Just to show you how little space you can manage with, see the pics below. My quilting area is just 5' sqare with a really handy storage unit, at the side, which has 12" deep squares, holds so much. The rest of my fabric is in sealed boxes under my bed and on top of the wardrobe, and I have a lot as I am also the North Wales Project Linus co-ordinator!
My largest and most expensive purchase, besides my beloved Elna sewing machine is my lovely executive office chair, couldn't be without it. In this so called small space I do a lot of quilting and do all my own FMQ and completes quilts up to Queen size with no problems. It's amazing what you can do when you really want to. BTW I don't know about a shed outside, I like sewing in the evenings and the thought of going out in the dark for my quilting would put me off but that's me
