Use of space

[Lowena]

Following on from the discussion about combination machines on another thread, I began to think about use of space.
I have a small sewing room.
I make quilts.
I am, at present, assembling the top of a fairly large quilt and about to embark on a real whopper!
It's difficult for me to arrange the blocks as I don't have any floor space and only a desk 4' x 2' as a worktop.
I could utilise a piece of wall, approximately 3' x 3' but I don't want anything which would be permanent or disfiguring.
Although it's my dedicated room, I do tidy everything away each evening, don't know why
I'm interested in any solutions you can suggest.
What do you do?
P.S. I do not want to encroach on any other area of the house.
Thanks 

[Pearl]

While I was at the Curved Bargello workshop, I bought a board from Jan Hassard.  It is about 3' square and is made from thick polystyrene so it's very light.  It cost £5.  I'm sure you could find something similar in a DIY store.

If I need more space, I (get Mr Pearl to) move the furniture back and use the floor in the living room or bedroom.

[Sara-S]

Have you considered getting a folding table? You could use it for some extra work space when you need it, and then put it away when you don’t.
Here is an example
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YJPC2A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Lowena]

@Sara-S I'm afraid there's no space for anything else. Between my desk ( under the window ) and machine ( opposite wall ) is 3'. For me and my chair 
@Pearl we don't have a room where that would work unfortunately...leaving aside the fact that you and Mr P. are nearly 20years younger than us . Also, I have to confine myself and my projects to my room The foam block sounds good,thanks 

[Ploshkin]

I don't have a huge amount of space in my sewing room.  If I want to lay out blocks for a large quilt there is not enough free floor or wall space to do it.  Similarly when I sandwich a quilt.  I do encroach on other rooms then - I will lay out blocks on the bed - I might have to pick off a few threads afterwards but there's no evidence left after I have gone.  For sandwiching I wait until I have the house to myself and use the kitchen / dining table which is 5' x 3' - again there is no evidence that I have been there 
TBH I don't see how you can avoid that if the largest area of wall or floor you have is 3' and you want to do a large quilt.

[Helen M]

I was going to suggest using a spare bedroom as well. You can shut the door at least for a couple of days while you finish (I don't quilt so don't know the timescale of these things). Maybe put a board on the bed and then store it upright behind a door if it's left open, unless you have inspections nobody will know  . A cutting board that I have lives under the sofa when not in use. Again push it out for vacuuming.

My sewing room is the tiny box room which also is my office so no way I can cut out in there, so it is either the spare room floor, living room floor or kitchen floor.

[BrendaP]

How about a folding screen/room divider?

Something basic like this.

or a folding display board like this.

or splash a bit more cash and get one on casters.

[Iminei]

Well most of my in progress work is pinned onto the ironing board cover that became a wall hanging ...
you will have seen it holding various projects in progress such as the temperature quilt, the bright spark quilt ...

Yes really ...  underneath all those blocks, bits and pieces is an fully completed and hung quilt.

If you want dedicated area, not just a hung quilt you can buy a 'flannel' sheet marked with squares that you can hang up, pieced quilt blocks natually adhere to the texture as they do to wadding or a finished quilt (tho' not quite as well)

Or go the polysterene option, B&Q, Homebase etc will sell these

[Bodgeitandscarper]

@Lowena Have you ever considered that, out of all your rooms, you perhaps didn't pick a big enough one for your sewing room...   

[Lowena]

@Bodgeitandscarper it's the second smallest room in the house........but......all mine! 
@Iminei how would I fix such a thing to the wall without disfiguring it? Would 3' by 3' be worth the effort? How big is yours and how is it fixed?
I'm not moaning as I'm very lucky to have a dedicated space in which to work. It's just that sorting out blocks for a layout so they aren't repeated can be a bit tricky and I wondered if anyone had footprint tips???

[Sheilago]

I use a click together children’s foam mat for blocking my knitting ( see link) . Perhaps something like this could be hung up and then blocks pinned to it.  I still lay out quilt blocks on the bedroom floor ( or lounge for really big quilts) and then take photo of the laid out blocks so I can be sure I sew them together correctly. For sandwiching I also use the floor, but do find it quite strenuous!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9Pcs-EVA-Interlocking-Play-Mats-Kids-Baby-Children-Soft-Foam-Floor-Mat-Safety-UK-/383364790945

[Efemera]

I was wondering why with all those rooms and just two of you why you didn’t pick a large room...why have them stood empty while you’re trying to work in a cramped space.

[Kad]

I was wondering why with all those rooms and just two of you why you didn’t pick a large room...why have them stood empty while you’re trying to work in a cramped space.

My thoughts exactly, we, DH and me, have 4 bedrooms; one to sleep in, a spare bedroom/ fabric store room, a study - also contains a small single bed and my sewing room. There's no point in having rooms unused for most of the year and squeezing yourself and your hobby into the smallest room all year. While we have guests staying, I don't sew so my sewing room can also be used as another bedroom. It is after all our home so we use all of it.

[Lowena]

@Efemera and @Kad no room in our house stands empty or is unused.They each have a dedicated purpose and are used as such.I consider myself very lucky to be able to have a dedicated craft room,as well as the use of the box / storage room ( bedroom 5 )where I keep my bulky craft supplies, it's just the utilisation of said space which is problematical.
We bought the size of house we need......and it is well used, with or without visitors 

[Iminei]

My polysterene boards just lean against the fireplace/wall upstairs theyre not fixed anywhere as I do not have the wall space!

Upstairs in what is laughingly called the sewing/art/craft/wardrobe/spare room there are four walls ....
One has a fire breast plus fireplace, one has a door plus bookcase, another has a door plus wardrobe and the fourth has a window ... no space to have a design wall.

If you chose the flannel sheeting/design fabric option I would pin it to the wall or hang it as a quilt to the maximum area you have.