A Peek Inside Our Studio

The word studio, defined as an artist's workroom, often can conjure up grand and romantic thoughts of where an artist works. Carrot Top Studio is not grand, it is not filled with floor to ceiling windows, it is not situated in the middle of an artist commune where we sit around drinking coffee all day while solving the worlds problems. Carrot Top Studio IS a relatively small but efficient place. It is a place that I love to go to most every day. Because there is no storefront for this online business I open a little of my world to you--

I hand pieced this English wave quilt many years ago and it cheerfully greets me as I enter the studio each day. It's far from perfect by quilt world standards but it was one of my first large projects as a quilter, I saw it through to the end (quilters have many UFO's or unfinished objects) and the red makes me smile.

I work best surrounded by order, so my supplies tend to be lined up. I've also learned that I tend to only use what I can see so most items are out in the open to visually stimulate the creative process.

A place for everything and everything in it's place! Am I a product of my Montessori nursery school?

This is the station that is the power behind the online store, email communication with our global clientèle, web design, accounting, inventory and much more. How did we ever survive without our computers?

The sewing station...thread lined up by color, buttons organized in vintage garage sale finds, thread scraps saved in a jar for the birds to use in the nests come spring, a fabric plant (what else would our plants be made of?), and a great magnifying light...these are our elements for success!

Fabric cut out and in the que for creation into stoles for pastors, priests, clergy, ministers and wedding officiants.

This is the design wall where we hang work in progress so we can pause and reflect on pieces as they're in the creation stage...job tickets line the edge so we can stay focused on the work that needs to be done. You can see from what's currently on the design wall that I'm playing with dark colors. This is not my norm and I'm loving that!

The painting table....obviously well used! We love hand painting fabric and the pigment often soaks through onto the table. Fun!

Ahhh...yes....this is the exercise equipment that is strategically placed to remind myself to USE IT. Hmmm...is that dust I see?