Replies from Scquilters c/- Designing a Sewing Room


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Please please please for the sake of your back include a cutting bench that it the RIGHT height for you when you are standing - there are diagrams in house design books I have seen- if I could have a sewing room, that would be my first priority. A proper height cutting bench - an island if I had the space, if not, then a bench against the wall WITH A BUILT IN 1 and a half INCH GAP at the wall edge - so big pieces of fabric can feed through behind if need be - also very useful when you are pinning a quilt.

Apart from that the other thing I would love to build in is a design walland some good lighting.
OzCaity in Canberra, Australia
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I too am on quite a tight budget and needed to be able to organise a sewing room cheaply. We were able to get hold of the discarded insides of kitchen pantry cupboard made of particleboard and covered with laminate. My husband cut a board that was free of holes to a length of 2.5m - it was 1m wide. He then cut four boards to the height I wanted. (I am 5'10" and have never had a workcentre the right height so 1m high was the best thing for my back.) He then cut slits up the middle of these boards so that two would fit together crosswise to lay the tabletop on. As there was so much room underneath he was able to put three shelves between the two supports for all my quilting books and fabric.I hope this makes sense!Sue.

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Heaps of storage!!! I cannot over emphasise that enough. Also be carefulwhere you put your cutting table. I had a lovely one built to my specified height against a wall, and guess what, the light was behind me as I stood at the table. I have
since had to get a downlight installed above it. I think that it would< be good also if I could walk all the way around it, but that's personal choice.
I recently bought heaps of storage boxes at the local "Crazy Prices" and Target. They are clear and some where the right size to store patterns on there sides. I have stacked all these up and have put sticky labels on the front, describing what's inside. i.e. Burda, Kwik Sew, etc. etc.
I also have larger crates with lids that I have stored plain homespun in and white and cream homespun. I have those wire stacking baskets, and my stash is sorted in colours in these.

I bought cheap chest of drawers, just white melamine, and my husband built a bench, which I sew on, and these are installed underneath. Great for the cutters and rulers, freezer paper, etc. etc. My only grumble about this is that the bench could have been a little wider, it is only 50mm. (600 would be ideal). I have a pinboard covered in fabric, behind the sewing machine for pinning up the pattern I am sewing, and hooks along above this that the scissors, loop turners, tape measure etc. etc.hang on. (Everything is at my fingertips)

Hubby mounted bookshelves, again white melamine, on the walls and store all my books on them. I bought cardboard magazine holders for my mags and this keeps them tidy, most of the time! (that is if there not on the bedside table, does anyone else do this?)
All this is a room 8 X 10 but it works OK! I even have room for an ironing board and iron set up all the time.
Hope this helps!Cheers
Maree

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I was also going to send a suggestion to Wendy for her new sewing room, but OzCaity has beaten me to it (for those who missed it, the suggestion was -make sure the sewing table is the right height for u ). And (after eading a few more posts - so has Marie - just got to have plenty of places< to store stuff - I think I need Dr Who's "Tardis" (the blue phone box thingy) to fit all my junk in ) Funny how often we all think alike, especially considering how different we all are (and some of us are more" different" than others ).
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If I could have a sewing room instead of a sewing table I would have a design wall and cupboards cupboard and cupboards.
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I went through the same jitters when designing my sewing room a couple of years ago. One thing I found very useful was an ironing board that folds up nto a drawer. It is called Haeffle. I find it saves lots of floor space.Also make sure you put in plenty of power points and book shelves. If you are putting in cupboards with shelves, make your shelving adjustable.
Hope this helps.Lynne Done
>Beautiful Belmont Brisbane
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I designed a design wall for practically nothing as I am on less than a budget being a pensioner!
Buy 2 packets of picture hooks. Bang into wall right at the top about 18" apart. Hang old mattress covers from hooks, or if you're flush with money, buy the cheap Chinese imported ones new (about $12.00) Pin the edges of the mattress covers together if you're tidy, or leave loose. Mattress covers are thin and the hooks just push right through. Use quilters pins in a downwards stabbing motion - secure but easy and quick to move around.
I have one whole wall done in this way and can get a queen size quilt on it,nearly - some is on the floor) which means I can see what is happening (through me peephole) before I make a mistake. I reckon this small outlay has saved me hours of decision time esp for things like Around the Twist, colour choices etc. What is more, there is always a quilt up there in the process of being put together or waiting for a border etc. so the wall looks good all the time. On mine at the moment is: House block for Dot Ray - a bit more embroidery to do, plus door knob. All my birthday blocks around 5 central applique blocks (waiting for a decision on the sashing - 4 different bits pinned up) A photo of me at my birthday party at Toowoomba Quilters.5 printouts of SCquilters swaps (I have to stop some of these...VBG)a 9-patch block - tryout for next month,a miniature quilt - finished a long time ago.And there's enough room left for a single quilt!
I have a small plastic step from BigW so that I can reach the top of the wall.
BFN
Marion. Biddeston. Qld.

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You need a huge design wall big enough to pin up all the blocks for a quilt,so that you can see the problems before you sew it together. I would be lostwithout mine.
You need fabric storage - not shut away, but where you can pull colours as you need them and a place to spread, really spread out everything.
You need a sewing table where you machine is level with the table and there is a lot of table to the left and behind the machine = no drag.
You need light - lots of natural light - think of a skylight if necessary.
You need power points - I have 6 and they are all in use:)
You need space for ironing board - always up.
You need shelves for the junky bits - freezer paper, buttons, magazines etc
I have a separate computer room, but you might need a corner for that, in which case put in more power points than 6!
You need easy to clean floor covering - vinyl? tiles?

Marion

I would recommend drawers for storing fabric. If you use stacked boxes with top-opening lids, you have to lift the top ones off to get at the bottom ones. Built in drawers are not easy, so I am replacing the archive boxes with the stacking plastic (Sabco) boxes with sliding drawers. Much better. Just make sure you get lots of storage and good lighting near yoursewing area and your cutting out area.

Kay Roberts

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What a lovely prospect, I imagine you will have plenty of space (the first requirement). You will also need plenty of light ( windows), you can't beat daylight when the eyes get a bit tired.
Regards, Suzanne in Sunny Redland Bay

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It'll be a lot of fun and hard work. You will ALWAYS think afterwards,I should've done this or that. Try to get hold of a book called "DREAMSEWING SPACES" by Palmer/Pletsch. I sell in my catalogue for $39.95plus p/h but you may be able to view one at your local library. It hasabsolutely dream sewing rooms like if you have a million to spare, butit also has converted cupboards, under stairs, window conversions and a whole heap of great ideas that cost near nothing.

Judy Hall
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There's a book available called Setting Up Your Sewing Space by MyrnaGiesbrecht.Published by Sterling Publishing Co NY in 1994. I have it from my local library but haven't really looked at it in detail yet, so don't know if it can be recommended. It seems to cover most stuff though, lookingat the table of contents. Lots of good storage ideas too.

Nola at Epping
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When I converted our daughter's bedroom into my workroom I found a sliding door at a building demolition trader and DH fixed folding trestle legs. I now have a nice big cutting table (which is absolutely covered in all sorts with the obligatory 30cm square clear bit in the middle) and it can be folded away (no chance!) if ever the room needed to revert to a spare bedroom again.
Another idea I may use is to get a piece of that holey board that was used for acoustic ceilings and stick bits of dowel into the holes to hang up scissors, spike cotton reels etc. to keep that lovely big table area clear VBG.
Carol in Hamilton, NZ
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