Thursday, August 31, 2017

Goddess of the Last Minute Studio 216 at the Hot Shops

I know that blog posts are supposed to be more pictures and less text. Mine isn't.


Here's a shot of the studio in the afternoon. Those windows are on the west wall, and direct light doesn't really pour in until late in the afternoon. 

The studio is 15x30', so I have my APQS Millie set up at the west end, by the windows. I had Dave Jones, who has been an APQS dealer for years move it from my house in Third Lake, to my studio in the Hot Shops, in Omaha. He took it apart, trailered it to Omaha, set it up again and serviced it. 

Dave suggested I buy an Uninterupted power supply, to condition the power to the longarm.  I got one for about $70, and I'm discovering it is well worth it. I haven't had a power outtage, but I need it for the smooth power it delivers. 

The other day, I was listening to an Audible book, using bluetooth and an inexpensive bluetooth sound bar. The sound kept cutting in and out. I thought it was the phone, but when I moved the speaker and plugged it into the UPS, the sound stopped cutting in and out. 

The UPS is on the floor next to the Millie on the right. You can't see it. 

I have two Iris Six Drawer storage units sitting behind the longarm, my collection of thread spools are distributed into the drawers. I need more. I want all my longarm thread and tools along that window wall, on the outside edges, so I can access everything while standing on the free motion side of the machine. So, most of the time, I'll be facing away from the window, with the light coming over my shoulder. There is an old radiator there, which may or may not give off enough heat, I'll see this winter! I usually run hot, so it might be fine. In any case, my Millie is happy to be out of my basement and in the sun. 

The size of my studio is 15x30' and I'm on the second floor. There is a freight elevator, but you have to manually open and close the door. I can't reach the handle to close the door on the second floor, so I can go up, but not down, unless someone is around to close it for me. I tried using a pliers to grab the loop, but it slipped out of the handle (ikea) and it fell down the shaft. So, I try to take the stairs.

So far, I have three folding banquet tables, 30x72" each. I'm going to add another, so I'll have room for 8 students to take free motion quilting classes on domestic machines. And also a dye class. And some fusing classes.


Here's what the studio looked like at the end of the day yesterday, standing at one corner behind the longarm. I just finished that quilt top that is right above the blue chair. It's pale in the picture, because you are seeing the back side of it, with the paper from the fusible still on. I will fuse the whole top to a piece of fabric to make a stable surface for quilting on the longarm. The quilt towards the right corner of that 16' long working wall has been in progress for a while. 

I dye all my fabric, and use fusible applique to create the designs. Then I free motion quilt them on my longarm.

 I'm teaching three days of fusing classes in Houston this year at Quilt Festival, the first two days are sold out! Space in the third day appears to be open.  Each class will have several patterns to choose from, that aren't available anywhere  but my workshops, and many new patterns will debut there!

I'll be teaching at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival next February, and patterns will be there too!

I bought a used Bernina 770QE from a friend, I plan to fire that up tomorrow, I'm making a sign for the door of my studio. 


Thanks for visiting! Come up to Studio 216 if you are in Omaha at the Hot Shops Art Center! If I'm there, the door is open and you are welcome to come in, hang out and look at my quilts!

5 comments:

  1. Wow Robbi! Your new studio looks amazing! I'm so excited for you! But does this mean you won't be at the CMQG retreats at Sienna?! :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll be at the next meeting and hoping to get into the retreat!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an adventure! It looks great. Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can't you get someone to add a length to the elevator handle? Short people need some help, sometimes.

    ReplyDelete