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-   -   Ideal quilting area? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/mission-organization-f23/ideal-quilting-area-t215408.html)

deedum 04-05-2013 07:08 PM

My sewing room is upstairs! We may be downsizing in the next couple years so I have been giving a lot of thought. What do I want out of it. Not upstairs is the one thing I can say. I am constantly having to run up and down the stairs. For everything. My dh will be downstairs and I up, so I got to run down to see what he wants or is saying. Lord know, he isn't coming up to me!

JeannieT 04-13-2013 09:06 AM


Originally Posted by DJinSC (Post 5903744)
Everybody's needs are so different -- I have a large room over the attached garage that works for me. I don't quilt all that much, but I certainly love it and have lots of supplies. After living with this set up for 2 years, I think I would prefer being on the first level of the house. It's just my husband and I, and he spends most of the day out of the house at his workshop, but in the evenings he is in his loft which is just outside my sewing room door. The biggest negative for me is if I'm sewing upstairs during the day, I can't hear when someone comes to the door (which isn't very often, but still). I think the fact that it seems a little secluded keeps me from spending as much time there as I'd really like.

As for your other questions, I prefer a room with a door I can close if it's a mess. As big as possible. I think a family room if it's big and has a door. Like others have said, the bigger the better.

Good luck with your search. We moved here 2 1/2 years ago and it was such fun looking at houses and thinking which room would be mine. Have fun on your search!

Just a suggestion for you - my sewing studio is in our well lit walk out basement level, which I love but I couldn't hear the doorbell down there. We found a plug-in doorbell unit that somehow gets connected to the main doorbell upstairs, and now I can hear it. We got it at the local home improvement store and it wasn't expensive. DH hooked it up and it only took a few minutes. Plus you can plug this in anywhere, even outside in the backyard and it will ring when the main doorbell does.

beckyj 09-25-2016 05:52 AM


Originally Posted by moonwork42029 (Post 5902589)
Well, it seems our "house" has been taken over by fabric and machines.

I do have a small "sewing room" that is basically fabric storage (and freezer and all other crafty items). I had the sewing machine and embroidery machine in there but since my DH is only home a couple days a week I didn't want to be away from him. Now that my Dad lives with us also and likes to "help" the sewing room is out of the question (besides it's out of hand now anyway and needs cleaning badly).

My sewing machine is on our dining room table. The embroidery machine is in the front room on an extra dining room table. Our couch is history because last May, DH decided I needed a long arm so that is now also in the front room.

Someday (when our last remodel gets paid off) we'll add a large rectangular room that will be for just sewing/crafting with loads of wall space for design wall and shelving. I'd love to have 2 workstations back to back so I don't have to sew facing a wall. Desk space for the laptop will be a must too.

Good luck and have fun

add a mirror in front of machine.

mjpEncinitas 09-27-2016 05:31 AM

Lucky you! I have a 300+ square room upstairs that was a family room in the original layout of the house. It has two closets in it. Before my kids moved out it was used as a bedroom (usually for several people at a time). It is away from the main area of the house. This is plenty of room for me and it also includes my small office area. I think it would accommodate a long arm too.

I'm fine with it being upstairs, I'm an exercise physiologist so I like that I have to climb steps sometimes. If I had knee problems I wouldn't be as happy with that.

It is really great having everything in one room. Makes sewing pretty efficient. I have an L Shaped sewing area and a separate cutting/ironing table. I like that I have to get up and stand at the ironing table. It forces me to get out of a sitting position occasionally and I'm less stiff at the end of my sewing session. When One of my sons comes home and he sews with me. He uses part of the L with my old singer sewing machine for his projects and that works out well.

This is MY room, so no sharing. My husband comes in to see what I"m doing but that's not where we spend time together. The noise from the sewing machine would probably prevent the room from being a good tv room. When I sew I listen to books on tape and/or netflix and I use headphones when I'm using my sewing machine. I do not have an especially loud sewing machine.

The closets are wonderful. My stash is pretty well organized but not always the neatest so it's nice to be able to pull the curtain door closed. I have a pegboard up which is very, very handy.

If I had kids still at home I would want my sewing machine more in the main area of the house. I've found its always great to be available to kids. Teenagers talk to you at the oddest times and they need you when they need you. :) One of my would always come lay on the bed with me right before I wanted to go to sleep. So having a private room wouldn't have worked for me a few years ago.

I used this book when I set up my quilting room and it really helped with ergonomics and things like that. You can get it used, very cheaply.
[h=1]Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space: Sewing-Room Makeovers for Any Space and Any Budget[/h]

beckyj 10-14-2017 01:55 PM

I would love a 12 x 22 room for sewing, and A bedroom for my fabric storage nearby.

patski 10-17-2017 01:51 PM

I use a small bedroom but would love to use the family room, it is larger and would have room for my long arm, right now I have the long arm in a room that used to be a garage but is my DHs train set up with my long arm on one wall. I think having a tv and being in the middle of everything would be so much better so I could not be "alone" when I sit and sew.

SusieQOH 10-17-2017 05:15 PM

I use the second largest bedroom for my sewing room. I have a double closet and my husband built shelves in it- holds a ton.
At first I didn't like being away from the kitchen, laundry etc, but now i prefer it that way. And all my stuff is in one room so there are no messes anywhere else.
My only companion is my cat, Carmello :D But if things get too messy he gets mad at me!

LianneK 10-19-2017 07:01 AM

I've been quilting for years with my Singer set up on the dining room table (I move it when people come over), and my fabric in various places in the office upstairs....even if your space is not "ideal" you can make it work!

petthefabric 10-19-2017 01:35 PM

I have 2 rooms. Part of the garage is remodeled to a room with a full bath. It holds my long arm and fabric storage.
The main sewing room is a large bedroom. Space for 3 machines in Horne cabinets. A cutting penninsula, an ironing station and large design wall. It's right next to the living area. When DH isn't home, the dog joins me. The whole house has no stairs, SonIL in a wheel chair.

One thing I noticed is where you live is on the warm side. Upstairs will be the warmest part of the house. With an iron and lights, my room is warmer than the rest of the house.

tscweaves 10-19-2017 02:02 PM

When I bought my new home a number of years ago, one of my priorities was a large weaving area. The home I ended up buying has a huge loft that overlooks the living room and it is perfect. It is part of the home, but everything, well most everything is upstairs and I can walk away without tidying up.

Now that I am quilting, have aquired a number of vintage sewing machines, and am finally getting serious about weaving yardage for clothing, I have turned my dining room into a sewing room. It mostly works okay. I am lucky because it is a large room with good light but I am still working out the best way to have everything.


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