Do you have a mother? Are you a mother? Do you know a woman who is a mother?
Do you like to give or receive gifts?
Looking For The Best Mother’s Day Gift Ever?
Look no more.
You have arrived to discover the best gift for anyone who enjoys sewing, quilting and/or crafting:
AN ORGANIZED SEWING SPACE
Yes, that’s right. Organization. Order. An uncluttered existence.
Organization – it’s the one thing that will make or break my day. Having an organized sewing space is not only essential for my peace of mind – it is the cornerstone of every successfully completed sewing or quilting project.
If a majority of your time is spent searching for fabric, patterns and notions then more time carving out a convenient space to set up your machine and yet more time to set up space to safely and efficiently cut and press, at the end of such a lengthy process the idea of sewing quickly becomes the last thing on your list.
I recall only one instance in my life where I had the luxury of all the space I needed for such DIY endeavors. At the time, I was widowed and living in a small 900 sq ft cabin at the edge of a national forest. After almost 6 years I traded single life for marriage and with that gave up the cute little cabin in the woods. And since, although I have moved into progressively larger houses, I continue to struggle to obtain or regain the space I need for my ever-growing quilting hobby – which I eventually hope to turn into a business.
It may well be it isn’t possible to have all the space I need. At this point I’m beginning to think of space as I do money – No matter how much yo have, it’s never enough!
For now, while I’m dreaming, I’m going to dream big…really big and describe the ideal sewing and quilting space if money and square footage were no option.
A stroll through PInterest-land reveals a plethora of inspiring sewing and craft rooms. I even have an entire board devoted to Dream Sewing Rooms:
And another board: Let’s Get Organized:
As I sit at my desk deciding a starting point for my ultimate, dream sewing room, the very first thing I need to do is determine how I currently use the sewing space I have. What is my typical work flow – what do I do and what order do I do it?
The image below is a good starting point for space planning my sewing room:
This diagram mimics the same basic design principles used in kitchen design. It works because a sewing room operates much like a kitchen. Much like preparing a meal, making a quilt involves a variety of tasks to be performed in sequence. There is a progression of tasks and a traffic pattern that allows the overall task to be performed efficiently.
Sure, you can have more than three points or areas in your plan however, it is important to avoid placing that additional object in a triangle line. For example, if your kitchen design includes an island, the island should include one of three work areas. You don’t want to have to walk around the island to access an area on the opposite side of the room.
Taking this basic triangle design, I’ve studied my own work flow pattern when I sew. For smaller projects, I would benefit from a circular, command-central type of plan.
Here is a revised general plan with the added placement of a design wall:
Because of its size, the design wall cannot be logically positioned within the work triangle so it is placed on an opposite wall.
So, Here’s The Plan
The plan view below gives a better idea of the relationship of one work space to the others.
For added detail, I’ve drawn elevation views for three of the four walls of the room.
The window wall faces East – One possible elevation is shown below:
Here is the proposed plan for the South elevation:
The North wall is a much simpler design that largely consists of my design wall.
If you would like more information about a design wall and why every quilter needs one, this article explains it all!
I’m not including the fourth wall or West Elevation as there is minimal wall space and double bi-fold doors that lead to the closet. THAT space has a LOT of potential and is a project in and of itself!
Now that the basic space plan is complete, the next item that needs to be considered is fabric storage and the closet area is the perfect place however, that will require a space plan and article of it’s own…stay tuned!
Back to the topic of the perfect sewing room and organization once the space is planned out next are the furniture and equipment specifications.
The list of items can range from custom cabinetry to drawer organizers bough tin bulk. For my own purpose, the following images represent what I consider to be must-have items that my top-notch and highly organized sewing room should include.
1.
Janome Memory Craft 9450 Professional Sewing Machine.
I have, and continue to research the perfect sewing machine – at least for me and my purposes.
This is the identical model I used while attending a 3-day quilt festival last year and you can read more about my thoughts on this Janome here.
Other contenders: Baby Lock Crescendo and pretty much any Juki on the market!
The dilemma when making a decision like this originates from the fear of investing a significant amount to money only to discover a few months later a “better mousetrap” has been released in the market. In any event, a decision will need to be made along with the purchase of other items of interest listed below:
2. Koala Studio – Artisan Quilter Sewing Cabinet or the Artisan Sllimline Cabinet
OR
I’m NOT going to be too picky here – I primarily want a sturdy desk with storage and an ample work space. I initially felt all the cabinetry would be custom or partially custom however, when I discovered these little gems and saw where they are also on wheels, the possibility of portability is something I simply can’t pass up!
3. Koala Studio Sew Comfort Sewing Chair – Jade
It cannot be underestimated the necessity of having a solid, well-made chair that offers lumbar and hip support and allows you to comfortably spend the required hours at your machine making those fabulous quilts and other sewing projects all the while looking fabulous in your perfect sewing space!
4.
Cabinet Accessories:
The “little things” – keeping all those tools, notions, thread spools, bobbins, scissors, etc. organized and easy to access can make or break the efficiency – and overall happiness of the sewer.
So here it is – Phase 1, an ORGANIZED PLAN. As this room comes together I’ll be posting more images and product reviews so you too can achieve The Best Mother’s Day Gift Ever!
If you agree, disagree or have other items that you feel should be included in this dream-come-true, one-of-a-kind quilting and sewing space please feel free to leave a comment below!
