Friday, October 21, 2022

My Sewing Space

Today's post is about my sewing space. Often when you see a blogger post about their new or updated sewing space, they've gone to Ikea and have beautiful white furniture. And usually their space is bright with natural sunshine coming through the windows.

My space isn't like that. My sewing space is in the basement and has an egress window for natural light. And, the basement is not finished.

However I also see pictures of quilters who have their sewing machine on their kitchen table or in a bedroom. Then I realize how fortunate I am to have a whole basement for my sewing space.  I can go upstairs, shut the door and no one will see my mess!

One of my summer activities was painting part of the basement walls white.

I had huge closets upstairs in the farmhouse that I stored a lot of quilting things. There aren't any closets down here so everything is spread out.


I do have a much larger display wall in the basement than I had at the farmhouse. I used two 8' insulation boards. Apparently the ceiling in the basement isn't quite 8' but that has worked out ok. It's harder than it used to be to reach down to the bottom of a flat surface. Curving out like these boards do makes it easier to put blocks down there.

Can you see at the top of the picture I've had lights installed to shine on the display wall? It was rather amusing trying to explain to a handyman, who's wife doesn't even own a sewing machine, what the use of the lights were for.


To cover the insulation boards, I used the top flannel sheet left when the bottom sheets wore out. They still have napp and they works just fine. I taped the sheets to the boards individually because that's how big the sheets were, but it was also easier for me to handle one board at a time.

I also had the handyman install LED lights in the basement so I would have better lighting.


Since I have organized my sewing space, I've realized I need more LED lights. There is going to be a light installed above my ironing board and along the support posts.

My cutting table is our old kitchen table, the Farmer bought it at some auction before we were married. When we got our new table, I repurposed it. Notice the extensions on the legs. Originally I used just  the PVC pipes but it still wasn't quite tall enough and I got backaches. Those bed risers added the necessary height, no more backaches!

See those papers stuck to the joists, that is where the additional LED lights are to be installed.


This is my sewing setup. The cabinet was the heaviest thing to be carried down the steps. The Farmer asked me several times if I was sure I wanted the cabinet down the stairs, YES! 


The former owner left these cubbies here for my use. She was unable to fit them anywhere in her new home. The brown chest of drawers was purchased at an auction and I painted it brown.


The little shelf to the right of the brown chest of drawers was purchased for $5 at a resale store. Our local son said it looks like someone's first woodworking project. Maybe so but it holds stuff and that's what I care about.

I know it looks like a crack in the foundation wall but it isn't, the wall is safe. My nephew said there are two types of foundations walls, those with cracks and those that are going to crack.


Here is the west wall. The Farmer put 2 hangers in the joists to hang the ferns. One pot is a lot smaller because I tore it apart before bringing it into the house. The sitting ferns came from that plant.

I really downsized my books and magazines before we moved. That bookshelf also came from an auction, I painted it blue.


As I'm writing this post, the handyman is in the basement now installing more LED lights. He wasn't able to finishing installing the additional LED lights in one afternoon, he said he would come back in 3 or 4 days. He was going to drive to Illinois that evening to help his 82 year old FIL with harvesting. It was pouring rain here but dry in Illinois!

I've said before our weather is affected by Lake Michigan. We get normal system rain/snow, however we also get lake effect rain/snow. This is what it looked like Tuesday afternoon, October 17 here in northern Indiana, lake effect snow!

25 comments:

Hubblebird said...

Yes, some bespoke quilting spaces look so clean and white that I actually find them a bit intimidating. But each to their own. I prefer a bit of a hotchpotch - like mine - made up of second hand, repurposed furniture, with a few new pieces mixed in. Like you, I am very glad that I have a dedicated sewing space. I can't close the doors on it, so all the mess, when I'm in that chaotic creative space, is on display as you walk past. But I kind of like that. I'm so happy that I don't have to use my dining room table, as I did for many years, to indulge in my hobby. But at the time, it worked, as it does for so many of us. Getting into the zone cancels out all my surroundings! I think your basement is ideal, and getting the lighting right is crucial. I have to make do with my lighting but I use lamps and spotlights wherever I can. Sending happy thoughts for your happy place.

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Thanks for the quilt room tour!!! So spacious!!! I love all the repurposed and second hand items you were able to find!

Julie in GA said...

How wonderful that you have so much room for your quilting space! Installing all those lights will make it perfect for you to continue creating beautiful quilts!

Mary said...

I loved seeing your sewing space. Like you, I am grateful every time I can close the door and leave my happy mess behind. Good lighting makes all the difference.

Ray and Jeanne said...

Your sewing space looks wonderful! I'm envious of your design walls - they are so big and you have room for more if needed!!! My major criteria for my sewing space is functionality and it appears that you've really accomplished that. ~Jeanne

Maggie said...

Dear Gretchen,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home and the wonderful way you use everything you find. We give life to every treasure and make it our own. Your new sewing room looks massive and it is a blank canvas for you to spread out and turn into a very special space. Lake effect snow? We know how quickly that can happen here in Canada. Perfect for hibernating and quilting. Enjoy the new home and the amazing journey.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

You will love the fact that you can be in the middle of a project and when it is the end of the day, you can just walk upstairs and come back the next day and pick up where you left off. In my larger room I have 6 each 8 foot flourescent lights and 3 of them in my 2nd room. Lighting is one of the most important things. You will really be in heaven in your Quilting Studio! It really doesn't matter how and what you store things in for quilting, just so you have enough room to store things! Your design wall is something that. you will really enjoy and it is large enough to have more than one project on it at a time! Lucky Lady!

I have found that the more room one has in a Quilting Studio the smaller the room gets over the years! LOL. And I try TRY to do a massive dusting about every 3 or 4 months, but this year I have not. It is time now to do that! It is amazing how much "fabric dust" is put out with our material.

I love your new home and so very happy for you that you will now have YOUR VERY OWN PLACE to have fun with quilting, knitting, embroidery, etc. Will you have a TV set up eventually - Nothing like having a movie, dateline, Gunsmoke, etc on while I am quilting.

Enjoy it all Gretchen, you deserve it! Hugs

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

A very big space that you have - I hope it will stay warm in the winter for you. You will have more room for design walls if you need them and you could even start to hang quilts for more color too if you wish. I see a lot of possibilities with your space with so much room to grow

JustGail said...

There's nothing wrong with sewing in an unfinished basement if it's dry (most important as that's the hardest to fix!), has proper light, and comfortable temperature. DH sometimes asks if I've thought about moving my sewing things to the basement. Yes, but the amount of work to clear out both spaces and move it all is horrendous. And worse - my fear is that bigger space means I'd fill that up with still more good intention purchases like I did the current rooms.
You have a really nice room. If it works well for you, that counts far more than pretty matched furniture and fancy accessories.

And I took a peak at past posts - Thank You for not painting your antique furniture!

Julierose said...

WOW good for you re-purposing all those items; my DH made my cutting table from an almost thrown out set of drawers and put an old door on top and poly-urethened it for me...it's been perfect...
You must be excited to have all that space to move around in--and you will get some good photos as it's a big space....my little room doesn't afford me that luxury...
Enjoy thanks for taking us along hugs, Julierose

CathieJ said...

I liked seeing that your sewing space is in the basement as that is where mine is also. My basement is completely finished and much more crowded with stuff though as it used to be used as our computer area and the game room when my children were teenagers. My storage pieces have been cobbled together also over the years. Your sewing area is really spacious. I too like the fact that I can close the door and not see the mess. The only thing I really don't like about the basement is the bugs especially the cave crickets. Ugh! Enjoy your brand new sewing space.

Ivani said...

What a great space you have, Gretchen!!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Your sewing room looks great! I have my sewing room combined with my living room. I am planning to move the sewing room into the family room in a couple of weeks, and will just get rid of the family room. I am feeling crowded so I need to reduce what I own.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

I love studio tours, and yours is wonderful! You have a huge place just for you, it's so great and fun! Extensions for legs are a must on the cutting table, and a good sewing cabinet too ;) It looks like you are going to have a cozy and pretty studio, enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your new place, and linking up.

karenbbsnow said...

Awesome sewing room. Lots of space and so organized. I'm also a basement quilter....an unfinished bedroom down there does the trick.

Gwyned Trefethen said...

You have done your sewing space proud. It is well thought out and perfect for your needs. Enjoy!

Leanne Parsons said...

I love all the collected bits of furniture you've used in your room! All of that LED lighting will be perfect and of course you needed the cabinet carried down the stairs :) Enjoy your sewing space!

Chantal said...

That's a spacious sewing room! You have nothing to envy others as what you have is just perfect. Okay so the ceiling is not finished and the walls could use some paint but will those things help make quilts easier? I think not. So who cares! I have a room in the basement too and I love not having to move things out of the way when I'm done sewing for the day. My room is smaller than yours but bigger than an ordinary bedroom so I'm happy. I have two small windows so additional lights were needed. Lighting is very important. Like you, I have second-hand pieces of furniture as storage. Love your brown chest. Personally, I would put that "first woodworking project" shelf on top of the chest. I tend to stack things up as it will be easier on the knees to reach the bottom shelf but that's just old me talking. Lucky you that the former owner left the cubbies behind. Awesome! I'm sure you will switch things around a few times before you find the perfect place for every piece. Enjoy and thanks for the tour. ;^)

Bernie Kringel said...

We moved to our home in April 2022. At that time I thought the lighting in my sewing room was perfect. But being so far north (in Washington state) the sun has moved now and the light has changed drastically. I need to find some sort of additional lighting.
My sewing space looks nothing like the magazine ready studios we see on social media but it is big enough and I love being in there. Love your space too. Will it stay warm enough in the winter months?

Sara said...

Personally I think having lots of space is much more important than matching furniture. You have LOTS of space. What I do envy is the lighting you are putting in. My basement sewing space is roomy but has terrible lighting. And since it's all finished space my husband is adamant that I can just add more lamps because he doesn't want any new "holes" cut for different lights.

loulee said...

What a wonderful work space you have. I'm sure you will gain more storage in time and make it just how you like it. Plenty of lights is great too.
Will you be warm enough down there? I know one quilter who is all set up in the basement, but during the colder months only visits, as it is too cold.

Katie said...

I was hoping you'd show us where all the magic happens :) Your space looks amazing - you have so much room to move around in! My sewing machines are also in the basement -- and I also feel lucky to have a space where I can walk away, close the door, and don't have to worry about a thing. How amazing that you have a handyman who can come in and install lights and get it set up exactly how you want it. I hope you're spending lots of time there!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

I love seeing how you are organizing things - its going to be just perfect for you... and SNOW!! oh wow - its time to hibernate and sew!!! haha

Florida Farm Girl said...

It'll take some time but you will get your studio set up the way you want it eventually. I have a lot more space in this house than before we moved here. I'd be hard pressed to go back to an extra bedroom as my sewing space. Have fun all along the way.

Rose Marie said...

I've always had a studio in a basement and love it. Warm in the winter and cool in summer (walls were insulated). Enjoy your lovely new space and let the creative juices flow!