# Need help with organizing new sewing studio



## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

I am finally moving into my new sewing building and am truly confused with how to organize it. I am asking for any ideas y'all might have. The building is 12'x32' but I am mostly making one end of it my main sewing room and it is about 12'x14'. Tomorrow I am going to take some pictures and will try to learn how to post them. All ideas appreciated.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

One of the first things I did when I finally had my own sewing room was get my fabric out of the bins and bags and get it organized on shelves. I have a 6"x24" ruler that I use to wrap yardage around and then I pull it off and fold in half to make it all uniform. It makes everything look so neat when it's all folded the same and sorted by color and put up.

I also use a dining room table for my large cutting mat and sewing machine. To the right of my machine is the design wall. This is nothing fancy, just a large piece of poly batt stapled to the wall. I had always arranged my piecing on the floor until I moved here. The cat and dog made that impossible. I wish I'd done it ages ago. Makes it so much easier.

I miss having my own sewing room(moved to a much smaller house).


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

I'm no organizing expert <snort> by any means....but check out this multi-part blog post - this woman is an organization perfectionist! I had the pleasure of meeting her a few weeks ago (I didn't know this was her until afterward when I saw her blog - I had seen pics of her stuff before, though) - she gave my friend and I a hand quilting lession AND she loaned me her Roxanne thimble until mine came in last week. She is very nice, an excellent and creative quilter - she won best of show last year at the Sauder Village show - very impressive. 

FABRIC THERAPY: STASH ORGANIZATION: Part 1 - FABRIC


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

Things to think about:

~I prefer to see a design wall from a distance. I think it allows you to see the quilt from an over-all perspective; it also encourages you to get up and move around periodically.

~I think having a cutting station that you can walk around is a huge help. I cut on the end of a table that sits perpendicular to the wall...so I can walk on 3 sides. Being able to move around something you're cutting makes it more accurate and more efficient in your time.

~If you need wall space to hang thread organizers or rulers, think about where you have that and make your sewing station closer to that.

~The types of organizers/shelving/tables/shelves must help you determine how you lay things out. If you are starting with a clean slate and can purchase any/everything, that's different.

~I prefer to face the door when sitting & sewing...I'm just like that. Do you care? or would you like to look out a door/window?

~I agree that folding fabric on shelves and being able to group by colors is very helpful in using what you already have. I also have basket slide out drawers for pieces smaller than a FQ. These are also organized by color. If you precut scraps, think about how you have those organized.

Organizing a new/fresh space can be so much fun! Enjoy the process.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I don't have suggestions for organizing but one thing I do want for my sewing room is a comfy chair with arms. I'm just not sure what I want that's why I don't have it. I'm thinking not too big but maybe w/a foot stool. I sew watching movies & listening to books and I could definitely use a nicer chair when hand sewing.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't have any suggestions---my own sewing area is a disaster!

Just wanted to say Congrats, and can't wait to see the pics. Whatever you do, you will probably readjust a bit over time, till you have it perfect.

Dandish, I have NEVER seen so much fabric--that woman must have spent her child's inheritance!


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

Well, so much for pictures today. I had to take my grandson to Mobile to the eye doctor and medical doctor. It is raining here but I'll get some pictures tomorrow. I have 2 upper and 2 base cabinets that are drawers. That's all for right now but my DS is going to build a counter across one end for my sewing area with storage underneath. I am going to make an ironing center on top of the base cabinets if I can figure out how. I wasn't sure if it would be better to do the fabric by color or purpose so thanks for that info. I like to sew at a window for light and I just like being able to see outside. I have a 5' dining table for a cutting table which I might need to raise a little. Thanks for all the help and any more ideas will be appreciated.


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

If I remember your room and what you've said, if storage/counter is going along one end wall, then I'd put your sewing table perpendicular to and against the window wall with your back to the counter. THen I'd float the cutting station sort along the opposite wall (from your sewing/window) perpendicular to both, but not against the wall, so you can move around it. Does that make sense? 

Maybe a design wall could hang between your sewing window and the counter? Or at least an ironing board? Or a design wall could be behind the cutting table opposite your sewing/window?

If you wanted, you could hang pegboard between the upper & lower counter cabinets and hang rulers and tools so they are visual. If not that, then maybe wooden ruler trays on the countertop. 

Just some thoughts...I love organizing, esp. if it's someone else's space!!


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

I googled images and found these tables made with cabinets....

Redirect Notice

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Redirect Notice


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## Wildfire_Jewel (Nov 5, 2006)

I tried sorting my fabric by type/purpose and I found myself getting very frustrated digging thru the stacks in the bins. I just reorganized everything by colors and folded everything so that it could be placed in the bins like files. It has made a world of difference in being able to find things. The majority of the containers are clear as well so I can at a glance see what I want. My hubby helped me hang the wire shelving all the way around the very top of the walls so all my bins are up and out of the way. My sewing table is a large peninsula from a office desk system. At this point it is against the wall but we will be turning it so that both my daughter and I can work at both sides w/o getting in each others way. It will also allow me to be running my embroidery machine while I am sewing on one of my other machines. I use desk chairs so that I can just roll from one machine to the next. I scored an old metal pattern drawer stack for free off Craigslist so all my patterns are in that. Once a pattern has been used I put them in ziplock bags to keep all the peices together. I also purchased a thread rack and hung that on the wall (I need to get another one). I hung a little plastic unit with the clear parts bins in it for all my feet for the machine, needles, bobbins, little tools and specialty threads. I also scored (for FREE) what is supposed to be a daycare shelving unit that has open shelves on one side and 9 clear bins and 2 shelves on the other. This holds all of my ribbons, laces, notions, paints and stamps. The tops is my cutting table. It is a bit short but at some point I plan on making a stand for it to raise it up to a more comfortable height. I have more shelves (made from the sides of an old water bed - HEAVY) above this table where I keep all my buttons sorted by colors, my styrofoam mannequin heads and a bunch of misc. 

You will find that you will change it around several times until you find what really works for you!
Have fun!
Melissa


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

Pictures by Fae_photos - Photobucket


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I LOVE your building! I keep saying I need one such as that to live in, and a separate one right beside it to have for sewing room. Enjoy the heck out of it.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

Here is a picture of my former sewing room (haven't lived in that house for 6 years). We build in everything. This room was actually larger than yours, it was a former 1-car garage that we fully enclosed to become a family/sewing room but, as you can see in the photos, I only used the back half for my sewing and that would be about the same amount of space that you have.


Beautiful sewing room pictures to brighten your day on Webshots


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

sewserious, thanks for the pictures of your space. I can use lots of ideas. The biggest drawback of my space is height. There is a loft over each end and the porch. That means lots of storage space but that has a tendency to get messy and I just won't allow that to happen in my sewing space. My 4 year old GGS says he wants a bed up there so I'm pretty sure that will happen. We still have to insulate and ceil the top though. Angie, if I ever get organized I know I will enjoy it but since I've never had this kind of space for my sewing, I really am kind of overwhelmed right now but it will all come together. I have the stuff to make the ironing center as soon as my wonderful DS gets the plywood on it this weekend. I have my freezer in one end but I am thinking about putting up my quilt frame in that end and just leaving it up. I am the kind of person who needs things to be out and visible or I won't do it. That is one thing I like about having my own sewing space. I can walk out and lock the door without having to put everything away. When I go back to it, it will be just like I left it. Y'all please keep the ideas coming.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Congratulations on your new Playhouse. I'm a little envious.


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

Thanks Country Lady. It only took me 42 years to get this building. My oldest DD is 43 and I started sewing when she was about 1. Maybe this year I will get all those Christmas gifts made! ETA: I forgot to tell y'all about the fabric dept. at my WalMart. They got rid of it, then a few months ago brought it back but smaller and now they have outgrown the space allotted so, you guessed it, they are making it even bigger. It will be about the size it was before they got rid of it. They should have listened to their customers in the first place.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Fae, it might help to get some 1/4" graft paper. Measure everything you will put in there and lay it out on the paper. That's basicly what I did, that's how I knew I could get by with a 12'X20' building. 

I should be getting mine in about 3 weeks. Getting excited.


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

Ruby, I am not sure I would know how to go about using the graft paper to to lay it out! I am looking forward to seeing your pictures.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Fae, your building is absolutely adorable!!!! You have some great furniture too. You are going to have so much fun in there.


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