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From: MaryW
Date: 06-21-2006, 09:21 AM (1 of 28)
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My sewing room is my office and it is waaaaaay out of hand with clutter. Before anything else happens I just have to clean up. For my first chore I have to clean up my desk. You wouldn't believe what I have accumulated here. Next, a basket just for mending. This sewingroom/office combination is both good and terrible. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: GreenDragonLady
Date: 06-21-2006, 09:22 AM (2 of 28)
That's funny, Mary. I just started cleaning up my room too! I bet mine is a LOT worse! I bet you didn't have to take a sword out of your room! 
photos.yahoo.com/greendragondesigns
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User: GreenDragonLady
Member since: 07-29-2004 Total posts: 495 
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From: pucktricks
Date: 06-21-2006, 09:33 AM (3 of 28)
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But the sewing room/guest bedroom is worse. Each time that you have a big project going on, someone comes to town, and you have to do a quick cleaning spree. Of course, nothing ends up where it should be. I'm still trying to find where some stuff is, and each time people come back it gets worse, and now I have two little "helpers," notice the quotation marks, to "clean," and by clean I really mean make things much worse, when I am too. Ticia |
User: pucktricks
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 570 
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From: HeyJudee
Date: 06-21-2006, 09:39 AM (4 of 28)
I have a sewing room (in a mess right now) and a guest room. Unfortunately the overflow from the sewing room ends up in the guest room...usually on the bed. I've had company twice since May and each time the overflow stuff has had to be squeezed back in the sewing room...wherever it will fit. Unfortunately, I haven't had the energy to straighten everything up. I just keep looking at the mess and walking away. One of these days I may get back to cleaning it up...I hope. 
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 06-21-2006, 09:49 AM (5 of 28)
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I went by the Hancocks store closing sale yesterday after work and picked up some great fabric -- cotton chamois for warm shirts in the winter. I also picked up about a dozen of the cardboard bolts. Now I have two of five shelves with the fabric on bolts and neatly stacked. The other three shelves still have the fabric kind of shoved in. On one side of the room bolts of fabric are lined up nicely but on the other -- well, not so much. I did toss last winter's magazines and tidied-up my desk last week. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Mom of Six
Date: 06-21-2006, 01:21 PM (6 of 28)
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I cleaned the "office" part of the room this morn, got bills paid & other papers filed. now I need to get the sewing part back in order but I think I will sew some shorts for my DGSs first. They picked fabric out of my stash yesterday. Maybe this weekend Dd will help me organize the fabric better. I think I might put some in storage in the basement if I can find my containers with lids.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: bluebirdie
Date: 06-21-2006, 02:49 PM (7 of 28)
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My worst sewing room nightmare is the... remnants! I have most things under control but the remnants seem to have minds of their own and refuse to be stacked without falling off the shelf. Anyone has good tips on controlling these little monsters?
- Robin
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User: bluebirdie
Member since: 03-12-2006 Total posts: 139 |
From: Patty22
Date: 06-21-2006, 03:48 PM (8 of 28)
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I think...."think" ....."think"... I've gotten better about my sewing room and the accumulation of "necessary things" (another person's junk). Whenever I cut out a garment, and the excess fabric can be used for my quilting, I immediately take the remnant and cut 8" blocks when possible or strips of various lengths (paying attention to grain). Then I place them in containers according to color. I do this immediately or otherwise it doesn't get accomplished. After I finish sewing for the day, I pick up so that when I start sewing, everything is ready to go. After I finish a quilting project, I always take apart my machine, as much as I am capable, to clean and sometimes oil. (Sometimes, I have to remove the lint after changing every bobbin with some cotton batts.) I did see a great tip on Simply Quilts.......and it is for storing your sewing machine needles inbetween use and for different projects: Take a tomato pincushion and mark with a permanent marker in the different divisions for the type of sewing machine needles that you use (10, 12, 14, Jeans, Machine Quilting, Embroidery, etc.) and place your needles according to size. Then when you take a needle out of the pin cushion, place a large headed pin in its place so when you are finished with the needle, it is easy to replace it without trying to read the print on the top of the needle. I thought this was ingenious and went out and bought a new pin cushion for my needles. My sewing room is the basement and I love it. Previously, I had my sewing in every other room of the house and was kicked out by everyone. The last room was the family room and everyone complained about the sewing machine making too much noise or else making static on the TV. I just hated it though when everyone dumped their junk in what was suppose to be for my sewing. My room now is a great place to hide (well, except for my husband making sure a telephone was connected in there  ) The walls are an egg yolk yellow, the ceiling is a light purple and the trim is a porcelain pink. I wanted it to resemble a sunset in the evening right before the glooming. In the summer it is the coolest room of the house and in the winter, the toastiest. The purple ceiling actually adds height to the room and I don't feel as constrained as one could if it was painted a flat monotone scheme since it is a tiny room.I do have lots of art books in there and other "things" that I should really relocate to give myself just a little more space..... but otherwise, I am just thankful to have some space that I can call my own. Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 06-21-2006, 10:50 PM (9 of 28)
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My 10-1/2 x 11' cubby hole is also my ironing and laundry folding room. One of these days the door coming into the room is going to crash off its hinges with all the ironing hanging on the front and back of it on big over the door hooks plus I have 5 of my 6 machines set up on the cutting table and the computer table plus fabric stacked everywhere and packages of batting sutffed in the treadle area of the treadle machine. It is all going to be moved to the garage next month as the carpet installers are coming to install new carpet, finally. I can hardly wait until DH passes out when I start pulling all of my fabric, etc out of the closet in here. If you can't find it anywhere else in the house, it's probably in my sewing room. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Kew
Date: 06-22-2006, 02:32 PM (10 of 28)
| Well my seeing room is finally organized. My dear husband made me a cutting table which is a good size and a table for my Janome Embroidery/sewing machine and my serger. Under the cutting table I have shelves and some drawers to hold stuff and under my table with the machines I have an old toy box with stuffing and stabalizers in. I also have 2 big shelving units for my folded fabric which is full. Then I have 3 of those plastic drawers on wheels with about 6 drawers each for lace, zippers, scrap fabric etc. I have one set of 6 drawers especially for Patterns. I try and keep everything organized. Now that I can see my cutting table I quess I should start cutting. It definately helps to be organized. I went to the dollar store and bought these little plastic see thru containers that screw on to each other for little stuff like safety pins, toggles, etc. I also have wicker baskets with hinged lids for extra thread etc. My husband also made me a place for all my scissers on the wall and a huge thread stand which is on my sewing table behind my machine. I think it holds about 150 spools and he also made me a smaller thread stand that turns around and it holds about 30 spools. I have my thread divided into embroidery, metallics,serger and other. I love it all. |
User: Kew
Member since: 10-19-2000 Total posts: 58 |
From: Bama
Date: 06-22-2006, 03:02 PM (11 of 28)
I think my sewing room would stayed organized if everyone in my house (except me of course) would stay out of it.  It has doubled as our guest room since we built this house. Funny how hubby gets his own workshop and my sewing room has never really been totally mine. It's too convenient for the kids to crash on the daybed in here and leave their magazines, books, candy wrappers, etc. in here. I'm going to move the daybed to the den in the basement as soon as I get a chance.  My computer is in here also so dd is in here more than I am. She even complained last night that I was making too much noise with the sewing machine while she was trying to use the computer. 
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: MissTaraTara
Date: 06-22-2006, 05:57 PM (12 of 28)
| I am really good about keeping my sewing place tidy. I cannot function in clutter, have been this way since I was young. My sewing place is in the corner of my bedroom but I've decorated the entire room in a sewing theme. I am using the closet (as well as much of everyone else's) to store my fabric. I use shaker boxes and shaker style sewing boxes for trims and such. I now have a permanent cutting place in my garage. It is where I have most of my sewing books, patterns, and soon I'll be adding my quilt batting. |
User: MissTaraTara
Member since: 01-24-2006 Total posts: 227 |
From: sweetpea1
Date: 06-27-2006, 01:40 PM (13 of 28)
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I'm really jealous of all of you who have a sewing room. I sew on my diningroom table. Unfortunately it is the first room you see when you come in the front door. If I'm in the middle of a project (ha - its usually 3 or 4 projects), the room is stacked and cluttered with my sewing things. I also spilled over to our home office across the hall with supplies and stash. No one complains about the clutter, because I'm pretty much the only person in my house who cleans or even cares about clutter. (Ha Ha - as long as my husband and boys have 4 walls, food and clean clothes, they could care less about anything else.) Anyway, this past Friday I had my entire home recarpeted and everything had to be packed up. Of course, no one wanted to pack my sewing things, and frankly much of it I really didn't want anyone to man handle. So, I put things into boxes as carefully as I could and asked my sons to transport the boxes to the basement. Well, I'm just thinking of getting the things back out, and feeling overwhelmed with it all. I love the way my office and diningroom look without all of the clutter, and I know that as soon as I drag out even half the stuff packed away, I'll not only mess up these lovely rooms, but most likely buy and add more. I so much desire a place of my own to sew, I've even drawn up my dream sewing studio to be put together once one of my boys leaves home. I certainly don't want to toss anyone of them out (23, 20 & 14), but I sure am jealous of the space each of you has to call your own -- even if its messy and unorganized. My husband offered to make me a space in the basement, but I declined. I'm somewhat clostrafobic (sp???) and would feel caged in down there. I also like to be around people and would feel isolated down there too. In any event, if you have a special place to be creative that meets your needs and helps your creative juices to flow, be thankful! |
User: sweetpea1
Member since: 10-10-2005 Total posts: 56 |
From: sable
Date: 06-27-2006, 07:19 PM (14 of 28)
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That's funny, Mary. I just started cleaning up my room too! I bet mine is a LOT worse! I bet you didn't have to take a sword out of your room! My sewing room does have a long-sword in it. It used to be in the lounge on display, but had to be put out of reach of our toddlers. I am thinking about cleaning up my sewing room, but that takes time away from sewing so I haven't done much yet, but I have to say it would be easier to sew if I knew where things were! Doesn't help that I have Xmas presents for the boys in there too as well as all our stationery supplies etc. |
User: sable
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 76
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From: mamagoose
Date: 06-28-2006, 07:19 AM (15 of 28)
| The sword made me laugh. I have recently "expanded" into the den for the summer (or who knows how long I can get by with it) as I needed a place for continual cutting and pressing of a wedding dress, MOH dress and my dress for the August wedding. I just couldn't bear to have my DR a mess all summer (been there done that with the prom dresses), as that is my normal cutting area and my sewing area is in the 8X10 laundry room. We set up a piece of plywood on 4 stacks of crates. (Do you know how impossible it is to find crates in May?) I like the height better than the DR table. I am accompanied by lots of guns, bows, stuffed critters on the walls, lots of books, beer mug collection, piano, desk and filing cabinets. Right now, the den is covered in fabric and scraps and no time to clean up! |
User: mamagoose
Member since: 01-26-2002 Total posts: 168 |
From: weezyrider
Date: 06-28-2006, 12:36 PM (16 of 28)
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I took over the dining room - we never used it. Finally found sewing furniture that fit, got wheels on the computer hutch, room for books. Now am sharing with various pets. There are 5 ferrets in 2 huge cages from For Ferrets Only. Judging from the stuff on the cutting table, I think the bird playpen (cockatiels)has been in there, plus the cats - all 3 of them love the cutting table. Plus the kids projects wind up there. Weezy 
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User: weezyrider
Member since: 08-19-2003 Total posts: 218 
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From: Bama
Date: 07-08-2006, 12:27 PM (17 of 28)
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Hubby and I planned to move my sewing room to DS's room when he moves out. He has a very large room in the basement. My daughter just informed me that her brother said SHE can have his room when he moves out. I said, well then I'll just take the den downstairs. She doesn't like that idea either.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: GreenDragonLady
Date: 07-08-2006, 05:18 PM (18 of 28)
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Bama, I'd tell her that you're the Mommy, and you call the shots, and you can have whatever room you want!
photos.yahoo.com/greendragondesigns
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User: GreenDragonLady
Member since: 07-29-2004 Total posts: 495
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 07-08-2006, 09:49 PM (19 of 28)
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I put some fabric in containers but decided to raise my bed & put them under it instead of the basement. Then I started sewing! If I can keep going making outfits for my grandsons & great neices & nephews maybe I will use enough that I don't have to store it. I have made 12 pr of shorts, a beach cover up & started a dress with orders for a couple more. I am having so much fun giving it away! I hope to make myself some new capris this week. I got my first pair last week & love them. I have a pattern for them & plenty of fabric. Then DD wants a new skirt & some other things for when school starts. I figure I should get started now while my machine is on fire!
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115
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From: nannylin
Date: 07-08-2006, 11:56 PM (20 of 28)
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Sweetpea, I also am jealous of people who have a sewing room! I use my kitchen table, etc and have to pack everything away at the end of each session. However, your diningroom story is familiar. I really needed a computer room of my own, so I got rid of the diningroom! Moved the table and chairs out to the pool cabana (my late mother-in-law, who gave us the set, must be spinning in her grave). Left the china closet. Moved in my computer furniture and a comfy chair, and I have a room of my own! Could you do the same and make yourself a real sewing room? We only used the diningroom a couple of times a year to be fancy, so I don't miss it. Don't overlook this space for yoursel f!Linda |
User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47 
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From: plrlegal
Date: 07-09-2006, 12:00 AM (21 of 28)
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While was at a sewing/quilting group today (we learned to make placemats from a pineapple quilt pattern book) dh found the neatest storage system and set it up in my sewing room. He got it at Target. It is squares of the plastic coated wire that come with connectors that make them into cubes, oblong rectangles, etc. He did a system of cubes that is 4 cubes high by 3 cubes wide and it is so neat. In fact, we're going to Target again tomorrow and buy another 2 sets of them to put here in the sewing room for me to use as storage. He also started filling them from the stacks of stuff I had stacked all over the sewing room and my room looks really organized and neat even though I still have a ways to go to get it completely organized. I can see my quilts that are ready to quilt, quilt kits that are partially done and need to be worked on, etc. instead of having these stacks and piles of who knows what that I have to dig through and restack every time I'm looking for something. Anyway this is a really cool storage system. When I get it all set up and organized, I'll take a few pictures and post them. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Patty22
Date: 07-09-2006, 08:08 AM (22 of 28)
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Wow Patsy! I am so impressed with your DH! Well, I'm impressed with how you trained him to be so intuitive about your sewing room needs! You're good!
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-09-2006, 08:55 AM (23 of 28)
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I want Patsy's husband!! He can clean my sewing room anytime he needs something to do. Patty and I are only a few miles apart. We can share. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Bama
Date: 07-09-2006, 12:10 PM (24 of 28)
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Bama, I'd tell her that you're the Mommy, and you call the shots, and you can have whatever room you want! She's only dreaming. No way would I trust her to live in the basement where I can't hear if she sneaks out at night.  Our son, I trust to stay in at night. Our daughter, I'm not too sure. She had a sleep over on her last birthday (in the den downstairs) and I overheard some of her friends talking about sneaking out. Little did they know I could hear everything they said through the vent in my sewing room. I went downstairs and told them that nobody was leaving unless they wanted their mothers to come pick them up. 
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 07-09-2006, 12:14 PM (25 of 28)
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If my husband cleaned my sewing room I would never find anything. We have an agreement I don't move his tools & he doesn't get into my sewing stuff.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115
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From: Bama
Date: 07-09-2006, 12:18 PM (26 of 28)
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I'm afraid for my hubby to come into my sewing room very often. He likes to throw things out. He occasionally comes in here to use the computer, and just shakes his head. He did buy me 2 baker's racks for in here, and it helped alot. Some old wire basket gym lockers I saved from a dumpster are the best fabric organizers I've ever had. If I just had about 2 dozen more.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: plrlegal
Date: 07-09-2006, 06:56 PM (27 of 28)
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Ladies my dh did not "actually" clean my sewing room, he only put up the wire shelving units and moved some of my piles of stuff into them off the treadle machine. I still need to get busy and really organize everything. We went to Target againt his afternoon and picked up to more sets which will give me 12 more cubes. I plan to take my bookcase out and put the wire shelving in tis place. I'll put the heavy books and things like that on the bottom level so as not to bend any of the racks. I also found those fabric bins that I plan on putting my patterns in. The patterns are beginning to overrun the room. I just keep piling them up and every now and then they all fall all over the floor, etc, and I down and play 52 pattern pickup. I will have to admit though that my dh is pretty good when it comes to thinking of what might give me more room or better organization for my sewing room. In a couple of more weeks, I'll be getting a room remake; new carpet, paint, window treatments, closet redone, etc. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Hogmami
Date: 07-09-2006, 07:32 PM (28 of 28)
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My husband and I have an agreement. I don't mess with his garage or his Charger or his Harley and he doesn't mess with my room.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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