I love sewing in my sunroom (lots of light and beautiful views), but its only a 3 season so winter is definitely out!! BRRRRRR! So since my stepson no longer lives with us, you got it, I'm taking over his bdrm. YEAH!!!! My sons room is actually bigger and he's leaving for college this month, but only has 1 window so I'm going to use the other one, its only like 11x12, but hopefully will hold everything. Spill over can go into son's closet. :-D I just absolutely can't wait!!!! I'll be in hog heaven, everything in one place, OMG what am I going to do? :lol: :lol: Been 3 yrs since this has happened.

Lots of good advice here. I especially appreciate wvdek's list to go by. I have been working on my space since Tuesday morning when my guys went on a trip. I moved my cutting table to another side of the room so it wouldn't be as convenient to stack piles on it. I've also decided (again) that I truly do own enough sewing stuff to last me quite a while so I need to stop buying for a while. (Of course, this is after a month of great quilty purchases including stuff at the Maine Quilt Show).

I really wanted to sew before the guys returned home but this will make it easier to sew so I guess it's all good in the end.

I also realized that I am almost as addicted to buying plastic totes and bins as I am fabric. Anyone else have that problem?
lots2do

Me too!

I've enjoyed this thread and finally just had to join in.
I've been working on organizeing my sewing room for months. Was given an entertainment centre - 2 pieces 30" wide x 22" deep and 1 piece about 22" wide by 22" deep - all about 6 ft tall. Too deep for how I want to fold my fabric so still working on sorting and folding. (AMAZING how much more fabric fits on a shelf when its been ironed and folded). Last week bought plastic totes and tubs on sale at Canadian Tire for all the open shelves - 2 wider sections have doors on the bottom and glassed in top 2 sections. Am working on a scrap quilt right now - but that's another thread. Sort of cleaning and sorting some every day I get into my room.

thanks i hate having to clean thay darn roller. tape sounds great

Ironing board? What ironing board? Haven't seen the thing since 19...

I'm not a good one for advice either. Hi Gwyn. I found last time I cleaned I couldn't find anything after that. I try to put stuff where it belongs when I'm done but it seems like I'm never done. I do have alot of totes though that I try to keep everything in. I have my fabric color coordinated in totes.
Its now harvest time and everyones wheat fields end up in my sewing room so I do try to keep everything covered in totes. Lots of property relocating right now.
So I guess my advice would be totes and lots of them. :thumbup:
There is alot of great advice here from everyone I enjoyed reading through this. Thanks Gwyn

After years of wading through lots of thread ends, fabric clippings, lost needles and pins, I make it a hard and fast rule to pick up, store loose items, and pull out the hoky for a few swipes around the machine area to get up the "fall offs" BEFORE my darling pet gets there first and has another $1000 trip to the vet for a swallowed needle. I AM MOTIVATED!!!

I simply cannot work in a disorganized space, although I'm not by any means a great housekeeper. I just like to keep my workspace organized and clean. I'm always making adjustments to the way things are organized. Every time I think I have it just right, I think of something else I can do to help keep it neat. I try to clean up at the end of every sewing day, but sometimes it waits a few days. It's like everything else: If it's important to you, you will do it. It isn't important to everyone.

My problem is that I have clothing, and home deco and craft fabric to store too. I wanted to seperate them all out and concentrate on having a quilting storage closet. So far it has taken two weeks of washing ironing and folding. The job isn't even half finished! I am really tired, so yesterday I took a break. So, what do I do? I went fabric shopping! In my defense though, I went for only the pieces I needed to finish a couple things and a new quilt top called tennessee waltz. (Yes! I got it all now, WooHoo!)

I need to begin collecting some more batting and backing fabrics, but until this project is finished, I will be good. LOL! (The evil laugh...)

This has been such a great experience to read all of your contributions. I guess my mess is probably equally related to most of your messes. It helps me to know I"m like the rest of you and not weird. You are all wonderful and wise quilters so I will take your suggestions and incorporate them into my new space. When I get it 'finished' I'll post a picture and explain what I have done to improve the situation.

If you have a sewing/quilting space you are proud of, please take a few pictures and share your words of wisdom.

I don't have a huge stash, but am addicted to purchasing plastic containers.

Projects in separate containers; pattern; ideas; fabric

Two tubs for misc. backing and interfacing.

Three magazine size plastic containers for fat qtrs.

Two Craftsman rolling utility chests with drawers. Line some drawers with rubber gripper shelf liner; tops available for workspace. Separate drawers for cutting implements. machine parts (3 machines); rulers; pins (including empty parmesan cheese shakers for safety pins}; thread; etc. Larger cutting mat as workspace on top of one unit. Have two mats so sometimes piggyback on one unit for storage. I can use both mats on big board as larger cutting surface.

Do NOT pile anything on big board or top of cutting chest as temporary storage spot.

Spare table at opposite side of room on which to pile stuff.
I'm not perfect and will never be. I am realistic. :-)

Small basket available to temporarily store smaller pieces of fabric after cutting. ********Cut up remaining fabric in to usable pieces (squares, strips, etc.) when project is finished and feed them into appropriate containers -- remember the plastic container addiction?

Use leaders and enders to cut back on wasting thread. String piece as much as possible and clip apart items with mailer opener razor blade. Bag taped to edge of both big board and sewing machine table to collect small pieces of fabric and thread.

Note pad near sewing machine for jotting down ideas and/or needs. Wastepaper basket handy.

Candy dish with CHOCOLATE and absorbant coaster for refillable water bottle. These might be last, but not least in my book.

Try one or two baby steps and you'll develop your own system.

Kay Carlson: Your sewing room sounds very efficient as well as neat and clean. Do you have any pictures?

I just thought of another really good question...

What do you keep in your sewing basket?

Mine are basically empty and sit on the shelf or on top of the boxes. Sewing Baskets are so pretty and are a recognized partr of the sewing room, but what is the most efficient way to use them?

Where do you live? I could really use some help in cleaning and organizing my whole house. Anyone in the Ohio area love cleaning that much? LOL in Christ, Happy Stitchin

I don't have a sewing basket.

Great advice from Wvdek that is useful to all of us. However, you just may not be a neat kind of person, so don't keep beating yourself up and live with it.

I read in an article that the little scraps and pcs of thread were good to stuff things with. Being the pac rat that i am, I just had to do it. I've already made a huge dog pillow and used these pcs to stuff it with. Worked GREAT! I recently went through all my totes in my craft room and sorted into 4 boxes, fairly large pcs, up to fat quarter size. strips. scrappy pcs. anything that wasn't easily usable went into the "stuffing" bag. Now when I have a little time between projects I grab one of those boxes and work on putting the scrappy pcs together into random squares, when I have enough I will trim and assemble. I sorted the strips into "like widths" and am working on sewing them all into one long strip to be cut into lengths for a strip quilt. Not sure just how long I will keep this up, but it is worth a try!

I have a corner in my living room for my sewing projects and all around the table and under it are pieces of paper, threads and fabric. Occasionally I can see the carpet underneath.

I actually keep just my reg. sewing items in there - buttons, zippers, snaps, thread, velcro and things like that that I don't use for quilting.

I try to clean up my space after finishing a project or just before starting another project. That way I only have out the things I need for the WIP. I change whatever needs to be changed and not be so hasseled with things from other projects. K

I have my fabric on open shelves on the wall in a area out of the sun. My thread is on a rack that my husband make for me. Holds 215 spools. These are the left of my sewing machine. On the right I have my embroidery machine and the thread are on the wall behind it.
To the left of the sewing machine I have my lap top, 3 drawer cabinet (like what the store have handembroidery threads in) with the printer on top of the cabinet. I store my small block rulers,squares and triangles etc. and my note book with web site resoures, fabric on line and other notes.

My cutting board is on wheels. It is built just for me with the top at the level of my elbows. I have two large cutting boards on the top. When it is not in use I can drop down 2 leaves. Under the top there are 12 cabinets (hand embroidery foss size, got from store going out of business) This is where I Store my scraps. They are cut into 2, 2 1/2, 3, 3 1/3, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 6, 7 inch squares and sorted by colour in each size. I also have 1 drawer for each of the colours for pieces smaller than fat quarters. Large Rulers are on top of the cabinets and cutters in the top drawer.

I keep each of the quilt projects that I am working on in claspible boxes(from IKA)with materials and a note of what I have done and what needs to be done. They are stored on the shelve under the sewing counter.

Buttons are sorted by kind and colour in small plaste bags and store in a cash box. Ribbons are on hooks by the embroidery thread.

Scissors, marking pencils, etc are in a cutlery tray in a drawer between by sewing , embroidery machines. My embroidery supplies are in another drawer.

Tapes, rickrack, laces etc. are wound on cardboards and stand upright in square boxes so that you can see the sorted colours.

Misc supplies are keep in 2 (nuts and bolts) cabinet with little drawers. For beads, saftey pins, bulbs, cleaning brushes, needles, new cutter blades, etc.

And just for fun I have a thimble, and pin chushion collection.

IF I WERE LIVING CLOSE TO ALL OF YOU I WOULD BE GLAD TO ORGANIZE YOUR SEWING ROOM. I have done 4 for people in this area. I should love doing it.



My books are in a book case.

I can't stand working in a room that is cluttered, therefore I try to keep everything I am working on in containers and have 1 project out at a time. I also do a good cleaning after finishing each project, which includes cleaning my machines. My stash is organized by color in my sewing room closet, a walk-in that my DH put shelves in for me. I save all my thread ends in a thread catcher by the machine I am using and use them when I make fabric for projects. And if the truth be known, I guess I am a pain about having a mess any place in our home!!!

Don't ask me. I have garbage cans all over the place but I miss them every time. I think I have carpet underneath.

Dang, how far is Ontario from NH? :)

Plastic plastic bins...they should be somehow biodegradable. I am adicted too. bins bins everywhere, baskets and the every populars recycled grocery bags. Stash is neat in clear bins, labeled on the front. bins for sewing things, zippers to cutters to things not readily used, another keeps threads, another cutters, ruler, sissors, must haves. keep a bin for bobbins, thread etc for WIP near the machine. Another bin for just bought stuff, a bin for patterns, magazines, pictures I've taken to save. I am addicted! but feel that if the bins are clear they really are not there just my stash neat and labeled..

I also realized that I am almost as addicted to buying plastic totes and bins as I am fabric. Anyone else have that problem?
lots2do[/quote]

Bins are great, but then I will have a problem remembering what I put where! That is why I use those open basket things. One just has to adjust to whatever room you have to work in and plan the best way accordingly. I wish I had a whole room I could devote to my crafts but I have to share it with my bed. Of course, I do stash future patterns for projects in a flat bin under my bed!

Rather than totes, I used the transparent plastic file boxes from Office Depot and Staples. They stack really well, you can get them in nice colors (like purple, blue and hot pink plus white)and you can see through them. Wait until they go on sale. I think I paid about $5 each or less for mine. They're small enough that you can lift them when they're full. Plus, if you get those wire shelves that are 18" deep from Home Depot, Target or Lowes, the file boxes fit on them. I 'kit up' my projects in plastic freezer bags. But be warned those darn project bags multiply when you're not looking! My stash goes in ClosetMaid wire baskets on the frames so that they are wire drawers. The frames are zip tied together, with a piece of 1X1 wood between them. That's for stability. They are topped with a formica counter top from Home Depot.

Doesn't this sound oh so lovely and organized? NOT! I still have stuff in piles and on every flat surface. The last week and a half has been the reduce the real clutter and the visual clutter project. I might be winning but it's still too early to tell.

Marilyn

Just before the heat struck me down I bought a Pfaff Grand Quilter and frame. Huge. To make room for that I had to clean out my craft room, to do that i had to clean out the untility, and to do that I had to clean out the garage. The frame is up, but you can't walk through the garage. I MUST finish that project once the heat settles some!

This is not a solution but it sure helps lessen the mess. I keep a plastic bin next to where I'm sewing and cutting. I use it to put everything I'm using after I finish using it. Scissors, seam ripper, pattern, pincushion, marking pencil, ruler, rotary cutter, everything I use I put it in there. Then it's easy to sort through and put things away. I always know where the "I just had it!" item is.

One thing that I do is to thoroughly clean up after each project is completed...put away all fabrics, scraps, threads used, vacuum the floor, clean the counter top, etc. works for me. Then on to the next mess. :)

Whoo...now I think I need to get started cleaning my sewing room, which is a very small area of a bedroom. I am not too organized but am trying. One of the item I found works for me is those "under the bed shoe storage cases" "as seen on TV" they have a clear zipper top and 12 divided spaces. When its full, its easy to slide out from under the bed and clearly views your fabric choices. Needles to say they are under all the beds at my house and even one is full of shoes.

My question....What exactly is thread catcher? Is it just a container to toss scraps and thead in as your sewing or is it a particular item?

I fold all small leftover pieces inside the larger piece of same
fabric to keep for another project.
To store my fabric, I have purchased tall storage cabinets (at auctions & garage sales) with shelves & doors. Fabric is folded and stored on the shelves sorted by color. (Christmas fabric goes together, 30's fabrics together etc.) Cabinet doors open to have a good view of what is inside. These cabinets don't take up a lot of room, are inexpensive & no lifting of totes!
Each unfinished projects go into its own container.

wow!!!

I think for me it is a mood thing. I sometimes have a messy quilt room and then suddenly I go in one day and straighten it all up. I do have 2 cabinets with fabrics and magazines/books and about 4 clear bins under my quilting table with fabric and a closet full of about 5 more bins. Oh way too much stuff.

I can not work in a huge mess. I need space and order to create. The rest of the house can be a disaster, I just close the door.
I have a huge desk with 6 drawers that is 6 feet long, 31 inches deep. It doubles as computer desk as well as a sewing desk. On it I have a flat screen tv on one side and a flat screen monitor on the other. The pc is near on a shelf. I also have two of those Expedit cubby units from Ikea. One has 25 cubbies and the other has 16. I have filled the cubbies with fabric folded on boards and books, etc. I also have several of those cloth boxes that fit in the cubbies and they hold thread and buttons, etc. On one wall I have a bank of those rolling drawer carts, filled with other stuff. Those are under folding narrow card tables. That side is going to get redone.

We plan to put in new flooring someday soon. When we do that, I plan to go to Ikea and get one of those cd shelf sets that someone showed in another thread. That will go on another wall and all the fabric will be moved to that space. (hopefully) I also have a walk in closet where I still have a ton of fabric. I am planning to get that out and folded and on the shelves, and whatever rolling carts I have left will go in the closet. That is my dream anyway. I am hoping to have enough room to set my vintage machines up on the shelves where I can enjoy them. I am thinking that I will have enough room to put a couple of the machines that are in cabinets in the room in front of the cubby shelf so I can use them.

I have big plans and luckily my hubby is so good to me and as long as we can afford it, he is fine with it. He knows my sewing room is my little kingdom and he thinks it is great.

Silly, just get another ironing board. I have two. I also have two cutting tables - neither of which can be used right now because they're inundated with fabric. That's why I use the top of my chest-type freezer for a third cutting table.

You just have to adapt.

I'll keep my hubby but can I have a clone of yours for a spare just in case my model breaks down? :-)

don't toy with us offer to clean and then not show up haha

Dear Helen,
Your organization sounds wonderful. Are you able to post photos of your room? Your discriptions are very clear but I also learn from visual.
Thank you so much.

I admit to the same ironing board problem although I am getting better about keeping my fabrics organized. I have three large plastic bins with lids for fabric storage. several smaller bins hold scraps or projects in progress. miscellaneous sewing supplies are in containers stored in an old step back cupboard. Most of the time I can actually walk through the room without falling!