I know that not everyone uses a fan to help cool themselves while sewing, but my wife and I don’t run the AC down very low, and use free-standing fans to circulate the air instead. This Spring has been extremely hot here and we've used the fans quite a bit. Every once in a while, I find myself “fighting the wind” when handling my thread or fabric at my needle. Not to mention all of the thread trimmings that get blown across the top of the trash can onto the floor.

If you use a fan, is it a ceiling fan or a free-standing fan, and have you came up with any secrets to avoid turbulence at the needle but still get good air movement toward yourself?

CD in Oklahoma

We have central air and ceiling fans in the rooms. Our fans do not bother my sewing at all.

I use a ceiling fan to avoid this problem.

I have ceiling fans in every room and if they are on a slow speed, they move the air nicely without blowing everything away. When we lived in the midwest and had AC I would place a small fan in front of the duct in the floor aimed at the wall and the cool air would bounce off the wall and spred evenly thru the room.

I have ceiling fan, with 3 lights, overhead. I keep it on low when I run it, so it doesn't disturb anything. If the lights get too warm, I unscrew a bulb, or two, or just use a desk light or two, instead.....

2 ceiling fans in the room

Same here. And since my sewing room has a south/south west exposure with a large bay window, it does get warm in there. So not getting away from using both the a/c & the ceiling fan.

My sewing machine is set up in front of a window with a window fan in it. I have to turn it on mostly when I have my "private summers" and I too fight the wind :lol:

I have fans running all of the time, due to summer and powers surges LOL
I do have my sewing machine area partially blocked so the breeze coming that way is somewhat off of my machine area :D:D:D

I use a ceiling fan along with the central air. Sometimes the little pieces fly off the table but I just bend down and pick them up.

Hot here in Texas use ceiling fan in one room but have stand up fan in other and it a battle to keep up with things but too hot without it same if I set on porch and try to do hand work wind blows everything away but it is so hot if wind not blowing

And get credit for exercise too! :D

I use a Vornado and using the losest speed aim it at the ceiling so it doesn't actually blow on me. Helps with the personal summers too!

me, too...mine is on medium speed and I don't have any issues.

I have a Stanley blower fan that construction workers use on job sites. And I set it on the floor in my sewing room or when I am out on my patio sewing and turn it on low and have it blow on my feet and legs and it keeps me cool. So I don't have a problem of stuff blowing around. :))

I have a ceiling fan and just bought an itty bitty 6" tabletop fan at walmart a few weeks ago. Surprisingly it works great!

I angle the fan so it's not actually blowing on my work area. It's a floor fan and just move it so it hits my back side, it seems to be enough to keep me cook enough to sew. If not, I get up from sewing and go do something more directly in line with the fan.

AC set in the upper 70's to keep humidity down more than to keep temperature low. Makes it easier for DH to breath. Ceiling fans in every room on low. Some small fans where needed, angled to do the most good.

Yes, for my "private summers" and "power surges" I use almost EVERYWHERE my "over 40 fan". It even vacations with me!
In the studio, I have 2 ceiling fans and 2 tower fans and let it blow directly on me! Yes, it blows fabric, thread, lint, etc., but simply cannot be without my fans!

I have an overhead fan going on a low speed but on those particularly hot days I add one free standing one to blow on my feet and legs. It does the job for me without blowing too much around me.

I live in NE Ohio and today was so darn cold, I had to come inside and close the windows! No fans going at our house today.
Ceiling fans on low really help and wont blow everything around.

My home does not have any air conditioning. I will open my slider window which is right behind me, and open my inside garage door, which is right in front of me and I also turn on a ceiling fan. Have to be careful sometimes when cutting as fabric blows around. My ironing board is directly at the slider, so I get cooled off as I iron!

If your sewing area is in one room, you could purchase (new or used) a window air conditioner, just for that room, and use when needed. Otherwise, as most of the others have said, the overhead fan is an excellent choice. My sewing area at present is an 8' X 5' closet. I had my son put an overhead fan/lights in the closet! Has made a huge difference since our central system has no vent in the closet.

I know just what you're talking about! We have a free-standing fan blowing into the main area of our motorhome as the A/C is in the back & it just won't turn that corner like we'd hoped without the added assistance. I have to really practice my tossing scraps into the basket or they blow everywhere. Ironing is a real trip! LOL! Take your hand off that piece for just an instant & you're chasing it down the hallway! Sure keeps life interesting! LOL!

Don't use a fan, as I keep the AC fairly low, as I have power surges!

I have an upstairs studio, and it can get pretty hot in summer. I have a ceiling fan - three speeds. I also have an in-window air conditioner which I find I'm using more and more each summer. The ceiling fan works pretty well when it's not BOILING hot.

i have a small fan usually on low sometimes of medium behind me so i get the air movement and my body blocks the wind the machine

Nothing is going to keep me cool here in El Paso, 102 today it has cooled off a little. Ceiling fan is what I have in my sewing room, does it help?????

We have central air, my sewing room has a ceiling fan, and I keep a fan blowing right on me. All year long. The problem I have is if I forget to turn my fan on!

We love our Dyson fan, it has no blades! It's completely quiet too which DH likes at night. AC stays on low all the time in the summer here. Too hot for just a fan.

I open the doors at each end of the house and have the fans at either end to create the movement - it is cool in the room I sew in but not a howling gale - more like a refreshing breeze...

Because the washer and dryer are in the same small room as my sewing machine, sometimes the room is very warm. We have a fairly large oscillating fan, which I set on the floor--moves air, not materials. piecefully, the old one

Same but I also sew in basement cool in summer and warm in winter.

I have a ceiling fan in my sewing room, plus my sewing table sits facing two big windows looking out over the big maple trees in my back yard - there seems to always be a nice cool breeze because I'm a block from the ocean. Rarely need the a/c on.

Here in the UK it is not normal to have AC, not really needed but I do have a super fan, it has a large clip to fix onto any shelf and is directional, it's not over large but is great for me. I fix it to the high shelf behind and above me and direct it to the wall so the cool air bounces back over to me, no problems with it at all.

I have ceiling fans and AC. Have no problem with the ceiling fan moving things just Kitty Girl when she gets on the table.

My sewing area is in the dining area of our kitchen, so there is a ceiling fan in there. Well there are ceiling fans in every room : ) to be honest. Of course most of you do not have 114 for your highs. We keep the a/c going as well as the ceiling fans. The fan does not move things around.

I have central air but I hate high power bills so I keep it set on 78 degrees. That works just fine downstairs with the ceiling fan but my sewing room is upstairs with no ceiling fan...ITS HOT! So I bought a small window unit, run it on low (only when I'm actually sewing in the room), and put a small fan in front of it, close the door, and away I sew! When I'm done sewing, I turn off the window unit and open the door. the fan blows the cooler air into the rest of the upstairs.

I use a ceiling fan during the hot weather, just to give me something to breathe along with the AC.

I put the fan off to the side and sort of behind me. It seems to help. :)