Features
By
Joey B.
Come behind the scenes at Little Black Dog in SA for a #KnittingNookTour and see Joey's knitting & crafty room in Johannesburg, South Africa.
I love having this room to relax in and get creative. It has a lovely big window that looks out over the garden, where the wild birds come to feed every day. The room gets lovely morning sun, and is the perfect reason to make tea and go and sit in there with a crafty magazine while I start my day. There is enough space in there for Miekie (the little black dog) to join me any time.
Tell us about your space
My crafting area consists of the one half of the room, where I have a work desk, shelves, storage space for wool and fabrics, a big comfy chair and a bookshelf specially for my magazines.
I do not always just work here, as I take my knitting and crochet with me wherever I go. :)
But it is a great space to sit and work when planning a project and getting patterns, yarns, needles, hooks and goodies ready.
Also a lovely space to keep all the goodies together and at my fingertips when I have that crafty need.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
When my daughter moved out after completing her studies, she left behind her large set of shelves and worktable. I brightened up the space with soft sheer curtains to let the sun in. I found a big old comfortable chair that fits in perfectly. Adding lots of storage space for yarns and fabrics was easy and a little bookshelf just for my magazines was essential. Some large blackboard noteboards followed for the wall and some of my own little creations now decorate the walls. Since I love potted plants I added a few.
How do you keep your projects, yarn and supplies organized?
Most of my yarns and fabrics are in plastic see-through drawers. I store them with a small sachet of lavender to keep the drawers fresh.
Since I always have a few projects on the go, I have a large selection of project bags, sorted and stored in size order in a basket under my workdesk. My craft books and supplies are stored on the shelves in the room, that also houses my hand made mini bears. I have a selection of containers and goodies to keep them all together.
Any tips & tricks for staying organising and untangled?
I would suggest that before you start looking for storage containers for your yarn, fabric, needles, hooks, patterns, etc. first decide on what you have to store, are they going to become more over time (most likely) and what would probably work best for you and the way to like to work. Then do your research on the web, Pinterest has great ideas. See what is doable for you in the space you have. Then set about getting the items to accomplish what you want, it does not all have to happen overnight.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
The knitted accessories (shawls, scarves, gloves) that I make for myself are some of my favourites, and I wear them each winter.
I also make little handmade bears, that all seem to find their way onto the bookshelf.
I also make little things to hang on the walls in the craft room to cheer it up and keep my inspired.
In my lounge I have some canvasses that I painted and decorated. In the passage I have both walls filled with framed photos on both walls.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
To keep track of the ideas when they pop up, I keep a notebook with me all the time. Then it is easy for me to make a quick note and a drawing or two to remind me of what I had been thinking. When I then have a bit more time, I will add to the notes and start working on the details.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I have a large selection of books and magazines that I normally start with. Then I also have loads of books that I have been accumulating over the years.
But mostly it is just something that comes up when I see something pretty or inspirational.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it your dream stitching space?
I would love to change the window to a baywindow where I can add a bench with cushions to sit on.
Whose craft room would you love to explore? Send us a message!
Share
Follow
