been accomplished and I believe I now have 8 empty binders!  This was probably the most difficult to purge because of all the blood, sweat and years it took to create some of the pieces.

Last year when I shared photos, someone mentioned that the studio looked dark.  So I did change some light bulbs to LED bulbs with more watts, and added some more workspace lighting.

Jane with my Shashkio Machine behind her.

My Singer 401A

I should also perhaps reassess the number of machines that I have available. I do use them for different purposes and they help me to accomplish my work so for now I will keep them.

Thread and Specialty Thread Storage

My large cutting station

Storage at the end of the cutting station, on top my serger and other sewing machine.

Two dressers placed back to back form my cutting station, the drawers were purged and organized!

It is still a small space loaded with supplies.  Having the items that I love to use available without having to make the long drive into town is the trade off.  It allows me to continue to be creative and share my love of sewing and quilting with others, and that brings me joy!

I do write a free monthly newsletter and host a companion Facebook Group, Linda B Creative where I share projects and tutorials.  I would love to have you join in the fun.  You can subscribe via my website:  www.LindaBrattenCreations.com.

Be sure to ask to join my Facebook Group, Linda B Creative!

You can sign up for my newsletter on my website.

I do fantasize on what a dream studio would look like.  I then post them to my Pinterest board, Sew Organized.

Look for my Pinterest Board, Sew Organized for inspiration!

If there are others of you who create in small spaces I would love to see how you manage it.  Please leave a comment or a photo below, you may inspire me to new methods!

Be sure to check out the others participating in this Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop 2019 #springcleanyourstudio2019

April 29 - Linda Bratten - http://lindabcreative.blogspot.com/
April 30 - Sandra Johnson - http://www.sandrajohnsondesigns.com
May 1 - Jennifer Schifano Thomas - http://www.Curlicuecreations.com
May 2 - Becca Fenstermaker - http://www.prettypiney.com
May 3 - Sue Griffiths - http://www.duckcreekmountainquilting.com
May 4 - Kate Starcher - http://katiemaequilts.com/blog
May 5 - Jo Westfoot - http://www.thecraftynomad.co.uk/blog
May 6 - Sam Hunter - http://www.huntersdesignstudio.com
May 7 - Simone Fisher - http://simonequilts.com/blogs/news
May 8 - Elisabeth DeMoo- http://www.brownbirddesignsquilts.com
May 9 - Sarah Myers -  http://www.quilted-diary.com/blog
May 10 - Amy Bradley - http://www.purplepineapplestudio.com
May 11 - Kathy Nutley - http://www.QuiltingsByKathy.com
May 12 - Carla Henton - http://createinthesticks.blogspot.com/
May 13 - Sherry Shish - http://www.poweredbyquilting.com
May 14 - Kate Colleran - http://www.seamslikeadream.com/blog
May 15 - Pamela Boatright - https://www.pamelaquilts.com/
May 16 - Cathy McKillip - http://wishuponaquilt.com/blog
May 17 - Cheryl Sleboda - http://blog.muppin.com

Thanks for visiting my small corner of the world, and may you always be inspired.