Is sewing a hobby that gives you a creative way to relax after a busy day? Or do you use your skill with a needle and thread to supplement your income? Whatever the case might be, having a dedicated sewing room in your home can make this pastime a lot easier. Not to mention more enjoyable.
One of the main advantages of having a sewing room is that it gives you a place to keep your supplies. If you’ve tried to make do without a sewing room, you know what it’s like to have your supplies and materials scattered all over the house. Wouldn’t it be nice to have one room where all of your “sewing stuff” was neatly organized and easy to find?
For many, their sewing room is more than just a place to store their supplies and equipment. It’s also a retreat where they can go to sew in peace and quiet.
Setting up a sewing room of your own isn’t hard. But there are four things you need to do before you start.
Choose a Room
Do you have an extra room in your house that can be used exclusively as a sewing room? If you’re lucky, you might have an extra bedroom that, at the moment, is being used to store the family’s junk. Clean it out, and you’ll have yourself a sewing room in no time.
Other rooms that could work include the garage, the attic, or a large storage closet. Even a sunroom could work as your sewing room.
If you don’t have a room in your house that you can use just for sewing, choose a room that can do double duty. For example, what about your guest room? If you have visitors regularly enough to need one, getting rid of the guest room entirely might not be an option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make use of that room when you don’t have company.
One way to make space in a guest room is to replace the normal bed with a sofa bed. And you can use the dresser, and even the nightstands, to store your sewing supplies.
Home offices can also pull double duty as sewing rooms, especially if it’s a home office that doesn’t get used often.
Brainstorm Furnishings, Equipment and Supplies
Once you’ve chosen a place for your sewing room, a little pre-planning is in order. What do you want to put in the room? Or, more importantly, how much stuff will you be able to fit in there?
The one thing your sewing room won’t be able to do without is a sewing table, so make that first on your list. A cutting table where you can spread out fabrics and patterns would also come in handy.
Something you don’t really need, but should try to make room for, is a comfortable chair. This could be an easy chair from the den, or a rocking chair gathering dust in the attic. You’ll appreciate having a relaxing place to sit while you read your crafting magazines or do some hand stitching.
Other things you might want in your sewing room include a desk, an ironing board, and a CD player. Listen to your favorite music while you work will make sewing even more fun.
Think About Storage
Storing your sewing supplies (including fabrics, patterns, notions, magazines, and other materials) will be one of the primary functions of your sewing room.
Luckily, your storage options are almost limitless. You can use storage cabinets, storage bins, mounted shelves, a dresser, a chest of drawers, bookcases, and even filing cabinets to keep your supplies organized and easy to find.
If your sewing room has a closet with sliding doors, you’re in luck. By installing a few closet organizer kits (or having it done professionally) you can turn that closet space into the ultimate storage nook for all of your sewing supplies.
Plan the Layout
Once you’ve chosen a room and decided what to put in it, it’s time to create a floor plan.
This step might seem like overkill. But a little pre-planning will make the setup of your sewing room run a lot more smoothly. You can also decide, ahead of time, where to put things so they will be the most convenient, and make for the best workflow.
If you want to keep things simple, just draw a box the approximate shape of your sewing room. As you imagine where you will put an item, draw it into the box. And use a pencil just in case you change your mind.
If you want to get a little fancier, you can measure the room and draw it to scale. Next, create cutouts of the various furnishings and supplies you intend to put into the room. The great thing about this method is that you can move the cutouts around like puzzle pieces until you achieve the layout that works best.
Many people might consider a sewing room a luxury. But anyone serious about sewing knows having such a room is a necessity. And, by following these guidelines, you can have a sewing room set up and ready to use in no time.
