The Sewing Place
Tools of the Trade => Sewing Spaces and Furniture => Topic started by: Kenora on October 12, 2019, 21:05:32 PM
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I christened my new sewing room this afternoon so I thought I'd put a few photos on here, especially as I've been talking about it so much but with no actual evidence of its existence! It's only very small but it's my own space, to do with as I will. :)
The first photo shows my sewing desk on the left, re-purposed from a computer desk my dad made me many years ago but out of good solid wood. We chopped it about a bit and extended it sideways to house my overlocker. After a quick varnish the desk will last for years to come. The cabinet on the right was also made by my dad when I was a teenager. It's his version of a Horn cabinet and, again, I keep it for sentimental reasons (and also because I have to keep the printer and scanner on something). The wall units were bought from a charity shop for £10 each, and I spent hours sanding and repainting them. I'll fill them with junk useful items once I've settled in properly. Storage for stash/patterns etc is in boxes under the desk and in the sewing cabinet. The desk is rather crowded at the moment because I still have my Bernina 570 sitting behind my 720. I suspect the 570 will have to go. :S
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Looking at the other end of the room, I have my mum's old sewing cabinet (which Dad made for her when they were first married). It now has my Sissix cutter on top but I've kept the cabinet for sentimental reasons (again). The large cupboard isn't mine unfortunately. It houses filing cabinets and shelves filled with cat supplies!
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The window is West facing so I get afternoon sun, which is nice because that's when I do most of my sewing. I chose a dark venetian blind so that if we have a hot summer I can block out most of the heat (who am I kidding?). I also put in a new LED light fitting for maximum illumination. There will be a small white chest of drawers in front of the radiator when I've recruited DH to help me put it back in the room. It stores more of my stash and all sorts of other goodies essential items. There will just be enough room for me to put up an ironing board beside the chest so DH has kindly installed an extra electrical socket at waist height for me.
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So that's my new sewing space - small but all mine. It seemed very strange to be sewing in there this afternoon but I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'll probably re-arrange things as I go along but it's nice to have (almost) everything in one room. I still need to find a way of storing all my quilting rulers, plus I have a vintage wooden cabinet which houses all my threads - that has to stay in the spare room because it's too big to come into my sewing room. But that's a minor complaint. I'm happy that this room has finally been created, after talking about it for years. :)
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That looks a lovely nook @Kenora
I keep my quilting rulers hung on a couple of screw in hooks on the side of a cupboard. Apart from the very small one they've all got a hole for hanging.
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That's a great idea @Ploshkin - I can drill a hole in the side of the cabinet. Thanks. :)
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Thant looks lovely, so nice to have your own sewing space. I'm jealous :'( I use the dining room, so have to get things out, and put back again usually before finishing what I want to do or end up rushing something then bodging it up :(. Enjoy.
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What a lovely room. If you hadn't said your dad made it I would have taken it for granted that you had a Horn cabinet.
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Lovely space @Kenora so light and airy.
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@Sewgorgeous - I always used the dining room table previously, and was just like you - rushing to finish things before I had to clear up. I can't quite believe I have my own space now.
@Sewingsue - my dad was a great hobby carpenter. My house is full of his beautiful work. The cabinet is dated now but it still has the machine lift and flap-over top. It's too good to dispose of.
@Ellabella - the photos were taken this morning on a very dark, dismal day. When the sun shines that room is full of light so it'll be a pleasure to work in there. No excuses now. :)
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Love your room @Kenora and the wallpaper is just beautiful. I'm also envious of your desks/cabinets. Enjoy your new space!
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Fabulous wallpaper - definitely worth the money!
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I’ve got a few of those Command hooks on the wall and some of my embroidery hoops on them.
Also got an expandable wooden rack on the wall for my scissors, tape measures, curved rulers etc.
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Thanks for the suggestions @Ohsewsimple - I'm off to look up "command hooks" now. :)
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What a lovely room and of course now full of lovely memories. Your Dad was very talented and skillful - the sewing cabinet does look just like a Horn cabinet. You say it still has the lift in it, so have you thought of using this for your spare machine - I appreciate that the newer Bernina may not fit in through the opening. Incidentally I much prefer sewing in the lower position with the plexi around the machine I even use my overlocker this way as well. I appreciate that you may not have a plexi to fit around your older machine, but you can get these cut by Horn, they have templates of every machine made, the only downfall is the cost of these. Also a few years ago they offered the opportunity to have a whole blank plexi for your cabinet so that you could use this as a light box.
Please don't go getting rid of your older machine, it really is so handy to have a spare, you never know when you will need this machine, and around here if you take a machine in for a service it could be away for a few weeks. I also like using different machines, as each has something different to offer. I have a 1975 Elna SU a machine I bought myself and that has the most marvellous triple straight stitch on it ideal for sewing in sleeves and the trouser crotch seam as it has some give in it. Then I inherited my mother's 1975 Bernina 830 Record, and strangely this does not have this fabulous triple straight stitch and is limited to just 20 utility or decorative stitches whereas my Elna has loads and loads of decorative and utility stitches obtained through drop in discs. I also love corded buttonholes and used to do these on the Bernina 830, and they are easy to do. Then I bought a Bernina Artista with its embroidery unit, and now prefer to do my buttonholes on this as it is computerised and can repeat buttonhole after buttonhole effortlessly when all the sensors are kept clean. The Artista also has the facility to stitch out a wider pattern being a 9mm width whereas the two older machines have a limited width. I use all my machines a lot, and have three out at the moment.
Enjoy your little place of tranquility I am sure you will spend many happy hours in there, and as for the wallpaper that is gorgeous. Love the shelf units too - what a find - and well done you on persevering with the painting of them.
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Congrats on your new sewing room! It's really lovely!
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what a lovely sewing space! I hang my one quilting ruler and my various French curves and extra long rulers from some panel pins tacked into the wall behind the door in my sewing room.
How lovely to have adapted pieces your father made.
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Lush :loveit:
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It's lovely, @Kenora ! I wish you many happy hours in there xx
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Fantastic
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What a lovely space - and a view to the greenhouse, too!
I got quite excited for you when I saw that cupboard, but sadly see that it isn't yours. Maybe you could sloooowly move things out of it... (Not sure how you slowly move a filing cabinet though!)
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@Elnnina - I've been considering your comments and have decided to try using my older machine for dressmaking, as opposed to quilting or bag making. It will be more precise, having the manual presser foot lever as opposed to the electronic button, so may be more suited for dressmaking. Once I've done that I can make a better informed decision. I don't think keeping it in the cabinet will be an option, however, because the top flap would have to be positioned over where the other desk is, and the front cupboard door would stick out into the room, making it a bit of a hazard. :S I already have another machine (Janome) which I will definitely sell, but I'll give the 570 a lot more thought as I do still love it. Thanks for your words. :)
@Acorn - I actually do have designs on that cupboard but it's taken me so long to convince DH that a sewing room is a good idea that I thought a softly softly approach might be diplomatic! >< My plan is to try moving a few items out of there, bit by bit, and replace them with stash. I doubt he'll notice but it needs to be done slowly as you suggest. :)
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Oh I love it, and so tidy, but, if you have any give aways I'll have the chair and the Bernina. :)
I have to say my computer stuff, which at one time took all the space up with all the peripherals, is now stuck in a corner and if it weren't for the fact that I do need a printer now and again, would go.
I do love pictures to drool over and wish.
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Kenora, thank you for your lovely comments. I inherited my mother's machine back in 2002, and in 2003 my daughter got married and I made her wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and my own outfit. The tension on straight stitch on my Elna was playing up a little so I used the Bernina 830 for the bulk of the sewing on all the wedding items, however I have an exquisite stitch on the Elna, again not on the Bernina, and that is a decorative scallop satin stitch so I used this firstly on the petticoat and the bottom tier of the net, then my daughter decided she wanted more oomph under the dress but no hooping, so I made another whole skirt of net and then packed the entire back with tiers upon tiers of more netting and each tier was also edged with this lovely scallop stitch which was sewn over some perle cord, then days before the wedding I was asked to make a veil and for this to have large scallops all edged with this smaller scallop stitching. We got there in the end thank goodness. However I then decided that it was time that my Elna was looked at and as nobody knew whether the Bernina had ever been serviced that this should also have a service so both machines went off and were away at the same time - my service place was not local. So I was without my machines for a while, but luckily it did not matter too much as I needed a break from the intensity of all the months of sewing.
Shame if you could not use the sewing cabinet's platform, but seeing again how your room is set up can understand. I must admit my wedding sewing was done in my lounge with the cabinet only being moved out the night before the wedding. Now though both my kids have left home I have one of the bedrooms as my sewing room and yes this is lovely to have, only I still have far too much stuff and could do with more room.
Anyway don't let my rambles spoil your enjoyment of your lovely sewing room, and fingers crossed that you can eventually have all of that cupboard for your sewing stuff and stash. I have no doubt that when you use your older machine on the cabinet top that you will be thinking of your Dad.
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Oh I love it, and so tidy, but, if you have any give aways I'll have the chair and the Bernina. :)
@Gernella - it's only tidy because it's new. Wait a few weeks and it'll look very different, I'm sure. :\ The chair was a lucky find. It's new, from Staples, and only cost about £35. The downside is that it's covered in faux leather which might be a problem if we have any hot weather. However, it's supremely comfortable (for me) and has a gas lift (or some sort of lift anyway). Only problem is I now can't put my feet on the ground!! That will need addressing somehow. The Bernina in front I'm keeping, but the one behind I can't make up my mind about. (See the chat with @Elnnina .)
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@Kenora - your sewing room is lovely. You've done a great job of setting it up using what your dad made.
I have used peg boards (now have Ikea ones that I love) for embroidery hoops and for rulers. I could hang up my scissors and rotary cutters plus hung my tape measure on the ruler one. They are perfect for what I want to use them for. I know of other people who used Command hooks and they loved that idea.