Will someone be there to help me?

A staff member will always be available when the space is open. Staff are responsible for assisting all patrons using the space and are not available to provide individual help at all times. 

Can I reserve equipment?  

Use of equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis and is not able to be reserved in advance.

Can I bring a group?

Groups based in Wilmette and Kenilworth may visit the Studio for tours and special programs. To find out more about activities and scheduling, please contact studio@wilmettelibrary.info.

What if the staff member is busy assisting other patrons? 

Each piece of equipment has an associated binder with instructions to get patrons started. Staff will assist when available. 

Can I leave my child unsupervised in the space? 

Per library policy, children aged 8 and under must be adequately supervised by a parent or other responsible person aged 12 or older at all times on Library premises. 

Can I hang out in the Studio? 

The Studio is intended for patrons who are designing and making physical or digital media projects. Patrons not engaged in such activities will be directed to a different area of the Library that better suits their needs. 

Is the Studio a quiet space? 

The Studio is a social, creative, and collaborative space, and the noise level reflects this type of activity.  

Can I eat in the Studio? 

No food is allowed in the Studio. Covered beverages are permitted. 

Is the Studio open every day during the posted hours? 

The Studio may be closed on some weeknights to accommodate programs or group visits. The space will also close biannually for approximately a week for staff training and equipment maintenance, and may be closed other times as needed. 

What happens if I want to use more materials than allowed within the weekly limit? 

Patrons are not able to purchase additional supplies or borrow materials into the following week. The Studio also has a selection of scrap material, which is free and available for patron use. 

How much time should I budget to complete my project? 

Projects must be completed during the Studio’s open hours. Requests to create projects and/or items that have a completion time within the final 60 minutes of Studio closing time may be postponed at staff discretion.  

What if a mistake is made with my project and the outcome is not as desired? 

Patrons should bring extras in case of machine or user error. The Library and Studio staff cannot guarantee the quality of the outcome of patron projects and are not responsible for loss or damage of a project.

Accessories available for cutting projects include 12 inch x 12 inch cutting mats, hooks, picks, spatulas, scrapers.

Silhouette Cameo cutting machines operate through Silhouette Studio Basic Edition software, available to download free on Silhouette's website. Additionally, Silhouette sells premade designs in its Design Store.

Patrons are encouraged to bring their own supplies. The Studio uses the following products in our space:

• Silhouette temporary vinyl, white sticker paper, stencil material, and printable heat transfer material
• Oracal 651 permanent vinyl
• Siser heat transfer vinyl
• Astrobrights and Astrodesigns cardstock
• YRYM HT transfer paper

This station is equipped with a USB hub, headphones, and a Wacom drawing tablet, along with a wide selection of professional creative programs and tools including:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Audition
• Final Cut Pro
• Blender
• Roxio Titanium
• Audacity
• Logic Pro X
• Camtasia
• iMovie
• Garageband
• Toast
• Microsoft Office

Accessories available for your button and magnet projects include a hand-held punch cutter and graphic punch cutters.

Paper templates for both the 3-inch and 1 ½-inch button maker can be found on UMakeButtons.com. A laptop with Build-A-Button software is also available for digital designs.

Patrons are encouraged to bring their own supplies. The Studio uses the following products in our space:

• American Button Machines 1.5" Pinback Buttons, 3" Pinback Buttons, and 3" magnets

The Brother PE900 embroidery machine has 193 built-in embroidery designs and 13 built-in embroidery fonts. The maximum embroidery area is 5" x 7".

Patrons must bring their own fabric items. 

The Studio provides tear-away and cut-away stabilizer as well as a variety of thread colors. At this time, we can not accommodate the use of thread brought from home. 

For more information visit the Brother PE900 product webpage.

The Studio hosts Prusa i3 MK3S and i3MK3S+ 3D printers. Studio staff is available to help you get started on basic and free 3D designs on Tinkercad.com, and guide you through submitting your 3D print to the library.

For more information about our 3D printers, visit Prusa3d.com.

Accessories available for your sewing projects include black and white thread, fabric scissors, rotary cutters, measuring tools, marking chalk, seam rippers, needles (sizes 11, 14, and 16), presser feet (standard, zipper, sliding button hole, blind hem), iron and ironing board. 

Recommended sewing resources and tutorials:

• Sew on Central in Evanston is a nearby resource for sewing instruction and fabric and other supplies
• How to wind the bobbin
• How to thread the machine
• How to insert a front-loading bobbin
• Making your first stitches

Heat presses quickly and evenly apply heat to heat transfer materials (HTM) at an accurate, adjustable temperature. For more information about our heat press, visit the Cricut EasyPress 2's product webpage, and view their heat guide.

Patrons must bring their own fabric items. Pre-washed cotton and cotton/polyester blends work best. For care after application, consult the directions for your heat transfer material. Wait 24 hours before washing most garments.

Patrons are encouraged to bring their own supplies. The Studio uses the following products in our space:

• Siser EasyWeed heat transfer vinyl
• Siser and Silhouette printable heat transfer materials