A Different Kind of Finish

First things first, I'm doing a giveaway to celebrate topping 100 posts on the blog, go here to enter! No rules, just comment on that post. International entries welcome! :)

Things have been a little quiet in this corner of the internet. . . I've been a little busy and a little in a funk. Ever just not feel like blogging. . . or cooking. . . or cleaning. . . or . . . sewing .  . . GASP! Say it isn't so!! It is. I've been reading blogs a lot (read way too much) lately. I'm seeing a lot of this going on around blog land. Reasons are different, results are the same. Quiet blogs. Interesting. Maybe it is the new equinox ;) And all that being said, I have no sewing to show you today. . . I have been quilting on my Michael Miller Challenge quilt (very little haha) and will hopefully have something, heck anything, to show soon.

What is my different kind of finish? Two things, first up, I picked up a crochet hook for the first time in . . . let's just say it has been a very LONG time . . . and went yarn shopping. Look, it's been many many many years and I'm quite sure when I was crocheting before the yarn I bought was from Target (I don't know if they even sell yarn anymore but they used to, really they did!!). Who knew there is an entire world of the most fabulous yarn out there??!!! No one informed me! Oh man, I might need a new hiding place for yarn stash ;) Anyway, I needed a truly special gift for a very special young woman who is going through some rough times. I of course have already given her a quilt and I needed something quicker. . . so I decided to crochet something for her (OK, I wasn't thinking about the fact that I had not crocheted in DECADES, that I was picking stitches I had never done before, that I didn't really have a pattern for the scarf. . . of course it would be quicker than a quilt. . . LOL). I made her an infinity scarf and a slouchy beanie! Look at me! HA I had never even made a hat in my entire very short previous crochet career! Here is the lame part of telling you about this now. . . I don't have a picture of it. I am waiting for my niece to send me a picture of her modeling her new scarf and beanie. She loved it by the way :) "It's so me!" were her words. This makes me happy, nailed it :D I will tell you all about this little adventure as soon as I get the picture. Oh, and introduce you to my niece :)

What is the second? I have been obsessed lately with two things. Having a cutting table that would also give me some storage so I can actually see my industrial sewing machine AND having a SUPER SIZED ironing board. . . disguised as a wonderful fabric storage unit. Easy peasy right? . . . well, not so much. I looked, and looked and looked (there are more looks in there but you get the idea) Bing images and Google images until I was seeing ironing boards and cutting tables in my sleep. I was going to buy a cutting table. . . man, have you seen the prices on those suckers?? OUCH! Can I spend that on a cutting table? Yeah, but I guess I have a little of my dad in me. . . I'm a tight wad it turns out LOL As for ironing boards - I was finding NOTHING like what I wanted. Major bummer! Enough talk, Here is what my studio (living room) looked like prior to my finishes:

Yes, yes that is an industrial sewing machine hiding under batting, blocks, quilting samples, starch, thread, pins. . . oh, there's more there, I'll spare you the details ;)

Side view. Yes, that is the MM challenge quilt. . . sitting there . . . not being quilted :)

There is an end table under there. . . really ;) This is part of my former fabric storage solution. . . I won't even show you my magic cedar chest of fabric. . . A big old mess is not even close to describing what is in there! To be honest, I have no idea what is in there!! That is all about to change!!

Isn't that so sad? You can't even tell that is a beautiful industrial sewing machine under all of that . . . STUFF! Here is my studio with my new cutting table and ironing board/fabric storage :)

That my friends is an ironing board table!! :D This is just the fabric I have on comic boards. . . there's a lot more to add but you get the idea :) I put one of the cube sets directly behind so I have a set of longer cubes. Works well for rulers. Might work well for bolts of background fabric.... did she just say bolts??? hehe

In LOVE! :)

From the side. Lighting not so good but SO excited about this cutting table!!! :) LOOK! See the industrial sitting there ready to be plugged in and used?!!

YAY, wide enough to handle large amounts of fabric!!

I am in LOVE with the fabric I used for the ironing table! :) The colors are perfect for rest of the house! It is Flirtation by Northcott. I don't know if it is available anymore. I used some in a quilt, loved it so much I bought two more yards on close out - bonus, using stash AND got the fabric for a song! And quite honestly, forgot I even had it :)

Both pieces are made from ClosetMaid pieces (three of the same pieces for each of them) on the bottom and an IKEA table top (yes, they sell just the table top!!) for the tops of both of them. I read all kinds of DIY stuff about Home Depot and buy this and that and I thought - yeah, no. not. doing. that. Then I went to IKEA and I saw these table tops. . . hmmmmmmmmmmmm note to self :) I did not find cabinets or cubes that I liked (read, got sick of walking in circles and getting lost) at IKEA and I went home with a nagging hmmm about those table tops. I went online. . . again. And success! :) If you are interested in the model numbers or more info, drop me a line or leave a comment. I will admit that the ironing table is tall. I might have to wear high heels to iron grin BUT I wanted storage and I wanted it tall enough that longer pieces of fabric were hanging around on the floor. I think this is a combo that will work. AND I was noticing yesterday, it is the perfect height for my husband to iron!! ;) 

I'm going to end this post - it's long enough and I have about three other posts that need to be written. . . not today - there is fabric waiting to be put on comic boards :) BUT, coming soon - I bought some AWESOME books last week - I can't wait to share my reviews with you!

Linking up with Finish it up Friday and Design Wall Monday.

Until next time, keep on quilting!!