I had my basement finished off about 10 years ago, into my sewing studio. I have laminate flooring that has a foam barrier under it, keeping the floor from getting real cold. He also insulated the walls thoroughly. And when I had the new furnace put in, I had them put a duct vent in that would heat (or cool) the entire room. It works wonderfully. I would not want a wood burning stove in a sewing room. The fabric will soak up the wood smell. I used to have one of those oil-filled heaters that I kept near me, but didn't like the oil smell it gave off. There are now ceramic heaters. Check with one of your home improvement stores, on what they think would be best for your situation.

You can get one of those infra-red heaters. They have a thermostat to adjust the heat. My sister had one and it kept an area of about 500 sq.ft. plenty warm.

I have a small electric heater for my office at work that has a temperature thermostat where you can set the temperature. I find I need it set at 72 degrees because everytime someone opens the front door my room fills with cold air. I got it at Big Lots and did not pay a fortune for it.

They make many portable heaters, just search the local stores to see what is available in your area.
Also placing a piece of carpet can help the floors. It is easy to insulate the walls as well, they make 4ft. x 8ft. X 1in. sheets of insulation that can be glued right to the concrete walls. The warmer, cozier you make it the more time you can spend quilting. :)

I used to sew in the basement, too, and I would use one of those little square heaters under the sewing table, as it sort of trapped the heat under there, or sometimes I would put a heating pad on my lap or over the back of the sewing chair. Please remember to turn everything OFF when you are finished for the day!!

I use a small Vornado electric heater. It keeps a small room pretty toasty and it doesn't get hot to the touch - important if you have fur babies. I used a 20% coupon and bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond. Another thing you might consider is a heated floor mat like this one. http://www.floormat.com/heated-mats/...rmth-mats.html

And being from the North Pole, Mrs. Santa must know how to keep warm!! :D

I leave my oil radiator on all the time during the winter. It takes less energy to keep the space warm than it does to warm it up from cold every day. I suppose if you're only in your sewing room every once in a while you should turn things off but I'm in my room every day.

In the winter time I use a small but tall heater in my sewing room. There is a huge industrial gas heater in there but it was there when we moved in and it stinks, so I prefer the small heater.

I don't sew in the basement but our condo has no basement and the sun room is such that this time of year, it's cold out there. We bought a tower heater. That might work for you, but I think it would depend on how big an area it has to heat.

We purchased a 'ceramic' type electric heater at Sam's Club. It is tall and thin; nice that it fits in the corner of my sewing area. It has a remote control, thermostat that displays room temp when it is turned on, then setting the desired temp and away it goes. Works great.

My only question is, didn't you know your basement was cold in the colder months? I know my rooms upstairs get hotter in the afternoons so I always machine sew in the early mornings.

I use to live in a house with a basement, the furnace was also placed in the basement, the duct work ran through out the house , but located in the basement, I just took one of the duct lines and cut an extra vent in it and it kept the basement cozy.

I sew in our basement, half of the basement has vents so they are warm, but not my part. I have 2 large work lights hanging over my cutting table and my sewing table, and initially it is cool when I first start sewing, but the heat from these 2 lights really warms me up. I have a small portable space heater but haven't had to use it. I usually dress warmer when I want to sew but have to take a layer off as it gets too warm then.

Maybe someone has said this.... they are about 100.00 - but the INFRA-RED heaters heat only "objects" not the air. They are very practical in open spaces - I have a friend that uses one in his workshop/shed. Please be careful with any non-electric space heater that might give off "fumes" - CO or CO2 - in an enclosed space.

All of the suggestions are good. Do look at the windows and walls; can they be covered in some way to stop leaking the heat into outer space. We, too, use an oil-filled radiator-type heater that we purchased from Sears several years ago. They are quiet and radiate the heat well. We need it for a corner room, exposed to the wind and cold. My daughter uses 2 of them in her old house.

My sewing room is in the basement. I have one of those cast iron stoves that looks like old fashioned stove. The door is glass and looks live logs burning. You turn that on and it heats up so toasty, and you can turn it off and the metal still radiates the heat and keeps it warm. Highly recommend it.

[I use the dish heater. I got it at Costco for about 60 dollars last year....It is radiant heat and it works good. It is also economical to run....My daughter liked mine so well she got herself one.

I have an infrared heater-larger one & it works pretty well with the other suggestions. Dealer said to set heater off floor as concrete absorbs the heat. After buying several I found a heater with a fan does the best. the oil filled I have doesnt' have a fan & not efficent enough.

Thank you for the link, Jan. I've just placed an order for the Eden Pure.

I use a radiator-looking electric heater. They are energy efficient because once the oil is heated, electricity is needed only to keep it hot. It has a thermostat so you can turn it down when it gets to the "right" temp, and it will keep the room that warm. I couldn't work without it - it heats up the room much faster than the house heat.

My sewing room use to be a deck and there is no real heat and I use a space heater seems to work for me.

This sounds like a nice excuse to just cover all of your walls with quilts as insulation! Pretty and practical!

I have taken the time to read thru everyone's posts and there are at least 6 others who have mentioned the same product my family uses. The absolute BEST auxiliary heater is EDEN PURE. It is reasonable, a quartz heater, VERY SAFE and costs no more than an ordinary light bulb to heat up to 1500 sq. ft. I have two in my home and only spend $700 for a full year for oil for our furnace. There is no change in my electric bill. I've had two for over 5 years.
This is the one that Bob Vila advertises. My parents, my sister, a cousin and both my daughters all own at least one of these Eden Pure heaters. I always tell folks about them....they are the answer to your problem. Go to EdenPure.com and check them out. They come in two sizes....you will see which one will work best for your area - GOOD LUCK!!

I have one of those electric fireplaces, heats the room and gives the look of flames of a real fireplace with no mess. I have one that looks like a cast iron stove and one that looks like a fashionable fireplace. They look so real now.

I have the same problem....Want to go down and sew but it's too cold for me. Mine is a finished basement that is half carpeted but still cold. My dining room table is a mess now! lol

I use an electric heater named Vornado. Doesn't get hot to help protect pets and a thermostat. They run around 80 dollars, much less than Edan Pure. And I use it in my trailer for camping in the spring and fall. I just remember to unplug it like my iron when not in use.

I use the oil filled one from walmart on the front porch and warms up quickly and i don't worry about leaving it unattened with GBs

LOL. I think I was in denial. Surely after painting all the walls, applying an epoxy floor finish, moving in ceiling to floor bookcases and filling them with fabric, wouldn't the temperature go up at least a few degrees? Having the lights on, iron plugged in, and the machines humming would raise it another degree or two?:rolleyes: My internal thermometer runs a little higher than my DH, so I like it cooler. All of my extremities (toes, fingers, tip of my nose) were warm, so I wasn't concerned. But after sitting there for a few hours, I felt it in my back. Maybe I need more "insulation" (stash) down there.

Anyone know the R value of fabric? ;)

I feel your pain. My husband builds me a fire in the wood burner when I go down to quilt for the same reason. I am extremely cold natured and he bought me a little ceramic heater about 10 years ago. It really works well. I agree with the poster that said to put it on a power strip with a lamp so that you know it is off. This is what I do with my vintage machines so that I am not always trying to crawl under a table to unplug them.

I hope you can make your new space more comfortable. We have three ducts in our basement and my husband closes them for summer and opens them back up for winter (just because he is taller and can reach them w/out a step stool). A single duct to your area should be too expensive.

Good luck and keep stitchin'!

I had the same problem when I had my computer near the front windows. I took a lap quilt, folded it in half. and put it around my shoulders. I was thinking of attaching a strap of some kind to each side to put my arms through so it would not slip off, but it was warm! I ended up moving the desk, and didn't need it then.

I sew out in my husband's shop as we live in a smaller, older mobile home and there is no room for my sewing. The heat is in the floor which helps and my feet are warm but my hands get cold so I have been using a small electric cube heater and I put it on the desk near me but of course you have to be careful and keep it away from your fabric so that's not really the best option. My other alternate heat source is an oil filled electric heater which works wonderful and I probably use that more now. Good luck!

I have the Presto Heat Dish heater from Costco and i really like it.

We have an efficiency apartment built into the farm shop for our 21 year old grandson. We purchased an Eden Pure heater and have been very pleased with it. We ordered it online and were so pleased with the company we eventually bought 2 air purifiers from them. They are recommended by Bob Villa, the home repair guy from TV. www.edenpure.com

I took a piece of heavy wool material about 2 .5 foot long, 16 inches wide, folded almost in half, making the back a little longer than the front, cutting a hole the fold so I could slip it over my head and made a dickie. I have two of them and wear them under my clothes to keep warm. This keeps my chest and back warm without all the bulk.
Syl

I sew sometimes in a large basement room. Very nice in the summer, but in the winter I have an EdenPure heater that warms the room up nicely. It's on wheels and rolls around easily to whereever I need it.