Sewing workspace concerns--thoughts?

[gem]

a couple of barstools and a piano stool that spins

Is it safe to assume that this means you also have a bar to sit at*?  In a pinch, until you get that garage sale find, you could stand at the bar to sew, and operate the foot pedal that way.  Or, in a big pinch, at the counter.



*Don't worry--it would make perfect sense to me if you didn't; DH brought home some beautiful barstools from work, and we *don't* have the accompanying bar to sit at!

[Kate XXXXXX]

Ideal for sitting at the breakfast bar.  I thought about getting some for the breakfast bar in the conservatory, but we just use the office chairs we have - a couple of old drawing office chairs, so gas lift and all but extra high.   

My sewing space comes in two parts: The downstairs cutting area in the conservatory: part fixed breakfast bar and part old dining table on adjustable tressel legs, which gets moved round to make long space or wide space, depending on what I need, and which gets put away when not in use.





Upstairs, the actual sewing room doubles as guest bedroom and library!  It's a mess at the moment and I'm trying to sort it out, but this will show you what I have...







I'm in the process of sorting my thread storage problem and hoisting unnecessary stuff and lesser used items into the loft.  I'll take more pix to show how it ends up.

I prefer to keep the customer sewing away from possible damage (teenage boy in house - nuff said!), cats, and stray fingers.  I sometimes drag hand sewing down to the living room.

[gypsylakat]

a couple of barstools and a piano stool that spins

Is it safe to assume that this means you also have a bar to sit at*?  In a pinch, until you get that garage sale find, you could stand at the bar to sew, and operate the foot pedal that way.  Or, in a big pinch, at the counter.

Instead of standing, what about taking like an apple crate or a plastic storage box type thing and putting the pedal on that and then sitting in the bar stool? They should be about at foot height...

[Adriana Rose]

I am like Cara but I cut, sew and pin on my coffee table! its 2ft off the ground so it works. Not that nice on the back but it works!

My hard case for my sewing machine is a life saver! It has held up to my 3 year old nephew using it as a car and my 11month old trying to climb it!

[silverstah]

My sewing area is in the finished portion of my basement.  It's usually entirely too messy for me to EVER take photos of it, so you'll never see it.  *hee*

I have two 'stations' set up - the serger is set up on a big heavy oak desk that belonged to my dad - I think he'd have a coronary if he knew what it was being used for now.  *lol*

My standard machine (a fairly nice Viking - not top of the line, but pretty nice!) is set up on one of those super-heavy duty folding banquet tables you get at office supply stores.  It's nice and sturdy while still being portable. 

Gem - I, personally, wouldn't worry about having the new machine in your usual spot.  I'd take a couple of safety precautions, though - put some of that non-slip matting (like this underneath it to keep it in place, and make sure that you get a hard cover for it and cover it up when you're not using it. 

Enjoy the new machine - you deserve it!

[Charlotte Rowan]

So, I have a question. Up till now, I've done all my sewing by hand....literally. Only needle and thread. But a friend of mine just gave me a sewing machine and now I'm having to re-arrange my work area. My work area consists of the "living room".

Let me explain.

I have a one-bedroom apartment that is set up horribly. The living room, dining room, entryway all kind of blend together into an L-shape that isn't too condusive to sewing, but thus-far I've made due. Now the big problem is, I don't have a table at which I can sit with my feet comfortably even on the floor in which to use the pedal. I actually don't have any chairs other than a couple of barstools and a piano stool that spins. The piano stool would work, but then I run into the trouble of the only table I have stands about 2.5 feet off the floor.

Any suggestions???

I use a folding card table. It's kinda small and not that sturdy, but it works. And it sure beats sewing everything by hand!

[Orphena]

So, I'm late in replying, but I didn't see a deadline, so here goes:

First, I think it's quite neat how resourceful everyone is! No matter how small our space, we have found a way to make our hobbies part of our homes!

I sew on what is supposed to be my kitchen table - it's in the living roomish area of the aparment - that being the little part of the apartment that is right near the front door. Thankfully, I dont entertain often. My fiancee recently made an addition to the area - I now have a LARGE table made out of a sliding closet door and some 4 x 4s. He made it so I would have a "mermaid bench", and we decided to put it to use (well, that and no one else wanted to store it for me!) Of course, it's not really being USED for much but storage at the moment - I have some of my more popular fabric bins under it.

My cutting area is the living room floor, which is carpeted (yuck!), but my big green cutting mat helps by providing a hard surface. The couch is where I do my pinning - so careful when you sit down - and if you run out of pins, you have only to lift a cushion to find an entire supply!

My fluffy sewing helper despises the ironing board, so that is the safe storage area for cut fabric. She is actually quite good about not walking on fabric - but tissue patterns are another battle - they just make the BEST sounds in the world!

M'lord and I have dreams of makeing a garb room someday in our house, complete with bins and crates and everything you could ever want - but a house is quite a long way off - so, for now, we shall continue to plan the apartment versions that we all cope with!

[Naween]

I live in a cramped apartment with a boyfriend who also sews his on garb....so our sewing table is one of those old machines that is made to collapse into its own sewing table! THAT machine died last year, but we stuck a board over top of its hold, and stuck the new one on top of it....and it works! Not perfectly, but if i showed you all a pic of my apartment you'd either all suffocate, be impressed, or die laughing.....(think tetris, but with STUFF!)

[Angus]

I sew at a 8 ft by 4 ft table in my den area, with a Brother sewing machine. it allows for layout of fabric and cutting.

The same area converts to any and all of my "other" hobbies work areas when needed.

Leather working, sewing, Jewelry making, folding/repairing camping supplies, mechanical work, etc...

...generally I re-arrange the area into whatever I require at the moment, I am never at a point where I can devote the area to a certain activity semi-permanently.

...sometimes it acts as a "Table" for the likes of Thanksgiving and Christmas, weird huh?

[ladyecho]

     I had a sewing room for a long time. Sewing/craft table, sewing machine, bins of fabric, bins of patterns, you name it! Now that one of my nieces is practically living with me, the sewing room has now became her room. And my sewing is all over the house. But my favorite place to sew since losing my sewing room is the kitchen table. And I have always cut out my patterns on the living room floor, it's the only place big enough!

[tigerlilly]

My sewing room/office is in what is supposed to be the dining room of our house.  I have a rolltop desk in there, two chests of drawers and numerous plastic bins for storage, and a very small dining room table (it's about 3ft across) in the middle of the room for putting stuff on.  The ironing board is set up along one wall and the no-frills sewing machine is near the window on an old mirrorless vanity I picked up at a thrift store.  The height of the vanity top is perfect, but sometimes I have to take the middle drawer out because it keeps bumping my legs!  I'm really lucky to have such a nice place to sew.  I was willing to forgo having a dedicated sewing room, but when we were house hunting DH sweetly insisted I have my own space.  I think he was just tired of finding pins and needles the hard way. 

Sometimes I feel a bit cooped up in there and move the sewing machine out to the big table in the breakfast "nook", which is actually bigger than the official dining room.  That way I can keep a better eye on the kids, but if I step away form the machine for a minute I have to unplug it and put the cord and foot pedal on top of the table, for the protection of both the machine and the children.  Unfortunately I don't have any fuzzy helpers anymore, but we used to have a parakeet that would chew on loose threads and sing along to the machine.

Before we got this house my machine was on a card table in the computer room, with boxes of comic books stored underneath the table.  After our first baby was born that card table became a changing table and the baby got my half of the computer room, so my machine got moved out to our tiny dining room table (the same one that now lives in my sewing room).  It worked out fine since we always eat in front of the tv anyway.

[Muffin]

I second Molly's comment about having a hard case.
I too don't like to be in the other room, away from family and isolated.  So I work at the dining room table.  Dog at my feet.
I just put the hard case over the machine when it's not in use.  If we want to actually eat the the table....  The case has a handle and I just pick it up and move it to the floor for a bit.

I am also lucky enough to be married to a man that considers the huge mess I make there as "making the house look homey".   

I too sew at the dining room table... Unfortunately my table is small, so I end up laying the fabric on the floor to pin, etc... (picking up a few cat hairs along the way.. Hey they add character!!)

When we move, a sewing room for me, and a "geek" room for him is on the wish list!!!!! 

[Trillium]

I've been using the dining room table and the floor for my sewing needs but once we remodel the den in the new house I will have a space of my own.  The den is huge and we plan to make it into our living room but there will be plenty of room for a sewing space for me also. That way I can still be close to the family and keep an eye on the boy while I work on my sewing.

[Cilean]

Well I do want to ask you again, if I may? Which machine because the new Viking Husqvarna Designer Diamond, does need a lot more space than even the Designer Se does.  I would think the Pfaff 2170 I think is the most recent and lovely of their machines.  Babylock has an embroidery machine that is so kick butt fantastic? I am thinking about getting it, it only embroiders....but with 6 needles!!!!!! Astounding no?
Here is a link to it!  That one would not take more space than an average machine!  So I use a basic sewing table to house my Designer SE, I think the Diamond could in fact fit on an average sewing table.

http://www.babylock.com/embroidery/embroidery-professional/
.
However if you were getting something that was even larger in a sewing machine I think it would be something you would have to have something built out for you. 

I have one of those cutting tables now, next to my sewing table, with a cutting board on so that is pretty practical. 

I that helps you!!!

Cilean