a new studio, an apron, & a magnet

By Patricia Belyea

WAUCONDA WA  My beginnings as a quilter were humble: a sewing machine plunked onto the formal dining table in our Seattle home. Later, when I moved to Victoria, BC to help my mom and dad, I worked at a folding table in a hotel room. More recently, in our home in the Okanogan Highlands, my sewing space occupied one end of our large living room.

I never thought I needed a dedicated studio. Truly. I convinced myself it wasn’t necessary — and even told myself I liked working in the middle of household hubbub.

This fall, Michael gave up his woodworking room in our daylight basement and built me a gorgeous studio. His original space had unfinished walls, a concrete floor, no overhead lighting, and window sills layered with renegade bugs mixed with sawdust.

The updated room is white—dazzling white—with abundant lighting. It feels like an art gallery. I added a door with paned windows so I didn’t cut myself off from my family. I outfitted the studio with Husky worktables and white tool cabinets, each with multitudinous drawers for my gear and projects.

I love it. And it has changed the way I work.

THE DESIGN WALL 
I wanted my design wall to be as large as possible. To begin, I bought six yards of 54"-wide heavyweight white cotton flannel—typically used for lining curtains.

I cut the yardage in half and sewed the pieces together along the long edge. To reduce bulk, I simply layered one selvedge over the other. Using blue-and-white canvas from my collection, I capped the top of the now 108"-wide design wall and set grommets every nine inches. Finally, I hung the flannel using 3M Command hooks.

Voilà!MY INDIGO APRON
While teaching online during the pandemic, I noticed that Martha Selitti always wore an apron to class. She told me it was her studio uniform—and that it kept threads off her clothes.

Bingoya in Tokyo is a treasure trove of traditional Japanese arts and crafts. Last year, during an Okan Arts textile tour, I spotted the perfect indigo-striped apron in their textile department. Naturally, I bought it.

Now, when I enter my new “playroom,” I suit up. Being dressed for the job is a new experience—and wearing a Japanese-style apron feels like a daily treat.

MY WEARABLE MAGNET
At the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham last summer, I was given a SewTites wearable magnet designed to hold small thread snips. It can also hold pins, if needed.

Having my KAI 4¼" scissors always within reach thrills me—especially since I’m prone to misplacing them. This magnetic brooch has become another game changer.

GET TO WORK
My new studio beckons me every day, calling me to come and get creative. I’m happy to don my apron and magnet, and sew pieces of fabric together full of curves and joy.