Many crafters and seamstresses sew in shared sewing spaces. This means you don’t have a dedicated room for your sewing, and that you can’t use the guests bedroom. Or maybe you just like to be in the living room and talk to your family while crafting. In all these cases, you’ll want to organize a space where you can not only sew and store your crafting supplies but also use it as a living space – such as a living room or a bedroom. And you want it organized.
Before you start taking everything out of boxes and putting up shelves, sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, a piece of paper and a pen and ask yourself (and take notes!):
1. How often do I sew? Will I have to move/hide the sewing machine or do I want the sewing corner to be there all the time, just in case inspiration strikes?
(photo by: contentedsparrow{megan} )
2. Do I want to hide the sewing area? Or do I want to brag about it? This makes a huge difference in the way you’re going to organize your sewing space: it could be in all hidden in a closet or nook of the house, or it could be a mini-craft gallery.
(photo by: Linda Gavin)
3. What kind of things am I going to sew? How much space do I need? Chances are you’ll need less space for sewing bags or softies than if you’re into mad garment making. Take this into consideration – you want to be organized and neat, but comfortable.
4. What things do I need around me when I sew? Are they going to be in the room/corner all the time, or do I have to bring them in and take them back at the end of the sewing session?
The basic things you might need for sewing are: an ironing board and iron, a cutting space and space to pin and assemble the different parts of your fabric creations. Maybe a dress form. You know better. Just think about it and imagine the movements around the room/space that you will have to make.
5. Are my basic supplies going to be handy or will I have to move away from the sewing machine every time I bend a needle? Will I have everything (from buttons to thread) in a shelf above the sewing machine or can I use a smaller sewing caddy that I just put on my sewing table when I start a new project?
Once you have this all figured out you can start organizing your supplies and the whole space.
Are there any other questions you would add to the list? Things that would help draw a good picture of what you need before you start? Did you write a post or article on the same subject? Drop me a comment!
Hope you find this useful and have an organized weekend 🙂
These are great questions to ask! Somehow, it seems easier to be creative if you have an organized space. I am still working on buying storage units and furniture for my sewing space.
I agree. It’s a it counterintuitive but it’s true. An organized space does make you more creative. It can still be messy, but if you’re organized you can actually find your stuff around.
Small homes can make even organizing a tremendous challenge – but I did draw some good ideas from your images above! I love the green hutch; going up instead of around works better for me. Thank you for the advise.
It’s true. I also like it.
And it’s a good alternative to putting everything in plastic crates, which might just work like magic but it looks awful. (Except if you have a dedicated sewing room/studio, I guess.)