New Sewing Space, TINY! - Need Suggestions Please
 

Thanks to eveyone that would like to help.

My husband and I recenlty sold our house and bought a parcel of land. We're currently renting a place while are building a very, small cabin to live in for now and eventually (hopefully) will build a larger house. It's not really finished yet, but we're moving in next week anyway.

We'll be living in the cabin for at least a couple of years. My sewing area will probably be up in the loft in a long, narrow space, that's about 15' X 6, which runs along the side of the 1/2 wall, loft railing. I have a portable 403A Singer and a couple of treadles, one which can be put into a new table. Of course I have a ton of supplies and a need for table space. I'd love any kind of suggestions on how to organize my small space.

~ Cindy

it all depends on how much stuff you have but to start, you can stack along the wall shelving, plastic bins and so on from floor to ceiling for max use of space. depending where you enter from, you will place your cutting table at the end and use a table that you will place on lifts and you can use the underneath for storage. i did the same with my cutting table and to hide ugly brown boxes, i added a skirt all around the table with velcro. your sewing machine should also be against the wall with sliders, for ease of sliding out when you need room behind the machine for adding a table to hold the quilt top. also plenty of lighting or it will not be very motivating for you to sew. take a look at my youtube video i recently uploaded for more ideas. hope this helps.

If you have a large stash, since your space is 6' wide, I would probably place tall bookshelves perpendicular to the railing, back-to-back, with a small aisle between rows (like a library) concentrated on one end of the space or the other, for fabric storage, etc. You can leave them open or cover them with little curtains shirred on a rod. Leave an aisle down one side of the space or the other so you can get to the shelves. This way, messy shelves won't be seen full-face from below, so if you're not absolutely neat and organized, it won't matter. That leaves room at the other end for a quilt wall and whatever sewing cabinet configuration you have, plus some open floor space for a cutting table and comfortable chair, maybe. Does this make sense?

If you have a small stash, I would normally think about cabinets on the wall, with counterspace built below them with cutouts for your machines, or placement of your sewing cabinet below them. That would leave space for a cutting table, ironing board and comfortable chair.

I know you think this space is small, but it is not. 6x15 is 90 square feet. I have about 80 square feet, plus a closet. All this makes you do is put a little more thought into organization and getting rid of stuff you're just hanging on to. Please post pictures when you get it set up -- I might be able to steal some ideas as to how to better organize my space!

I will be anxiously watching this thread to get new ideas. As jbrother said, you do have 90 square feet. It is just rethinking to see where everything will fit and how to utilize the space to it's maximum. Sorry, I don't have any suggestions at present. Good luck.

Love the ideas...keep them coming! One note...this is up against a 1/2 high wall, (about 4 ft. high,) so no bookshelves.

Hang a quilt over the railing so you can store things without them being seen from below.

Ooohhh...I like that idea! It could be seen from below.

~ Cindy

that does present a challenge im anxious to see what you come up with too and the quilts over the railing is a great idea it will be a perfect way to show off your quilts as well as provide decoration foe the space below and as a quilter i find looking at quilts lifts my spirits in a way nothing else can. thats one of the reasons i love this board i get to see all the beautiful quilts and get so much inspiration from eveyones work.
carla m

Do you have windows or plenty of natural light? If not you might want to add plenty of good lighting. I have my sewing machine and serger placed in front of a window, but even so I also have a wall mounted lamp on the wall to one side of the window for sewing in the evenings and early mornings. But then my eyesight is'nt what it used to be lately.

That's a good point. My DH hasn't done the electrical yet, so I'll be sure to ask for extra plugs over there, in that area. I do have a high window in the office and another identical one in the bedroom. There's also a big window on the wall by the stairwell. Still, you can never have too much light when sewing.

Thanks,

~ Cindy