Organizing Your Sewing Space

Organizing your sewing space can be a daunting task but once it is done, it makes being productive such an easier task. I had started organizing my fabric last fall but needed the extra push to get everything else in order. For the 52 Week Sewing Challenge, week 1 challenge was to organize your sewing space. Originally, I thought I would just sew up something that might would qualify but then I decided it was time to bite the bullet and just do it. Since I plan on sewing weekly, if I don't get my space organized now, it was only going to get worse!

First, I had to clear off my cutting table. My cutting table is actually a kitchen island that we purchased several years ago at Ikea. It was a floor display and was originally used in my kitchen for a few years. At that time, I wasn't sewing and never imagined what an awesome addition that would be for my sewing space in the future!

 On one side are two bookcases that are really deep and on the other side are two regular bookcases. The deep side houses my totes of scraps, crates of patterns and shoeboxes that hold extra sewing notions. The regular side is where I have my sewing books and my vinyl cutting machine, heat press, and some scrapbooking machines. (This room is my craft room but 90% of what I do is sew). On one end is a bar (also Ikea) where I hang S hooks and then attach my scissors and rotary cutters. Sometimes I also hang my quilter's ruler from there. I also have some larger pieces of fabric for a quilt that I started folded across it.

This room in my house has a walk-in closet and a laundry room. I love having my laundry room so convenient. The walk-in closet currently has two Billy bookcases (Ikea) and another smaller bookcase. I have folded (almost) all of my fabric and have it all on the bookcases.

 On the end of the fabric, I have a small circle that I cut out of cardstock pinned to it which has the yardage listed. It makes it easy to walk into the closet and immediately see if I have enough fabric for a particular project. I still need to get two more bookcases because as you can see, these are full and overflowing. On the other side of the closet is just piles of fabric folded and ready to be put on the bookcases whenever I can get to another Ikea. Unfortunately, now we live almost three hours to the closest one :(

 I have a clothes hamper that I keep my fabric from scrap packs in (anything less than a yard)). I try to keep these separated by fabric companies if possible.

I have two of these cubby bookcases stacked on top of each other. All of my other crafty items are kept here. I still need to better organize this space.

On my sewing table, I currently have five machines. I have three regular machines that are all considered vintage. Two are Kenmores and one is an Elna. The regular Kenmore was my very first machine and I bought it new at Sears right after I got married (late 1980's). The other Kenmore is computerized and was my mother's. She gave it to me a couple of years ago when she bought a new Brother machine. I found the Elna at an estate sale. They had an Elna serger too but my mom got it. Then I have a Babylock serger that I picked up at a yard sale for only $50!! It is amazing!! And finally, I broke down and got a Brother coverstitch (bought on a Black Friday sale two years ago) when I realized that sewing was not going to be a passing hobby.


I'm not completely satisfied with the way I have the rest of my stuff organized but it will do for now. My patterns are in the crates and my PDF patterns that I use most often are rolled and placed in a large reusable bag. (You can see it in front of the stacked cubbies.) I want to get a cable on the wall behind my cutting table and hang my most often used patterns. My thread is all thrown into a crate. I would like to have them stored in a glass case where dust and light can't get to them but that might never happen. I would like a better way to organize them though.

I still have some totes in my craft room that I need to find another place for as they are filled with other crafting items that I don't use as often and two are full of photos for whenever I get back to scrapbooking.

I do keep a white off board for listing projects that I want to complete. This is especially handy when I am sewing for other people which I will do occasionally.

Overall, I am happy with my space and I really love vintage sewing items for decorations. I love seeing sewing spaces to get inspiration so if you have shared your sewing space, please share a link so that I can "visit".