Converting the guest room back into my sewing room

With the grandchildren all safely home and my hubby off visiting his side of the family, I've been revamping the guest room and converting it back into my sewing room.  I want access to my sewing machines, threads and other stitching and sewing supplies.  Everything had been in the closet, stacked to the ceiling!!  So I started to pull stuff out last week when I decided I wanted to start on my dragon, but didn't have the threads in my stitching bag.  I decided that I needed to stop, and get the room ready before I pulled everything out of the closet.  So today I put the bed back up on risers, switched out the tables used for the TV and for my sergers, I have two, one with black thread and one with white thread.  If you've ever threaded a serger you'd understand the need to minimize changing threads.  I put the bins with my quilts in progress out where I could reach them and will be working on them during the week. I can usually get a square sewn in an evening, sometimes 2 or 3.

I also updated my excel spreadsheet with my charts and kits, I have a little over 1,300, or just shy of 1,400 :)  depending on if your a half full or half empty kind of person.   I don't have them all here with me, but I'm slowly bring them as I decided i want to work on different projects.  I added a pivot table to the spreadsheet with subtotals by designer.  I have just shy of 300 different designers, with the most from one designer being about 200 different designs - which is Shepard's Bush.  Want to be able to change it round so that I find what I want more easily.  My spreadsheet has the designer's name, chart name and theme and of course if I have ever stitched the design - which I've just shy of 13% of of my charts.  Not too bad, but I know I can do a lot better!!  the charts that are at home are in labeled magazine holders, so I can tell my daughter which one I want and how to find it instead of tell her to just bring me all of this or that designer.

 Here is the update on my Spirit Dancer - I'm working on the green, figured I should get as much done of this as I can while I'm motivated to get it done.   The top picture is the before and the second picture if the after.  Not a lot of progress, hope to do more yet today and tomorrow.  I'm trying to work with more than one needle, had 3 going for a minute, but I really think I'm a one or two needle type person.

Also pulled out the threads for my Dragon (not pictured here). I'm ready to start on it as well and will post once I have something accomplished.  I sent a picture of it to Chilly Hollows a while back and she made suggestions on her blog.  I've saved all of her suggestions and re-read them yesterday, so now I'm looking at the Dragon, the threads and letting my mind create.  I like most of the stitches she suggested, so can't wait to start.

My Granddaughter's sock are done!!  They will be shipped to her this week.

My threads, all neatly stacked in the closet - time to pull them out!!

My stitching room - aka - guest room aka Donna's room or Michael's room.  My sewing machines are ready to start on my Christmas projects.  Also want to back working on the two quilts I'd love to have done this year.  I know I can get them both done if I apply myself!!  

I finished up the black checkers at the bottom and part of the black bodice.  Hoping to have this one finished next!!  Can't decide what to do for the green stripes before the orange, I'm thinking beads, and beads for the purple trim too.  I have it all in the bag ready to do.  After she is finished, then my granddaughter's Princess goes on the stretcher bars.  She picked out several cards of sparkly pick threads, should be fun LOL - we may have to look for some other threads to add to all the sparkle.

I'm starting on Queen Elizabeth I.  I signed up for an on-line class that started in January, I'm a tad bit behind.  If my progress yesterday is any indication, this project may just get shelved, but more on this later.

My niece had a baby back in May, I was going to make her a rag quilt for her showers, but never got started.  So today when I was pulling stuff out I put back what I had pulled and plan on replacing it with the above.  Since I'm a tad bit late on this project, figure I'd make it a little bit bigger and a little more boyish.  She lives in Indiana - so know it will get used over the years. 

This is my roving waiting to be spun into yarn and knitted into something.  I have out my spinning wheel so maybe I'll spin this week - need to find my oil first so it can be oiled well before starting.  I have cleaned the wood well already, its having a hard life in CA.

I also pulled out my list of UFO's that I want to get done this year, I have 15 items on the list so as time goes on I hope to update where I am on each of them - or if they have been put back into the bin for another year.  I know that I always think I can accomplish more than I really can, but as Oprah would say - think of the grandest goals you can think of, you are what you believe you can be or for me can do :).  There are only 4 out of 15 that I haven't actually worked on, so at least I'm trying.

Hope you all are enjoying yourself and getting some quality stitching, knitting, needle pointing or sewing done.  Now that I'm organized, found my threads, I'm stoked for getting stuff done!!!

Sandy