Hello everyone.
I have just joined this group and look forward very much to keeping in touch and learning lots of things.
I live in Australia but I get Threads magazine. I have also signed up for Sewstylish.
I love sewing all sorts of things. I have just begun my daughter’s wedding dress and will also be making the bridesmaids’ dresses and my own outfit.
I hope to soon have a new and much larger sewing room and I would appreciate any tips anyone could give me on what I should include in planning furniture and the layout of my new room.
Thank you, Mary
Replies
Yippeee! Another Aussie!
There a few of us around here.
You will have heaps of fun reading and getting to know everyone here. Such a diverse range of residencies and talents.
Please ask anything you want. We are all here to help.
Cherry (Sydney Australia)
Hi Cherry,
Thank you for your email. Nice to know another Aussie. I am looking forward to being part of the group. I seem to have lots of responses to my first post. It's good to know there are lots of other sewers out there and that we can share like this.
Cheers for now, Mary
There is quite a bit of advice to be found in the Archives here, do an ADVANCED SEARCH and you can tap the wisdom of the past!
Becky
Thanks for your reply Becky,
I will certainly follow up that information. If, no, when I get my sewing room I will post a photo.
thanks again, Mary
Welcome aboard!! I am excited for you that you are looking forward to a new and bigger sewing room. When we bought this house about five years ago, one of the things that we searched for was a large (probably basement) area for my sewing and fabric storage (of which I have TONS). It did end up being the basement, and here is what we did. The area is about 20 feet by 25 feet, with a couple of support poles in it, but we were able to work around one and I am used to the other one. The "front" part of my sewing room is where my machine tables, desk and cutting table are located. We used two 8 foot tables and cornered them, anchored by a corner computer desk that our daughter was no longer using. We bought six base (normally kitchen) cabinets (two that are drawers only, the other four have drawers and cabinet below) and put them not quite in the center of the room, three on each side, back to back, so that whichever side I am working on, there are drawers. I use the storage in the cabinets for a variety of things; one is dedicated to all machine embroidery stuff like stabilizers, etc., one has all yarn in it etc. I have a drawer specifically for zippers, one for bias tapes, one on each side for scissors, pin, seam gauges, etc., one for quilting templates, and reserved a couple of bottom drawers for grandkids drawing papers. Then we mounted a sheet of plywood over the top of them, and my husband put down Pergo (laminate) flooring over the plywood.It is very smooth and practically indestructible, so when I am cutting out or pinning, I can't gouge the surface, and it washes up fine, in case any fuzzy lint won't just brush off. Past the cutting table, using more of our daughter's college hand-me-downs, we placed two bookshelves that my husband had built for her and her roommate (to use up against their dorm room desks) on either side of that one support pole I mentioned earlier. This is basically the dividing wall from the "front" of the room to the "back" of the room. On that side, we have eleven very large utility shelves (3 feet wide by 2 feet deep), and five other shelf units that aren't quite as deep. Seven of the big ones are along one wall, and the other four are nearby (we do have to make a few concessions that it is a basement and allow room for the water softener and sump pump areas, and windows). I also have an old pattern cabinet that I bought when someone was retiring, and we have found a couple of really nice button racks that were being thrown out and salvaged. We hung large fluorescent shop lights in several areas and use the "daylight" type bulbs, so that it is easier to see colors. I see that I am rambling on, but I hope that some of these suggestions might work for you. Good luck, Cherie
Hi Cherie,
I was very pleased to see the replies to my question. As yours is one of the larger ones I have opted to print it out and read it carefully. Thank you very much for going to so much trouble. I really appreciate it.
Cheers, Mary
Hi and welcome! How exciting to plan a new sewing room. I did the same this past fall and love my room. It is MUCH smaller than the last posters room but has everything I need in it and is very organized. My goal for the room was to have it be very feminine, pretty, organized, and my refuge. Part of its success is a large, 12x3 foot closet that houses my stash, books and mags and works in progress on hanger. Another thing I love is the view from my window, directly in front of my machines. We live in a wilderness area and I tried to tame the woods outside my window into a shade garden. I often have hummingbirds, wild turkeys, squirrel fights, and all sorts of songbirds. I get an occasional shrew which gives me the heebie jeebies. Attached is a pic of my view taken this week. I have my room pictures posted on the web and if you wish I will post the link although I did post it when I finished the room and its on here somewhere. One suggestion: get yourself a great office chair to roll around in. Also, I put in a hardwood floor and love it. It is working out beautifully and is so easy to keep picked up. Think of the different tasks you need to do, cutting, pressing, etc. Then think of how you will accomadate each task. There is also a website with about a hundred sewing rooms on it. They range from closet size to ballroom, fiber artist to heirloom sewist, and are great to check out before you put hammer to nail. I will definitely be back with that one for you, probably later tonite. Have fun with your designing of the space. The journey is a lot of the fun.
I am delighted to get so many responses to my question. I particularly enjoyed your suggestions especially the idea of the view from your window. We have a lovely treed backyard and my husband has a cedar wood cabin for his hobbies. My sewing room cabin will make a matching pair. I hope to have a verandah and a rocking chair outside so I can watch the birds and other animals. We occassionaly get a koala or an echidna wander through our property as well as many native birds.
Thank you for all the helpful sewing room info too. Cheers, Mary
Your attached picture made me say one word....WOW what a beautiful picture thanks for the sharing this wonderful place with all of us.
Hi, solo, loved the photo of your shade garden, in which I could identify the hostas and heucheras. But the yellowish-green one in the front is new to me - is that another type of heuchera? Seems some of the leaves have a pale salmon color. What a beautiful view - I wouldn't know whether I wanted to be inside sewing or outside gardening!
That is a huechera. I wish I had the name for you. I love this plant and it is great in the shade. Thank you for the compliments on my "inspiration" window.
Hi! Here is the link to 102 different great sewing rooms. I hope you have some time to kill!LOL!http://www.younge.com/sewing%20rooms.htmAnother thing I thought of...your lighting. It is so important to us sewists. More than one person has told me they wished they had seen my lights before they did their room. I have 3 halogen pendant lights over my machine space and to my left I have a desk lamp with a full spectrum bulb that I can focus right on my sewing or cutting area. If I think Of more I will let you know.
Edited 5/22/2007 10:59 pm ET by solosmocker
Boy, did you hit the right spot with sewers - the sewing room/studio!
Welcome to the forum. Have fun!
Thanks for the welcome. I am enjoying myself already. Checked out the link to the 102 sewing rooms site and had a great time there.
I have so many ideas now. I'm not sure where to start.
Cheers, Mary
Hello Everyone.
I am Ron. Looking around and found these boards. I am glad to meet you. I am in Los Angeles, California. What I was looking for was more ideals on designing and making SKIRTS. About 3 weeks ago I just thought I would get into making things for ladies. My first thought was pattern making. So I went to the Internet looking. After one week of reading in all of the sites I had gone into, I can now measure and make a pattern to make very nice skirts. Next week I am going to start looking into making dresses. I am sure my big issue with that will be the bust line area. Any helpful tips and advice is welcomed. I have just about every tool needed and a 72" long cutting table covered with the cutting mats. I have had drafting and blueprint making classes and am a retired machinest. So I do not have issues with following instructions. I took a look at the link (someone had posted) to see the sewing room pictures. On the list, # 31 is a link to where I had posted a picture of my sewing room. My sewing room was selected as the fearured sewing room of the month and I got a box full of goodies from them. Everything but a sewing machine. Sewing.Org Good night All. Happy Sewing
Ron
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