I do this thing, this thing that often starts with a discovery of a new book (or two), usually of the Japanese variety. I flip through the pages and daydream and plan and think, “oooh, I’ll make this top from this book…”

“Or this comfy looking one from this book…”

And before I know it, I’m carrying the books out of the store, my checking account slightly depleted, but my spirits buoyed. I scroll through my mental fabric stash inventory and gleefully anticipate wearing my new tops.

However.

The beautiful books lay undisturbed, the fabrics neatly folded and unfound. Weeks pass.

I am excellent at imaginary sewing. Do you ever do that?

Now that I’ve posted these photos, though, I’m feeling more motivated and actual sewing might happen! Let’s hope so. My energy is slowly returning, and I’m going to start small. Itty bitty. Maybe a single seam. Or maybe just spreading out the pattern sheet. Yes, I think I can handle that.

Summer is coming and I think that pleated tank top would be so pretty…

Oof. I’ve been struck down by the bug that’s going around, and I was utterly useless yesterday. As I floundered about, I realized that the pile of books by my bed is out of control. There are about 30 assorted books, of which I’m currently reading 10 at once. I don’t normally do that, but I feel like my focus has been scattered, so I keep finding myself picking up one book and reading a couple of pages, then reaching for another book for a couple pages. It’s a bit of a schizophrenic way to read, but then I remembered that this was exactly the way I powered through my textbooks when studying for college exams. I don’t know if I’m absorbing more material this way or not, but the variety is sort of refreshing.

Beneath the 10 books in rotation, I found the book above. I hunted it down and ordered a used copy from Amazon a long time ago when I read Sarai‘s lovely review of it. The cover speaks of a well-loved and oft-thumbed through copy. Published in 1969, it’s full of charming illustrations and what appears to be a gentle style of writing, and although it hasn’t made it into my rotation yet, its turn is coming soon.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m determined to become well-versed in fit. Yes, let’s call this Project Survival of the Fittest. I’m aiming to start this…evolution, I suppose, at the beginning of 2016 since there’s no way no how that I’ll finish the book before then at my current glacial speed.

But first, I have to survive this pesky quasi-flu. Off to stock up on cough drops!

I covered in detail all the within-arm’s-reach items on and in my sewing table a couple of days ago, and today, we move onto the cutting table and ironing station.

I purchased the cutting table from Jo-Ann’s about four years ago, and I have to admit that I’m not happy with it. The screws keep falling out, and the surface is badly scuffed and portions of the MDF coating are peeling (I have a piece of packing tape on those portions, which I’ve cleverly hidden under the cutting mat). But it’s been doing its duty, so I can’t complain too much. One day I hope to make a customized cutting table that’s narrower and longer.

I have more tools on top of the cutting table. Are you getting the sense that I love gadgets? You would be right. In my little white basket, I stash my various scissors and rotary cutters (some for fabric, some for cutting paper patterns), my trusty chalk Chaco Liner plus other tracing tools, pencils/pens, and an assortment of rulers. This, though, has been the major game changer for cutting:

The Gypsy Gripper on a 24-inch quilting ruler. This has made cutting bias tape (which I do a lot) and knit fabric in general about a thousand times easier with a rotary cutter; it’s also useful for drafting patterns and sometimes, I use it as extra weight.

Underneath the cutting table, I store bins of fabric that I plan to use right away. A lot of the fabric in these bins will probably end up in the book I’m currently working on. That oversized laundry basket on the left is my scrap basket. As you can see, it’s filled to the brim. I also have a bolt of cotton muslin I use for pattern drafting resting on one of the bins.

To the right of the cutting table, I keep my beloved Swedish tracing paper and some rolled up patterns from prior projects. That cool vintage wire organizer holds a bunch of props we used when we shot the cover of the book, and I haven’t gone through and organized them yet. The white IKEA bucket is my trash can that normally sits right beside the sewing table, but I moved it there to take photos for some reason. That wooden suitcase is a treasure of mine. My mom used to store her acrylic paints in there, and it fits perfectly on top of a cheap little table I used to use as a nightstand before it became a supplies-holder.

And then we have the ironing station. Please excuse the corner that I failed to tighten properly. I use the ubiquitous Black & Decker D2030, and I love it. I’ve tried a few models, and this one has treated me very, very well. And the fact that it’s not outrageously expensive adds to its allure. The ironing board is an extra-wide one — I got it from Amazon, I think, though it might have been Bed, Bath and Beyond and I never use the little metal stand for the iron but balance supplies there instead. I always keep the mesh pressing cloth (so awesome) at the ready. The ironing board cover is a recent discovery and it’s pretty great: the Brabantia Ironing Board Cover. The discolorations on the cover used to drive me crazy, and on this one, it’s barely noticeable. I’ve been using it for a couple of months, and I can only marginally detect the offending discoloration.

What else do I keep near my iron? Well, there are seam gauges, of course. I don’t know why I have to have multiples of everything, but I do:

And then tailor’s hams are essential for apparel pressing. They’re not my favorite things in the world, but they work. The little containers with the spout are for refilling my iron.

And then my bias tape makers in every imaginable size. These are so, so great. The Clover brand is the only kind to get, as far as I’m concerned. I also keep the iron cleaner (I can’t remember where I got it from), which I don’t use very often, but it’s fabulous.

To put it all together, this is the whole set-up in my “atelier”:

What do you think? I’m always looking to make it more effective, so all suggestions are welcome! I’ll keep dreaming of my Pinterest-worthy studio, but in the meantime, I’m making do just fine.

P.S. I need to let you know that I included Amazon affiliate links – it’s something I’m testing out because the husband keeps begging me to make more money and to at least give this affiliate thing a shot. I promise to only do this for things I absolutely adore. I can’t imagine earning more than a few pennies off of this, but it’s important to keep marital relations happy, people. This is my first time ever doing it, so it’s very likely I’ve messed something up…oh well, it’s always good to try new things, right?