My Little Happy Sewing Space

I’ve been lucky to have two dedicated sewing spaces before my current one. But they never felt truly mine. I was never able to really use the area like I wanted. But now, I’ve been able to do as I choose in our house. I guess, when you own you don’t feel guilty over all the holes you put in the walls, or any changes you make to a space.

My husband assumed I would go for the finished basement: a bigger space, convenient bathroom, and it’s quieter down there. But I knew if I set up shop on another floor I would rarely go to it. It’s a lot easier to spend most of my time wherever my son plays, and that’s usually in the living room. So I went for the dining room, which is next to the kitchen and living room. It’s a cozy space but the light in there is gorgeous. The only thing that needed changing was the paint color.

So before we moved in we painted the living room and sewing room. We chose Benjamin Moore’s popular ‘Grey Owl’. I really love the cool feel it offers in both rooms.

I’ve lucked out that the cutting table has survived two big moves. It’s made up of Ikea Lack tables; not the sturdiest of materials. I never posted anything about making this table because it was so straightforward. We used this tutorial, if you’re curious.

The cubbies have proven invaluable in storing my stash. I’ve actually outgrown them! Must start producing more garments and acquiring less fabric *she laughs maniacally*. I’ve had to buy little cubes to store more fabric under the table.

Something I always wanted in my sewing space was a pegboard. We got a 4x 8 panel from Home Depot and had it cut in half. Along with a pegboard organizer kit and spacers, we were pretty much set. It wasn’t all that easy to hang it but we managed. Well…my husband did most of the hard work 🙂

I love the baskets. They have proven quite useful. I’ve used them in the bathroom, baby’s room, kitchen, and now in my sewing room. For our wood (aka 5th)  anniversary, Greg gifted me a ruler stand. It works great on the pegboard. It took up too much room on the cutting table.

Mason jars have also proven to be a handy organizer for notions. And they are pretty to look at. The jewel cases are empty but they were a lovely gift from my mother-in-law. Also pretty to look at :).

How lovely are colorful thread racks? One day it’ll be full of the good stuff, Gütermann thread.

The room lacks any sort of built-in storage, which makes sense since it’s suppose to be a dining room. But nothing a bookcase can’t fix. Most of my notions, books, and knitting supplies are here.

Some recent pieces I acquired for my room came from my local Buy Nothing group. Have you heard of it before? It’s a group where people gift items they no longer need. It’s also a place where people can go to if they are in search of something. Everything is given, no bartering or money is ever exchanged. And it helps you get to know your neighbors. I joined my local group on Facebook and I have given and received a lot. For instance, I picked up a wooden poster holder to store my Swedish tracing paper and leather. And a wooden filing cabinet to house my patterns.

Having my computer next to my sewing stash has SERIOUSLY quelled my fabric buying tendencies. Well, mostly. I have bought some fabric to make O’s Halloween costume and baby girl’s fitted crib sheet. But it’s nice to be able to listen to music or watch videos while I’m sewing.

So that’s my little happy sewing space. Lately I’ve been able to nip in for a few minutes here and there. And it’s been awesome. No need to wait for a nap or bedtime. O plays in the living room and I can have a bit of time to myself. The room leads to the yard so I also have the option of letting O play outside while I watch and sew from indoors. Bliss!