Designing new sewing studio--have I forgotten anything?
 

I am new to this website and fairly new to quilting, but for twenty years I was an avid heirloom sewist. We are in the process of making me a dedicated sewing studio in what was a bedroom that's 13'x20'. I have been doing research, and have planned a sewing table that's 4x8, a storage wall of shelves for tote bins (I have a lot of these), stash storage, book cases, design wall, cutting table, and ironing table. What I would like to know is, what have I not thought of? Now is my only chance to re-design if necessary, since there will be so many built-ins. What is the most indespensible part of your studio, and what is on your wish list? I hope you will let me know. Thanks, Connie

Wow, sounds like to me you have it pretty well covered. I LOVE my design wall and don't know what I did without it.
Good luck and be sure to post pictures when you are through.

Lighting ! Lots and lots of lighting -be it lamps or some kind of directional ceiling lights, or both.

The new room sounds like it will be wonderful.

I'd be lost without my peg board. It organizes all my rulers and is hung right next to my cutting table.

If you've got room for it, a comfortable chair for when you're doing handwork.

Where will you iron?

Do you sew to the TV or music? Make sure you have connections for those. I love watching a movie on Netflix if I'm doing something long and boring. Music or a podcast fi I'm at the machine for a while.

Sounds like you have a great sewing room planned, great for making quilts. The only change I can think of is so make shelves or install wire bins in the closet for fabric storage. Plastic bins are not suitable for fabric storage, the fabric must breath. Shelves or bins allow better viewing of the fabric and easier to pull fabrics when starting a new project.
Don't forget good lighting, a bookcase for books and patterns

I agree with all the quilters. But lighting is my biggest friend. I have 11 lights in my quilting room. It makes all the difference in the world. I have 2 wooden hanging ruler holders I can't live without. And I have a disappearing design wall that I put above my closet doors. It's in a wooden case above the doors and when you pull it down, it's like the old fashioned blinds, except they glued flannel to the front. I put my quilt blocks on it as I go and when I need to get into the closet, I just pull on it and it rolls up into its case, with the blocks on it. There is a shelf at the top where you can display anything you want. I see the ad for this "Disappearing Design Wall" in lots of quilt magazines but I bet if you just typed that in to google search, the site would pop up.

Shelving. When you think you have enough, double it! I agree about the lighting too. And plenty of table top space. Can't have too much of that.

Looks like you've thought of most things.
You didn't mention, though perhaps have it planned ..... how you plan to manage thread, notions, tools .... I'd opt for some shallow drawers with those easy slides on them, if I had my choice!

Design wall you have .... and larger is always better!

I can't say enough about the importance of good lighting, as already mentioned by others!

Have fun with the planning! :)

lots of outlets!
 

If you are having alot of builtins make sure you don't cover up needed outlets. My sewing rm is 27 x 30 and i knew my midarm was going to be near the center of the rm for ease of putting on quilts so in the ceiling I have drop down extension cords (from Sears) just like my DH has in his wood work shop. I use it for my ironing board as well. So nice, out of the way, just reach up and pull down. :)

If you are having that cutting table built you can put oodles of storage all around and under it. See my pictures on my page www.designsinthread.weebly.com You can't believe how much extra storage you can get

Were we supposed to find pictures of your cutting table and storage?
Maybe so? but I couldn't find them!

Dust- and sun-protected fabric storage. I prefer to store my fabric stored upright - like it is in my LQS. I use foam core cut to the size of the space between my shelves - others use thinner, but stiff acid-free material to wrap their fabric on. You can see all your fabric at once, and it's much easier to take it out AND to put it back. In CT, I have mine on shelves with shades that roll down from the ceiling to protect from the sun. In AZ, my stash is in a closet.

Don't forget the thread storage!

I like having a mirror so I can hold up a block or fabric combination and look at it in a mirror. It allows me to 'see' it from a distance. A hand mirror works fine if you look at a design wall using the mirror.

Increase electrical outlets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Floor outlets where the machines are going is really nice. Task lighting. If you have light coming from the left to right over the sewing machine needle you will have less shadowing. How about a TV/Music? I saw a cutting table that had a long slot in it that was for sliding scraps/waste into. How about a sitting chair and foot rest? My design wall would be more than one that would slide behind each other like a three panel closet door. I am happy for you and hope you enjoy your sewing cave! I just got a 4 tier revolving shoe rack that I am planning on clipping patterns too, rulers, fabric and notions. I area is at the end of a family room and my husband says it is creaping out of my designated area!

You mentioned that there will be a lot of built ins ... and then it'll be too late for changes!

Not really ... built ins can be made so that they are not permanent, yet are solid for your use and seem permanet.

Then when/if the time comes and you want/need to rearrange them, you have the potential to easily move them. And once again, they become "permanent" .... til the next need arises!

You may think now, it's the long term plan ... as a new quilter, you'd be best to allow for flexibility for the future, whether for quilting, or some other avenue your interests take you!

How do you buy your batting? How will you store it? I buy mine by the roll, so I had hubby make me a giant papertowel holder style thing for my closet to hold the batting. Lots of outlets, lights, table space to spread out on (nothing worse that moving things over and over because you don't have enough room), large ironing surface, lots of drawers for storage, peg board, entertainment center (TV and/or radio).

Can anything your planning do double duty? For example, my fabric is all stored in wardrobes that I bought at True Value Hardware. My hubby covered the doors with homosote board and batting to make my design wall. I have a huge design wall without taking up extra wall space just for the design wall.

This was going to be my suggestion, bc I've been re-doing my room and having space for the grkids is essential, so I can sew while they color or watch tv. I'm sure you spaced your furniture for plenty of movement.
That's what went by the way with my room. It was clean and organized but I felt I couldn't move around easily.
Good luck and can't wait to see. Show me yours, I'll show you mine ;)

extra shelves above your door & windows. I have them all the way around my whole room & keep my batting & fleece there. I also put dowels along the edge at a slant to hang things on plus coffee cup hook hangers works great also on the edge of the shelves. A peg board is also wonderful for hanging things on & you can even put small dowels in them for your thread.

Jeanne, thanks for mentioning the vanishing design wall. I had no idea there was such a thing. But for those of us who have limited wall space this is just the thing. I think this would be easy to build yourself. I am give it a try myself.

Your studio sounds great and you've thought of most everything. I can't do without my racks to display spools of thread and bobbins so I don't have to dig for the color I may want to use.

Hi all,
I too am setting up a new quilting/sewing room. But I have a different problem. Can you help? I have two rooms: one was my girls' bedroom and it's almost twice the size of my sewing room. I've decided it's ridiculous for me to be in the little room when the other is so large. Here's the problem. I have a small hallway and I need to move the two beds from the big room to the smaller room, and the sewing desk, etc to the big room. But there is no room to put things in the hallway while I'm moving things back and forth. Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Thanks, everybody for the advice. I am taking it all into consideration, and especially rethinking some of my storage and lighting plans. This will be an ongoing project--can't afford to do everything at once. But will post pictures as soon as we get the bedroom furniture out.

If you can take the beds apart and lay the mattress and box spring against a wall that would open up some space and then maybe you could swap one piece at a time. I just purchased one of those furniture moving products advertised on TV. I got mine at Bed bath & Beyond. It is going to get a work out soon as we are moving soon.

I have had the opportunity to have two different sewing/quilting rooms. The thing I enjoy the most and it was my husband idea is an island cutting counter. We used two base cabinets back to back. I had roll out shelves installed in them at each end. The cabinets are kitchen counter height and the counter top is 4'X5' with rounded corners. I have enough over hang that I can pull up an office chair, raise it up and work there if I need to. I use this island for so much more than sewing. It was great for wrapping Christmas Presents. I have a large white cutting mat on top of the counter and we just used the rotary cutter to cut the paper. My room is 11x 14, I also had a closet made with 10 foot long shelves. There are 5 shelves that are 12 inches deep. I had mirrored doors 6'x6' installed in the closet. They make the room seem much bigger. If you would like pictures let me know. It is not fancy but very functional.
I also have a 13 foot long counter with 3 knee holes. I use one for my computer and the other two for two of my sewing machines. The two cabinets between the knee holes have a top drawer front that drops down. It has a pullout top where I can put a cutting mat on one side and a pressing mat on the other. Saves many steps in the quilt block making process. Hope you love your room as much as I love mine. I am in there everyday.

I love the roll out shelves idea!!!!!!!!!

where will you put your sewing machine (or Machines meaning more than one)

U never have enough storage for sure. I have two files cabinets, the short ones u can get at walmart or goodwill, etc. I keep all my patterns filed in them with folders hanging files in front. This is so perfect and plenty of room. I put a piece of formica on top of them and oola, u have an extra table surface too. Nice area to sit at and look at the patterns and decide, or even to layout the material u want to use and put together, lots of use. Let me know if u can use this idea, think everyone could actually........also, in the cabinets u can store your secret projects so no one can see them, u have a lock as well.....lol

I found that "daylight" neons in my lighting fixtures, gave me so much more light, it is just like sitting out in the sunshine. Have you allowed a good space for all your threads, and batting - I had drawers built to fit under my table for pins, measuring tapes, scrap pads, scissors, project drawers for my works in progress or UFO's, patterns, glue guns, mini iron, and all the bottom drawers I use for my seasonal shoe warehouse, various sized cutting mats, stencils, and notions that have to lay flat but need more than a shelf space.

Peg board with hooks for storing rulers ect

Would love to see pictures of your space. Connie

Lighting with the best fixtures you can afford, I put in T5 lights and fixtures. It's just like sunshine all the time. If you plan on having friends/family come and sew, do you have portable work tables and chairs for them? I got some heavy duty portable tables from a used office supply store and could afford new chairs from IKEA. Also, check IKEA for some roll around drawers that can fit under a table or sewing area, they are perfect for small notions and thread storage. You might want a TV, radio or fan.

would like to see pictures of your sewing room. It sounds like you have very good features in your room.

Make sure to allow lots of really heavy duty shelving for books and magazines. The cutting area should be about the height of kitchen cabinets with lighting directly above it so it doesn't strain your eyes. My DH used our old kitchen cabinets to put in my quilt room, painted & modified for me. Perfect height, new white laminate long counter, and he installed Ikea tiny floodlights under the wall cabinets that hang above. Have lots of light, and I don't strain my back. He even installed a hanging system behind the door for all my templates for quilting. Have a small tv and boom box in there, too, for listening/watching movies while quilting....its heaven! Enjoy the experience of planning!

I like a peg board to hang stuff from ( especially my rulers and templates) and a magnetic strip over my sewing area and cutting table. It is easier for me to keep up with stuff and it is very handy there close and in sight. Oh, also where are you storing your thread? Do you want to put up thread racks anywhere? Good luck I know is exciting and I am so happy for you. Don't beat yourself up if you think of or see something later you wish you had done, I think that happens to us all. God bless and have FUN!...
Penny

Double the number of electrical outlets you think you will need. I have quadplex outlets, rather than duplex outlets. Congrats on your new studio!

I too am designing a new studio. Which is why i am combing this blog. I much prefer a design wall that does not have to be put up to get into the closet. I am hoping i will have four big sliding doors on the front of a 16 foot long closet. Two sliding doors for finished quilt display and two for a huge design wall. we'll see. i plan to be a real stickler when the carpenters start that kind of stuff.