Whats in your Sewing Room?

[Genievea Brookstone]

Hi Everyone

I have seen the topics of What machine do you use ?or What movies do you sew by?, but I havent seen one about Sewing rooms.

I have a very small space in my apartment at the moment and in the not so distant future will have the space for an actual Sewing Room and was curious what you ladies had.  Really looking to get some ideas as basic storage, tables, desks, etc.

I have searched many pics on the internet but still havent found one that makes me go Ah ha!  thats what I am looking for!

This is my space for now

[Lady Mikayla of Phoenicia]

Hope this gives you a few ideas... my cutting table idea came from Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.  It is a folding table with 4 pvc pipes cut equally to raise it to my standing height without having to bend over.  The black mezzanine rack that holds thread, pins and other items came from IKEA as did the white rolling bins under the table.  I sewed my drapes, it was clearance fabric at Wal-Mart years ago, it's of 2 lovers in Renaissance Era garb.  The sewing machine was grandmother's as well as the China Head Doll, dress courtesy of the Jr. Leage Warehouse of Charlotte. 

There is a pix of me with short hair at Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire when it was held in Devore, CA 7 years ago which is where and when I purchased myne saffron skirt and gold "top".  I love this room!

[Alisoun]

My sewing area is fairly compressed in our "computer room" (as dubbed by my husband), but the floor space allows me to stretch out and let the creative juices flow.



The table folds out just short of the full size of the cutting mat and drops down to 13 inches deep when I don't need it.
I use the cork board to post patterns, ideas, motivation, etc, and I can pin up bagged hat feathers so that they maintain shape.
Next to the table, I have a rolling plastic storage set of drawers for beading, knitting, embroidering, and other craft supplies.
I have an older machine inside the table and my primary machine on top.
There is a standing set of plastic drawers against the wall for patterns, thread, sewing tools, buttons, etc.
The closet (obviously) holds my garb in garment bags, and my fabric stash is organized in plastic totes. 
The dress figure moves around the room as necessary, and the ironing board is next to a full length mirror just outside of the picture.

I'm currently waiting for shelves to be installed above the machine(s) for my books and manuals, which are currently in a section of our general book area in another room.  This was a big step up from the dining room table at our old apartment.

[GirlChris]

Sewing... room?

BWAHAHAHA!!!!

I've got all my sewing stuff crammed in one corner of my bedroom. My "sewing table" (aka my dad's drafting table from university) currently is also home to various faire props, some hats, and a laser printer that is not connected to a computer, as well as a couple of WIPs, specifically a bodice mock up and a farthingale that I'm surprisingly almost finished. Just need to sew one more channel and put on the waistband. My cutting mat is on my floor. Officially, fabric lives in a trunk, but it's spilled out everywhere and is taking over.

I'm still waiting for the day that I magically wake up and am organized. Hasn't happened yet.

[Samantha]

I read with a grin "GirlChris" "I'm still waiting for the day that I magically wake up and am organized"  You appear fairly young, and there may yet be hope for you, but I have finally realized, as I approach my 70th, that if I haven't become organized by now, it just isn't going to happen.  That's OK, I've rather gotten used to total disarray in my sewing room (and my library, and my closet, etc.)  Back to the subject, though, of what's in my sewing room.  I did some remodelling in my house a few years back, and took one small bedroom (11x11), removed the closet, to make it a bit larger, and then put rolling wire shelf units from either Lowe's or Home Depot on the east.  The south wall holds a desk, my sewing machine, and wall-mounted spool storage units & storage units for odds and ends.  The north wall has one shelf unit, and my filing cabinet.  The west wall has a small chest just inside the door, that has all my needlework-oriented books on it, with wall-hung storage drawers above, and then two more of the wire shelf units.  All fabrics, leathers, furs, feathers, notions, etc. are in translucent plastic bins, on the shelves.  My ironing board and cutting table both fold up and fit between shelf units.  I'd send a picture, but clutter has taken over, and it is a real mess in the middle--BUT--if I need something, I can go right to it.  Operative word there is "I"--noone else could find anything.  The shelf units, by the way, come without wheels, but they have little packages of wheels for them.  While it isn't strictly necessary to have them on wheels, it certainly is nice when you want to really clean in there, and can roll all the shelves out of the way to clean.

[DragonWing]

Here is my sewing room. the living room.  I have to move a mirrored coffee table and set up a folding table. Then pull the sewing machine out of the closet along with the other paraphernalia. And Voila

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

My sewing area is an "organized mess." At least I know where things are.

I sew with a Janome Memory Craft 4900, have two sergers. One is a 21 year old New Home(now Janome) and a Janome serger that does a wonderful tiny serged rolled hem.

[bellevivre]

Here's mine!

[Artemisia]

Great topic. I love "peeking" into sewing rooms for ideas.

Current sewing room:


http://dressdiary.blogspot.com/2008/09/sewing-room.html



Future sewing room in new townhouse:


http://dressdiary.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Sewing%20Room

[amy]

Dragonwing, what a clever "catch-all" hangs in front of your machine!  You may have solved the problem of, where did the pins go, when working with 8 miles of skirt on the table!  I've never seen one of those before! 

**now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord.... that fairies will come clean my sewing room!**

[Genievea Brookstone]

So many ideas and inspiritions!  Thank you all that posted.

I confess Artemisia I peeked at your blogspot a while back and actually your new room design inspired me for mine

[DragonWing]

Dragonwing, what a clever "catch-all" hangs in front of your machine!  You may have solved the problem of, where did the pins go, when working with 8 miles of skirt on the table!  I've never seen one of those before!  

**now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord.... that fairies will come clean my sewing room!**

Thank you Amy. I got it from the "Home-Sew Inc." catalog or go to www.homesew.com . It's called a Sew Organized Sewing Pad. It comes in quite handy. I have my scissors, marking pencils, seam ripper, and other odds and ends. If I can't find my pincushion right away I just poke them into that as well. I really like it. Packs away with the sewing machine nicely

[Lady Rosalind]

LOL, I particularly like the adult beverage next to the sewing machine!

I just about have my new sewing room set up! I'll post pics later tonight. I see lots of ideas that I may want to borrow!

[Lady Rosalind]

Okay, here are some pics of my new sewing room now that the carpet has been replaced and the walls painted! I'm still looking for curtains. Target has some faux dupioni curtains in a pink similar to the pink fabric bins. This room is really small, but I LOVE having a space for my projects! When I have my ironing board set up, I barely have room to turn. I'll have to wait and see if this will work out for larger projects....



Lots of light and table space for projects!



I love my cube shelves! The fabric drawers hold my pattern collection, drafted patterns, and various sewing tools. For a small space, this is really the way to go.



More storage, an old sewing machine, and my dress form. I use my laptop to play movies and music. 



My scarf collection! The large blue scarf is a silk veil I bought at the Iowa Renaissance Faire this spring. 



Small closet, but I was able to get a shelf inside to expand my storage options. I have a huge double closet in my bedroom for finished garb, so not being able to use this one isn't a problem.

[Syrilla]

I am soooo envious of all of your spaces.  Wow!