The Sewing Place

Sewing room reorganisation

datcat23

Sewing room reorganisation
« on: August 18, 2019, 06:00:27 AM »
A massive day today.  Next weekend we will be heading off to the wedding, and hubby's mother is coming back with us and will be staying for at least 3 weeks, maybe more.  The normal situation is to put visitors downstairs in the spare room, however she is in her 70's, the room is a cold one, and I am worried about her getting up and down polished wood stairs.

So, we needed to reorganise.  Partially stripped out my sewing room.  I don't want to give up sewing for the whole time she is here, so I shifted out the cutting table to the living room (off the kitchen).  The small lounges will just need to be moved slightly, to give me access to the table if I want to cut.

Sewing room reorganised by Dani, on Flickr

Took advantage of the table being gone, to give the carpet and edges a really good vacuum. 

Sewing room reorganised by Dani, on Flickr

And shifted in the convertible couch from downstairs, with a king single mattress on top (couch is too low on its own for an oldie to sleep on).   I have already fallen prey to flat surface syndrome and its only been in there a little while. 

Sewing room reorganised by Dani, on Flickr

I will probably have to move my dress form out of the room when she is visiting, as I imagine having a headless woman loom over you would be just a bit disturbing.   :devil:
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Fiona M

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2019, 07:46:18 AM »
‘Flat surface syndrome’; I love it!  :D

Vezelay

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2019, 07:47:28 AM »
How kind and thoughtful of you :angel:! I would probably have just put her in the spare room and hoped for the best  :devil:.

Nevis5

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2019, 07:52:51 AM »
Well done, Dani, you're doing better than me - in a similar situation.  My sister is staying from next week for an indefinite period (hopefully not more than a month) so it was only fair to reorganise my sewing room into a bedroom for her as the other room is tiny and hot - she will have a ton of clothes with her for only a month  :S plus all her precious bit and pieces (she's in the process of moving house).

I don't think I'll be able to sew when she's here so I'm busying myself getting stuff cut out and ready for when she's gone and I get my room back ;)   I'll see if I have any hand sewing I can get on with otherwise I will be climbing the walls.  Hey ho.

Hope you enjoy the wedding - you deserve to!  x

Kwaaked

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2019, 14:06:55 PM »
After bridal season, several antique car liners and general "I don't clean up" I'd be afraid to post my sewing room.

datcat23

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2019, 22:53:35 PM »
After bridal season, several antique car liners and general "I don't clean up" I'd be afraid to post my sewing room.

I am embarrassed to admit that I am just a teensy bit obsessive, so this is pretty much normal for my sewing room.  I appreciate that I am not the norm though, and how others do it, is just fine.
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

b15erk

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2019, 09:44:11 AM »
It seems that us sewers are been disrupted this summer!  I too have had to give up my sewing room while DD and family wait to move into their new house - I didn't notice OH offering his room...

Hope the wedding is amazing, and that your MiL appreciates your sacrifice!  ;)

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Lowena

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2019, 10:38:34 AM »
I can't get a good angle to photograph my sewing room, so here's a description...
Long wall with central window - desk with cutting mat and lamp on it ; 4 drawer plastic box tower for fabric, blocks and patterns pertaining to ongoing projects ( new quilt to start and temperature quilt which is ongoing ), 3 tiered shelf unit for boxes containing notions,rulers, finished quilts ( in a big box never to see the light of day - should get rid of them really ) and a pressing station.
Other long wall opposite; table with machine on it, a cupboard with sissix bigshot machine on it and dies and jars for ribbons and embellishments inside.
That's it!!
Lovely and minimalist, clear, clean and tidy ( waste bin under desk ;) ) wooden floor and room to move about easily  :)
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Starryfish

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2019, 10:41:01 AM »
I hadn't heard of "flat surface syndrome" before. DH and I are severe sufferers. I like your room @datcat23 , wish mine was as well organised.
A day without sewing is a day wasted.

Kenora

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2019, 12:10:11 PM »
My fledgling sewing room is in chaos at the moment. DH is in there "decorating" - with the door shut - all sorts of noises coming out of there. :o :S
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Kwaaked

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2019, 13:27:51 PM »
While mine is usually clean, it's also in a 25x35' room.  When you come in from the door, there is another door to the left going to the car bay area where we are finishing a wall to separate my shop from my OH's hobby space, and I am in an old car garage.   Technically the auto part is not my area but I do work there with the antique cars (the antique cars is a whole process in and of itself). 

My main work area is roughly 15x30' separated by columns.

Immediately to the right of the main door, I have a Davis Even feed treadle, then 2 sewing tables for my domestics I use (one is for a Bernina for the zigzag in the table for buttons mostly, and my Singer 99 is on the leaf as a dedicated button hole machine), on the wall above this is 2 small part cabinets for buttons.   The other table is empty and houses my Elna 945 set as a coverstich.  The Singer 3, my industrial SS and overlocker on on the wall to the left of these making an "L" shaped sewing area.

Next to the machines is an 8' long shelf.  Terribly chic: concrete blocks and boards,  6 shelves high.  I have all sorts of tubs, tool boxes etc. on this. 

My 4x8' cutting table is somewhat centered in front of the shelves, clost to the column with enough space to around it and I have a dump table at the far end.  I usually use it to cut and hold the fabric off the ground, but it will also move and act as an extra table or hold garments if I need it to. 

6 feet in from the wall and 10 feet over I have a column and another 12 foot past that is another one.  The first column is a peg board on 3 sides to hold thread, the 4th (the one facing out) holds my french chalk and a peg for my work coat.

The other column holds my cutting board, bias cutter, and a couple of yardsticks to the side closest to the table.  The side facing to the door has a hanging wall file (the other 2 sides have pictures my daughter drew).   To the left of this post is my ironing station.  I have my ironing board sitting out in the middle (the water bottle is hanging over), the iron stand and against the left wall is my Supercrease table, next to my white board.  Also along the wall behind the iron is my grommet press with another small parts box on the wall to the left of the whiteboard (which I need to move the white board).

The back wall has a back door and a fiber glass utility sink next to it with a stand alone water heater right there (not a real tall round one, looks like a dishwasher).  Remember this is an old auto garage, after all.  Next to that is a standard metal shelf.  I don't usually use the back wall for anything...everything is set a few feet from that wall.

The other 10' between the columns and where the wall will be (right now, OH has a table on his side to break it up and I moved my fabric) is another area , I have all my fabric totes piled in the back next to the door (it will be coming back to the house when we finish doing some work here in the "spare" bedroom).  My 3 dress forms are set next to the fabric in a pyramid, and my garment racks are in front of the forms, but I move these all the time, so they can technically be anywhere.  Then an art table between the forms and my break room.

Where we have built the wall is a little reverse L (OH took some of the space for his air compressor) and a full size fridge and microwave and table and chairs are right there (the fridge is a necessity...I need it for the Supercrease).  It's cramped, but until I get my fabric out, I've lost about 8 feet.  On the other hand...I also had to have a table my OH can use because he takes over my cutting tables and sewing machines to do small work, and my daughter will draw on my cutting table...so I either had to come up with areas for them to be in or lose some of my work space.
 
Right now, I have a lathe in front of the break room, trash piled between the cutting table and sewing machines NEXT TO the bloody trash can (mostly also a ton of bottles because no one can throw their drinks away), fabric scraps piled in front of the industrial overlocker.  The other side of the cutting table kicked to the side is a ton of paper where I have made patterns and my daughter has drawn on the paper with fabric scraps.  Along the back wall is a bunch of broken down boxes.

My office is slightly different, and somewhat cleaner!

Gernella

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2019, 10:21:08 AM »
I love to poke around OPs sewing rooms @datcat23, my eyes lighted on that sewing machine for a start and I think if someone offered me one cheap, despite my advancing years (not sure which direction), I would snap it up.  Also my heart stills lusts after a proper cutting table.

I would call that a really personal sacrifice.  Just how cold is the spare bedroom, I have a nagging  feeling my mother in law would have gone in it :fish: 
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

jintie

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2019, 12:28:15 PM »
Gernella, I find my recently purchased portable banquetting table from B and Q is an excellent cutting table.
Rottweiler with scissors

Gernella

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2019, 10:29:31 AM »
Thanks @jintie, I already have a large desk  for cutting  and drop down tables for the sewing machines.  It's just that the room is long but narrow, so not enough room to pull out and it is so much easier to be able to walk all the way round and then roll out of the way.  If I could get one reasonably priced I might be able to  get rid of the desk and make some room.

I had grandiose ideas when I bought it, the bit I use is only part of the total desk when I had all my computer stuff on and no time for sewing.  I've taken a linking corner piece out and got the two parts butted together.  Removing one would be great.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Helen M

Re: Sewing room reorganisation
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2019, 10:38:50 AM »
I hadn't heard of "flat surface syndrome" before. DH and I are severe sufferers.

Neither had I but I suffer from it too.   :(
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
Items decluttered: 55