The Sewing Place

A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)

Iminei

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #15 on: December 13, 2021, 06:54:33 AM »
Ok I admit it ... Im envious as hell!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lachica

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2021, 08:46:17 AM »
A ROUND WINDOW!!!! We're all so jealous. Is the whole house built of wood? No bricks?
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Sewingsue

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2021, 09:05:32 AM »
That's as big as the photos you see of sewing rooms in the US.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Bumblebuncher

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2021, 10:19:10 AM »
I am saying nothing on the grounds my jealousy really shows its ugly head :lipsrsealed:
BB
As it neared the top of the grade, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I—think—I—can, I—think—I—can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could,  I thought I could."

Missie

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #19 on: December 13, 2021, 11:09:19 AM »
@WendyW -can the cutting tables be used with stools for gathering everyone around for a teaching moment and to offer an easy way to eat lunch? A conferencing area more or less?

Oh my gosh,  I'm having palpitations at the thought of people eating at a space that is designed for use by fabric.  No, no, absolutely not.  Never eat where you will be cutting fabric (grease spots = spoiled fabrics).  this is the next big no-no IMO after using fabrics scissors for non-fabric uses!  8)

@WendyW  That is an absolutely fabulous space and will be lovely when it is done.  Can't wait to see the pics.


Silver Rose

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #20 on: December 13, 2021, 11:28:16 AM »
What a fabulous space,  jealous ,me?
Still learning

WendyW

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2021, 17:58:02 PM »
A ROUND WINDOW!!!! We're all so jealous. Is the whole house built of wood? No bricks?

I LOVE my round window! There was originally a matching one on the back of the house, in the bathroom, but the price difference made us change the back one to square. It will only be visible to one neighbor, so not worth the expense. And the square one will open, which will be nice in a bathroom.

Yes, the whole house is wood, with vinyl siding. In this area of the country, this is typical. Many homes add brick or stone as an accent, but then it is just applied to the front of the normal wood wall. Brick is more costly, and all-brick houses are more common in southern states where termites are a problem. Those little critters can't survive our winters.

WendyW

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2021, 18:04:21 PM »
That's as big as the photos you see of sewing rooms in the US.

LOL! It IS a sewing room in the US!
Yes, the size is a huge blessing! It was not that we planned a huge sewing room, but we planned for one-level living as we age, and wanted a gambrel roof. That roofline created space that screamed for a second story for the guest room and bath. My sewing room got the space that was left over. (Hubs gets a whole other building for a woodworking shop, so I'm not the only one with a big hobby space.)

Lachica

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2021, 18:11:58 PM »
Everything is bigger in the US. Interesting about the construction materials, big construction timbers are very expensive in the UK and of course we have a damp, mild climate that suits various forms of wood rot. Your sewing room is probably the same floor area as my whole house!
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

BrendaP

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2021, 18:22:46 PM »
Yes, in many parts of USA things are much bigger than in UK; simply because there is so much more land per person.  Simply not possible for everyone here to have that much space and still be on dry land.

the whole house is wood, with vinyl siding. In this area of the country, this is typical. Many homes add brick or stone as an accent, but then it is just applied to the front of the normal wood wall. Brick is more costly, and all-brick houses are more common in southern states where termites are a problem. Those little critters can't survive our winters.

Looking at the images of the terrible hurricane damage in south east USA this evening Terry's comment was that the houses are all wooden.  Are we right in thinking that brick/stone building stronger than timber when it comes to severe weather?

ETA - please don't think I'm not envious of your lovely sewing room. because I am!  It's just that reality is different in different parts of the world.

Also what is vinyl siding?  Is it the same as the cladding that is on so many of our higher rise buildings and which was responsible for the dreadful fire at Grenfell Tower a couple of years ago?
« Last Edit: December 13, 2021, 18:30:37 PM by BrendaP »
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Sewingsue

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2021, 19:22:39 PM »
LOL! It IS a sewing room in the US!
Yes, the size is a huge blessing! It was not that we planned a huge sewing room, but we planned for one-level living as we age, and wanted a gambrel roof. That roofline created space that screamed for a second story for the guest room and bath. My sewing room got the space that was left over. (Hubs gets a whole other building for a woodworking shop, so I'm not the only one with a big hobby space.)
Doh!  :facepalm: Brane sel not functioning. I hadn't checked whose post I was reading.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

WendyW

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #26 on: December 14, 2021, 00:03:58 AM »
I didn't expect this post to turn into a conversation on building techniques. :) Here's a link to my blog for those that want to see more pictures. Beginning in Nov. of this year there are pictures of every step of the framing. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

For the questions that have already been asked:

Looking at the images of the terrible hurricane damage in south east USA this evening Terry's comment was that the houses are all wooden.  Are we right in thinking that brick/stone building stronger than timber when it comes to severe weather?

The tornados like those that ripped through the SE states this weekend will rip apart ANYTHING! NO house can withstand a direct hit from an F4 or F5 tornado. Ditto for the extremely strong hurricanes that sometimes hit the coastal areas. Brick or stone built with mortar might fare better in a weaker storm, but not by much. Houses built of cement block or of poured concrete are much stronger. Block can be affordable to build but are also ugly and have other disadvantages. Poured concrete is more expensive, so usually only done on custom homes.  Both are more likely to be built in hurricane prone areas- which also happen to be the hottest and most humid areas, so have an extra advantage against rot. As an example of the kind of forces these storms can produce, my grandpa once saw a piece of straw driven straight through a piece of lumber as if the straw was a nail. Thankfully storms at the extreme end of the spectrum are not common. This week's was literally off the charts re: the damage and how long the tornado lasted. Where we live, tornados are often spawned by thunderstorms, but they merely threaten a lot more often than they cause damage. The very powerful ones are rare this far north.  Our new house will have a room that is reinforced to withstand storms, and that only because we did not include a basement.

Also what is vinyl siding?  Is it the same as the cladding that is on so many of our higher rise buildings and which was responsible for the dreadful fire at Grenfell Tower a couple of years ago?

I had to look up that fire, and no, it's not the same. Vinyl siding is literally strips of heavy vinyl (plastic) molded to look like wood clapboards. It's the most common type of siding used in the US. Each strip appears to be 2 or 3 strips of wooden siding, and they are applied in an overlapping fashion that makes the whole wall appear to be painted wood lap siding. It's also available in a variety of other styles. Ours will be a board-and-batten style.

Interesting about the construction materials, big construction timbers are very expensive in the UK

Big construction timbers are very expensive here, too! That's why the US building industry has come up with other ways to provide strength without using old-growth timbers. If you look at the pictures on my blog, there are 3 types of timbers that are more than just regular construction lumber. Around the stairway there are several 6"sq posts to support the second floor. The same type hold up the front edges of the porches. These are easily within the size of typical harvested trees, so not an extreme cost. Across the top of these stairway posts are 2 laminated beams. These are like a heavily glued plywood, stacked a foot high, and cut into slices like a layer cake. These can be made in any length. The longer ones can get pricey, but we didn't need to span any extreme distances. The extra strength around the stairs is because we wanted to use the space below the stairs for special purposes and did not want normal framing there. 

The third type of beam for heavy loads is in the front wall with the double stack of windows. These are not anything special, just multiple lengths of 2x6 nailed together for extra strength to support the windows and roof. In most houses, the strength to span wide spaces comes from engineered trusses, which you can see supporting the entire second floor and the roof. The types of construction that require the huge beams- usually called "post and beam" or "timber frame"- are reserved for larger buildings such as barns, or huge custom homes that desire a rustic look.

Building codes can vary greatly across the US. Climate plays a part, as does the proximity to civilization. Out in the middle of nowhere there can be zero building codes at all, especially in the south. (Let the buyer beware in those areas!) In northern states there are likely to be requirements for roofs to hold a significant weight of snow, and a minimum amount of insulation. Our county has enough code requirements to make one want to scream, but as I see our house come together, I'm glad the codes are there. WE certainly wouldn't know what to watch for to be sure the builder does quality work.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2021, 00:26:38 AM by WendyW »

Iminei

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #27 on: December 14, 2021, 06:33:27 AM »
my grandpa once saw a piece of straw driven straight through a piece of lumber as if the straw was a nail.

 :faints: :faints: :faints:

Been reading your blog and have decided I fancy a visit to Minnesota ... Do you have Amish around there???
« Last Edit: December 14, 2021, 06:43:07 AM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

WendyW

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #28 on: December 14, 2021, 18:37:55 PM »
Yes, @Iminei there are Amish in the state. I think the nearest are about 2 hrs away.

realale

Re: A studio for teaching sewing? (and a sneak peek at our new house)
« Reply #29 on: December 14, 2021, 19:25:31 PM »
@WendyW I popped over to your blog and laughed my socks off when I read the title 'Bosky Glen' - I'm often called 'Glen' instead of my full name of Glenda and bosky here also means drunk!!  :laughing: :laughing:  Really feel you named it after me!!  :P

The building and surroundings look magical. Really love them both.  :loveit:
« Last Edit: December 14, 2021, 19:27:06 PM by realale »
So many beers, so little time.