Apartment quilting
 

I have a saying: The first step to being a quilter is buying a house. But for those of us who can't, how do you manage your space?

I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. My son graduated from college and moved away, so his room has become the storage room, cat box room, and now quilting room. I have my sewing machine covered and my fabrics in plastic storage boxes. What I really don't have is a large cutting surface. I have one very small table that has been ok so far, but I can't imagine what I'll do if I try a really big project. I'd love to hear ideas - and see pictures! - of small quilting spaces that other people have made work for them.

I spend almost every weekend in my motorhome as my husband is a professional race car driver. I have a small Brother sewing machine that stays in the motorhome. I have a quilters tote I bought from Joann fabrics. I have everything I need stuffed into that tote. Rotary cutters, folding mats, scissors, etc. I can set up in about 15 minutes and start sewing. I have a way of putting it away so we can eat at the dinner table but be ready to sew again. I have a tote that has projects to work on. Everything fits into the small spaces I have creatively created in our unit. Everything fits exactly together with no wasted space.
Depending on the race, I can get lots of piecing done. Sometimes the machine doesn't even come out of it's tote. Over the last 3 years I pieced 2 queen size, 1 king size and 25 baby/lap size quilts. End of race season, they get quilted.
In an approximate 300 sq foot "home" I can enjoy my craft.
Enjoy your space because it is yours and it is where you can create.

I am lucky now all kids have there own homes and I am getting a lovley stash. But I do remember when we lived in a small 2 bedroom house with 2 small kids. no stash, all my cutting and sewing hardware (scisors, pins, rulers, machine feet, ect,) fit in 1 large boot box. My portable machine fit in my closet on top of a small laundry basket that held any left over fabric or on the dinning room table when in use. Any projects had to fit in my one Large old fashion sewing basket. Made quilts and tyed them, cloths for all of us and dolls anything else needed. How I did it I'm not sure, I worked full time too! LOL What does your Hubby race? formula, stock, drag, outlaws?

I take my machine and a tote of sewing supples with me in a travel trailer also. I have a iron and small ironing board that is left in the trailer all the time.

I just have a small room but the closet stores a lot of my stuff. DH put in shelves and it is almost organized. This room has a futon which is a bedroom when the grandchildren come. But when they aren't there the futon serves as a design wall. A person has to make due with what they have and I am just so glad to have a room that I can leave my projects out and not have to put them away every day. Have fun getting your room the way you want it.

I put my kitchen table on bed risers for cutting and sandwiching, and also use it instead of a design wall. My cutting mats and oversize Shape Plus rulers stay under the guest bed. I have a plywood board covered in a remnant of washed wool flannel and twill for ironing. I can move it to a folding table or on the 36" counter.

This quilter has a beautiful studio in her apartment in Chicago. http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogsp...ets-party.html

I cut my fabric on a mat on the kitchen counter. It is a perfect height. My sewing machine and fabric is in a closet that is 4' x 10'. If there is a will, there is a way to make it all work.

sorry, duplicate post!

My sewing room is my bedroom. It is rather large, so enough room for a big table, the fold up kind from walmart, my sewing machine is in its own stand, and I have shelves in the closet for my fabric. My queen size bed is my design wall! LOL!

We drag race. We are currently running 3 different organizations. We are mostly concentrating on one series with 2 different cars. He is defending world champion with one car and runner up with the other. Lots of work, but he has decided to cut back next year so we can travel to more tourist-y stuff.
I have a wonderful sewing room at home approximately the size of a 4 car garage. But i get to do more "fun" sewing in the motorhome. At home I have prom, formal, and wedding stuff. I am cutting that down to almost nothing next
year to sight see.
With your kids gone, using their room should give you room to spread out. Enjoy them when they visit then send them home so you can sew!