From One Table to a Full Shop

Over the last dozen years, our workspace has grown from one table in the corner of a motorcycle shop to filling about two-thirds of the upstairs of our pole building. And honestly, it’s been the kind of growth I love most. Slow, steady, and earned.

We’ve always been the turtle. No big flashy moments, just consistent forward movement.

I still remember when we used to order just a few yards of one color of waxed canvas. When it ran out, we’d order a few more. Then came the day we decided to order our first full roll. It felt huge. Like a real commitment. A little scary, but also like we were stepping into the future we wanted.

Back then, we had material draped over our 1976 Kawasaki KZ like a clothesline. Hardware was lined up underneath it on the lift. Our cutting space was small, but we made it work.

Then we took the next leap.

The upstairs of the pole building was just a raw shell we used for storage, but we decided to turn it into our shop. The whole family jumped in. We framed it, ran electrical, and hung drywall, which is no small task on vaulted ceilings without the right tools. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.

We pieced the shop together the same way we’ve built everything else. The windows came from my aunt when she upgraded hers. The cupboards came from a friend who closed down their lab. The counters were from my old studio. And then there’s Todd. He not only helped lead the entire build, but he also designed and built all of our sewing stations.

Even my main table has a story. It came from an old saddle-making shop.

I remember moving in and thinking the space felt huge. We even brought in a small couch for “downtime.” That didn’t last long, but it was a nice thought.

Since that first build, the shop has been rearranged more times than I can count. We’ve added tables, installed more cupboards, and filled just about every available inch. And somehow, that feels really good. It means we’re using it. It means we’re growing.

We’re still moving forward. Still trying new ideas. Still bringing in vintage fabrics and finding ways to make something meaningful out of them.

This week, we took the time to reorganize again and focus on improving our workflow. We moved things closer to where they’re used, cleaned up our fabric storage, and made space where we could.

And once everything was looking this good, it felt like the right time to share it.

So if you’ve ever wondered where your gear is made, come take a walk through the shop with us.