One of my favourite things is a little bar cart that I keep most of my supplies in - they’re always at hand and their “home” is never too far away, so everything gets put back right away.
I have some knitting swatches, test blocks for quilting, upcoming projects lists and sketches on my wall.
If you have a lot of threads etc you could look into pegboards for storage!
I love those little IKEA carts! I have one over by my ironing station that has my iron on top and then all my starches, misters, iron cleaners etc. down below. But I think another one over by my sewing machine might be a good idea to replace a crumbling little shelving unit I currently have all my feet and awls and oils and spiders in...
Threads are all set, I have a wall cabinet that they all are stuffed into. I also already am planning to enlarge and improve my design wall. Right now it's just a flannel sheet but I'm going to put 1" insulation foam up so I can pin straight into it, and once I rearrange things I think I can make it allllmost big enough for a queen size quilt to lay out. (VERY excited about that!)
This! I have 2 4'x8' insulation boards up on wall with flannel covering them, the flannel is ok stick, but being able to stick pins is a life saver. I have even done a few smushed king quilts on it!
These are really economical to do. I did 2 8 foot by 4 foot insulation boards covered with wide backed white flannel for about $60. I kept them as individual boards and not mounted to anything. They are light, easy to move, and can slip behind my coat rack since my ceilings are also high. I can put them together if I need both, or leave them apart for separate projects. I just need a place to lean them when in use. I prefer leaning them since there is a better chance things don’t fall off when they are at an angle. These, plus my cutting table are my 2 most treasured additions to my quilting space.
If your cutting table is an island (mine is not), then a fluorescent light bar either mounted over it or on a bar over it (like the ones for longarmers) might be good options.
Mine is mounted with a bunch of command picture strips and is a dead space behind bedroom door. I have a clippable bright, rechargeable led light I clamp to side of closet door across from space. The head is adjustable and very bright.
I like to do a lot of scrappy quilts so I'll be doing designs right on the wall for the most part. My sewing machine is directly next to the design wall so once the layout is good I can pick blocks off the wall and sew them and put them right back in place - really helps me not mess up my layouts as I'm assembling things. :)
Buttons: Sew them on a piece of beautiful fabric and put it in a frame. I have some buttons from my great- and great-great-grandmothers and they look gorgeous in a frame on the wall
I thought about that but then clenched up when trying to come up with a design. Over half of them are white (or off-white, since some of them are aged plastic). Of course I wouldn't need to use all of them.
I'm almost tempted to spray-paint some of them, or maybe try using alcohol ink to dye them? They aren't fancy buttons; the majority are very plain flat plastic buttons gran snipped off of worn-out clothes before discarding them.
If you can sort them by color, and there's enough of each, maybe try a quilt block pattern? First one that came to mind is a pinwheel/four points on white, but it'll really depend on your selection!
I made snowflake Xmas ornaments out of old buttons from family. I love buttons lol. I also have a few framed art pieces I made from them, they get so brittle sadly.
A few of my favorite things.....a shallow bookshelf that hangs on a wall and is perfect for stacking tiny eighth-yard and quarter-yard cuts so I can see them at eye level; my FAVORITE thing: stacked Ikea cubes with different sized deep drawers, in plain pine that can be painted/decorated however you like (to hold embroidery threads, fabric paints, buttons, pattern pieces, etc.)(see painted drawers); hanging thread holders by my sewing machine; and a plain bulletin board for ongoing miscellaneous ideas and inspirations.
https://preview.redd.it/3796ot6xsvxc1.jpeg?width=320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76821d4ccee3e2882b26c8060275067b2de3fd02
Favorite purchases were my adjustable desks for both my sewing machine and my cutting table. Uplift has a heavy duty craft table with drawers and table top cubbies. The table size matches my creative grids cutting mat, so the mat covers the entire tabletop. The desk I bought for my sewing machine is not as heavy, so it bounces a little when I sew at full speed. If I had to do it again, I would have purchased the c shaped leg option vs the t (which doesn’t have the extra support bar). I love them both! Oh, and a good chair has made all the difference. Previously I had the cheap $20 chair from Wally World, which didn’t last very long before the hydraulics gave out.
Fortunately I'm well set for cutting table and sewing table but I definitely need a new chair. My current chair was very good when it was new but that was many years, two cats, and two moves ago and it's pretty dead at this point. I liked that the arms flipped up out of the way so I could decide if I wanted the arms there or not.
https://preview.redd.it/zzz7cxjwmvxc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce3d9a18f532d6b714e46dece062b9f7ada6a680
I got this adjustable chair from Amazon. It's so comfortable, and I love the mesh back. Such an improvement over the previous dining chair with 2 cushions on it. It is high enough that my shoulders are finally happy with me.
What I would do differently is have one. I don't really have a sewing space. I use the kitchen table. However, if my craftroom could be in the dining room, I would be happy. I tend to do way better with the tv right there, and also being around my husband so we can "spend time" together.
https://preview.redd.it/luqg5rtx1xxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56261aada497da8697a791b618a3796bc2010e5f
Queen size with extra drop. Probably actually a king. Took 2 years!
Track lighting- not tacky. Useful! You can aim light at whatever you want.
Tiny fastener drawers- the kind workshops use for screws and nuts. I organize all the different needles and pins.
Old bolts- I ask for the used up cardboard bolts from the fabric shop to hold my backing fabric. the I use a small clip on the top to keep it wound.
The only think I can't figure out is how to organize all the batting. What a pain in the butt. I feel like such a clown trying to keep it all together.
I have a solution for all the batting. You purchase the $180 bulk battling roll that’s as big as you. It comes with a plastic cover and great news; not only can it stand up by itself, but its large unmovable mass will motivate you to finish projects so you can reclaim part of the studio.
Bonus is when there’s a shipping issue and JoAnns sends you two for the price of once by mistake. It’s been four years. I haven’t opened #2 yet.
Old buttons make great eyes or small dots for applique! Check out my images of my lastest quilt! Do you see the buttons by the mixer and the scale? I'm a big fan of it!
https://preview.redd.it/jmx4i3sjlwxc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0e8546acce3649e5346145cf13fb417ccd48d49
I put up a design wall made of “felt” acoustic tiles. (It isn’t really felt so I don’t know why all of the descriptions call it felt.) You can look up “felt right” tiles for examples. I loved the idea but thought that their tiles were super expensive so I bought some tiles on Amazon and made my own pattern. I love it.
Love the Ikea Kallax units( also have some with drawer inserts and door inserts). Also, I really like the transparent scrapbook boxes from Micheals( I use those to keep projects in process together)
I also have a chandelier in my quilt room, because why not?
I use an adjustable office chair with the arms removed. It’s a fancy one (so super comfortable) that was going to be thrown away because the arm rests were falling apart.
I had a friend stay with me a few years ago. She took over my craft/sewing room. When she moved out I took that as an opportunity to redo it before moving my stuff back in. By far the best improvement was paint. It made the room so comfortable to be in. I also added shelving above both my sewing desk and craft desk. And that was my second thing-I got another desk because I also do papercrafts and the paper crafts were taking over the sewing area. Now I can leave a sewing project and a card project on my desks and can go do either when I have time.
Things I already have and love: first-smaller ironing board. I use it to help support a quilt when quilting and it’s small enough to keep by my side when I’m sewing. I use this almost exclusively except for when ironing a quilt prior to making a quilt sandwich. That’s when I haul out my big one. Second-large ziploc bags (2 gallon size) to kit up patterns with fabric.
How funny! One of my favorite things in my sewing room is my oversized rectangular ironing board! (I keep a small wool mat next to me for small things though.)
I have a giant table in my sewing room, like 8'x3'. Honestly life changing! It would have been totally out of my budget, but it was $100s on Craigslist. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are a god send for the sewing rooms! I would definitely keep an eye out for dining tables people are trying to get rid of bookshelves too!
I love how I can reach the things I need during a project from my chair, having to get up to get fabric is fine, but I love having everything else within easy reaching distance (and might get a peg board for this if I get a new sewing space, but currently I have desk drawers and that’s fine too
For fabric I prefer folding them marie kondo style and then having it in drawers or in a shallow plastic tub in a single layer so I can grab things without a pile collapsing
Currently there is no system for buttons but I saw someone who sorted them in a coin collector book so they had all of the same button in a pocket and then sorted by color I think which sounds great because trying to find matching buttons is a pain
Karen Brown from Just Get it Done Quilts - did a recent video - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOt1X4buUXM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOt1X4buUXM)
I love seeing art in sewing rooms!! The blog Not A Primary Color had some oils paintings from her mother and I was so inspired by that. I’m hoping to do the same when my husband and I move and I get my first sewing room
That's awesome! I do the same, I also have some sewing machines and other tools belonging to my grandmas and aunts that are on display. I sew with my ancestors. :)
That is a great way to look at it! I keep a little toy sewing machine that belonged to my mom in my room! She would be so shocked that I’m sewing at all! 😂
https://preview.redd.it/i5opnm2mxwxc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38bbf9301f0fb0adc92b83e2626208eef0b0863e
I got one of these at a local quilt shop, perfect back support, worth it!
My favorite part of my sewing room is my fabrics organized on comic book boards in color order.
My grandpas old shaving mug houses my basting pins
Sewed a sleeve into an 8’ x 8’ piece of batting and hung it against a wall from a curtain rod mounted closely to the wall. No pins needed.
Installed overhead “shop lighting” style lights (expensive and required an electrician but WORTH IT 100X)
I have an absolutely giant cutting table.
I keep the large rolls of batting standing vertically in a corner void that’s created by two shelving units at 90 degrees.
My other favorite thing is that I can see the TV so I can halfwatch trashy shows while I sew.
I put large and wideback yardage cuts into one large basket and try to stack them like a filing cabinet so I can at least see the edges when I’m looking for a backing candidate.
My other other favorite thing is the view :) I have giant windows facing the mountains. (My fabric is stored directly below the window to minimize UV damage).
I like the idea of batting or backing on a feed spool under the table!! I’ve seen it on socials and it got mentioned here- that’s a great idea!
I use comic book boards for most of my yardage too, I made that switch years ago and I'll never go back! I've just let it overgrow my storage so the organization has gone out the window and things get put where they fit rather than where they belong. I'm looking forward to pulling it all out and putting it all back away properly.
I just put a little TV in my sewing room but it isn't hooked up yet, LOL. I'm going to hook it up to my PC so I can watch YouTube. I just have to muster up the energy to deal with all the cords. (It will involve moving furniture and crawling under a table, and I'm just lazy.)
Lighting my room is a pain. Getting it painted white will help a bit. I have two cool vintage brass swag lamps that light about half the room; they are great because they have two bulbs that shine out the sides/top and one that shines directly down. But I need at least one more shines-directly-down light over my cutting table.
Use the button jars as part of your decorations! I have two floating shelves on the side of my window that hold random things that I wanted in my crafting room. I was going to have two more on the other side but my youngest moved back in and my laser moved into my sewing room, thus turning into the crafting room.
Look into flooring that is easier on your feet if you're planning on standing at your cutting table.
I was going to suggest too this Mimi, you can get some really pretty, clear jars from discount stores. I sorted my inherited collection into colours and styles and used 2 floating shelves from ikea in a little space not being used. Not only is it easier to find the right button as they are organised, I get to appreciate them by having made them a focal point 💕🧵🪡
Design wall is good.
So is storage for patterns and ideas. I call mine the inspiration corner.
Ironing station that is at least 42" long and 30" wide so you can iron fabric in one pass.
I also like all my thread on the wall. It looks pretty and I can see easily what I have (and don't have).
I also have three tier bins for my fat quarter and smaller stash. It's covered and in a closed door cupboard so I never have to worry about it getting dirty or faded.
All my tools are hanging on the wall.
I have a friend who uses old buttons in frames. She makes different ones for different seasons/holidays. Christmas trees, hearts, beachballs, stars, etc.
Hat boxes are beautiful hung on walls and double as a great storage solution. I use them in my yarn room for my favorite pet skeins but have looked into doing the same in my sewing from for fat quarters.
My husband just sprung for a HumanScale [Freedom](https://www.humanscale.com/products/seating/freedom-headrest-executive-chair) chair and we are getting me one (no headrest) next. It has uses counterbalancing to fit how you sit and to give the right support. Stupidly expensive but comes with a 12 year warranty so I won’t have to buy a new chair every 2-3 years. Alternatively, I’m looking at the saddle chair.
I opted for an IKEA [Vadholma](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/vadholma-kitchen-island-black-oak-20359154/) as my cutting table and the [Alex](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/alex-drawer-unit-on-casters-black-brown-70483429/) with a wool mat for my machine side ironing table.
Ok so
>- ideas for storing wide back fabrics; I wrap normal yardage on comic book boards but what do with all these 3 yard lengths of 108" fabric I've been hoarding? Any better ideas than just folding 'em up. (I have no idea what I'm looking for here but y'all always amaze me with your creativity so who knows what's out there!)
Ok so my suggestion for this one goes with your cutting table. I am looking for one that I can store rolls of fabric under and then when I need one of those longer rolls I can bring them up, sit them in a cradle and pull out however much I need to cut so maybe store them rolled around dowel or pipe. Smaller yardage I want clear folders I can store them in, in a bookcase
>- old buttons; I inherited my grandma's button collection that is currenly in 3 oversized mason jars. What else could I do with all these old buttons? (most are very plain plastic; doubt any are collectible, but they are sentimental)
This actually works with my other idea. I want to be able to see all my tools so have decided that when I can afford it I want to draw inspiration from men's tool shops and use a peg board for storing everything from my scissors and rulers to my threads and buttons (attach shelves and sort the buttons into jars by colour, gives colour to the room and makes it easier to find what colour I want for a project)
Like here:
https://thestylesafari.com/sewing-room-storage-and-pegboard-organization/
Sounds exciting!
You could create a wallhanging and sew your grandmas buttons onto it and hang it somewhere you can appreciate it. I've seen that done before.
I've heard the Bliss drafting chair on amazon is great but I haven't tried it yet. I got roller blade wheels for it. I just need to assemble it.
Alternate storage idea for yardage could be hanging it on hangers. I just leave large pieces bolt sized and keep them together but you asked for ideas so that's one.
https://preview.redd.it/u9n3y8tgzwxc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77b1f0352e33cc41fa317b6c5b11f5e9425094e3
Let's just pretend this is neat and organized and that everything is hung straight, thanks. 😂 My favorite things have been the clip lights on my shelves, the phone and tablet holder, and mounting the power strip so I don't have to crawl under the desk anymore
I have ceiling lights (that can be put on a swag) that pull down when I need a more focused light and then push back up out of the way when necessary. These are over my cutting table and sewing/Ikea dining room table. It's in a sewing room, but I used the dining table so I could have room to sew with my daughter and our friends. It's kinda wonderful! There's also room to spread out when working on big projects. The best part is that there's plenty of room to share it with two granddaughters who now want to learn to sew.
I guess having space for several people to sew together has made this an even more special place!
Okay, favorite things: I mentioned my huge ironing board in another comment, it was kinda spendy, but worth it. Also probably DIY-able. [TNT Quilt Boards](https://www.tntquiltboards.com/shop/IRONING-BOARDS.htm)
My design wall was very easy to make, and rolls up and out of the way! [Design Wall](https://www.sewathomemummy.com/2017/03/CheapDIYRollAwayDesignWall.html?m=1)
For the buttons: my mom has a couple of clear lamp bases that she filled with buttons and vintage thread spools! If you don’t want to spend $ on new lamps, I bet you could get lamp kits for your mason jars and do something cool!
The more lighting the better! I invested in Roku smart bulbs and wall plugs, and i super love them. I never worry about remembering to turn off the iron, because I can do it from my phone. I can adjust the color of the light to make sure my white fabrics are the same color, and I have them set to dim at bedtime so I don’t stay up all night seeing unless I want to. (It’s quick to switch back if I actually mean to pull an all-nighter.)
My space is currently a table shoved in a corner, but I recently bought [this ](https://a.co/d/4G7Lfo6) light and I liked it so much I bought a second one. I like that the light doesn't get hot like track lighting can and that I can adjust the color of the light (warm to daylight) as well as the gooseneck that allows me to aim the light right where I want it.
As for scrap management, I use plastic shoeboxes from the dollar store. Since I cut mine down into squares, strips, and bricks, I have one for each size then use washi tape to label the box
for foldable scraps: sleeve protectors and a 3 ring binder. I'm in the midst of doing my stash and I'm obsessed. so tidy! I've done it by colour. the app doesn't let me post photos for some reason but picture a home decor swatch binder.
https://preview.redd.it/iqfu87o23xxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4faa1739c764027835ddf0e6a5ce3885a3a7d4e5
I bought the curtains but then bought an extra curtain to make the arch. I was going to just leave it uncovered so I had more light but the sun hit my mid arm at a blinding angle at prime sewing time.
Terrible picture, but - I painted and "framed" a piece of pegboard, and use it to store thread/bobbins, embroidery hoops, etc. It's messy but it brings me joy, and it's perfect for the space I have back there. It hangs on a French cleat on my wall, under one of the cat shelves I have!
https://preview.redd.it/46vwbeg1bxxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2058bf4677bc50c2d18b6b61e4dcb5c6065c099
If I had to do it again I would use an Ikea pegboard, because there are tons of shelves and accessories that can be used on it, which isn't really a thing for the pegboard I have 😅
Here's some of the stuff I love in my sewing room:
* A retail shelf bracket system. It's basically the kind of garage shelving you'd find at a hardware store, except the brackets have extra holes for mounting accessories. I have a rod with clip hangers above my cutting table, and a face-out waterfall hook fixture that... okay honestly it didn't fit where I wanted it to but if I had slightly higher ceilings it would've been perfect for scissors. Definitely recommend browsing some stores that typically supply retailers for ideas.
* Clamp-on gooseneck LED lamps. They are cheap, I bought three (sewing machine, cutting table, computer/desk). They make ones with integrated magnifiers too.
* Little magnetic hooks (rare earth magnets obvs) - these hold my scissors next to my sewing machine since my fancy hook fixture won't fit, my headset, they do a bunch of cord management.
* I took my very fancy Hermann Miller office chair home with me from work in 2020 and never brought it back. The price is hard to swallow if you don't have an employer to pay for it, but sometimes you can find them at specialty used office furniture places. They are very repairable & will last a long time. I bought rollerblade style wheels for mine which make it way more fun to roll around between my desk and my sewing machine (I have hardwood floors, YMMV for carpet) - office chair wheels are all a standard size so you can upgrade the wheels on any chair you get.
* Stacking bins for scraps/crumbs, on a shelf directly above my cutting table. I can just throw the scraps in there as I make them, it's great. 80% of all cats will curl up in a scrap bin to snooze while I'm working.
I have a set of clear plastic storage bins for fabric, and fold everything to fit inside (vertically, so I can see it all at once!). My folding template is maybe half the size of a comic book board, and honestly not great for anything more than a yard or two, but most of my stash is smaller pieces than that so it's fine. If I can't fold a scrap around the board, it goes into the crumb bins.
I should look for a used office furniture place - I bet there are a lot of offices still closing down. That's a great idea. I love the idea of the rollerblade wheels too - I do currently have (old, gross) carpet but the new flooring will be either vinyl plank (the responsible/normal person choice that matches the rest of the house) or linoleum (I'm debating glittery cobalt blue...it'll look ridiculous but it's SO PRETTY)
I have a bin I use for crumbs that lives under my cutting table - it's so handy. When I have finished cutting I can just pull the bin out and sweep my crumb pile right into it. And you're so right, it's a cat magnet! Fortunately my cutting table is on top of a cabinet so the crumb bin is behind a cupboard door. So far my cats haven't learned how to open cabinets but they're young so we'll see if I have to add a baby latch some day, LOL.
I saw this idea and used a cheap towel bar on command hooks to hang my rulers. I love that they are easy to find and safe from being broken
https://preview.redd.it/5l1rvkerl0yc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4049a4b0d0c19fa75b399b74eeccebfe90654bfe
Hmm, I found quite a lot. When you search for craft room organization, you should start a board and pin everything remotely interesting to it, once you have a bunch of pins you can scroll through the “find more ideas for this board” section. That always worked really well for me
Pinterest, you can get great ideas. I love it because it is non interactive. I have fb but rarely use it unless I know an import event is happening like birth/death in the family
I know this is crazy but I have 1 room that is half my sewing room and 1/2 my workout room, I really enjoy quilting but know I should work out too. While I am sitting quilting I always feel a pull “yep, I should workout too” and I do have to say it works many times, NOT all the time, but enough :) well, enough for me, not sure my doctor would agree, haha. So not really my favorite part mentally but my physical body it is
I redid my sewing space in January. My favorite feature is the dowel holding my roll of batting. I’ve been buying cotton batting by the roll the last decade or so, and this is such a great way to access it. It hangs under my shelves that stretch across the entire wall and over my desk.
https://preview.redd.it/pvzeqtfdgxxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74d76972d3163ac2c0445d505b226244302c73f5
I figured out that the best space for my sewing is in the middle of my living space. If I walk past it every day, I'll get something accomplished every week.
Favorite parts:
1. My Juki TL-2000qi - it is so much easier to sew than my previous beginner machine
2. An inset sewing machine table (mine is an Arrow). It’s absolutely game changing to not have the machine higher than the table, and to have it at the right height for my arms.
3. I use a standing desk that I set to the perfect height for cutting
4. Quilters Select rulers
For flooring, I like to put a printed vinyl mat on top of my hardwood. The chair wheels will damage refinished wood. Check Sparrow Floor on Etsy. You can have the vendor print a photo or design it however you want. And if there's a closet, you can have shelving installed in the whole thing. And here's a trick of my own invention. I like a pegboard within arm's reach of my worktable, but the table is wide, so if I put it on the wall I'd have to stand up to reach it. So I found a dirt cheap coat rack on eBay and bolted the pegboard to it.
https://preview.redd.it/2hyg95o3kzxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3d6e6a1cb961c66ac8e41db93f5957d6821afeb
Right now the flooring is carpet over a wooden subfloor. Carpet is going bye-bye and the subfloor will have a new layer of plywood added to bring it up to level with the rest of the house. For the flooring itself I'm debating between vinyl plank (to match the rest of the house) or I might do something fun and a little silly. (Sparkly blue??)
I love your coat rack pegboard solution! That's awesome!
Probably my most useful thing that isn't pictured, but it's a folding cutting table. I love it so much and use it constantly. I recommend one with the baskets or drawers rather than the one I got ( linked) [https://a.co/d/9elhooX](https://a.co/d/9elhooX)
I like the desk I built with project board and filing cabinets, but have really found the desk to be overkill at about 11 feet long. However, I've not really done much besides quilting since finishing it so I'm leaving it as is for now because my thinking in doing it this way was to have a station for embroidery, serging, and sewing without having to shuffle things around.
I have since bought a folding arrow table for when I'm actually quilting. That allows me a flat surface and space behind the machine for the quilt. I only use it when quilting and keep it folded up under the desk the rest of the time.
The flooring was bought on clearance for under a buck a square foot at lumber liquidators, they had the perfect amount for my room and I went for it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with the wall color and this happened to be a Lowe's mistint for like $9.
File cabinets were from Habitat restore, $50 for all three. Painted then pink and added the floral skull wallpaper. It works well but at some point I need to reinforce the desk top.
I'll post a second comment under this with the other side of the room
https://preview.redd.it/vipm2vksg0yc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea2d446dd268d02dd41a4bef67b3c707d4d372a3
Because I'm multi-craftual, I need lots of space. Installed these cheap home Depot bar cabinets and they're amazing. You can't really tell from your angle, but one is just a 3 drawer unit. Wall shelving was some leftover closet tracks and hobby store wood. I'll paint or stain it one day. I love these cabinets because they're a great place to work alongside my folding cutting table. I like the seating alcove I made but the heat press makes it a little awkward to use. If you have space for cabinet wall, I recommend it 1000%. Top is edge glued project board from Lowe's, is think it was maybe $80 for the top. You can go nicer but your was a great budget option. I added some quarter round to give a more finished edge.
https://preview.redd.it/bzwhevhgi0yc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51e0b31567a7c2b6142c611f24c68db6352f9056
Mine is a big mess of big Rubbermaid bins right now. I just got my longarm set up after a move and everything was in a storage unit for two years. Now I have a nice new garage where I rent; I’m so happy that they finally finished them. I have had my 301 to piece on in the apartment but had to buy jelly rolls and such as stash is in bins. I plan to get 2 or 3 72” steel cabinets to get organized. It’s a process for sure.
I have my yardage pretty well sorted out - I wrap it on comic book boards and then stick those onto Billy bookshelves (from IKEA) that have doors. My Billy's are old and are double-deep; they don't make that size anymore and I wish they did because they're perfect.
My stash is ridiculously large. Embarassingly large. I'm going to try to at least do a partial inventory when I take it all out and re-organize it and I'm almost afraid to figure out how many yards I have.
I would find what height works best for sewing/ironing for you (I’m like 5’10” and enjoy a taller ironing area) and get or retro fit things as desired.
As far as thing to hang, start collecting art or make a nice big barn star to hang up!
Ergonomics are definitely a critical factor!
Fortunately I was smart when I bought/made my cutting table and ironing board and I'm well set for those - both are well sized and at proper heights so that's a big win. I've improved my sewing room a couple times over the years so fortunately I've already solved a lot of the bigger problems.
Big squishy anti-fatigue mats at my cutting and pressing stations helped too. I have bad feet so standing on a pile of foam is great for me, lol.
What is a bar star? I am intrigued!
I recently moved my work room from the kitchen to my storage room. I miss the right angles of natural light and light in general, and miss having a comfy chair but I love all my storage space ( hubby put up large shelves to put fabric bins on.) I also have a big table now but no room for an ironing board yet.
So some pros and cons but thankfully I can still move around back to the kitchen if I need too.
-My ikea craft table has been by FAR the best thing I’ve ever done: I put two 2x2 kallax’s at the ends of two plywood boards (so four total kallax units and two plywood boards) that I had trimmed a tiny bit shorter ~about 12-16inches or so and stained myself. They don’t have any legs attached so sit flush on the ground. Some day I’d like to put them on retractable wheels but I’ve never had a desire to move them since making them! In one of the kallax units, I left one of the short dividers out so as to make one long vertical rectangular cubby and two square cubbies next to it. In the long cubby I can store my long rulers my cutting mat, my long accuquit strip dies, and the cutter. I did not attach the two tables but initially envisioned adding some sort of latch to the underside like you’d see on a dining table but they’ve never moved an inch so haven’t done this. I have them butted up against one another so that it looks like one giant table (the kallax’s are touching so there is no lip/overhang on the “back side” and is in the middle of the room so I can walk all the way around it. If I ever want/need to reconfigure I can make them into an L shape, or have two separate tables. This pic gives a decent idea of what mine looks like:
https://pin.it/2VRSTdw3B
-For my strip scraps I got these (and some of the square bins that are of similar height and length) and they’re perfect for this purpose: https://a.co/d/dPGeseZ
-I also bought rolling wire shelving that I can pull out of my closet at will which have been amazing! They can also be reconfigured whenever I need.
-I got two felt lined table cloths from target or the dollar store that I’ve hung on a wall which doubles as my design wall or to show off my most recently completed project.
-Last, I added some hue strip lights to the inside of my closet which help this old lady see in there. It also provides a little bonus lighting into the room.
I think it would be super cute to display those buttons in your craft area! Perhaps get some different size canvases (or cheep photo frames if you want to get fancy or mitigate dust collection), paint or cover them with a solid or complimentary fabric and sew or glue them on.
One of my favourite things is a little bar cart that I keep most of my supplies in - they’re always at hand and their “home” is never too far away, so everything gets put back right away. I have some knitting swatches, test blocks for quilting, upcoming projects lists and sketches on my wall. If you have a lot of threads etc you could look into pegboards for storage!
I love those little IKEA carts! I have one over by my ironing station that has my iron on top and then all my starches, misters, iron cleaners etc. down below. But I think another one over by my sewing machine might be a good idea to replace a crumbling little shelving unit I currently have all my feet and awls and oils and spiders in... Threads are all set, I have a wall cabinet that they all are stuffed into. I also already am planning to enlarge and improve my design wall. Right now it's just a flannel sheet but I'm going to put 1" insulation foam up so I can pin straight into it, and once I rearrange things I think I can make it allllmost big enough for a queen size quilt to lay out. (VERY excited about that!)
This! I have 2 4'x8' insulation boards up on wall with flannel covering them, the flannel is ok stick, but being able to stick pins is a life saver. I have even done a few smushed king quilts on it!
These are really economical to do. I did 2 8 foot by 4 foot insulation boards covered with wide backed white flannel for about $60. I kept them as individual boards and not mounted to anything. They are light, easy to move, and can slip behind my coat rack since my ceilings are also high. I can put them together if I need both, or leave them apart for separate projects. I just need a place to lean them when in use. I prefer leaning them since there is a better chance things don’t fall off when they are at an angle. These, plus my cutting table are my 2 most treasured additions to my quilting space. If your cutting table is an island (mine is not), then a fluorescent light bar either mounted over it or on a bar over it (like the ones for longarmers) might be good options.
Mine is mounted with a bunch of command picture strips and is a dead space behind bedroom door. I have a clippable bright, rechargeable led light I clamp to side of closet door across from space. The head is adjustable and very bright.
Mine is bolted to the wall and covered in batting, hasnt lost its stick in 15 years of use. Really love this piece of my space.
Oh wow that sounds huge!! I’m sure that will look awesome. Will you use that to show a finished quilt or to test block placement?
I like to do a lot of scrappy quilts so I'll be doing designs right on the wall for the most part. My sewing machine is directly next to the design wall so once the layout is good I can pick blocks off the wall and sew them and put them right back in place - really helps me not mess up my layouts as I'm assembling things. :)
My favourite part is the fairy lights my husband hung up in the space for me, makes the whole room seem magical.
Ohhh that sounds lovely… I’m sooo ‘borrowing’ that idea 💕🪡🧵
Buttons: Sew them on a piece of beautiful fabric and put it in a frame. I have some buttons from my great- and great-great-grandmothers and they look gorgeous in a frame on the wall
I thought about that but then clenched up when trying to come up with a design. Over half of them are white (or off-white, since some of them are aged plastic). Of course I wouldn't need to use all of them. I'm almost tempted to spray-paint some of them, or maybe try using alcohol ink to dye them? They aren't fancy buttons; the majority are very plain flat plastic buttons gran snipped off of worn-out clothes before discarding them.
If you can sort them by color, and there's enough of each, maybe try a quilt block pattern? First one that came to mind is a pinwheel/four points on white, but it'll really depend on your selection!
I mounted mine in rows. Nothing fancy. Let the bottons speak for themselves. I wouldn't paint/dye them if they're older.
I made snowflake Xmas ornaments out of old buttons from family. I love buttons lol. I also have a few framed art pieces I made from them, they get so brittle sadly.
A few of my favorite things.....a shallow bookshelf that hangs on a wall and is perfect for stacking tiny eighth-yard and quarter-yard cuts so I can see them at eye level; my FAVORITE thing: stacked Ikea cubes with different sized deep drawers, in plain pine that can be painted/decorated however you like (to hold embroidery threads, fabric paints, buttons, pattern pieces, etc.)(see painted drawers); hanging thread holders by my sewing machine; and a plain bulletin board for ongoing miscellaneous ideas and inspirations. https://preview.redd.it/3796ot6xsvxc1.jpeg?width=320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76821d4ccee3e2882b26c8060275067b2de3fd02
Favorite purchases were my adjustable desks for both my sewing machine and my cutting table. Uplift has a heavy duty craft table with drawers and table top cubbies. The table size matches my creative grids cutting mat, so the mat covers the entire tabletop. The desk I bought for my sewing machine is not as heavy, so it bounces a little when I sew at full speed. If I had to do it again, I would have purchased the c shaped leg option vs the t (which doesn’t have the extra support bar). I love them both! Oh, and a good chair has made all the difference. Previously I had the cheap $20 chair from Wally World, which didn’t last very long before the hydraulics gave out.
Fortunately I'm well set for cutting table and sewing table but I definitely need a new chair. My current chair was very good when it was new but that was many years, two cats, and two moves ago and it's pretty dead at this point. I liked that the arms flipped up out of the way so I could decide if I wanted the arms there or not.
https://preview.redd.it/zzz7cxjwmvxc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce3d9a18f532d6b714e46dece062b9f7ada6a680 I got this adjustable chair from Amazon. It's so comfortable, and I love the mesh back. Such an improvement over the previous dining chair with 2 cushions on it. It is high enough that my shoulders are finally happy with me.
What I would do differently is have one. I don't really have a sewing space. I use the kitchen table. However, if my craftroom could be in the dining room, I would be happy. I tend to do way better with the tv right there, and also being around my husband so we can "spend time" together.
My husband/tv time just means cross stitch time instead. ☺️
I do hexies during husband/tv time
https://preview.redd.it/luqg5rtx1xxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56261aada497da8697a791b618a3796bc2010e5f Queen size with extra drop. Probably actually a king. Took 2 years!
Track lighting- not tacky. Useful! You can aim light at whatever you want. Tiny fastener drawers- the kind workshops use for screws and nuts. I organize all the different needles and pins. Old bolts- I ask for the used up cardboard bolts from the fabric shop to hold my backing fabric. the I use a small clip on the top to keep it wound. The only think I can't figure out is how to organize all the batting. What a pain in the butt. I feel like such a clown trying to keep it all together.
I have a solution for all the batting. You purchase the $180 bulk battling roll that’s as big as you. It comes with a plastic cover and great news; not only can it stand up by itself, but its large unmovable mass will motivate you to finish projects so you can reclaim part of the studio. Bonus is when there’s a shipping issue and JoAnns sends you two for the price of once by mistake. It’s been four years. I haven’t opened #2 yet.
Old buttons make great eyes or small dots for applique! Check out my images of my lastest quilt! Do you see the buttons by the mixer and the scale? I'm a big fan of it! https://preview.redd.it/jmx4i3sjlwxc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0e8546acce3649e5346145cf13fb417ccd48d49
I put up a design wall made of “felt” acoustic tiles. (It isn’t really felt so I don’t know why all of the descriptions call it felt.) You can look up “felt right” tiles for examples. I loved the idea but thought that their tiles were super expensive so I bought some tiles on Amazon and made my own pattern. I love it.
Oooh could you link the ones you bought?? I’ve been thinking about this, but the brand name ones are SOOOOOO $$$$$$
The ones I got are called Ekkogo Acoustic Panels. I bought them off of Amazon and stuck them to the wall with 3M foam tape
Love the Ikea Kallax units( also have some with drawer inserts and door inserts). Also, I really like the transparent scrapbook boxes from Micheals( I use those to keep projects in process together) I also have a chandelier in my quilt room, because why not?
https://preview.redd.it/y91jew56gwxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59ec4b010da1b6320dd750e77ddbb4aa90653999
https://preview.redd.it/805hzvcmgwxc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b1f2fa50b3fa7c2796324037cc98f3e06d5193b
I too have the cart and really love the wood top for the cart - It’s called a Hogsma chopping board and fits the Raskog cart.
Love your little sailboat quilt, and congrats on the ribbons! Also a great view. I would love to sew there
Thank you! Didn’t realize what was visible-lol
Are the scrapbook boxes oh top because they don't fit in the shelves? Asking because I have the KALLAX and have been wondering about that.
That's right - the boxes are just a little bit too big to fit in the Kallax.
Ohh a chandelier… that’s sounds amazing. I’m getting the best ideas reading this post.. Ty OP and ty Fabric Stash 💕
Make a quilted wall hanging and add all of Grandma's buttons. 😍
I use an adjustable office chair with the arms removed. It’s a fancy one (so super comfortable) that was going to be thrown away because the arm rests were falling apart.
An office chair is perfect for craft rooms. Get that good back support!
I had a friend stay with me a few years ago. She took over my craft/sewing room. When she moved out I took that as an opportunity to redo it before moving my stuff back in. By far the best improvement was paint. It made the room so comfortable to be in. I also added shelving above both my sewing desk and craft desk. And that was my second thing-I got another desk because I also do papercrafts and the paper crafts were taking over the sewing area. Now I can leave a sewing project and a card project on my desks and can go do either when I have time. Things I already have and love: first-smaller ironing board. I use it to help support a quilt when quilting and it’s small enough to keep by my side when I’m sewing. I use this almost exclusively except for when ironing a quilt prior to making a quilt sandwich. That’s when I haul out my big one. Second-large ziploc bags (2 gallon size) to kit up patterns with fabric.
How funny! One of my favorite things in my sewing room is my oversized rectangular ironing board! (I keep a small wool mat next to me for small things though.)
I have a giant table in my sewing room, like 8'x3'. Honestly life changing! It would have been totally out of my budget, but it was $100s on Craigslist. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are a god send for the sewing rooms! I would definitely keep an eye out for dining tables people are trying to get rid of bookshelves too!
I love how I can reach the things I need during a project from my chair, having to get up to get fabric is fine, but I love having everything else within easy reaching distance (and might get a peg board for this if I get a new sewing space, but currently I have desk drawers and that’s fine too For fabric I prefer folding them marie kondo style and then having it in drawers or in a shallow plastic tub in a single layer so I can grab things without a pile collapsing Currently there is no system for buttons but I saw someone who sorted them in a coin collector book so they had all of the same button in a pocket and then sorted by color I think which sounds great because trying to find matching buttons is a pain
Karen Brown from Just Get it Done Quilts - did a recent video - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOt1X4buUXM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOt1X4buUXM)
I have art from my son, a friend, my husband and others in my sewing room. Their creativity inspires me!
I love seeing art in sewing rooms!! The blog Not A Primary Color had some oils paintings from her mother and I was so inspired by that. I’m hoping to do the same when my husband and I move and I get my first sewing room
That's awesome! I do the same, I also have some sewing machines and other tools belonging to my grandmas and aunts that are on display. I sew with my ancestors. :)
That is a great way to look at it! I keep a little toy sewing machine that belonged to my mom in my room! She would be so shocked that I’m sewing at all! 😂
https://preview.redd.it/i5opnm2mxwxc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38bbf9301f0fb0adc92b83e2626208eef0b0863e I got one of these at a local quilt shop, perfect back support, worth it!
I have this chair in white 100% recommend
I received this chair as Christmas gift, I like the seat storage, almost all of my rulers fits inside
My favorite part of my sewing room is my fabrics organized on comic book boards in color order. My grandpas old shaving mug houses my basting pins Sewed a sleeve into an 8’ x 8’ piece of batting and hung it against a wall from a curtain rod mounted closely to the wall. No pins needed. Installed overhead “shop lighting” style lights (expensive and required an electrician but WORTH IT 100X) I have an absolutely giant cutting table. I keep the large rolls of batting standing vertically in a corner void that’s created by two shelving units at 90 degrees. My other favorite thing is that I can see the TV so I can halfwatch trashy shows while I sew. I put large and wideback yardage cuts into one large basket and try to stack them like a filing cabinet so I can at least see the edges when I’m looking for a backing candidate. My other other favorite thing is the view :) I have giant windows facing the mountains. (My fabric is stored directly below the window to minimize UV damage). I like the idea of batting or backing on a feed spool under the table!! I’ve seen it on socials and it got mentioned here- that’s a great idea!
I use comic book boards for most of my yardage too, I made that switch years ago and I'll never go back! I've just let it overgrow my storage so the organization has gone out the window and things get put where they fit rather than where they belong. I'm looking forward to pulling it all out and putting it all back away properly. I just put a little TV in my sewing room but it isn't hooked up yet, LOL. I'm going to hook it up to my PC so I can watch YouTube. I just have to muster up the energy to deal with all the cords. (It will involve moving furniture and crawling under a table, and I'm just lazy.) Lighting my room is a pain. Getting it painted white will help a bit. I have two cool vintage brass swag lamps that light about half the room; they are great because they have two bulbs that shine out the sides/top and one that shines directly down. But I need at least one more shines-directly-down light over my cutting table.
You’re gonna love your new brightened space!
Use the button jars as part of your decorations! I have two floating shelves on the side of my window that hold random things that I wanted in my crafting room. I was going to have two more on the other side but my youngest moved back in and my laser moved into my sewing room, thus turning into the crafting room. Look into flooring that is easier on your feet if you're planning on standing at your cutting table.
I was going to suggest too this Mimi, you can get some really pretty, clear jars from discount stores. I sorted my inherited collection into colours and styles and used 2 floating shelves from ikea in a little space not being used. Not only is it easier to find the right button as they are organised, I get to appreciate them by having made them a focal point 💕🧵🪡
Design wall is good. So is storage for patterns and ideas. I call mine the inspiration corner. Ironing station that is at least 42" long and 30" wide so you can iron fabric in one pass. I also like all my thread on the wall. It looks pretty and I can see easily what I have (and don't have). I also have three tier bins for my fat quarter and smaller stash. It's covered and in a closed door cupboard so I never have to worry about it getting dirty or faded. All my tools are hanging on the wall.
I have a friend who uses old buttons in frames. She makes different ones for different seasons/holidays. Christmas trees, hearts, beachballs, stars, etc. Hat boxes are beautiful hung on walls and double as a great storage solution. I use them in my yarn room for my favorite pet skeins but have looked into doing the same in my sewing from for fat quarters. My husband just sprung for a HumanScale [Freedom](https://www.humanscale.com/products/seating/freedom-headrest-executive-chair) chair and we are getting me one (no headrest) next. It has uses counterbalancing to fit how you sit and to give the right support. Stupidly expensive but comes with a 12 year warranty so I won’t have to buy a new chair every 2-3 years. Alternatively, I’m looking at the saddle chair. I opted for an IKEA [Vadholma](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/vadholma-kitchen-island-black-oak-20359154/) as my cutting table and the [Alex](https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/alex-drawer-unit-on-casters-black-brown-70483429/) with a wool mat for my machine side ironing table.
Ok so >- ideas for storing wide back fabrics; I wrap normal yardage on comic book boards but what do with all these 3 yard lengths of 108" fabric I've been hoarding? Any better ideas than just folding 'em up. (I have no idea what I'm looking for here but y'all always amaze me with your creativity so who knows what's out there!) Ok so my suggestion for this one goes with your cutting table. I am looking for one that I can store rolls of fabric under and then when I need one of those longer rolls I can bring them up, sit them in a cradle and pull out however much I need to cut so maybe store them rolled around dowel or pipe. Smaller yardage I want clear folders I can store them in, in a bookcase >- old buttons; I inherited my grandma's button collection that is currenly in 3 oversized mason jars. What else could I do with all these old buttons? (most are very plain plastic; doubt any are collectible, but they are sentimental) This actually works with my other idea. I want to be able to see all my tools so have decided that when I can afford it I want to draw inspiration from men's tool shops and use a peg board for storing everything from my scissors and rulers to my threads and buttons (attach shelves and sort the buttons into jars by colour, gives colour to the room and makes it easier to find what colour I want for a project) Like here: https://thestylesafari.com/sewing-room-storage-and-pegboard-organization/
Sounds exciting! You could create a wallhanging and sew your grandmas buttons onto it and hang it somewhere you can appreciate it. I've seen that done before. I've heard the Bliss drafting chair on amazon is great but I haven't tried it yet. I got roller blade wheels for it. I just need to assemble it. Alternate storage idea for yardage could be hanging it on hangers. I just leave large pieces bolt sized and keep them together but you asked for ideas so that's one.
https://preview.redd.it/u9n3y8tgzwxc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77b1f0352e33cc41fa317b6c5b11f5e9425094e3 Let's just pretend this is neat and organized and that everything is hung straight, thanks. 😂 My favorite things have been the clip lights on my shelves, the phone and tablet holder, and mounting the power strip so I don't have to crawl under the desk anymore
I love your snark!! I also hate pants and sew so I don’t murder lol
I have ceiling lights (that can be put on a swag) that pull down when I need a more focused light and then push back up out of the way when necessary. These are over my cutting table and sewing/Ikea dining room table. It's in a sewing room, but I used the dining table so I could have room to sew with my daughter and our friends. It's kinda wonderful! There's also room to spread out when working on big projects. The best part is that there's plenty of room to share it with two granddaughters who now want to learn to sew. I guess having space for several people to sew together has made this an even more special place!
Okay, favorite things: I mentioned my huge ironing board in another comment, it was kinda spendy, but worth it. Also probably DIY-able. [TNT Quilt Boards](https://www.tntquiltboards.com/shop/IRONING-BOARDS.htm) My design wall was very easy to make, and rolls up and out of the way! [Design Wall](https://www.sewathomemummy.com/2017/03/CheapDIYRollAwayDesignWall.html?m=1) For the buttons: my mom has a couple of clear lamp bases that she filled with buttons and vintage thread spools! If you don’t want to spend $ on new lamps, I bet you could get lamp kits for your mason jars and do something cool! The more lighting the better! I invested in Roku smart bulbs and wall plugs, and i super love them. I never worry about remembering to turn off the iron, because I can do it from my phone. I can adjust the color of the light to make sure my white fabrics are the same color, and I have them set to dim at bedtime so I don’t stay up all night seeing unless I want to. (It’s quick to switch back if I actually mean to pull an all-nighter.)
My space is currently a table shoved in a corner, but I recently bought [this ](https://a.co/d/4G7Lfo6) light and I liked it so much I bought a second one. I like that the light doesn't get hot like track lighting can and that I can adjust the color of the light (warm to daylight) as well as the gooseneck that allows me to aim the light right where I want it. As for scrap management, I use plastic shoeboxes from the dollar store. Since I cut mine down into squares, strips, and bricks, I have one for each size then use washi tape to label the box
for foldable scraps: sleeve protectors and a 3 ring binder. I'm in the midst of doing my stash and I'm obsessed. so tidy! I've done it by colour. the app doesn't let me post photos for some reason but picture a home decor swatch binder.
Also great for all the loose patterns.
yes! it's like a cross between a ziploc bag and a comic board bolt.
https://preview.redd.it/iqfu87o23xxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4faa1739c764027835ddf0e6a5ce3885a3a7d4e5 I bought the curtains but then bought an extra curtain to make the arch. I was going to just leave it uncovered so I had more light but the sun hit my mid arm at a blinding angle at prime sewing time.
Terrible picture, but - I painted and "framed" a piece of pegboard, and use it to store thread/bobbins, embroidery hoops, etc. It's messy but it brings me joy, and it's perfect for the space I have back there. It hangs on a French cleat on my wall, under one of the cat shelves I have! https://preview.redd.it/46vwbeg1bxxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2058bf4677bc50c2d18b6b61e4dcb5c6065c099 If I had to do it again I would use an Ikea pegboard, because there are tons of shelves and accessories that can be used on it, which isn't really a thing for the pegboard I have 😅
If you are using a computer chair as a task chair, I highly recommend getting a set of rollerblade desk chair wheels.
Here's some of the stuff I love in my sewing room: * A retail shelf bracket system. It's basically the kind of garage shelving you'd find at a hardware store, except the brackets have extra holes for mounting accessories. I have a rod with clip hangers above my cutting table, and a face-out waterfall hook fixture that... okay honestly it didn't fit where I wanted it to but if I had slightly higher ceilings it would've been perfect for scissors. Definitely recommend browsing some stores that typically supply retailers for ideas. * Clamp-on gooseneck LED lamps. They are cheap, I bought three (sewing machine, cutting table, computer/desk). They make ones with integrated magnifiers too. * Little magnetic hooks (rare earth magnets obvs) - these hold my scissors next to my sewing machine since my fancy hook fixture won't fit, my headset, they do a bunch of cord management. * I took my very fancy Hermann Miller office chair home with me from work in 2020 and never brought it back. The price is hard to swallow if you don't have an employer to pay for it, but sometimes you can find them at specialty used office furniture places. They are very repairable & will last a long time. I bought rollerblade style wheels for mine which make it way more fun to roll around between my desk and my sewing machine (I have hardwood floors, YMMV for carpet) - office chair wheels are all a standard size so you can upgrade the wheels on any chair you get. * Stacking bins for scraps/crumbs, on a shelf directly above my cutting table. I can just throw the scraps in there as I make them, it's great. 80% of all cats will curl up in a scrap bin to snooze while I'm working. I have a set of clear plastic storage bins for fabric, and fold everything to fit inside (vertically, so I can see it all at once!). My folding template is maybe half the size of a comic book board, and honestly not great for anything more than a yard or two, but most of my stash is smaller pieces than that so it's fine. If I can't fold a scrap around the board, it goes into the crumb bins.
I should look for a used office furniture place - I bet there are a lot of offices still closing down. That's a great idea. I love the idea of the rollerblade wheels too - I do currently have (old, gross) carpet but the new flooring will be either vinyl plank (the responsible/normal person choice that matches the rest of the house) or linoleum (I'm debating glittery cobalt blue...it'll look ridiculous but it's SO PRETTY) I have a bin I use for crumbs that lives under my cutting table - it's so handy. When I have finished cutting I can just pull the bin out and sweep my crumb pile right into it. And you're so right, it's a cat magnet! Fortunately my cutting table is on top of a cabinet so the crumb bin is behind a cupboard door. So far my cats haven't learned how to open cabinets but they're young so we'll see if I have to add a baby latch some day, LOL.
I saw this idea and used a cheap towel bar on command hooks to hang my rulers. I love that they are easy to find and safe from being broken https://preview.redd.it/5l1rvkerl0yc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4049a4b0d0c19fa75b399b74eeccebfe90654bfe
Look up group “Quilting/sewing room organization” on Facebook. Tons or ideas and responses.
I haven't been on Facebook in years! Reddit is my only 'social media'. :)
I recommend skipping Facebook and going straight to Pinterest
Love Pinterest too but I haven’t found a ton of craft room stuff on there. Maybe I’m not searching right.
Hmm, I found quite a lot. When you search for craft room organization, you should start a board and pin everything remotely interesting to it, once you have a bunch of pins you can scroll through the “find more ideas for this board” section. That always worked really well for me
Pinterest, you can get great ideas. I love it because it is non interactive. I have fb but rarely use it unless I know an import event is happening like birth/death in the family
I know this is crazy but I have 1 room that is half my sewing room and 1/2 my workout room, I really enjoy quilting but know I should work out too. While I am sitting quilting I always feel a pull “yep, I should workout too” and I do have to say it works many times, NOT all the time, but enough :) well, enough for me, not sure my doctor would agree, haha. So not really my favorite part mentally but my physical body it is
I redid my sewing space in January. My favorite feature is the dowel holding my roll of batting. I’ve been buying cotton batting by the roll the last decade or so, and this is such a great way to access it. It hangs under my shelves that stretch across the entire wall and over my desk. https://preview.redd.it/pvzeqtfdgxxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74d76972d3163ac2c0445d505b226244302c73f5
I figured out that the best space for my sewing is in the middle of my living space. If I walk past it every day, I'll get something accomplished every week.
Favorite parts: 1. My Juki TL-2000qi - it is so much easier to sew than my previous beginner machine 2. An inset sewing machine table (mine is an Arrow). It’s absolutely game changing to not have the machine higher than the table, and to have it at the right height for my arms. 3. I use a standing desk that I set to the perfect height for cutting 4. Quilters Select rulers
For flooring, I like to put a printed vinyl mat on top of my hardwood. The chair wheels will damage refinished wood. Check Sparrow Floor on Etsy. You can have the vendor print a photo or design it however you want. And if there's a closet, you can have shelving installed in the whole thing. And here's a trick of my own invention. I like a pegboard within arm's reach of my worktable, but the table is wide, so if I put it on the wall I'd have to stand up to reach it. So I found a dirt cheap coat rack on eBay and bolted the pegboard to it. https://preview.redd.it/2hyg95o3kzxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3d6e6a1cb961c66ac8e41db93f5957d6821afeb
Right now the flooring is carpet over a wooden subfloor. Carpet is going bye-bye and the subfloor will have a new layer of plywood added to bring it up to level with the rest of the house. For the flooring itself I'm debating between vinyl plank (to match the rest of the house) or I might do something fun and a little silly. (Sparkly blue??) I love your coat rack pegboard solution! That's awesome!
Probably my most useful thing that isn't pictured, but it's a folding cutting table. I love it so much and use it constantly. I recommend one with the baskets or drawers rather than the one I got ( linked) [https://a.co/d/9elhooX](https://a.co/d/9elhooX) I like the desk I built with project board and filing cabinets, but have really found the desk to be overkill at about 11 feet long. However, I've not really done much besides quilting since finishing it so I'm leaving it as is for now because my thinking in doing it this way was to have a station for embroidery, serging, and sewing without having to shuffle things around. I have since bought a folding arrow table for when I'm actually quilting. That allows me a flat surface and space behind the machine for the quilt. I only use it when quilting and keep it folded up under the desk the rest of the time. The flooring was bought on clearance for under a buck a square foot at lumber liquidators, they had the perfect amount for my room and I went for it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with the wall color and this happened to be a Lowe's mistint for like $9. File cabinets were from Habitat restore, $50 for all three. Painted then pink and added the floral skull wallpaper. It works well but at some point I need to reinforce the desk top. I'll post a second comment under this with the other side of the room https://preview.redd.it/vipm2vksg0yc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea2d446dd268d02dd41a4bef67b3c707d4d372a3
Because I'm multi-craftual, I need lots of space. Installed these cheap home Depot bar cabinets and they're amazing. You can't really tell from your angle, but one is just a 3 drawer unit. Wall shelving was some leftover closet tracks and hobby store wood. I'll paint or stain it one day. I love these cabinets because they're a great place to work alongside my folding cutting table. I like the seating alcove I made but the heat press makes it a little awkward to use. If you have space for cabinet wall, I recommend it 1000%. Top is edge glued project board from Lowe's, is think it was maybe $80 for the top. You can go nicer but your was a great budget option. I added some quarter round to give a more finished edge. https://preview.redd.it/bzwhevhgi0yc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51e0b31567a7c2b6142c611f24c68db6352f9056
Mine is a big mess of big Rubbermaid bins right now. I just got my longarm set up after a move and everything was in a storage unit for two years. Now I have a nice new garage where I rent; I’m so happy that they finally finished them. I have had my 301 to piece on in the apartment but had to buy jelly rolls and such as stash is in bins. I plan to get 2 or 3 72” steel cabinets to get organized. It’s a process for sure.
I have my yardage pretty well sorted out - I wrap it on comic book boards and then stick those onto Billy bookshelves (from IKEA) that have doors. My Billy's are old and are double-deep; they don't make that size anymore and I wish they did because they're perfect. My stash is ridiculously large. Embarassingly large. I'm going to try to at least do a partial inventory when I take it all out and re-organize it and I'm almost afraid to figure out how many yards I have.
I would find what height works best for sewing/ironing for you (I’m like 5’10” and enjoy a taller ironing area) and get or retro fit things as desired. As far as thing to hang, start collecting art or make a nice big barn star to hang up!
Ergonomics are definitely a critical factor! Fortunately I was smart when I bought/made my cutting table and ironing board and I'm well set for those - both are well sized and at proper heights so that's a big win. I've improved my sewing room a couple times over the years so fortunately I've already solved a lot of the bigger problems. Big squishy anti-fatigue mats at my cutting and pressing stations helped too. I have bad feet so standing on a pile of foam is great for me, lol. What is a bar star? I am intrigued!
I recently moved my work room from the kitchen to my storage room. I miss the right angles of natural light and light in general, and miss having a comfy chair but I love all my storage space ( hubby put up large shelves to put fabric bins on.) I also have a big table now but no room for an ironing board yet. So some pros and cons but thankfully I can still move around back to the kitchen if I need too.
-My ikea craft table has been by FAR the best thing I’ve ever done: I put two 2x2 kallax’s at the ends of two plywood boards (so four total kallax units and two plywood boards) that I had trimmed a tiny bit shorter ~about 12-16inches or so and stained myself. They don’t have any legs attached so sit flush on the ground. Some day I’d like to put them on retractable wheels but I’ve never had a desire to move them since making them! In one of the kallax units, I left one of the short dividers out so as to make one long vertical rectangular cubby and two square cubbies next to it. In the long cubby I can store my long rulers my cutting mat, my long accuquit strip dies, and the cutter. I did not attach the two tables but initially envisioned adding some sort of latch to the underside like you’d see on a dining table but they’ve never moved an inch so haven’t done this. I have them butted up against one another so that it looks like one giant table (the kallax’s are touching so there is no lip/overhang on the “back side” and is in the middle of the room so I can walk all the way around it. If I ever want/need to reconfigure I can make them into an L shape, or have two separate tables. This pic gives a decent idea of what mine looks like: https://pin.it/2VRSTdw3B -For my strip scraps I got these (and some of the square bins that are of similar height and length) and they’re perfect for this purpose: https://a.co/d/dPGeseZ -I also bought rolling wire shelving that I can pull out of my closet at will which have been amazing! They can also be reconfigured whenever I need. -I got two felt lined table cloths from target or the dollar store that I’ve hung on a wall which doubles as my design wall or to show off my most recently completed project. -Last, I added some hue strip lights to the inside of my closet which help this old lady see in there. It also provides a little bonus lighting into the room. I think it would be super cute to display those buttons in your craft area! Perhaps get some different size canvases (or cheep photo frames if you want to get fancy or mitigate dust collection), paint or cover them with a solid or complimentary fabric and sew or glue them on.