Just down the hall from the current sewing spot is a larger guest bedroom with two big windows bringing in a lot of natural light, as well as a large closet for storage. Yes, it\’s a lovely bedroom, but wouldn\’t it be a FANTASTIC sewing studio?
Right now Sylvia\’s plan includes completely clearing the room, removing the carpet and installing hardwood floors. She may also repaint. Beyond that, she\’s open for your ideas and suggestions! She has budgeted to find proper sewing room furniture as well, although we both like the idea of repurposing old/vintage items. She mentioned to me that this room was large enough that she could put a twin bed in the corner for occasional extra guests, but I put my foot down to that. (It\’s easy to be bossy when you\’re helping decorate someone else\’s space!) This will be Sylvia\’s Sewing Studio . . . and she deserves it! Besides, there are plenty of other beds (and couches and floor space) in the house for overnight guests! 😉
While we were visiting about her new sewing studio, Sylvia also pulled some quilting treasures to show me, and I know you\’ll enjoy seeing these too!
First up are some unfinished vintage pieces. Sylvia\’s mother is also a quilter, and over the years she has been given unfinished tops and blocks as gifts. Some of these pieces are several decades old and hand pieced. Sylvia has plans for each of them and I can\’t wait to see what she comes up with!
She also showed me two of her favorite quilts that she made a few years ago. These quilts were made as gifts for her daughters. I think she may be having a hard time parting with them (the quilts) as both daughters are nicely established in their own homes! Aren\’t they beautiful?
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! I\’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date on the progress in Sylvia\’s Sewing Studio.
In the meantime, I\’d like to give away one Carried Away Quilting pattern (of your choice) to a reader who offers a decorating, storage, or other sewing room suggestion for Sylvia. Leave a comment below with your email address and you\’ll be entered! Comments are open through 5:00 pm (CST) on Wednesday, May 11. At that time, Sylvia will select her favorite comment and I\’ll announce the winner. *Only one comment per person/per email address. Email me if you are having trouble leaving a comment and I will leave a comment on your behalf. (carriedawayquilting@gmail.com)
~Taunja
All of these tips are excellent Mindy! Thanks so much!
I like that idea of a center table that you can walk all the way around! Good point!! Thanks so much Pam!
Very good ideas Britiney! I am someone who likes things put away. If there's too much out, I get distracted. But I have friends who like everything in sight . . . organized but visible and ready to go. Something for Sylvia to ponder!
My goodness Lisa! This is so well thought out and personal . . . maybe you can come and help us transform her room! Thanks for all the excellent sewing room tips, and the reminder about the pictures of the loved ones . . . the ones we quilt for! Thanks much!
What a unique idea about how you hang the design wall. CLEVER! And a small TV in a corner out of the way is a good idea too. When I'm alone sewing, I like to have movies running in the background. Thanks so much Kristy!
Excellent suggestions Louise! Clips do work great for items you rotate often!!
That sounds like a dream to me too . . . a big work station right in the middle. Wouldn't that be lovely! Thanks Gayle!
My sewing room is also the guest bedroom. I went to IKEA and purchased their PAX wardrobe system because they had such a variety of shelving choices from baskets to pull out shelves as well as standard shelves. I decided not to get the doors but may change my mind. I also placed some large picture hooks on the wall in front of my sewing machine/cutting table to hang my rulers. Love IT!
Oh my goodness! Another person making me want to zip to IKEA! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas Monica! I am starting to lose focus on Sylvia's sewing room and thinking about changes in my own. ha ha!
Silvia definitely needs her own quilting room. Four years ago I became a quilter. My sweet husband and I turned our fairly small family room in the basement into my quilting room. We painted and had new flooring laid. I scoured the internet and found an Ikea Hack for a cutting table. We figured out everything we might need for my quilting room and off to Ikea we went. I knew I wanted Ikea's off white bookcases for my new room. We purchased four, four-shelf bookcases, four drawer packs so I would have drawers on one side of my cutting table. I wanted a different configuration then the hack. We did 2, four shelf bookcase in the front and 2, four shelf bookcases in the back butted up to each other. We also purchased their butcher block top for the top of my table. My husband polyurethaned the butcher block top so that it was sealed and smooth. My husband screwed the four, four shelf bookcases to a sheet of plywood, he made a brace for the bottom of the butcher block top and attached it. The bottom of the butcher block table sits on the bookcases and the brace running around the bottom of the top keeps it from shifting. We purchased a separate bookcase for all my fabric storage. I have my sewing table on one side of the room, my large cutting table in the middle and on the other side of that I have the bookcase with fabric. My cutting table sits vertical across the room. At the end of the cutting table against the wall my husband attached an Ikea photo shelf (or ledge) to the cutting table top. This holds my rotary cutters and scissors. Oh, I forgot to mention, we also bought the legs that he attached to the bottom of the cutting table into the plywood from Ikea. If you're interested, search google and you will come up with the Ikea cutting table hack. Because the butcher block is large we made my cutting table larger than the hack. It is a fantastic table and I am so Blessed to have it. For my rulers my sweet husband bought white pegboard and made a frame around the back of the pegboard. It stands out from the wall and I hung my rulers on the pegboard. As I stand facing my cutting table the pegboard is to my left on the wall and so convenient to the cutting table. hope this gives you some ideas for your new quilt room. Without my sweet husbands help I wouldn't have the quilting room that I have.
Well this husband of yours is a definite keeper! My husband also helped me make my cutting table, which I love! I bet the butcher block, besides be utilitarian, looks so nice. I love the look of butcher block! Thanks for all of the great ideas and details you provided! Awesome!!