What size room do I need?
 

We are building a small home and my husband has asked me to design the dream sewing room! I'm so grateful but overwhelmed at the same time. I have two sewing machines, want a nice big cutting table, room for an ironing board with extender (the big boards to put on top of the ironing board), and maybe one day have a smaller longarm. I prefer to have room for two people to sew at the same time (so my mom and I can work in there together when she visits).



What size room should I request? I know part of the floor space will be taken up with cabinets for organization and storage, so I must consider this.

Please dream with me. I do need to keep it on the smaller side, but am curious about minimum size you think I will need. Thank you, ladies!

A room about the size of a master bedroom would be nice. If your building a small home a room that size shouldn't make the house layout a bit odd.

Now if it was to be a separate building, a room the size of my husband's shop would be wonderful, 24x 30.

And I found this house layout. It has the perfect size sewing room.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e8/96...aae9172805.jpg

I'm not sure of what finished size room you need but suggest you start with the longarm. Research the one you are interested in and get the measurements. You will want at least 30" on each side and the same on at least one end. I had my longarm against one wall on the end which worked. After I moved I didn't have to do that and it is nice. I got plenty of exercise going around the whole thing all the time. My longarm is on wheels so I could put it against a wall and move to the other side when I wanted to change from front to back or the reverse. I never had to do that and would avoid it as it is just more work to deal with. Once you know how much room you'll need for a longarm you can add to the space to create your full sewing room.

The footprint of a longarm/midarm is bigger than you would think, so start there. I had a 15' x 20' room which was perfect, until I got the longarm. Then I had to get really creative - my cutting station and big board ironing board were on wheels, so I could move them out of the way when I needed to longarm.

If I could build a new sewing room, it would be a minimum of 20' x 30'.

:D My dream house!!!

Go bigger that you think you'll need, trust me you'll be glad you did!!! I am now having my carport closed in to give me more room and my current one is 12x18.

That is hilarious! Great advice, too Thank you.

Thank you! Great suggestion!

Thank you! It is nice to have some "dream dimensions."

I'll give the same advice that my dad gave my husband when my husband was building a shed in the backyard. "If you have decided on the size, double it." DH didn't and he has always said he should have listened to my dad. You will use the space you give yourself and expand.

How big is the planned house? Double the size. That ought to give you a good sized sewing room!:D

Seriously, it depends on how much 'stuff' you have accumulated over the years, how much of it you plan to keep and how much you plan to add.

If you can swing it, ask for a 15'x15' room. (I would love a sewing room that is minimum of 20'x20', which is a little smaller than a roomy 2 car garage.) That should give you most of the room you need. However, no matter how much room you actually have, it is never enough.

Also, would the long arm be on a frame or on a table? That makes a difference. Long arm takes up a lot more room, even a 'small' one.

Mine, too, but it would also have to have at least 6 garages for my husband and his stuff.

I don't know what would work for you, but my sewing room sits over the two-car garage. It holds my longarm, one sewing machine, a big cutting table, and tons of fabric. I can function in it very nicely, yet I wish it were bigger. When I was moving and looking for a house, I had to pass up a number of homes because they didn't have a space for the longarm. I wound up with a home that was bigger than I needed, only because the smaller homes didn't have a separate room large enough for the longarm. I envy your ability to design and build your own home with the sewing room of your dreams.

Correction needed: My husband's shop is 24' x 36'.

I have two sewing rooms both are about 12 x 14.

One has my cutting table, sewing machine, embroidery machine and ironing board along with the bulk of my fabric.

The second one has my sit down longarm machine along with some odds and ends.

one can "make do" with a small space, but go as large as you can.

Ask for 60x80 and let us know what he says🤣

I would hazard a guess that it depends on what/how much you're planning on putting in it, if for instance a long arm on a frame, takes up quite a bit of room. My sewing room is a separate building and it's 14x32 and it's NOT big enough. LOL

Chasing Hawk- that's my dream room also! :D
Sara- I don't have any advice but it's so exciting that you can design your room! I hope you will keep us posted and good luck :)

Now THERE'S a house plan with all the priorities straight!

No matter what size you build, you'll wish you had it bigger. Space has a tendency to fill up. I had to have 5 storage racks just for my stash. I also have an "ironing station" which is a changing table with a tall cabinet on one side and three large drawers.

Maybe you could just ask your husband to build a one story house with all the normal rooms....LR, kitchen, bedrooms baths etc and to add a one room second floor to fit the footprint of the main floor for your sewing room. Then you would really have a great size room depending on how much square footage the main house has. Oh and be sure to include an elevator to make it easier to access. A large elevator! and a bathroom of course.
You did say dream sewing room!! That would be mine.

As big as possible. It will fill remarkably fast.

My thoughts exactlly.

If you are going to have a basement, I would make it the length and width of the house, finish it and use that as a sewing room.

If you can get measurements of all you plan on having in there might even double it and lay it out on graph paper. Then plan from there. My sewing room is 32 by 18 and it isn't big enough. The long arm takes up half of that and I have 4 other sewing machines set up in there. there is no room for a big layout/cutting table. It started out being the master and bath but I am single so don't need that much room in a bedroom so made it all one room for sewing. couldn't go any bigger wish I could have. Since you do have a chance to get what you will need always go bigger. Remember to take into count your movement around the room and machines while you are sewing.
Lynda

What a wonderful project!

I don't know what size room you would need, but you have some great advice here.

I think it's a blessing to be able to sew with your mom. With that in mind, you might consider a multi-purpose sewing table for her where you could lower that machine and have a flat work surface when she's not sewing with you.

Have a blast planning this one!

LMBO, my dream house too, except I'm not sure I really want to waste space on that huge kitchen. ;)

Yes, this is the same size “dream sewing area” I showed my husband. I also want the bathroom to be big enough that I do not have to straddle the toilet to close the door......perhaps I should just ask that the door swing out so I will have more sewing space......

Put in a sliding door or hang a curtain in the doorway.

We opted for folding shutter style doors. They work great! Put them on the closet too. Very pretty frosted glass panels.

So funny chasinghawk and all others. Been laughing out loud.

Love Chasing Hawk's house plans. When I check out house plans I always pick out the biggest room for my sewing room. I have a friend that said she would take the master bedroom for her sewing room and one of the smaller bedrooms to sleep in. It would have it's own bathroom and a large closet for her stash.

Laughing out loud at the house plan. I am currently finishing my basement into a sewing studio. Sounds larger saying studio :D !!! Will post a thread on my project when it is finished.

Perfect! :D

Like Dunster, I have a large space over a two car garage and it is very roomy but I know once I set up a longarm I will soon wish it was a bit bigger. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

I suggest 20x20 or about the size of a garage. Depends on if you get a long arm, maybe a smaller sit down machine like the Babylock Tiara will work for you. Think about the future and things you might want to try like machine embroidery, they take up a lot of space and so does all the stuff you need to embroider. Also, how old you are, how long do you think you can continue to sew and quilt. How is your health and do you have any physical limitations like arthritic hands, mobility issues etc.

Reminder - when planning a room on paper, it will look a look a lot bigger than it will actually be! My suggestion is to go into an 'empty' space (like a garage) using tape or chalk mark or flat pieces of cardboard, mark out the bigger pieces you will need (desks, cutting table, ironing space). Now, you will see the real size of the area. I would use the wall that can later be used for a small longarm as your current cabinet wall. Whenever you get a longarm, cabinets can be changed and moved, but, currently it will give you easy access to your stuff. Also, the area underneath a cutting table is a great storage area. Think about the side of the table to hang rulers and other large flat items. A couple roller drawers or shelf units are great under there. And pegboard or shoe racks on the back of doors keep items close at hand but organized. Please post pics when it is done - and does your terrific husband have single brothers??? He sounds like a gem!!!

Chasing Hawk, I was drinking my coffee when I was reading your comment and clicked on the website. You made me snort my coffee and I chocked on it from laughing so much. That was too funny!

HAHAHAHAHA!!! This made me actually laugh out loud!!! I'd say, Go for it!! :D

If I had my choice that’s what I’d have chasing hawk. But, I did redo the garage. I don’t think it will be big enough for my machines n stash. My garage is 17 by 21 plus a ramp being built along the house wall so I can go in n out comfortably. When it’s all done I will show more pics. I have a separate thread on here with unfinished pics. Started by amyjo