Catching up, organizing, and a contest!

This morning's sock status report:  The fixation footies came with me to Chicago and are a little bit bigger.  I picked up the gusset stitches this morning because the train didn't have the lighting I needed with my eyes and this part-black yarn.  I picked up those stitches even before my morning caffeine.  Crazy.  I know the footies are not SOS08 material but I just wanted to finish them.  I am l looking forward to returning to the Magic FG socks that DO qualify for SOS.  I'll be using Cookie's Short-Row tutorial for the Magic FG sock heels.  Thanks, Cookie.

Today is the first day of vacation for me and the DH.  We had planned to stay around home even before the recent basement-changing events and that's what we are doing, outside of visiting with family in Wisconsin.  I'm looking forward to doing some finishing up and re-organizing.  We've just been so busy lately that things have been overlooked, put-off, and piled up.  Especially with *stuff* formerly located in the basement, now located scattered around the first floor.  Now there this time to get everything in reasonable order and it will make me feel good.  I just need a little time to get a list together of what all needs to be done.  (Too busy and distracted lately, for sure, to not have a list!)   Here are a few of the fun things:

• Knit socks
• Weave!!  I've had the rigid heddle loom set-up (not warped, Stacey,) for the longest time and now I can get the first project going. 
• Try to get a few buttons on the blog and generally spruce it up.
• and if time presents itself, sew and dye some yarn. 

• Oh, YEAH, and have a contest!  I am probably going to pass the 300 posts mark during this vacation.  To celebrate that and solicit some ideas from everyone, here's my plan:

I have an opportunity to redo the area that I call my studio because of the recent basement event (ahem).  I would like you to comment with ideas for me to consider for the new and improved space.  I would like to read about how you organize your stash or craft area.  Comment with ideas you've found that you think are cool or interesting for organizing or decorating the place that you have designated for knitting, weaving, needlecrafts, and/or other creative endeavors.  Book and website references are very welcome, too.  Even if you don't have an idea, comment to be included in the contest.  Comment on this post or any more recent posts with an idea for me until Sunday, July 6th at midnight.  You can submit any number of ideas or just plain comments for the contest, each a separate comment.  I'll count up to three entries per person.  One prize per person.  I'll choose three winners randomly from the comments.  Thanks in advance for all your ideas.  I'm looking forward to reading them.

ETA:  You don't need an idea to comment for the contest! 

Comments

[Cookie]

You're welcome! I hope it makes sense. o.0

How about a coffee bar? Or juice bar? Or stripper pole for your studio? Why limit the ways you can be inspired? For that matter, how about a nice upright freezer for your stash? Works for me.

As you can see, I don't have useful ideas.

Oh! And the Summer of Socks can be whatever you want it to be. Whether or not something counts for contest has no impact on your knitting other than for a contest. If you wanted to do nothing but second socks this summer that would be fine. They wouldn't count for most socks, but big deal? Yes, I still hate those people at that place. *L*

xo

[Kathy W]

Organize? You're supposed to organize? What is this strange language that you speak?

[Stacey (sock whisperer)]

Yeah for doing short rows! No gusset increases. Nuff said. :D Yeah, what Cookie said about SoS. It's not all about the contest.

VACATION!?!?!? And you're not coming to CA? What's wrong with you? I could have gotten us some alone time at the cottage. I appear to be developing quite a relationship with those people down there. WHAT!?!

I'm with the coffee bar idea. And I still love this studio: http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2008/06/welcome-to-spinster-stitcher-studio.html
Maybe you should give Dan the whole basement and make him build you a little detached studio cottage that won't flood.
http://insitebuilders.com/docs/index.htm
http://www.summerwood.com/products/cabins/canmore.html
And don't forget to make sure there's room for a loft bedroom for your flock tender.
Just trying to help.

:D

[Angie]

I got some books from the library when I saw everyone organizing their craft areas. I don't have one, but as a nurse, I have learned to priorize. The things you are working on most need to be available. I have to use clear containers because if it's not visible, apparently it doesn't exist. I love the bins of yarn in Sally Melville's "The Knit Stitch". I am currently working on a "paws off" cupboard to protect some of my stash.

[Nora]

I'll have to think about this for a while... I absolutely ADORE the prospect of filling an empty space with things useful and beloved! My immediate reaction was to say "IKEA!" but wouldn't it be cool to create a space using only found objects, especially things you already own or things you make?

Three key elements strike me... you need a corner with a cushy chair (preferably with an ottoman), task lighting, and bookshelves for all your reference materials. Oh, and a nice big table to use as workspace... Maybe you could find a cool door somewhere to turn into a table?

[Mary]

I know of a source to look at what others have done to make a knitting room or area. theloopyewe.com has a place on the website which has photos that folks have sent in showing their knitting spaces.It will give you some ideas.
As for me I have a small extra bedroom that I have devoted to knitting .It has 2 comfy chairs,a good light and I use an old dresser to store my yarn along with a small end table that has 2 drawers for all of my needles.It isn't much(I have the rest of the stash in a closet) but it works.I also have an old boom box for music when I knit.
Good luck and have fun creating your new studio.

[Julie]

For me the best way to organize my yarn and books is just shelves shelves and more shelves. I like to be able to see everything at a glance else I'll forget it exists and not use it. Great lighting is the other must-have. Enjoy planning!

[Joy]

Very good lighting is really high on the list, comfortable seating [probably different for knitting and for spinning], plenty of baskets, and a good music source!

[joan]

A table big enough for blocking most anything would be on my list. After a while, crawling around on the floor is a pain and then watching the dogs walk across a wet shawl is frustrating.
How about a table with drawers all around for the stash, something like a big kitchen island?

[Deborah]

Organizing your yarn stash is very important. Not sure how you have it now, but I would suggest a plastic bin for each weight of yarn. That way when you have a project you want to do, you aren't rummaging through all of your stash and possibly missing the yarn you really wanted to knit with. I agree with those comments above about good lighting and having a large surface to block on.

[Stacey aka The Loom Whisperer]

Check your comment spam. I gave you a link fest and it told me I was being moderated.

/sigh

Banned from my twin sister's site.

[Angie]

Can't have you banned! I fixed it.

[Nicole]

Unfortunately, my advice can probably be compressed into a few words: "organize more than I do." I keep my yarn all in one big bin to make it easier to move, but that does make it harder to find what I'm looking for.

I agree with everyone who recommended good lighting, though.

[Kim]

I'm eager to finish up the non-SOS socks I have on the needles too. Hmm, ideas for organizing your craft space. First, I'm way jealous that you have separate room for crafts. I'm picturing a wall of metal shelving with yarn/fiber kept in clear platci bins. I'd put up a curtain of vintage fabric to screen off the not-so-decorative metal shelving & bins. A vintage dresser to hodl sock yarn would be nice too. Maybe a large cork board area to hang up clippings and photos and stuff like that. Enjoy your time at home!

[KnittyOtter]

What works for me is to organize by yarn type & weight. So sock yarns together, worsted together, yatta yatta. I also need to be able to see what I have. Otherwise I tend to go Oooo I love this yarn and buy it a few times because I have a terrible yarn memory.

If you have a project for a pattern make a copy and put the copy with the yarn. Saves a lot of headache later on when you can't figure out why you bought that mystery yarn.

As far as organizing tools for your craft room... whatever your style is that works for you. My craft stuff shares my home office space. Which may not be the best situation, but it's what I've got to work with. I can't wait to see what you do with your space. Maybe it will inspire me to change my setup around a bit. :D

*OtterHuggles*

[KJ]

I'll delurk and leave a comment.

I have a pretty basket that I use, but I don't have a very big stash either. It was given to me as a gift so it's doubly special (holding pretty yarn and reminding me of those who gave it to me)! Other than that, I think comfy chair is important, and a small table to put a cup of tea (or whatever...).

All of these other ideas are certainly great though, thanks for doing this contest, I'm about to move into a new and much bigger apartment, maybe I can have my own little knitting corner! How fantastic, what wonderful ideas!

[olga]

Hi, came over by way of Kim, I always wanted a chocolate room like Willy Wonka had. *sigh* maybe someday......

[Mary Beth]

When I organized my scrapbooking I bought this armoire from furniture buzz. It looks beautiful closed & is awesome to work at opened up. http://www.furniturebuzz.com/products/Sauder/102749.htm

I bought this for sewing.
http://www.furniturebuzz.com/products/Sauder/158097.htm

For my knitting stash I use the colorful canvas cubes from Target & put them on open bookshelves.

http://www.target.com/Blue-Fabric-Cube-Set-6/dp/B0009GC7FQ/qid=1215097674/ref=br_1_2/601-2637488-4995320?ie=UTF8&node=14030531&frombrowse=1&rh=&page=1

I can organize the yarn by weight, color, uses, or leftovers. Each cube holds quite a bit, but is small enough to pull down & find yarn easily. I tried sterilite containers before, but that tended to make the yarn smell pronouncedly sheepy.

[RobinH]

I have one of those long folding tables and a card table- they tend to be used for projects in the craft room but can be easily moved to other areas for parties and the like. And a big walk-in closet with shelves for storing stuff. I like clear tubs or clear plastic bags (though I don't have enough for everything, myself).

I'll note that some people like to see stuff out and visible, some (like me) feel like that is visually cluttered, even if everything is neatly stored on shelves. I don't feel like it's neat (even if it is) if I can see it. Either way is fine- it's just what you prefer.

I keep projects in progress in my travel bag (a backpack so it can be zippered away from curious feline paws), or in a basket beside the couch (curious feline paws seem to prefer wool- other fibers are boring). But those are in the living room, not the craft room- Because if I don't have it right there when I'm sitting with idle hands, I won't work on it. (What I actually *do* in the craft room is mainly sew, because I can leave the sewing machine and ironing board set up.)

[Caroline]

Some of those cubic shelve thingies would be good for organizing yarn - each cube could hold a different color/type of yarn -and it would look pretty too :-)!
A good seat for knitting would be important too!

[Michele]

Having just moved an entire store of yarn,,,, I am fresh out of creative storage ideas.... I use well sanded wooden apple crates, I have almost two hundred! Thanks for the visit.

[Frances]

I love organizing my stash! I keep everything in separate plastic containers, and divide it out by sock yarn and then also for specific projects. I am also going to add a desk with lots of drawers to my knitting room and a squishy loveseat.

[Amy]

Don't have much to add, except--and I suppose this is just common sense--I organize my stash by types of yarn, so I can dig easily when I'm looking for something that works for a pattern.

[Julie]

I have to update having just been to Target. I saw some great modular cubbies there of various different sorts- some with doors and some without. The one I am most interested in has 6 cubbies or or 6 inches square each- perfect for sock yarn organization.

[misa]

I'm here by way of Kim too.

I think it's great if you can have shelves where the yarn is visible. If you can see the stuff, ideas about what to do with them present themselves. It's like shopping in your own home. I also like the way Norah Gaughan organized her circular needles, I'll do something like that one day. http://blog.berroco.com/2007/12/06/home-sweet-home/