Sewing is a great way to express your creativity and, if you truly enjoy it, unwind at the end of a long day. The process of choosing material, piecing it together, and making something beautiful is incredibly satisfying. You owe it to yourself to turn that empty room in your home into a place of your very own. Here’s what you need to create a perfect sewing room:
1.Paint
Your room is where you’ll spend your down time or, if you sew for a living, the better part of your day. It makes sense to slather the walls with a color that you love. You’ll find sites that tell you green is soothing, yellow is invigorating, and so on; pay no attention. Paint the walls in the color that feels right to you. You should know, however, that light colors will make a small room appear larger, and dark colors will make the walls shrink inward.2.Sewing Table
After you’ve painted your walls, you’re ready to start putting furniture in your room. The very first section to set up is your sewing station. Everything else that you put in the room should be centered around this important area. Ideally, a U-shaped station is the best, an L-shaped station is the second-best, and a long table is the third choice. The size of your table will depend on the size of your room.3.Cutting Table
Remember that you’re setting up a sewing room for yourself so you don’t have to adjust your fabrics and your machines as you work. Set up a cutting table next to your sewing table for the ultimate in ease. Your cutting table should be counter height as you’ll typically be standing, especially if you work with large decorator fabrics.4.Pressing Area
If you have enough space in your new room, a pressing area is a convenient thing to have. If you don’t have room for a permanent pressing station, make sure that you leave enough room to set up your ironing board when you need it. You don’t want to have to take your fabric from room to room so that you can press it.5.Lighting
Before you set up anything else, decide on how you will use lighting in the room. Natural lighting is always the best, but most rooms don’t have enough windows to let ample sunlight in. Additionally, you won’t always be sewing when the sun is shining. The more lights you have in your room, the better. An overhead light along with task lights at each station is the most beneficial. Use bulbs that simulate natural lighting to avoid eye strain as you work.6.Chair
Your chair, unless you sew standing up, is as important as any other aspect of your room. There is no right chair for every sewer. You may find that a wooden chair is the most comfortable, or you may want an ergonomic chair. If you’ll be sewing for hours on end, it’s important that the place you sit supports you correctly. If you’re buying a new chair, be sure to test out several before you make a choice; never purchase a chair sight-unseen.7.Wall Decor
You may have so many shelves and cubbies that you don’t have room for dramatic paintings, but do save room for an inspiration board. This can be a large corkboard or a big piece of canvas that you’ve covered with your favorite fabric and crossed with ribbon. Use the board to hang pages from magazines or pages you’ve printed from the Internet. You can also hang small swatches of fabric, ribbons or ephemera that you find spur your creative process.8.Organization
No two people organize a craft room in the same way. A good rule of thumb is to keep the things you use most often nearest your main sewing station. Beyond that suggestion, you are free to organize however you like. Some people like open shelves where everything can be seen at a glance. Others like to store their things in jars and containers. Still other sewers like fabric bins or baskets that can be labeled that keep things out of sight. Look online for inspiration when it comes to organizing your room.Your new sewing room will be your creative haven. You’ll find yourself drawn to the room as soon as it is set up. Use these tips to create a room that is tailor-made for you, your machinery and your projects. Set up correctly, your new room will serve as inspiration for all of the crafty things that you do.
Jennifer Ryder has always been creative and blogs to help others discover their crafty side. If you want to see more of her creations check out Jenn Ryder on her Google plus and follow her on Twitter @Jenn_Ryder.
