As I mentioned the other day, I am joining a blog tour of Interweave authors’ and readers’ studios today. Here’s the full list of participants.
In addition to photos, I did a short studio walk through to show you what I’ve been up to lately. Yes, it’s a bit of a mess, but really, what working studio isn’t? I’ve been chopping up a ton of sweaters this week for various projects (our dryer at home is currently filled with the pieces you saw on the studio table, I overdyed them earlier today in a riot of different colors). When I’m not working on projects or finding cool new things to sell in my shop, I teach a lot of lessons at the studio, and that’s a good motivation for cleaning…
For the past two years, I had my studio in a different location. Moving everything took the help of a lot of friends and family, and admittedly everything still isn’t exactly how I want it, but it takes some time to properly settle into a new space, if you ask me. Knitgrrl Studio first started to come together earlier this summer (with a lot of help from my parents — Dad is a carpenter, so he built us some gallery-style display walls and hung slatwall, and since both Mom and Dad are artists themselves, they had a good idea of what we would need when we started building out from the raw plywood and concrete walls). My studio is in a former screw factory. It has dozens of other artists spread out over two of its three floors, which is great. Lots of inspiration from people working in different media, and always someone around to chat with if you’re having a “stuck” moment.
I share my space with Arabella Proffer, who is not only my best friend but also a brilliant painter. You’ll see her work in the video above, not to mention in the background of photos taken at the space. Arabella also frequently models for my pattern photos, as you’ll see if you look at my designer page on Ravelry. (Probably my all-time favorite pattern shots were the ones we did together for Reboux!)
Click the photo or captions below to see all the shots I took for you.
1. Studio door, 2. New hats, 3. Behind my desk, 4. Studio windows & cutting table, 5. Artist reserve, 6. My desk, 7. Felt, 8. Dyes, 9. Waste not want not…, 10. Wet felting supplies., 11. Open studio postcards, 12. Wool & Hoop and Carrie, 13. Books & Lexie Barnes backpack, 14. Corkboard, 15. Needles and spindles
Enjoy, and thanks for visiting!
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I’ve not experimented with fiber, but I appreciate the artistry when I attend art shows. Thanks for sharing your studio. Great idea using the IKEA bag holders for yarn!
that space is AWE-inspiring! ooh, I am beating back the green-monster right now like you wouldn’t believe!!! ;~) I’d say you were really lucky if I didn’t know you’ve worked really hard for it (and continue to). So I guess the thing to say is – well-earned! BRAVA!!!
~ hb33 ~
I’ve seen Shannon’s space in person, and wow is it great! Such wonderful light from that huge window, lots of space to spread out, and all kinds of other creative people to play with. I’m really jealous of her huge cutting table.
I love the IKEA plastic bag holders for the yarn storage! What a great idea. My smaller, more chaotic collection of yarn is stuffed into a deep Elfa drawer in my studio and it’s constantly trying to stage a jail break.
Thanks for sharing your studio and good luck with your RL open studio event!
Amy
Hi Amy & everyone! Yes, the IKEA plastic bag holders are great because not only can you mount them on the wall and still see what’s in them (or even squeeze something out from the bottom of one), but if you’re working on a project with multiple colors, you can put all the balls into one and run individual strands out the top — no tangling!
My friend Cecily (http://www.suchsweethands.com) and I first bought a ton of them when we were teaching at Maker Faire (I called her from IKEA and said “hey, do you think these would work?”)!
Next goal: to get more of my yarn that’s at home up to the studio…I’ve still got several bins of it in my home studio but locking it away from the cats means I always forget what I have.
Also, for the record, Lori is welcome to the studio anytime and not just because she brings homemade peanut butter cookies.
What a great tour of a fabulous studio! I love the lighting you have, and my very next purchase is going to be a slat wall! Thanks for the inspiration!
Really fun to see your studio on the tour! How lovely that you have a space with others who are also pursuing their art. It must be very stimulating and empowering! Stop by and see my little studio on the tour if you haven’t already. We can share a virtual cup of tea.
Thank you so much for the Idea bag holder idea! I have a couple of those in the kitchen, one holding bags and the other holds rags for messy jobs. I’m getting more to put up in my studio!! Thanks so much!
Cheers
Mary Anne
What a lively studio you have! And how wonderful to be able to have other artists nearby for inspiration. I would die to have your slat wall, but alas! can only admire it, since I don’t have a free wall.
Great studio and I especially adore that wonderfully Large window and all the natural light!
I am so glad to see that I am not the only one who showed their work space in its “au naturel” state of creative being. Thanks for the tour!