The Sewing Place

Tools of the Trade => Sewing Spaces and Furniture => Topic started by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 19:38:42 PM

Title: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 19:38:42 PM
Thought I'd show where I sew!
It's my sewing room but also a piano room for our DD.

My sewing room has a resident cat.
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A handy alcove to hang things I've made and somewhere to keep our DD's dance costumes.
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Our DD's side of the room.
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I love being in there  :loveit:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Ploshkin on April 25, 2018, 19:51:26 PM
It's unnervingly tidy!
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on April 25, 2018, 19:54:37 PM
It's unnervingly tidy!
My thought too  0_0
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Acorn on April 25, 2018, 20:03:21 PM
I'm hoping that all the clutter and the stash are hiding behind the camera...
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on April 25, 2018, 20:19:45 PM
You weren't kidding when you said you didn't like mess!  :o
Coooo that's tidy!
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 20:46:22 PM
You weren't kidding when you said you didn't like mess!  :o
Coooo that's tidy!

I was just going to reply "hence me wanting an overlocker bin" haha!

I'm hoping that all the clutter and the stash are hiding behind the camera...

I'm afraid not  :P All fabrics are folded in the two big storage boxes under the costumes. The white plastic drawers next to those contain pattern tracing paper, offcuts of fabric, trims etc. On top of that is a tool box which contains all my scissors, fabric pens, machine tools etc. The drawers under my table have bobbins, snips, unpicker, oil, pin cushion and all my different colour threads.....and even those are in colour order  0_0

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Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Acorn on April 25, 2018, 20:52:17 PM
If you ever feel like a challenge you should come and tidy my sewing room/study.  Although it would probably give you a nervous breakdown.   :P
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: maliw on April 25, 2018, 20:55:14 PM
My sewing room resembles a bomb site so no I'm not going to take photos, if mine were as tidy as yours I'd never be able to find anything. The room really is a credit to you.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 21:04:15 PM
Aww thank you @maliw

I am a bit OCD (in case that's not obvious!).
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Renegade Sewist on April 25, 2018, 21:46:14 PM
Aww thank you @maliw

I am a bit OCD (in case that's not obvious!).

 :devil: Lolli as I looked and read the replies I was thinking, hmm, is that diagnosed OCD or just incredible orderliness? And that I'd deserve a  :fish: if I posted it. But here you go, pointing out the yes, umm, obviousness. No wonder your work environment is rough on you.

I kept hoping all the stuff was just shoved into the next room. So clean. Peaceful. Nice space! Cute cat too. Name? :meow:

My thread is also colorized, by type. End of neatness story. I once lost my serger pedal. For 5 years.  :[ In a stack of fabric, in my sewing cabinet, less than a foot away from the serger. Five whole years.

Feel free to come visit. Maybe some of the neatness will rub off on me.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on April 25, 2018, 21:55:13 PM
Can anyone see any thread or fluff???
Anyone????......  :[
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 22:12:15 PM
I'm actually chuckling reading these replies 0_0
I do drive everyone mad in our house with my organisation, everything has a place and I can tell when things have been moved or they've been in a drawer for something. I can't stand clutter, it drives me mad. I spend a lot of time straightening things  :S I'm saying no more, I sound like a mad woman!!

Oh and the cat.....she's called Rosalie  :meow:
(they say mad women own cats don't they?) .........
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Renegade Sewist on April 25, 2018, 22:30:40 PM
I'm actually chuckling reading these replies 0_0

Oh and the cat.....she's called Rosalie  :meow:
(they say mad women own cats don't they?) .........

I am laughing so hard now. Obviously your room is much tidier than any of us manage on a regular basis. But cats & mad women? I once had the lead role- high school, age 17- in The Madwoman of Chaillot. Cats? I've heard that they own us. At home we have, erm, several. The black ones are named Ninja.  :ninja:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Tamnymore on April 25, 2018, 22:32:12 PM
Soo tidy. Can I join the queue of people wanting you to come over and tidy their sewing room? We have a large attic room with DH's desk, my desk and my sewing table. Sewing stuff frequently spills over onto my desk but I never let my work stuff spill onto my sewing table. Priorities!  :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 25, 2018, 22:38:38 PM
I've heard that they own us. At home we have, erm, several. The black ones are named Ninja.  :ninja:

They do!!!

I would definitely tidy people's sewing rooms, I'd take great pleasure in doing so. But would it stay like that?.......haha  :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Tamnymore on April 25, 2018, 22:45:10 PM
No the rooms won't stay tidy so you'll just have to come back on a weekly basis @Lolli .  ;)
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: datcat23 on April 25, 2018, 23:43:01 PM
Woohoo!!  I have found a kindred spirit!   :D

I am like you, I wonder what people must think when I post shots of my sewing room.  I get quite obsessive at times, but I just can't function in clutter.  At the moment, I am contemplating digging out my vacuum cleaner, because I haven't had the cleaners through for a couple of weeks (bathroom renovations happening) and there are threads and bits of fluff on the sewing room floor.  On the up side, without having scraps and rubbish on the floor, I could easily see the dropped needle on the floor yesterday ..... before it stabbed me in the foot. 

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/879/26194082247_954c4e243c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FUFw4H)Room 2018 (https://flic.kr/p/FUFw4H) by Dani (https://www.flickr.com/photos/datcat/), on Flickr
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Kenora on April 26, 2018, 00:53:41 AM
@Lolli - your sewing room is so beautifully tidy, and you also have a beautiful resident cat. My cat is uncannily like yours but my sewing space is unfortunately not like yours! I have a half-share of the dining table, and have great trouble establishing territory rights with DH who has the other half of the table.

This is Cassie who, I believe, looks a lot like your Rosalie.
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Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lyn-J on April 26, 2018, 01:38:48 AM
Lolli - do you actually sew? :)
My sewing room currently looks like an explosion in a pink fabric factory. I have an on going project and it won't get tidied until it is done. I can't be spemding valuale sewing time doing tuding. Once done every thing can be put back in itd proper place though.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: UttaRetch on April 26, 2018, 08:28:26 AM
@Lolli and @Kenora, where would a sewing room be without a cat? :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Efemera on April 26, 2018, 08:34:47 AM
Gosh... I feel like I need to come over and throw stuff around!. :devil:.. far too tidy... I like a bit of creative chaos.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Ploshkin on April 26, 2018, 08:36:08 AM
There are absolutely no cats permitted anywhere near my sewing room or husbands come to that. 
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Snowgoose on April 26, 2018, 11:03:21 AM
 :loveit: please, please come and help me empty my house  0_0

Beautiful cat, and curtains - I love butterflies  :)

If only I could be this tidy  :D she says, wading through a mountain of stuff to go to charity  :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: UttaRetch on April 26, 2018, 12:48:47 PM
There are absolutely no cats permitted anywhere near my sewing ...
A wise policy, but many people seem to have trouble keeping cats or other animals for that matter, out of the sewing sphere.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: sewingj on April 26, 2018, 13:00:27 PM
I`m very envious of anyone having a room just for sewing.  I sew on the dining table, sitting on a dining chair.  But most of my stuff is in various drawers upstairs in the spare room.  The ironing board also lives upstairs so when I am sewing I get quite a lot of exercise!

(Our cat also likes to be with me when I sew - and usually chooses the chair I am using to sleep on.  No, of course I don`t move him!)
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: maliw on April 26, 2018, 16:38:37 PM
Sewingj my sewing room is the spare room(or one of them). It was my son's bedroom and when he moved out I moved in. Fortunately we have another spare room but it isn't used very often, we have someone coming to stay for a couple of nights next month - oops will have to tidy it.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Ploshkin on April 26, 2018, 17:01:32 PM
I use the one and only spare room and have a sofa bed in there.  It was a good excuse to have a Horn cabinet.  We don't have visitors very often but when we do I can close up the cabinet, which doesn't then take up much space, and pull out the sofa bed.  I've also got a good inflatable bed which I use if just one person is staying then they get to have a sofa as well.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: BrendaP on April 26, 2018, 21:10:02 PM
Sewingj my sewing room is the spare room(or one of them).

What's a spare room?

There are only two of us plus a dog in a four "bedroom" house and there isn't any spare space anywhere.  I don't know how we ever managed to fit 3 DDs in as well! 
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 26, 2018, 22:29:35 PM
No the rooms won't stay tidy so you'll just have to come back on a weekly basis @Lolli .  ;)

That's my new job right there!  0_0

@LolliThis is Cassie who, I believe, looks a lot like your Rosalie.
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Yes they do look alike! Cassie is gorgeous  :loveit:

Lolli - do you actually sew? :)
My sewing room currently looks like an explosion in a pink fabric factory.

Haha yes! But usually only have time on Sundays. I am actually surrounded by stuff at the time but everything goes back where I got it from when I've finished  :P

Beautiful cat, and curtains - I love butterflies  :)

Aww thank you, me too. I love the colours in there, you may notice the two pictures of our Daughters? One in her prom dress, the other in her tutu. The colour scheme matches those two dresses  :loveit:

It was our Son's bedroom until he moved out 18 months ago. I told my DH long before that when he does move out, it's becoming my sewing room (not that I was trying to get rid of him or anything!). It was a pain getting my sewing machine out of the cupboard (plus everything else) and carrying it all into the kitchen every time I wanted to sew. I really do love that room, sometimes I just go and sit in there even when I'm not sewing!

One of my favourite things in there is the chair. It's incredible comfy, great lower back support, no arms getting in the way and it swivels so I can literally just spin around to grab things  0_0  0_0

Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on April 27, 2018, 06:28:09 AM
I noticed that your daughter matched the colour scheme.   :[ :|  :ninja:
What do you do with your LPS? Where does it go?
I find that no matter what I do, whether I finish a project or not there's always an LPS. Like when you tidy and there's a letter, a receipt, a post it note with someone's (???) phone number, a key, some string.....
LPS=little pile of s***e.   :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on April 27, 2018, 08:26:18 AM
I noticed that your daughter matched the colour scheme.   :[ :|  :ninja:
What do you do with your LPS? Where does it go?
I find that no matter what I do, whether I finish a project or not there's always an LPS. Like when you tidy and there's a letter, a receipt, a post it note with someone's (???) phone number, a key, some string.....
LPS=little pile of s***e.   :D

Erm.....I haven't got one!  0_0
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on April 27, 2018, 08:41:25 AM
 :o
We neeeeed a fainting emoji!
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sandra on April 27, 2018, 08:55:41 AM
My sewing room is very untidy. It was the garage. It never had a car parked in there but my ex kept his motorbike in there at one time.

We had a fridge, freezer, storage cupboards, lawnmower, bicycles, half used paint tins, work tools....and then it was decided to put windows in, get a bit of carpet on the floor and use the space better for us.

I still have the lawnmower, freezer and the tool box, but they're stored up the one end of the room and I'm down the other.
It's always been fairly cosy in there. We've always had the radiator fitted. Ex didn't want to have to work on his bike in the cold.

Everything can be left out...It needs to be. Sewing is my job and I sew almost every single day of the year. I know I'm so lucky not to have to pack everything away after I've finished sewing.

As it stands at the moment, this house will have to be sold in 2 years time when my daughter turns 18...(divorce).. I'm not sure what I'll do then, but I'm going to be so sorry to lose my work room.

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: b15erk on April 27, 2018, 09:14:15 AM
I used to sew in the garage too Sandra - I loved it.  When both girls left though there was more room in the house for me to spread out.  I'm not a tidy sewer though, and I'm sure OH longs for the days when the sewing was done in the garage!

If I had to tidy after myself, I'd never get anything done!  I sometimes sew for an hour before work, or have to leave something half finished and I find it easier to pick it up again that way.

I do have to deal with the burgeoning stash soon though, it's threatening to invade other areas of the house!  ;)

Jessie
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: SkoutSews on April 27, 2018, 09:35:59 AM
Oh so tidy!  Unlike mine.

What do you do with your LPS? Where does it go?
I find that no matter what I do, whether I finish a project or not there's always an LPS. Like when you tidy and there's a letter, a receipt, a post it note with someone's (???) phone number, a key, some string.....
LPS=little pile of s***e.   :D

Wrenkins, I have a BPS.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on April 27, 2018, 09:41:58 AM
@SkoutSews I was underdramatising...  :(
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on April 27, 2018, 12:51:33 PM
Oh so tidy!  Unlike mine.

Wrenkins, I have a BPS.
Only one?
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewsuzie on April 27, 2018, 14:34:48 PM
OMG, how I wish I had such an organised sewing room, Lolli.
Mine is so untidy and bursting at the seams, that I've set up another machine on a fold away table in the lounge, to do a large wedding dress alteration. I'd never get it in the room and I haven't the time to clear up all the coloured cotton ends that would glue themselves to the net petticoats. Actually quite enjoying all the space and freedom from the mess. Back to normality tomorrow though, squeezing through the gap between bridesmaid and prom dresses hanging on both sides of the door. Rails are full to capacity, so this is the overflow.
I think I've outgrown my tiny sewing room  :(.

Suzie  :vintage:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: sewmuchmore on April 30, 2018, 18:46:33 PM
What? no waste bin? No binliner full of all the scraps waiting to be recycled at the charity shop? No cushion for the cat/dogs to lounge on whilst you are sewing? No piles of fabric with pattern that you going to sew next? No ironing board?  Are you getting the picture? Yep, my sewing room.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewsuzie on May 04, 2018, 13:48:43 PM
Decided this morning, before I started any more work, I would muck out the sewing room. It's got so bad that I'm having to move things out each morning in order to get into the room, and the floor space is down to about 2 square metres and knee deep in cotton ends.
Well, I'm beginning to wish I'd never started. I've bagged up 3 charity bags full of fabric offcuts that I'd been saving for 'just in case', (why can't I part with even the smallest bits of fabric  ><), moved things about a bit and am still nowhere near to a useable sewing room! Definitely trying to fit a quart into a pint pot!
Time to go and face a bit more, it'll be worth it in the end, even though I should be getting on with some actual work. I'm sure I'll work more efficiently once it's done  :) :)

Suzie  :vintage:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Ploshkin on May 04, 2018, 14:12:14 PM
@Sewsuzie I mucked out one of my sheds a couple of weeks ago and was wishing I'd never started.  I'm so glad I did because in the last week or so I've done so many jobs in the nice, tidy shed that I wouldn't have been able to face doing if I'd had to shift stuff in the tip to make a space - the sense of achievement is double.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewsuzie on May 04, 2018, 16:38:31 PM
Just finished! I can see the floor again, shabby carpet and all, but it's clean!!
Now need a few people to come and pick up their alterations and make room for the new ones.
On with the sewing  :vintage: :pin: :thread:

Suzie  :vintage:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 04, 2018, 18:02:26 PM
Good on you @Sewsuzie! Do you feel better for doing it? I would feel so much calmer after a good clear out.....but then again, I've made it known what I'm like with my tidiness  :D
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewsuzie on May 06, 2018, 00:18:05 AM
Yes @Lolli, I feel much better for the clear out, especially as this morning I had people come and collect their alterations. Got rid of 2 dresses,4 tops, 3 skirts, 3 adult bridesmaid dresses, 3 flower girl dresses, 2 boys trouser and waistcoat suits and 2 pairs of men's trousers. That freed up a bit of space! Still too much in the room, but it's much better than it was.  :) :)

Suzie  :vintage:
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Gernella on May 07, 2018, 10:11:10 AM
If you ever feel like a challenge you should come and tidy my sewing room/study.  Although it would probably give you a nervous breakdown.   :P

Sorry I need to be front of the queue for a clean up makeover, although looking at the template, this is maybe a bit too tidy for me.  The nearest I get to tidy up is a good clean up of the floor (carpet unfortunately), and put the covers on machines not in use.  The only things that I can honestly say are tidy are the thread boxes/trays. I've got four separated between overlocking, small Gutermann sew all and larger 120's and also the spool boxes, one for each machine. 

Fortunately nobody ever ventures upstairs as the main bathroom is downstairs, thank goodness, although the plumber once asked if I did it for a living (I'm still laughing).
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 18, 2018, 19:51:44 PM
I have an upgrade! My small desk was no good now I've bought an overlocker as it meant lifting one machine off the desk to swap for the other.....too much faff for me. So I've bought a corner desk and now all I have to do is swing my chair from left to right haha.
And I built it all by myself!!  0_0

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Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 18, 2018, 20:04:28 PM
Clever solution, Lolli.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Gernella on May 19, 2018, 10:29:52 AM
Well I've just got to give you a good laugh, this was 4 years ago and if I went upstairs to take a photo, apart from the fact that the floor is cleaner then, it would still look the same.  The green desk in the foreground is hiding underneath it another collapsible table on the lowest height, with the three boxes of thread and a box of lining fabric.


Still it is my place of entertainment! :D



(https://i.imgur.com/2qB3mP9.jpg)
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 21, 2018, 11:20:22 AM
@Lolli could I ask where you got your corner desk please? It looks as if it might be one possible solution to my reorganisation.
I did wonder whether a desk like that, designed for office use, would be strong enough to take the weight of sewing machines.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Bodgeitandscarper on May 21, 2018, 11:52:11 AM
I thought about a corner desk, but decided to use materials I had to hand - a 6 foot long "offcut" of kitchen worktop.  Those drawers are very useful, but beware of losing "sitting" space - at first I put mine on the right hand side, which didn't work.  On the left like yours is much better as that's a space needed for your fabric while you sew, npt where you'll put a chair.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 21, 2018, 18:51:43 PM
@Sewingsue this (http://www.argos.co.uk/product/2134864) is my desk from Argos. I can tell you it's very strong and sturdy, and the drawers being on the left is very handy as @Bodgeitandscarper says....the desk space above them for holding the fabric you're sewing.
Granted I'll have to push the sewing machine to the back when I want to use the overlocker just to give me more space to the left of me, but that's way easier than having to unplug and completely move it off the desk.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 21, 2018, 19:36:59 PM
Thanks @Lolli  > heads off to investigate Argos.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: BrendaP on May 21, 2018, 22:04:09 PM
I have a corner desk in my sewing room - bought from a second-hand office furniture shop.
This is what it looked like newly installed seven years ago.  The patchwork is covering an old overlocker and the Husqvarna is underneath it's cover.
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This is what it looks like now, this evening, and it's actually quite tidy!
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The covers don't often go over the overlocker and coverstitcher and the 201 is out because it's in use and the Husqvana is on a table on the other side of the room.

The desk is really sturdy though and never moves even when I'm moving the machines about, and is strong enough to stand on (when putting Christmas lights in the window). 
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 22, 2018, 15:32:11 PM
Thanks @Lolli  > heads off to investigate Argos.
Well I checked Argos, made a note of measurements and waved the tape measure around.
It is too big for plan A, so either I come up with a different place to put it or a different plan.
Maybe I should start by getting my own thread rather than sitting on yours.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 22, 2018, 16:59:06 PM
Maybe I should start by getting my own thread rather than sitting on yours.

Not at all! It's all info that might help others. I'd say before you ditch the idea, try seeing if it will go elswhere or in another position?
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 22, 2018, 17:05:23 PM
Not at all! It's all info that might help others. I'd say before you ditch the idea, try seeing if it will go elswhere or in another position?
Oh it would go elsewhere and fit perfectly - I checked,
but it would mean rearranging that area again as well  -<
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 23, 2018, 09:23:10 AM
Oh dear, are you prepared for that?  0_0
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Sewingsue on May 24, 2018, 11:22:46 AM
@Sewingsue this (http://www.argos.co.uk/product/2134864) is my desk from Argos. I can tell you it's very strong and sturdy, and the drawers being on the left is very handy as @Bodgeitandscarper says....the desk space above them for holding the fabric you're sewing.
Granted I'll have to push the sewing machine to the back when I want to use the overlocker just to give me more space to the left of me, but that's way easier than having to unplug and completely move it off the desk.
For general interest.
The Argos site says that desk (it is meant for an office) can take a monitor weighing up to 10Kg (1st 8lb in old money). My Bernina 440 weighs 1st 7lbs = 9.52Kg
That's before you add an overlocker or anything else.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: Lolli on May 25, 2018, 15:41:47 PM
Hmm, maybe no good for you then  :S
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: BrendaP on May 25, 2018, 15:56:45 PM
Proper office furniture is a lot sturdier than the 'home office' stuff sold by Argos et al.  Is there anywhere near you that sells used office furniture?

My desk holds 3 machines (one of them a vintage Singer 201 which weighs a ton), a row of folders and still takes my weight without creaking.  IIRC I paid about £100 for it, secondhand.  I also got the A3 paper trimmer shown on the 'tidy' photo for a tenner at the same time.

My 'desk' in the new study/overflow sewing room is equally sturdy.  It's actually a 6 seater dining table, very 'square' and chunky which DD was going to scrap when she upgraded to an extendable dining table.
Title: Re: My Sewing Lair
Post by: wrenkins on May 26, 2018, 09:42:41 AM
Auctions are the place to go. I'm amazed at what comes through my local one.  :)