Sewing needs to be a relaxing and relaxing hobby, but all too often it is filled with tension and anxiety as you trip over piles of fabric on the floor or look through dozens of tangled reels to get the multi metallic thread you’ve bought last year. Arranging your sewing room to suit the way you work by designating different action areas and being conscientious about arranging your equipment, allows you to return to the days of efficient and pleasurable sewing.
Make a list of all the different tasks which you do connected with sewing. Include measuring and cutting fabrics, machine stitching, hand sewing, ironing and pressing, fitting as well as dyeing and painting your own fabric, when applicable.
Arrange the work surfaces on your sewing room to an efficient layout, by creating different activity stations across the room. If you have a lot of tables, then set them in an “L” or “U” shape, which gives you access to the surfaces from other sides. Put shelves or pegboards across the wall over the work spaces for additional visible storage and designate a wall for a design wall where to place inspirational things or to audition your cloths in case you are a quilter.
Designate each part of the work surfaces and areas for one or more tasks — you’ll need a surface or space for every single undertaking, though some surfaces can do multiple obligations. Remember tasks which don’t always demand a permanent work surface, like your ironing board can be folded and placed against the wall till you need it, and also for hand sewing, maybe all you need is a cozy chair and great lighting.
Organize your sewing equipment, by putting all the supplies for each one of these tasks that you’ve identified into plastic tubs designated for every activity. Place the plastic tub in the region or on the surface you’ll be carrying out the action, and any items which didn’t fit in the tub.
Divide the contents of every tub into three stacks — things you are always going to have to do the action, those which you choose from and eventually those that you sometimes use. For example, for machine sewing you are always going to need the sewing machine, a bobbin and a pair of scissors. Your collection of threads falls to the “select from” category as can your fabric stash as you’ll pull unique things from them for every undertaking. Your sewing machine tool kit, different machine feet and spare bobbins and needles qualify for your “sometimes use” category.
Put all the “always use” items and tools for an activity in an open container at its work space or surface. Put the “select from” things in transparent vinyl bins, label them and store them either under the proper work surface or in a closet in or near the sewing room. Use sealed storage containers hardened, for your “sometimes use” tools and accessories and also store them all together in 1 portion of the sewing room or cupboard. These containers have a tendency to be smaller and so might be easily lost one of the larger storage containers.
Check the lighting in every activity work area. If needed, add task lighting in the kind of table lamps which it is possible to move to every space as you need lighting. Include a chair on wheels which you can move to each action station as needed, or use several chairs in case your work surfaces are at different heights.