It has been a long time coming, but my quilting studio is up and running. I am so grateful to my husband, son in law, and Handyman Bill for making this dream come true. For so many years, I did my sewing on the dining room table, in the guest room, and in my last house, in a very nice dedicated "sewing room". I realize how fortunate I am to have this lovely large space to pursue my passion, and won't forget to be appreciative, ever.
Things are not 100% finished. We still need air conditioning, some trim, window coverings, and a few other minor details. This post is very photo heavy, but I hope you enjoy seeing some of the things we did.
We went from a former woodshop, and a very nice one at that (photos from one year ago):
Inside the door to the left, and back wall. Notice the funky cupboards, bare light bulbs and concrete floor.
Back wall and right wall. Even though the hobby wasn't mine, when I first saw this space, I could feel the creative vibe humming!
Right wall and entrance. More funky cupboards.
To this:
Inside the door to the left. Design wall is up, but needs some trim. Dresser for all my various sewing supplies. IPod dock for music or audio books while I sew.
Left wall and part of back wall. Sewing station for two! Sara's chair still needs to be ordered. She's been using a kitchen chair in the meantime. In a photo below, I will show close ups of my new sewing table, a former dining room table. Ironing table will be set up under the window.
Back wall with storage cabinetry. Marvelous cabinetry courtesy of Lowes. You can see a glimpse of the hardwood flooring my husband installed. I love my quilts on top, and hanging in the center. Believe me, those cabinets are pretty full of stash and supplies already!
Right wall with cutting table.
Right wall with reading corner and rocking chair. Sharp objects have been removed from overhead.
Here are some details.
I did get my Sister's Choice barn art hung, and a larger one is on order for the outside of the building.
Here is a close up of the cut out Bill made in the dining table to fit my Bernina. He used my acrylic insert from my old sewing table as his pattern. He dropped a little platform for the machine to sit on, at the correct height. When the template is put over the cut out, the sewing surface is smooth and uniform. I had him leave me 12 inches of space to the right, which is about 8 more than I had on my previous sewing table. He did the same procedure in the opposing corner, so I have space for Sara (or a friend) to come sew with me. We still need to sand the edges and apply a bit of stain so it looks more finished. (And yes, my friend Thelma did make the cupcake personalized mug rug for me!)
This fun little holder came from Hobby Lobby. I have a friend who uses hers to hold her rulers, but I am using mine to hold some patterns I hope to use in the near future. It also works fine to hold a magazine or book while you are reading the cutting instructions as you work.
Cabinets are 90% organized. I used plastic tubs from Target and organized my fabrics by designer, but also have things arranged by color or type (such as "Black and White" or "Civil War"). Larger cuts of fabric are folded and stacked on shallow shelves. UFOs are in smaller project boxes (and yes, I do have a shocking number of them). That super messy looking bin is full of tote bags that are going to go in a covered container out in the garage.
If you are designing a sewing space, don't forget to leave room for some treasured momentos and toys.
Goofy photos.
And a sunny spot for the dog.
Hope you enjoyed the tour!
It's absolutely perfect and beautiful!! So happy for you.
Posted by: Karen | March 12, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Ditto on all the above comments.
I so like the inclusion of your daughter in the design plan. What wonderful times you will have sewing, planning, and just being together.
Your design wall is huge!
Thanks for allowing us to see your space.
Posted by: pam hansen | March 12, 2012 at 01:21 PM
Много красиво!
Posted by: snezhka | March 12, 2012 at 01:32 PM
A really wonderful space. The sewing table is fantastic. I have a good table set up too and it makes working on large projects so much easier. Have fun in your studio.
Posted by: Chris | March 12, 2012 at 04:12 PM
So well worth the wait! The flooring is lovely and I love your dining table turned sewing table. Did you do anything out of the ordinary for lighting? Have been missing seeing all your projects in the works the last few months... now will look forward to all your UFOs becoming FOs!
Posted by: Patty | March 12, 2012 at 04:40 PM
Congratulations! You've finally got the space you dreamed of, and it's perfect. I hope you find many, many, many hours of peace and enjoyment there.
Posted by: Carrie | March 12, 2012 at 04:55 PM
I covet your sewing studio...looks like such a wonderful creative space for you and a lucky friend. I know the work you put in to it, and am so happy that it is now ready for you to create and have fun!! Enjoy!
Posted by: Jane | March 12, 2012 at 05:15 PM
Beautiful! What a fabulous place to play with fabric.
Posted by: Karen Boettger | March 12, 2012 at 05:24 PM
What a lovely space! Enjoyed your tour. May you have many years of happy quilting!
Posted by: Donna | March 12, 2012 at 06:55 PM
Oh, such a wonderful and inspiring place! I hope to have a dedicated and organized space like that one day when I retire! Thank you for sharing and enjoy it!
Posted by: carol broughton | March 12, 2012 at 07:06 PM
It IS possible to sigh and drool simultaneously!
Congratulations! It's lovely.
Posted by: Stephanie D | March 12, 2012 at 07:26 PM
I think it was worth the wait! What a nice bright space to sew alone and with friends. I love the homeyness of the room. It is a place to sit and create and also spend time just enjoying the view and the ideas that come while in your room. Great job to all who helped. Thanks for showing us the finished product. K-
Posted by: Kristy Wlikinson | March 12, 2012 at 08:58 PM
Love your space and all the great pictures! You're inspiring me to clean out my room and get it spiffy! Thanks for sharing :)
Posted by: Anita | March 12, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Congratulations, it is absolutely fabulous! I definitely have quilt-studio-envy :-) Thank you for showing us the transformation - I love peeking into other people's sewing spaces
Posted by: Frances | March 13, 2012 at 05:40 AM
Your quilting studio is awesome! (How did you get the woodworker to give it up?) Your studio is so inspiring and I'm sure just walking in there gets your creative juices flowing. Another question, how do you keep your threads and folded quilts on top of your cabinets from getting dusty?
Thanks for sharing!
Pam in IL
Posted by: Pam in IL | March 13, 2012 at 08:31 AM
Ohhh...I am green with envy! What a lovely space. You will have such pleasure creating beautiful quilts in this great studio. Is there room for a long-arm? You talked once about getting one. I love the quilt on the quilt rack by the cutting table...can you tell me the pattern? The one on the design wall is also very nice. Congratulations, and wishing you many many happy hours of quilting!
Posted by: Kathleen | March 13, 2012 at 10:13 AM
I'm crazy about your studio--and jealous.
Posted by: Susan Ramey Cleveland | March 13, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I love your studio and the sewing table. Would like to know how far back from the edge of the table is your needle? How tall is your table? I've been wanting something just like this and you have so much surface to lay a quilt. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Betty G | March 13, 2012 at 07:47 PM
Thanks for the tour of your new sewing studio. It's wonderful! You all did such a great job. Wishing you many happy hours in your new space.
Posted by: Sherry | March 18, 2012 at 05:25 AM
Amazing!!
Posted by: Sherry | March 18, 2012 at 06:53 AM