Working spaces
My parents dropped by our house last week — the first time in many months. Even though we live less than five minutes away from them, we see my parents only once in a while — yes, yes, I’m a terrible daughter… In any case, my mom was a little horrified to find that yarn, fibre, equipment and books seem to have exploded in our living room. I think her exact words were “oh my god, you are almost getting to be like your father” — except that she said it in Mandarin.
You see, my parents’ house is not and will never be a spread out of a fancy interior design mag — it’s a working space. My dad’s studio is the living room. Their ‘living room’ is now sort of a tiny area between the the painting studio and the dining room, marked by the presence of a paint-covered sofa. There is paint on the floor, of course, and oil paintings stacked a foot deep all around the living/dining room area. But this is the only way… there is a massive north-facing window in the living room that my dad paints by… the view of West Coast mountains and water… it’s perfect. I mean, really, where else would you set up your workspace?
This is my workspace…
My so-called “knitting/dyeing/spinning/weaving” workspace is also our living room, dining room, bedroom, and second bedroom… it’s freaking everywhere. Sometimes, I don’t know how Richard can live with me. In July, we’ll be reclaiming our entire basement, so many many things (like rarely ever used golf clubs) will be able to move down there, including my design/work studio. I’ll get one half of the space for my office and fibre/equipment storage and Richard will get one half for his office…
That will leave the second bedroom empty for a nice, big floor loom (suggestions are welcome!). This room gets gorgeous, diffuse daylight and I’m looking forward to the days when I can wake up and weave or knit a bit with my morning coffee before going down to work. Ack. Can you tell that I just can’t wait to come home?
How fun to scroll through your photos and suddenly see my book!
Oh my goodness! Browsing through your house would be more exciting that going to some of my local yarn shops! It all looks gorgeous!
Even though there’s stuff everywhere, your place is very nice. I know that’s not the point of this post, but I like your furniture and your style.
And I like what your mom said, so funny.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. We have a nice sized corner that is stacked with plastic bins of roving and yarn (though your baskets look nicer; might have to look into that). My wheel is in front of the fireplace. Right now, I have a ball of sock yarn and three spindles on the desk along with some silk roving. (No idea why they’re there; it just seemed like a good place at the time.) A pair of newly finished socks and an in-progress stole are laying on the sofa arm and a couple of bags with projects are scattered about. I don’t know how my Richard lives with me either!
Wow! Your handpainted yarns look gorgeous. I will need to check often to see when you have more available.
Can you please add me to your email notification for when more items are available for sale. Thanks.
I don’t suppose the Angel I see on your couch is mine by any chance?
Wendy
Floor Loom, Floor Loom. . .do I hear an echo. OMG I have wanted a floor loom since I was a teenager and I saw one in a local artists shop. They were potters also. This year at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival I sat at my first floor loom and it was a magnificent loom. Hand made to order by a man in, now wait. . .I have his flyer here, Washington state. This loom had hand carved cherries on it. Made to order of cherry wood. It was a work of art to weave works of art. The bench slides side to side and was most comfortable. Check them out at: http://www.firesidelooms.com Let me know what you think. There is one in my future!
omg… that is a lot of stuff!! i’m weird in a sense that i occupied one room in the house with all of my knitting/craft related stuff. they never leave that room. even if i knit in front of the TV, i’d only take whatever is necessary and return to the room ASAP. why? we have vicious cats in the house.
It is definitely a home that I would love to go back to!
I see nothing wrong with this spread. Lovely room, lovely stuff. Just lovely.
I love your centre piece on your coffee table!
You have a beautiful place & beautiful yarn!
I’m a weaver who’s new to the world of knitting…can’t take the big floor looms in the car, so knitting beckoned. I’ve owned Harrisville, Macomber, AVL, Schacht, Norwood & LeClerc looms and I’d be happy to share my opinions with you. I’m also happy to help you identify what you might really want in a loom - it’s taken me six years and numerous looms to pare down to the three looms that are perfect for me.
The Fireside Looms mentioned by the commenter above are highly regarded & beautiful works of art…perfect if you have unlimited financial resources and want a furniture-quality loom for your home. However, many people would rather spend their extra thousands on yarn. Habu yarn, for example…
If you’re looking for a floor loom, searching the Housecleaning Pages is a wonderful place to start. It’s a great site run by wonderful people.
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbbloom.html
Stef
It looks wonderful! Filled with the things you love to do - and your husband obviously loves you very much. He must approve of your hobbies, too, since he’s given one a try himself
What a happy home!
You definitely have a very artistic house! Care to come over to decorate/re-arrange my place? lol!
Thanks for sharing your space. It has that organized chaos that crafters know about and has some SOs bewildered. I love all that handspun!
Except that she said it in Mandarin. heh You’re not a terrible daughter. I didn’t see my mother any more often when I live 15 minutes away than I do now 8 hours away. Thanks for sharing a bit about your dad’s work and showing your spaces. All pretty of course.
Heh, heh. My mother has said the exact same thing to me because of my ability to spread my stuff into any unoccupied surface just like my dad with his papers. Your place looks great regardless!
Wow! You have everything so NEAT and TIDY!! Heh! Aren’t those salad containers wonderful?
At least your working living room is super tidy and organized!
Hey, that’s Wendy’s book on that stack. Where in the blessed GVRD did you buy it? I can’t find it anywhere.
very nice. I try to contain the periodic yarn explosion, but I’m afraid our former “office” is too small for it. Either that or all the books will have to go. Except for the knitting books!
Your house looks perfectly fine to me. Tidy, even.
oh my gosh! your couch with all the yarn on it is practically a work of art all by itself!
Your fiber and working spaces are so much neater than mine!
Hee-hee I guess we do take after our parents in many ways - liek habits. But I can see the gorgeous creative endeavors of both you and your dad is well worth those (to me) tidy corners of creativity. Maybe you “spooked” your mom how much you take after your dad?
Can we all come visit - of course when you have your yarns all dyed up:)
I don’t know what your mom was talking about — your place looks perfectly neat and normal to me! And your dad is a wonderful painter so it’s really a compliment to be compared to him. However, you really do need to visit with your parents more often than once every couple of months, girl! Hope you at least phone them occasionally to say you’re still alive and well. Parents do worry, ya know.
That looks like a perfectly normal house to me and I will drag my husband in to have a good look at it so he realises he is not alone in the Wool Widows world
Wow, that is beautiful yarn!!!
delighted cackling
I will never, ever feel ashamed of my raw-materials sprawl again.
Actually, when I first started making quilts, I really enjoyed working in my living room. It put me in the center of the house–the computer was there, the TV was there, and most importantly, my rats were there. Once I moved and had space for an actual “studio” room, I stopped working as much. It just wasn’t as fun anymore!
I can see my Vintage Cherry Speed Demon on your sofa ;). Ordered it together with Siow Chin and the color is so pretty…I think I’m going to knit a shawl.