by Debbie Vechter
How nice it is to have a great ‘sewing studio’ at last! I’m sure that
a lot of sewing enthusiasts started out like I did – using some small
space in their kitchen, dining room, laundry room, closet, attic,
garage, basement or bedroom. When my daughter decided that it was
time to get her own place, I was left with her old bedroom. While I
was sad that my ‘baby’ was now setting out on own her path of newly
found independence, I knew that this was the natural course that life
takes.
It was only a few years before that we had built this lovely house and
provided a ‘suite’ for her with a walk-in closet complete with a
window that opens to keep it fresh, and shelving, drawers and hanging
space and many other features. Of course, she took all the furniture
that was in the room to her new place.
Though the empty room was far too nice a space to let it just sit as a
second guest room, so I simply decided to make the space my own. Up
until this point, I had my sewing space in the laundry room. I had
designed the house with this specific sewing area. While the space
was quite nice, it wasn’t very large and I just didn’t find it
conducive to get my creative juices flowing. So I bought a new sewing
machine and got started in turning the vacated bedroom space into
“Debbie’s Sewing Studio”.
I must say that it was a very rewarding effort. I was inspired to
sew! I had never done quilting and I took quilting classes. I also
did other classes and learned new techniques. I became a ‘Sewing
Diva’, trying everything I could think of, making gifts for friends
and family and generally just having fun.
Now, I’m not saying that everyone needs a sewing suite, and let’s face
it, not everyone can have such a sewing area. Nor is everyone in the
position where a grown child moves out and leaves an empty bedroom.
Some of the readers of this article are young mothers with children
and no extra space in the house. However, somehow they all manage to
find a space where they can create fabulous projects and clothing for
their young ones. I know that when I got my first sewing machine the
only space that I could sew in was the dining room and from that space
I made the cutest little dresses for my girls.
It’s hard to believe that the girls who once wore these little dresses
are now around the 40 year age and have children of their own, who in
turn are now my wonderful grandchildren that I now sew for. It’s
exciting for me to make things for them and they love receiving what I
make for them. As an added bonus, I now have the best excuse in the
world to finally allow myself to be a guilt-free fabricaholic! The
point is that sewing enthusiasts can work out of any place, as long as
they are inspired.
I hope you can use my shared experience to help inspire you to do what
you can in your work area as well.
Debbie’s Sewing Studio (at last!)
Debbie's Sewing Studio
Debbie's Sewing Studio 2
Debbie's Sewing Studio 3
Debbie's Sewing Studio 4
deb what a lovely room. how do you keep it so neat?
your sewing room is wonderful. i wish mine was that tidy.
Hi Debbie, I understand your story. I have had a garage converted into my work room and in the process of doing cupboards etc., we are blessed to have space like that. Comment from Johanna2 as to how you keep it clean – well that is a daily experience. I find if everything is all over the place I can’t get creative!
I recently had 2 of my older children move out, leaving me with a spare room. I too have now converted it to my sewing room, and love the freedom that it brings. with 3 younger children still at home, and with thier own rooms, it great to be able to cut and sew without having to pack everything up at meal times. your room is lovely, mine doesn’t have a tv or radio, but I prefer to work in silence. enjoy the freedom of your own room
Hi I have to laugh. I started sewing in a corner in the living room, then later we enlarged the utiity room and made a tiny studio attached where I moved my sewing. I sewed a lot from those little areas. When my daughter got married, I moved into her bedroom. Now I had a real room. Soon it filled up with all the stuff no one wanted to put away and now I can’t even find the machine. I hate it in there. I feel so isolated that I don’t go in there to sew. Now that our first grandbaby is on the way, I am in the process of moving everything back to my little corner of the utility room. The baby can have the bedroom. LOL
Better lock your doors I love your sewing table. Now I just have to figure out where you live.LOL
What a beautiful room. I can’t wait for the day that I can have a sewing room. Just somewhere I can go and sew to my hearts content
I love your room, especially your sewing cabinet, I just bought a Brother Innovis’2500D, and I have it on a large table along with my cutting mat. It would be really nice on your sewing cabinet. Your room is beautiful, and organized, Send us some tips. Happy Stitchin!!!!!
NIce room. I rent a two bedroom inlaw apt. After being here a year I decided that who needs a large room to just sleep in. Sooooooooooooo the logical thing to do was to make the small room for my bedroom and the larger for my……craft and sewing of course!!! I love it. I have two long tables of two hights. One for cutting etc when i can stand and the other is lower for my three machines that I dont have to take out and put away as I am doing a different project. My kids are all grown and I never did worry about empty nest symdrome I finally got a sewing room again.
Hi Debbie, What a wonderful neat roon. I too have a sewing room with cabinets and counter tops etc.,however, I can’t ever remember it being as neat as yours. It is wonderful to have a room where you can close the door and shut the world out for a while. My children and grandchildren sure appreciate what comes out of that room
When my husband and I bought our house together,(two houses into one) I said I needed a sewing room & a garage for my car. I gave up the garage when I finished work, but not my sewing room. I have my sewing machines, a computer, TV and recorder, and music system. The view from my upstairs room is wonderful, overlooking fields and hills, and this is my haven. My husband also has his own room for his hobbies! A four bedroomed house? NO two hobby rooms and 2 bedrooms! I even let my saluki Tilly in to share my room. I live in the UK.
You have an enviable sewing room. Having your own space makes it so much easier to be creative. I tried using one of the unoccupied bedrooms (on second floor) for my sewing room, but was so isolated, that I moved to an 8×10 area in the family room, where I can be with my husband and family activities (can even view the TV). I did build a closet for All of my crafting supplies. Keeping my area picked up is so much easier since I bought clear plastic storage boxes. I have an 8 foot of work counter + 2 long folding tables that can be set up for cutting fabrics and putting my quilts together.
I love your sewing room, it’s so nice to have one neat and well organized, before we jump in and start a project. I always “clean” up after finishing each project the pull everything out again when starting a new one. Don’t you just love it!
Now, that’s what I call a DREAM
Now, that’s what I call a DREAM sewing room. We can all dream, can’t we? I started on a kitchen table, dining table, finally downstairs with 2 eight foot tables. 4 good friends come on Sunday evenings, and we sew, or exchange tips. I now am in process of coming upstairs, & turned one bedroom into Sewing Room., and love it. My Brother Embr. & sewing machine is on a desk, & my other machines on solid stands. I have a tv there because I need noise… LOL That’s as close as I will be to your wonderful room. Mine is not as neat yours, but I shut the door when I get company
I need to be on some project, and if it’s all clean & neat, I don’t want to mess it up. Thank you for sending in the pictures. Sorry about the above half sentence. I must have hit the wrong key, and it was sent on.
What great space you’ve created ! We have two large bedrooms that are no longer occupied by my daughters since they have both moved out and have their on homes.I’m keeping one bedroom set up.That’s where I’m sewing now.My plan is to remodel the oher room into a studio.It’s going to be a lot of work.I’ll have to take off old wallpaper plus I want wood alminate on the floor.And then there’s cabinets that will need to be selected and installed.Any tips would be welcome.Have a ball in your studio !
What wonderful space, if we wait long enough good things happen ENJOY!!
Oh Debbie, Am counting the days until the chicklets move out!! My Mom swears I can open a fabric store out of my house and am currently working on 23 dresses for a convention. I have my machine set up on a 24″ X 18″ folding table and have my folding cutting table sitting in the corner of the living room. You’d think in a 5 bedroom house, someone would have the courtesy to give up one of their rooms so their poor mother would have a private place in which to express her wildest imaginations with fabric!!! Oh well, only 2 more years and the oldest is done with college, and maybe I’ll get that room??
I must say first, that as I was raising my four kids, I didn’t think I would ever,ever, get rested enough to pursue a hobby. I have almost always worked outside the home, and didn’t feel like I had the time to devote to my sewing, crafts, etc, like I wanted to. When I wasn’t working, didn’t feel like I could afford the supplies to pursue my sewing, crafts, etc. Finally, several years ago, I started to “hoard” the things I liked, whether I had the time to use it or not. Wellllll…..you guessed it! There was (and is) a great supply of goodies built up here.
Five years ago, on January 16, 2004, I was sick in bed with the flu, turned into pneumonia, turned into open heart surgery, turned into collapsed lungs, turned into blood clots, turned into we are doing what we can to save her. After 21 days in the hospital, and an artificial heart valve, let me say, I have a whole new appreciation for life.
I did not return to work. I stay home and get my grandkids off of the school bus every day, take them to various functions they otherwise would not get to go to, on Mondays, take a 14 year old granddaughter 90 miles round trip to piano lessons, and come home and SEW!
I am now using those goodies I hoarded when I was working, but almost always need “one more thing” to make it work, so, have to go shopping again, darn it!
I am also fortunate enough to have a husband of 43 years that says “If you can afford it and want it, go get it!”
I now have 4 married kids, and eight grandkids. As each kid left the nest, I sent their bedroom furniture with them, (and anything else I could get out of here) and began pulling things out of the closets and from under the beds and voila! A sewing room emerged!,, Then another, and another, and another! I have four rooms devoted to my sewing treasures and love every inch!
Have treated myself to the EMP6 Embroidery machine and am having a ball.
Now, there is so much going on in the sewing areas that I am beginning to feel like I will never get rested again, but…you know how it is! You have to try this one more thing before you can quit for the day, Ha Ha!
I am always on the look out at yard sales, flea markets, and second hand stores for sewing cabinets, with or without the machines. The machine can be removed and replaced, or a “plug” cut to fill the opening and a different machine placed on top of it. Also, love to find the “old sewing machines in cabinets with drawers” Have purchased 2 of these, almost identical with old, unusable machines in them, which I have removed, but Treasure of Treasure, the drawers were full of some dear old persons sewing gadgets. What a trip to hallowed halls! I only paid $25.00 for one of these at the second hand store, and $35.00 for the other at an auction where the people had sold the farm and were moving to the Senior Citizens Housing. What a find! I have two sergers, one threaded with light thread and one threaded with dark thread set up on these machines and I am ready to sew all the time!
I have purchased inexpensive book shelves to store things on that I need to have quick access to and otherwise just like to see.
For my fabric stash, I purchased the foam boards atthe “everything is a $1.00″ store, cut it in half and then cut each half into 4 equal pieces to make “boards” to wrap my fabric on. I fold the fabric in half lengthwise and wrap it on the foam board, then stick it in a clear plastic bag which I bought from the bakery at our local grocery store that they put the loaves of french bread in to sell. I can still see my fabric, and it is dust free. I sometimes just sort of step into the room and “inventory” the stuff! I love it!
Oldest grandchild is now 21 years old, and the youngest is eight.
When my “chicklets” left home, they have each refilled the nest by two, so that I will probably, soon, be waiting for the “third setting” of Chicklets! I can hardly wait! I will embroider and ruffle anything I can so there is never a time when there isn’t a project going on!
I love to read the articles, comments, and ideas from everyone!
Live and Love Life! It’s a great trip!
I love to hear when friends finally get the things they want. I started sewing when I as 7 years old. I kept every thing in my bedroom, so I didn’t do a lot of sewing. Later when I was on my own I used small areas of my apartment for sewing. Now I have a larger home and I had a room built just for sewing and crafting. I am still trying to get it organized, and I am having so much fun in my own space.
The sewing room in BEAUTIFUL! But were is everything?
Of course the fact that mine has to hold ALL my craft supplies might account for part of my lack of space!!
Joan, I am smiling because I was waiting for someone to ask just that question – Where IS Everything???
Well, remember I mentioned that large walk-in closet with the window, shelving, hanging space? It’s there…so close, yet out of sight and easy to access. Thanks for asking.
Debbie
WOW I hope when my sewing room grows up it looks just like yours.
Deby
LOVE the sewing room!!! Mine now is 1/3 of our family room and is usually untidy with project and bits and pieces everywhere. I am fortunate that I was given two cupboards to store all my fabric – now is sorted plastic containers – and books and magazines and craft kits, etc. If I were to have a purpose-built sewing room, it would need to be as large as a two car garage to hold all my bits and pieces!! But we continue to dream as we sew!
YOU GO GIRL AS THE YOUNG CROWD WOULD SAY.
MIGHTY NICE.
I ALSO HAVE A VERY LARGE SEWING SPACE BUT
IT IS NOW VERY MUCH FILLED WITH FABRIC, SEWING MACHINE, EMBROIDERY-SEWING MACHINE, & SERGER.
THAT IS NOT COUNTING THE TABLES AND TUBS THAT ARE FULL OF FABRIC. aND THE WALLS THAT HAVE
AN ASSORTMENT OF THINGS ON THEM. BUT IT IS MY SPACE AND I LOVE IT.
LOOKS LIKE YOU WILL BE LOVING YOURS TOO.
WOW! So clean and so empty. It is nice to be in the house where you can still be with everyone.
I am very forgetful , these days. So, I need everything close and visible. Hubby can’t abide the mess, so; he has built me a craft building. As soon as he has finished the last of the wiring, plumbing, and a “coral” for my bolts of fabric, I am supposed to be completely moved out of the house and into my new digs. He had declared that the house will be a “Craft Free Zone”(three years ago).
Your sewing table is sure a dream desk. All those neet little drawers and cubbies. I would have them filled to overflowing in short order. LOL. Since the flood destroyed my built-in lower cabinets, I am using plastic drawer carts and plastic totes, as much as possible. Everything that was in totes was saved from water damage.
Congratulations on your great space !
Such a beautiful space. I have a 12×12 room with a large window for light and a wall to wall closet filled with goodies. Then on one wall I have a large dresser and 2 book shelves and a very tall but skinny dresser. My husband built me a counter top in an L shape so my computer is on one side and my sewing is on the other. I have a lot of counter having it on 2 walls. I too have several clear plastic tubs holding material for next projects. I put the material and pattern in one then when I want something to start new I just pick up a box and I have everything ready to go. I broke my leg (both bones and my ankle and have been in bed since last April. No cast just plates and screws holding me together. There has been no sewing for 9 months. So my DH got me a table that adjusts in heights so now I can sit and cut material and iron. If there is a will there is a way. My plates and screws don’t come out until after April of this year. At least I hope so.
I can relate to most of the stories. I sewed wherever I could for years. When my daughter left home I could hardly wait to get home from work and move my sewing machine and my needlework into her room. I came home to find my son tacking up his ball caps on the wall – He wound up with a suite. So when he left for college I took one room and relegated him to one. When I retired I started a business making dall clothes and selling them at craft shows. I then expanded my horizons and use his room as a cutting room and needlework stash room. My husband found a saying and had it put on a tote – I sent my son to oollege so I could store fabric in his room. Most people love it – my son said it is not funny, it it too true! I did put all my machines in one room, even my emp6. When he comes home I put the cutting table in as well and it is a little crowded.Some fabric stays in his room in tubs and baskets. ConnyL
I finally had the makings of a great sewing/craft room on our third floor. (we live in a former 45 room Victorian hotel with our store and tea room on the main floor in the former general store and we use the old hotel lobby for our warehouse space.) We started this complete renovation in 1999, about 5 years into this big renovation project I got tired of not having access to my sewing stuff, so I moved into the unfinished space which was planned as the perfect sewing room. Just stud walls and plywood on the sub floors. DH put plastic up on the walls to keep the cats out and put a big bulletin board on one wall. I had my machines on banquet tables in a L shape in front of windows over looking our little town facing to the north and the east. I loved sewing and watching who was coming and going from the bank and the liquor store LOL, not much else to do here. the other side of the room was the craft area with shelves for all mine and my daughters craft supplies. It had a big table in the center for cutting and crafting. Big closet area for my extensive stash and a bath room dedicated to this room. Anyway the long end of a sad story, we had promised my dad if he helped us with the hotel we would give them a place to live for life. Their apartment was planned on the second floor of the two story part of our building… all we have done so far is demolition over there. So, when my dad died in May, we decided to convert my beautiful sewing/craft room into an apartment for my Mom. We finished laying the hardwood floor in the dining room tonight (where my machines once sat). Mom loves it. Now my stash is on husky shelfs from Costco in the ballroom and my sewing room is in the Music Room. Much smaller room. But I have my mom here and she loves to cook dinner! Every night. Yeah!