Welcome to the next post in our ongoing series of CSC Sewing Spaces. Today, I’m sharing my own sewing room!
Tell us a little about your sewing space.
My sewing space is in the front of our house, which used to be the formal living room when my grandparents lived here. My husband and I fully moved in at the end of last year and I started making this room my sewing room last summer. I considered other rooms for my sewing room, but I really like the light at the front of the house, plus being able to see the driveway and front yard on our ranch. We don’t really need two living rooms, so this is now both my sewing space as well as a shared office space with my husband. Sometimes I’m not too happy about all of the windows in this room (like when I want to hang artwork up!), but I love being able to look out on the pastures and watch all sorts of animals from my sewing table.
It’s been an ongoing process fixing this room up and trying to figure out where to put things. In my former sewing room, I had a big cutting table, but it doesn’t fit in this space without getting rid of other things, so I split the cutting table between myself and my MIL. I try to keep it cleaned off, but it is still a magnet for stuff. I have a large sewing table which I also use for a cutting surface. Kitty corner to my sewing table is my grandma’s sewing desk that my grandpa built. It also has a cutting surface which swings out the back.
I mostly sew on my Singer 160th Anniversary Edition computerized machine, which I really like, but I’m probably going to upgrade this year to one with a few more features. I also sew regularly on my grandma’s 1960’s Pfaff 360, which I learned to sew on and is easily accessible next to my Janome 3434D serger. I collect vintage sewing machines — all of which I’d like to have in working order someday. My prized possession is my 1904 Singer 27-4 treadle, which came from my husband’s family.
My Singer 27-4 treadle with Sphinx decals (1904)
What is your favorite part/feature of your sewing space?
I really love looking over at my fabric cabinet and seeing my fabrics through the glass doors. It’s a kitchen pantry cabinet that my parents picked up for me recently that works perfect for storing fabrics that are in my sewing queue. Behind the cabinet door I keep my scrap bin, which is now gladly hidden from sight! This cabinet is also a great place to keep my pressing tools on, which is why my ironing board is kept there.
How do you organize your fabrics, patterns and notions?
My fabric stash is spread between the fabric cabinet in my sewing room and fabric bins that I keep under my cutting table. I am trying not to accumulate a large fabric stash, so my fabric bins have dwindled down to *only* six bins now, most of which are full of wool and special occasion fabrics.
I keep most of my patterns in cardboard pattern boxes which I store in the shelves below my cutting table. My vintage patterns are in acid-free comic book bags. Larger patterns and PDF’s are kept in a filing cabinet. I keep my PDF’s in letter size manila envelopes.
My thread is on thread racks and I keep the scissors I use most on a magnetic tool strip. I have some notions in jars on the shelf above my thread racks and notions that I use most often are in the drawers of my sewing desk. Others are stored in rolling carts with plastic drawers that are in the space under my cutting table.
What is your favorite thing to sew?
Well, it’s quite apparent if you’ve looked at my blog that I love sewing dresses. I wear a dress most everyday, so it makes sense that I sew them. I do like to broaden my horizons and sew other things. On my list for fall/winter sewing is a proper wool blazer, a pair of real jeans, and a wool coat. I don’t much like sewing home dec, but it’s nice to see the unique things that I’ve sewn in my home everyday.
Tanya aka Mrs. Hughes
I did a much belated and more in-depth look on my new sewing room on my own blog, Mrs. Hughes, if you care to have a closer look.
If I were upgrading a machine… I’d be seriously looking at the Singer Studio 18! It is actually a Janome Memory Craft rebadged for Singer!
Love that white cabinet with the see thru drawers.
Thanks! It’s the happy addition that I didn’t know that I was missing!
Such a cozy sewing room. We have a notions-store here with less order (and assortment.) Did you keep your grandparents furniture?
Thank you! Yes, we have most of the furniture. The black leather mid-century couches and copper tables that were in my sewing room are down in our basement living room.
You have a beautiful sewing room, I have a few of the Gone with the Wind dolls too, but I don’t display them in my sewing room, maybe I should for inspiration.
Thank you! I’m a big GWTW fan. All of my GWTW dolls have outfits made by my mother-in-law. I’d like to have a glass cabinet someday to put them all in.
I love seeing that your sewing room is in the front of your house. I’ve been struggling (for years now) to find a space for my sewing and crafts after our second little one came along…he’s ten now! I keep getting moved from the computer desk to the dining room table and back again. I feel like it’s zapping my creativity. We also have a formal living room that isn’t used much and I’ve contemplated making it into a sewing room. How have you gotten past that it’s the first room your guests see as they enter your house? I’m really struggling with that. Any thoughts would be helpful…thanks!
You know Kristie I used to worry about that too. But like good friends of mine say “we came to see you not your house”. I took that to heart and I don’t worry about whether my sewing room or any other room is messy. There’s a difference between messy and dirty and if anyone doesn’t want to visit because my house is messy, than so be it. I’m not talking about dirty dishes piled in the sink, etc. There’s a difference between messy and dirty. Relax and enjoy your sewing room. It’s your creative sanctuary and you should be able to keep it the way it works for you. Many times it’s me who can only stand the messy for so long and seem to spend so much time ‘tidying up”, but sewing and quilting are untidy hobbies.
Thank you so much for chiming in! It helps to hear words of encouragement from others who share my passion. Our front living room has always been my favorite room because of it’s bright sunny windows and I love to spend my time in it. I’m just going to bite the bullet and not worry what others may think about my unconventional use of the space. I’ll post picts when it’s complete. Take care!
My sewing room isn’t quite the first room that people see as they enter as there is an enclosed porch/sunroom that is the entry way and then you walk into the parlor and my sewing room is through a door and off that. However, you can see it through the windows from the porch. I try to keep it organized and that helps, but most everyone is so happy to see a room like this when they come over, so if I were you, I wouldn’t worry about having yours in the front of your house. If it’s a pursuit that you love, why not have it in a room that’s part of your family life? I feel more like I’m part of the world in this room rather being locked away in a basement or a bedroom.
Thank you, Tanya! Your inspiration is amazingly helpful. I’m just going to go for it and not worry what others think. Sometimes it’s hard to get over the thought that one’s home has to look perfect when someone comes over…LOL! Take care and Happy Sewing!
Really love your sewing room. I bet you are very creative when you are in it. Sew on
Thank you, Janice! It’s inspiring, but having everything where I can find it.is the most helpful.
Well not too sure what I did but can now see all the photos. I’m even more jealous now.
I’m glad they showed up for you! I usually refresh the page when something like that happens.
Your room sounds so nice and I’m very jealous that you have a room for sewing. However it must be me, cos I only see about 1/3 of the photos and a lot of carpet. Help what am I doing wrong?
What a great sewing space. Moving so will have to show mine later.
Thank you, Nina! We’d love to see yours! 🙂
I too collect vintage sewing machines. I have a working Singer Art Deco machine which I found in an antique shop here in the UK but my dream is to find a Sphinx. I have been told they rarely come onto the market so you are very very lucky to have inherited one and I am soooo jealous!
Wow, how wonderful, Meg! 🙂 I have actually seen a few treadles just like mine for sale around here. Perhaps they are more prevalent on this side of the pond? There’s a Wilcox & Gibbs chainstitch for sale here that I’m considering getting. I’m not sure that I need another treadle, but it’s cool and a good price. 🙂