Hello and welcome to the next post in our CSC Sewing Spaces series! Today, we’re stopping in to check out Betsy’s sewing room!
Tell us a little about your sewing space.
Before my daughter was born, my studio was her bedroom. Having to move out of it into a smaller room was less than ideal. Then came the revolutionary thought of using the dinning room as my studio! I’ve never looked back. I love my studio. It is not just my studio though, my husband’s piano shares the space. My children use the work table for projects, homework, making things from cardboard and drawing. There is nothing I love more than seeing my kids deeply in thought while working on a project.
My beloved sewing machine is a Bernina 180E. I’ve had it for 12 years and it has become my trusty cohort in sewing projects. I also have a Baby Lock Imagine Wave. I’m lucky enough to be able to have both machines out and ready to use full-time.
What is your favorite part/feature of your sewing space?
My favorite part of my studio is the work tables. I love having oodles of space to be able use when cutting patterns, cutting fabric or just sitting at them thinking of the next project I will work on. One of the tables is my childhood dining table. It was given to me when my parents were downsizing and I love having it. The other table is from IKEA… a huge solid thing at the right height to stand at while working.
How do you organize your fabrics, patterns and notions?
I struggle with organization, but have found that an unorganized studio means to being able to find what you need when you need it. My threads and notions are stored in the drawers of my father’s desk (again, downsizing). It’s super easy to put my hands on anything I need to use while sewing. The desk is located behind my sewing machine, so I only need to swivel around to access it. Less used notions are in plastic bins behind the big work table as are art supplies for my kids.
My patterns are stored in boxes labeled with either the category or designer name. My favorite designers are Sonya Philip (100actsofsewing on Etsy), The Tilton sisters (Marcy and Katherine), and Tina Givens. I like the ease and silhouettes of their patterns and can easily adjust them to a fit I like.
My fabric is stored in floor to ceiling white cabinets. It limits me on how much fabric I can have, which is a good thing so I use my stash more often instead of ordering new fabric for every project.
I always think of my studio as a place of joy.
What is your favorite thing to sew?
My favorite things to sew are dresses for me and costumes for my kids. This year my daughter wants to be Edward Scissorhands and I am full of thoughts on how to make it come to life. My favorite costume I have ever made was for my daughter: George Harrison from the SGT. Pepper album cover.
Thanks for reading!
You can find Betsy on Instagram at Thinkingcapstudio.
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If you’re interested in sharing your sewing space on the CSC, send an email to: admin@curvysewingcollective.com. We love all sewing spaces — big and small!
I’m brand new to sewing; I’ve just made my first three muslins & am copying more patterns. Searching for a good plan for a sewing room lead me to yours. I love what a creative, inviting, inclusive, & warm room you’ve created! I love how you’ve found solutions for organization; stash management, access to all your necessary items, having both machines available at a moment’s notice (!), & welcoming family to create with you. Love, love, love. I too use a shelving unit to “manage” my growing stash. I also love that you’ve made space for your cat. Believe it or not, I need to do that for three cats & two dogs. I, too, thought about how your kids would enjoy remembering all of the happy moments spent creating with you. I caught myself smiling through the whole read. 🙂 I’m going to check out your favorite designers & think about a warm color palette for my creative room. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a fantastic sewing space! I find the space and also your organisation inspiring – like you I struggle with the organisation side of things, but understand I need it to get anything done!
I too love the color and positive, creative and inviting nest you have created with your whole family in mind. The red says “Stop and play!” ?
Am I the only one to notice how many button bins you have….? Buttons are wonderful and you can never have too many. I like your solution for keeping the fabric stash under control.
Thanks for sharing your space, what an inviting space to work in – organized yet comfortable! I love how you have re-purposed furniture from your childhood and now your kids will have happy memories of sitting and creating at that table as well very cool!
I love it! It looks cozy yet energizing at the same time. With your kids art station there too, I can’t help but think of all the great memories they are storing up of working on projects next to mom sewing.
Thank you for sharing!
I spy some Nano Iro fabric that I’ve been searching for amongst your fabrics! Your space looks so well organized and bright and cheery!
Betsy – I love your space! You are proof that you can be organized, see and find everything, but you can use red instead of just plain white, and it works wonderfully well.
Also, let us see you post some of your clothing makes online. I am dying to see some of the Tina Givens patterns made up in something other than black or white linen. I like her stuff, but sometimes find it difficult to see the design lines in her photos due to her fabric choices. Also, I can’t imagine dressing only in white, off white and black.
You go girl !!!!!
I love your space especially the way it works for the whole family.
Love those notions bins with the big labels!
I really like all the red color in your space. I think it would make me creative. Now you have me thinking of how I might change my space to make it even more inviting than I have it now. I also like how organized it is. I have some work to do on my before it is completely organized.
Love your studio Tanya! That first photo looks so inviting – brilliant idea to have 2 nice big tables. You can never have too much work space – your shelves with boxes marked are much like mine but I like all your clear plastic bins for notions like buttons and elastic.
I just moved into a new home and have been trying to wrap my brain around organization of my sewing space. Do you recall which IKEA table you use in yours? I need one desperately!
My IKEA table is from 1997! They do have other large tables currently, just not the specific one I have.
I love your studio! You have given me a few ideas that I can implement now as well as add in for our planned remodel.
Thanks for sharing your sewing space. I love how you have planned your cutting tables. It looks like a room that is welcoming.
I love your space! I am trying to organize mine and you have given me some ideas. It looks bright, fun, and creative!