Tell us about your sewing room

18 years ago

Last month I got my first sewing machine (Santa brought it a few weeks early) and began learning to sew. Since then I've been sewing for several hours a day and simply love my new hobby. I don't have a real sewing room, but I've placed my machine on a desk in my den. I use two smooth brick like bookends propped up with paperback books to improvise a sewing machine table extension. I store all my accessories and notions in a cheap plastic rolling cart with drawers, and I keep my sewing machine in the closet when I'm not using it. I do my ironing and cutting on top of my washer and my dryer, which are right outside my den. For really big projects I use my dining room table or living room floor.

I'd love to set up an efficient sewing area in my den with enough workspace to handle all my home dec projects. I've seen the Koala Cabinets at my local dealer. They're expensive but seem very well designed and solidly built. The one I want (the smallest Koala Cub in the rosewood finish) is the perfect size and color to blend in perfectly with the rest of the furniture in my den). At $700 it would cost as much as my new Bernina, but I'd love Santa to bring it to me next Christmas.

Tell us about your sewing room. Do you have a dedicated sewing room, a permanent sewing area in another room, or are you improvising? Do you have a special sewing cabinet? How well is your arrangement working? Is there a cabinet or table you've found or wish you had to make your sewing time more productive and enjoyable?

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Comments (9)

knitin_kittin
18 years ago
i have a spare bedroom set up as a sewing/craft room just for me. I have tables set up in a u shape up against the walls around my sewing table that's in the center of the room with storage totes and shelves under the tables. I use a chair with wheels and just whiz from table to table when needed. I have a serger set up on the table to the right of my sewing machine so I just have to turn my chair to go from sewing machine to serger. DH is going to replace these tables and totes with counter tops and cabinets this spring. I have a TV in the room right across from my machines so that I can go into this room, turn on the tube, work on my projects and tune out the world.....and it's still cheaper than therapy!
keepeminstitches
18 years ago
I have posted two pics of my sewing room in the Gallery. Sorry, I don't know how to attach them to this post or to combine two pics in the Gallery.
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msmeow
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My DH built 3 tables for our sewing/computer room. One has the computer and rolling cart for office supplies underneath, one has the sewing machine w/ 2 rolling carts for sewing supplies, and the third has the serger w/ 2 more rolling carts of supplies. I also have a bookcase for my library, and he put up shelves in the closet for fabric storage. He also hung 2 fluourescent lights (1 over each machine) and a bulletin board and pegboard, plus a rotating cone thread rack on the side of the bookcase for my serger thread. I store big stuff like the machine case in a corner, and set up the ironing board at the end of the computer table in front of the window. Unfortunately, the room isn't big enough to cut out anything very big, so I do that in the dining room. But for a 10 X 11 room, we've managed to get it organized pretty well!

Donna
Marina101
18 years ago
Unfortunately, I only have a table in my bedroom that I can use. All my sewing things are stored in a cabinet like thing, and I have to keep my sewing machine on the desk. But, it's better than nothing, and I happen to love my room.
kathi_mdgd
18 years ago
My room is 16x22 and is filled to the brim.My only resolution this year is to clean out,and weed out.Paint it and put down carpet tiles.

I have 2 desks,got them both at goodwill,both are nice and big with lots of drawers.I have my Viking on the one by the window,and the other holds the computor,and all the stuff that goes with that.I also have an 8' conference table that dh made risers for to make it the right height,and i keep my serger on the end of that one,so that i have to get up to get to it.On the far end of the room my ironing board(oversize one) sits and next to that i have a simplicity pattern cabinet that holds my patterns ,and a lot of my craft stuff.I have a book case on that end of the room as well.One other side of the room is all sorts of stacked cubes and drawers that hold other books,craft supplies etc,and further down on that wall i have 2 of those pantry type cabinets that hold part of my fabric.

My son put shelves in the double closet from about 12" from the floor all the way up,these hold more fabric,and part of my xmas stuff.

Under the conference table i have those drawers on wheels that you buy at Joann's,and some of those stacking bins.None of these can be seen as i made a skirt to go all around the table.I also have a tv,vcr and radio/cd in this room.

Wow makes me tired just typing all this,and to think i want to gut it this year,paint,new floor and reorganize!!! Anyone want to come help??? LOL
Kathi
dayenu
18 years ago
here is mine - in detail

diana

Here is a link that might be useful: my sewing room
teresa_nc7
18 years ago
Wow, Diana, you've got some great ideas in your photos. I especially like the clear box frames for holding small items - and I happen to have some of them available.

My sewing room is medium size and crammed full! My house is old and so on the outside wall overlooking the backyard, I have two large windows butted up against each other with a built-in glass front shelf unit on each end of the window area. These built-in glass door shelves hold most of my fabric, one side for quilting and the other side for fashion sewing but the quilt stash has spilled over here too. My large, heavy folding table sits in the area directly in front of the windows. This table holds my Viking Quilt Designer and my Brother serger. At the table to the right of my desk chair on wheels, I have a set of plastic, rolling drawers (from Office Depot) and a trash can.

On the left wall is a book case for books, magazines, mailing envelopes (love those swaps!), etc. To the right of this bookcase is an old oak sewing machine cabinet that actually belongs to my sister. On top of this is a portable radio/CD player and stacks of CDs.

On the right wall is my design wall made with flannel backed vinyl tablecloth fabric from Wal-mart hung with saftey pins and nails in the wall. Just in front of the design wall is my ironing board, which stays up all the time.

On the wall behind me as I sit at my sewing table is the door to the bedroom and a large 3 ft. by 5 ft. cutting table. This was a solid door I got for $10 dollars and friends helped me put saw horse legs on it. Under the table I have a plastic drawer unit to hold interfacing, fusible web, my collection of kitchen towel fabric, and works in progress. I also have a number of plastic, lidded, shoebox type storage boxes for more quilt fabric stash and works in progress (doesn't that sound better than UFOs?). There is another trash can at the cutting table, a ruler holder sits on top of the cutting table, and there are hooks for tape measures and rotarty cutters just under the cutting table. Computer paper boxes under the table hold my clothing patterns.

There is a small closet in the room where I store bolts of curtain fabric, heavy white duck cloth, and freebie fabrics I can get where I work. But the closet has a window in it so I have to be careful what I store in there because of the light fading issue.

As I type this, I'm thinking "what a neat and tidy room." But that is not the case because I have stacks of fabric in bags, various tote bags and wheeled totes, machine covers, and stacks of just plain "stuff" everywhere. Hey, I'm creative - I don't have to be tidy too! LOL!

Here is a photo of my cutting table with storage underneath. This never looks as tidy as it is in this picture - LOL!

{{!gwi}}
birdtalker
18 years ago
My sewing room was built by the previous owner of our house and I do not understand how any woman could leave it. It is 5 feet by nine. with a pocket door and a work counter built around the three walls 5feet , 9 feet, and 5 feet. It has a phone and a built in ironing board. Also a built in file cabinet that I use for patterns and a few other things.There are overhead cabinets and plenty of shelves under the counter top. I like to keep it neat and tidy and make it a practice to clean it every year after my christmas sewing marathon. the best thing is that it is in the basement and if it gets real hot in the summer it is a great place to get away to.
susan_on
18 years ago
Mine is in my daughter's old bedroom. I have a sewing machine table set up so my back is to the wall. Then another table is butted up to it where I cut, or where larger items can rest while sewing. There is a dresser to my right to hold fabric and stuff. One wall has the ironing board, and an old treadle machine with a tv and vcr resting on it. DH put shelves throughout the double closet. It's tight, but workable.

Tell us about your sewing room

Comments (9)

knitin_kittin

keepeminstitches

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