Hello! :D

I'm trying to make my sewing room nicer & thought I'd look for suggestions to make life a little easier without buying every little trinket available.

I have to have my scissor sharpener, acrylic guides, and laptop....what do you absolutely have to have or REALLY REALLY want in your sewing room?

Thanks.

I have to have music. I also have my quilt, sewing and embroidery books and magazines in my sewing room.

Thanks, Sondray...music would be nice. Do you have a radio, CD player, or am I just old fashioned and you have an ipod? LOL. I'm thinking if I had a cd player, it would interrupt me when I had to change it....maybe not, though.

It's ALL about the iPod! Mine is like a little time machine, all the music I've loved my whole life. I have a mix of old and new, and play lists for different moods. You can get speakers with a remote control so that you don't have to get up to change your music. And you can download free podcasts, which I love to listen to while I'm quilting--kind of like chatting with a friend! I LOVE my iPod!

Hubby visits me about every hour - will bring a coffee or juice. Music - I have the computer just outside sewing room so listen to radio on that. When I have a problem or want to check a technique I can look it up on the PC. In hot weather find a large oscillating fan good - being careful to aim it high or all the pieces will fly!

a HUGE cutting mat
IRON
a TALL ENOUGH work surface

I work at a homemade 'table' - it's 54"w 85" L and 36" tall so no leaning over and killing my back

I took a board about 3/4" thick and about 2'x2.5' and "upholstered it" with batting and duck fabric

I have the huge cutting mat on the 'table' - when I need to iron I lay the board on top of the mat and use it as an 'ironing board'... much sturdier than a regular ironing board plus I don't have to try to figure out where to have an ironing board set up. ..... if you can't or don't want to mess with making a usable board, you could just use one of those already made up in the traditional shape of an ironing board like for college dorms or such...

A VERY important thing is do NOT let the cutting mat get HOT - it will warp.
I picked one up at a garage sale once for a dollar that was really warped and tried the iron and wet towel method to flatten it out but it didn't work - so I use that warped one to set my sewing machine on.

Lol I hit the repeat all button...it goes on and on and on, you gotta select a cd your really love first :roll:

My most favorite new, inexpensive gadget: Command stick-on, thin metal hooks. My main sewing area is on a computer desk with bookshelves/lateral file units on each side, and I put up one of those hooks on the side of the bookshelf facing my machine area. I can get 5 acrylic rulers hung on it; they're out of the way but handy in a very unobtrusive way. I's been 2 months and the hook hasn't budged. I have a couple on my computer unit to keep camera cords and microphone/headsets out of my way. They come right off without leaving a mark too. All for under $3 at Lowe's.

Next favorite: a canvas type bag with clear pockets all around, kinda like a gardening tool bag. I keep it by my machine, and it holds all my tools like tweezers, seam ripper, ruler, point turner - all in one place. I got this one as a gift, but I've seen similar ones at the hardware store. No more hunting through a drawer to find what I'm looking for!

I'll post a pic later; DH is on the other computer with all that stuff on it and I'm on the one hooked up to the tv.

Here's the pics!

all of the typical stuff, plus the radio and tv and a window! i like to listen to older romance/comedy movies! so i'll pop one in the DVD that i've seen so many times, i don't have to watch it! really helps my productivity! so far i haven't had to put the air conditioner in the window and we're getting a wonderful breeze (bonus room on the third floor).

also, if table height is an issue, get a $10 set of bed risers. i love my cutting table in the middle of the room! it is a smaller recycled kitchen table!