MaryAnnMc

I agree with QuiltE, felt didn't work for me. I used black batting, but the fleece would be less expensive. My board is made of foam insulation. My DH nailed a strip of molding along the wall, and my board rests on it with Command strips holding it to the wall, which means no big screw holes in the wallboard.

For all my little bits n bobs, I bought an office-supply drawer insert with various sizes of cubbies. Rather than staplers, rulers, and erasers, mine holds boxes of pins, thimbles, seam rippers, marking pens, etc. You could probably empty your bucket into one and actually find things.

I think my only real suggestion si, don't do anything permanent until you have lived in and sewed in there for a while. I ended up rearranging a picture-perfect space because it didn't function the way I had hoped. Enjoy your new space!!

sguillot

One of the best and most helpful things I did in my sewing room was to hang two peg boards for thread. Now all my thread is organized in one place and not scattered all over.

DebbE

Pegboard, absolutely. Look for old kitchen cabinets for free or almost nothing on craigslist...those can be painted and installed along one wall in your room, and with an inexpensive countertop from Lowes or Home Depot, you've got immediate storage space that looks nice. Nickel cabinet pulls can be purchased 10 to a package very inexpensively, too. I took 2 sets of wall cabinets and hung one at each end of the cabinets and then hubby built open shelving in between the 2 sets. That's where I put clear plastic shoe boxes of misc odds and ends (zippers, threads in rainbow colors, trims, etc). Underneath the wall cabinets/shelves, hubby built a long skinny open shelf the same length, and that's used for misc, and he installed my Ikea mini floods under the cabinets, so I now have tons of light on my countertop. Perfect height for cutting, etc. Ikea has the perfect open bookshelves for fabrics - Billy - and hubby installed doors on each end set -- in the middle is a skinny version of the Billy bookshelf for all the books. Due to weight of books, its good to do a skinny bookshelf there! Magazines are in Ikea metal magazine holders all along the bottom shelves of the bookshelves. These cover one whole wall, and believe me, I use every inch, including the top. The top has metal baskets that hold my Christmas, foreign (from Nepal, etc), upholstery fabrics, etc. My pegboard is behind the door as I have almost no wall space. The design wall is 3 - 88 cent nickel robe "U" hooks from Lowes. Hubby took 2 - 1x2 primed 8 foot white boards (Lowes, about $2.50 each) to insert into pockets I made from flannel. I sewed 2 long strips of off white flannel together, except for the top 5", which I didn't sew together. Made pockets at the top & bottom to slide the boards through. The reason I didn't sew the top 5" is when you hang the top board up on the robe hooks, the fabric lays on each side of the hook, and its drapes beautifully. Easily taken down and transported, if necessary. Love, love my display wall! I also have a comfy chair to sit to sew in, and an old antique crank table that my machines are on. There is a lot in my quilt room, but most is hidden away with all this storage, and the bookshelves show off all the beautiful fabrics folded into colors, 30's, Australian fabrics, children/baby fabrics, etc. Hope this helps you -- take your time, you can do it very inexpensively with a little creativity, and really maximize your space, too.

MarthaT

For me it's keeping whatever I have organized and in places where I know what I have, so I will use it. No matter how much space you have, it's easy to overflow that space and then store things you never use because you forget you have it. I find I need to keep my fabric collection small enough that I know what I have. Organized in a way I can see what I have. Stashing in boxes, etc. doesn't work. Out of sight, out of mind! I am purposely limiting my sewing area because I tend to be a pack rat if I have more space.

gramma nancy

After years of trying to figure out where I stored my machine needles, why my basting safety pins were hiding from me and wondering where to put my "handmade by ...." labels, I finally bought some very small stacking boxes. They're only about six inches square and about 1-1/2 inch high, but they stack and can be labeled, so all my tiny whatsits have a home. I find that it's easy to eventually solve the storage needs of bigger things, but the tiny things (applique pins, where are you?) need to be corraled near to hand. I can't help by giving you a source because I found mine at a thrift shop.

cindypierce

i love the organizer i got a sears. its meant for nuts, bolts, screws or washers and things. I have my safety pins white bobbins and feet and needles and stuff for my sewing machine. when I want the pins I just pull the little drawer out when finished it goes right back in. you can fasten it to the wall set it on top of the cabinet. I even put it under the table top I was using for a sewing table at one time. Mine has twenty drawers different sizes.

quiltingnonie

Perhaps the greatest investment I made was buying fabric boards. All my fabric is standing upright on the shelves so easy to see and access. I have both the large size for yardage and the smaller size for FQ's. I also have those canvas drawers in a cabinet for storage of others fabrics - layer cakes, charms, binding strips, Christmas fabric, etc. etc. A tall cabinet with doors holds my large fabric pieces (just folded) like quilt backs, muslin, batting, 4-5 yard pieces. I also use a label gun to label all the bins because otherwise I'd never remember which bin holds what! LOL.

fireworkslover

I put my thread in plastic storage boxes made for scrapbook papers/supplies. I get them when they go on sale at the local craft store. If they're on sale I only pay $7 vs $15 or $20. They stack nicely and have a carry handle too, but I don't usually carry them anywhere. They are 3" deep so all thread except those on large spools fit. I use a tote box for those large cones. Make sure you keep your thread and fabric out of the sun. Whenever I'm going to rearrange a room, I make a scale drawing of the room and all the furniture, ironing board/table, stacked totes, boxes, etc. Use graph paper and make cut outs of the furniture. Locate windows, doors, etc. within the room. It's much easier to move around little pieces of paper than the actual furniture. Make sure to allow walking space between and around things. As for your design wall, flannel or fleece works well too. Good luck!

JoanneS

Floor to ceiling shelves on at least one wall. Design wall on another. A system for covering the shelves that hold fabric and thread so sunlight doesn't get to them. Stored fabric folded upright on comics boards. Don't store ANYTHING in bins unless you mark them CLEARLY with what is in them.

Above all, HAVE FUN IN YOUR NEW ROOM!

sulyle

Make sure you have lots of light, appropriately placed over your work stations. The older I get the more important this is to me. Also have to agree with all the recommendations for pegboard. I like it painted to match the walls, a little more attractive but still utilitarian.