Studio Tour!

posted in: home, Inspiration, Quilting, sewing, vintage | 11

Who doesn’t love peeking into everyone’s sewing spaces? The way that we all work with our toys, sometimes arranging them in limited spaces can certainly be inspiring. It seems that every popular quilting site, or indeed craft site, is full of hints and tips on how to organise, display or otherwise corral your stash, tools and patterns.

I’ve had to get a bit creative with my new sewing studio, as it is an odd shaped room off the family room. With two doors, and two walls of windows, at first I found it very challenging, but now that I’ve got some key pieces of furniture, it’s working well!

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So, here is the main view of the room. It’s long and not very wide. You can see here at the end, my ‘Blind of Awesome‘, which keeps the neighbours out of my quilting parties!

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The most vital, and certainly the most heaviest item in here is my cutting/pressing table. It is an Ikea Stenstorp kitchen island bench. I wanted something that was bench height because my back objects to cutting at table height. The Oak top is durable, and on this side there is plenty of room for me to slide in my drawer units and the classic Ikea Raskog trolley. You can probably see also, a selection of rulers hanging on hooks along the short end. 10 points for spotting the little puppy bomb. Also, the forlorn overlocker which is yet to find a home in this space.

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You can see on this side the two stainless steel shelves holding my sizzix cutter, scrap boxes, and larger boxes of fabrics. Of course, the stash is growing faster than I can sew, so more boxes will be needed soon. Who knows where I’m going to put them! By putting the island this way, I can cut on my mat in three directions – always useful for cutting strips of fabric without having to move your yardage. I can also access both sides of storage, and have all my most commonly used tools hanging around the outside. The pressing board needs to be upgraded to a full width and then properly covered. I will get to that soon.

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Sitting on my cutting table is my Social Tote and Bruce carrier, both made for me by the fabulous Fiona/bendigolioness – for random tools and scraps. I have a vintage soda glass for catching pins or clips, and a pyrex mug for holding marking pens, scissors and the like. It’s such a neat little station, I find it easy to put everything away as soon as I use it!

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Along the only solid wall I have managed to create my first ever DESIGN WALL!!! I’m loving it too. I never thought I needed one, now I have no idea what I’d do without it. Currently I’m using a very attractive flannel backing of a vinyl tablecloth, but I will upgrade to a white flannel sheet or quilt batting sometime. Hanging up here is my hexagons in progress. I stitch a few, then join a few, stitch a few more, join those on…

On the Ikea cubes underneath is the family’s internet lifeline, along with my stereo, a big clock to keep me on time, and some vintage/pretty goods to liven up the place. Inside the cubes is more and more fabric, pattern and batting storage.

Following that, on a Billy bookcase from, you guessed it, Ikea, is my craft book collection, along with some button jars, Blythe dolls, ribbon storage and just decorative odds and bobs. It’s a bit of a crazy bookcase, but still a work in progress. You can see hanging up the top the lovely crochet heart bunting that Libby from England made for me, as well as my Beatle Project Bag and my Sew on the Go bag, sewn by Raquel and Lisa respectively. 

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You can get an idea in this shot, it’s pretty cramped quarters between the cutting table and bookcase, but it works really well! You can also see here the two doors. The one on the left leads into the family room. I love that I can still hear the family watching tv or washing the dishes, or just hanging out. It’s nice to be able to craft, but never be far away. The door on the right leads to the outside. We have THREE back doors in this house! It got a bit crazy when we first moved in, but we’re used to it now.

Edited-2517On the back of the door to the family room is my stick on blackboard, where I can keep track of all my bees and swaps, what is due and when. It’s immensely satisfying to cross them off when I’ve sent them out! I also have a bookcase which is mainly filled with supplies for making my Vintage Journals….. lots of amazing paper ephemera and maps etc. Of course, there is always the random jars full of selvedges, trophies (Photography) and ribbons (Quilting). I ask you, what is a sewing studio without a felt chicken hanging on the noticeboard?

The vintage basket right in the corner holds more tins of buttons and a knitting project in progress.

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Finally we come to the engine room so to speak, my beautiful shiny new Janome 7700, named Ruby. I will give you a proper review on her soon, but needless to say, I’m loving sewing on her! Notice the addition of a cute little china dish to catch my pins. It’s the perfect size and shape, I can toss them in without looking but it never seems to interfere with what’s happening under the presser foot. Of course, the fact that it’s pretty helps too.

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Hanging over my sewing table is another blind, perfect for displaying my collection of bee blocks. And a peek of the garden outside – I can let the puppies out for a run, and keep and eye on them while I keep sewing. It’s the best place to keep track of them, and enjoy all the green outside! I’m rather surprised that I pulled this together in only a few weeks, using mostly furniture and accessories that we had on hand. The only new purchase was the cutting island, but that will always be a useful one.

I do hope you enjoyed the tour, and maybe found some new ideas to help you make the most out of any quilting or crafting space.

Happy Crafting - Cassie.

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11 Responses

  1. Nadine

    I have recently found your blog & find reading it delightful.
    I love how you display all of the lovely gifts you get
    What a pleasure it must be to work in such well organised room

    • Cassandra

      Thankyou for your kind compliments Nadine! I hope you keep enjoying reading. Yes, it can be a bit lonely when all your best friends live away, so it’s great they can “be”‘ with me every day!

  2. Jess @ Scrappy n Happy

    That’s a great idea with the hangers! Loved seeing your creative space!

  3. Melissa (minniecat)

    Thank you for the tour! What a lovely crafting area with so much natural light! It’s so much more than just the blind of awesome it’s the craft room of awesome!!

  4. Fiona

    This is just AWESOME!!! I will have to come back for a good long look once my internet month starts up on the 17th, I’m on rations so just popping in for a quick cuppa for now 😉

  5. Libby

    Ahh I love the tour it looks fab!! You have inspired me to finish organising my sewing room too! I really would love to be there sewing with you sometime! So glad the crochet hearts and bunting fit in so well with your space! Lots of love and hugs xx

  6. Raquel

    So much fun to get a closer look at your new space. I think you have things set up in such an effective, yet fun manner. All that natural light is incredible!

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