Designing a Sewing Room
- plans, layouts & cabinets
Planning to create your own room but not sure where to
start?
Whilst many have people have dreamt of designing their
own sewing room, few get the opportunity to create their
own space where they can work uninterrupted!
For many of us, having a sewing room is an opportunity for
getting organised and decluttering our house, garage and
storage spaces!
Before you get started on making your plans, take stock of
what equipment you already have in your home.
This may include a sewing machine, a
cabinet and/or table, books, metres of fabric, boxes of
used or new patterns, storage boxes for your notions -
thread, buttons,zips,fastenings and a whole bunch
more!
What do you want to use the space for - mainly for
sewing
projects, embroidery, needlework, quilting or other
crafts such as scrapbooking too. Will you want to invite
friends in to join you occasionally or is it just for you
alone?
How much time do you plan to be spending there -
will it be for the occasional project or will it be a regular
occurence? Will you want to leave your fabric ready for
sewing or tidy it safely away?
Sewing room layout

Make sure that your design includes space for the
following:-
Cutting out - whether this is a worksurface, table
or drop-down table, creating space where you can easily cut
yards of material is important.
Dressmakers dummy - for fitting garments and
displaying finished items
Hanging space - to hang, display or store finished
garments
Ironing - allow a space where you can use an
ironing board - even if it's just a small one.
Relaxation - do you want music or sound?
Shelving - after you've worked out what you already
need storage space for, allow at least half as much space again
as you think you'll need.
Storage - use clear boxes with wheels that you can
easily move in and out. This is also great if you want to
go away somewhere and need something to take your craft or
sewing items with you.
Table - how big do you need this? Do you want
a permanent size table or could you use a drop-leaf or
extending table for when you need to cut out fabric?
Sewing room plans 
Several websites offer inspiration that you can follow
to design your prefered plan and layout:-
http://www.nicks.ca/u-sew.html -
U-Bild designs to make at home, including a folding
worktable and sewing table
About.com offer a useful article on your
fantasy sewing room at http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa073198.htm
which includes outline layouts.
Other considerations
Cabinets - do you want to be able to shut
everything away or have it on view?
Chair - preferably swivel as these offer more room
for movement and are more comfortable if sitting for long
periods
Electric Power Sockets - are there sufficient and
where are they placed?
Flooring - what type of floor do you have? If
it's carpet, it can be easy to lose pins and needles, whereas a
hard or laminate floor is easy to brush clean.
Height - did you know that computer desks and
kitchen worksurfaces are usually built at a specific height for
comfort? Taking into account your workspace, your own
height and requirements, health considerations, it can be worth
taking advice on the height of your worksurfaces, desks or
tables to ensure your comfort in the long term.
Lighting - use as much natural lighting as you can
- preferably siting the work desk underneath a window.
Make sure you've got suitable blinds or curtains to close on
hot or very sunny days. You can buy lights which imitate
daylight - this is supposed to be easier on your eyes when
sewing and cause less strain - do ask at your local craft or
sewing store.
Recommended Resources
Amazon
online - check out online prices at Amazon, 1000's
of items in stock
Sewing Store - find new
and used machinery and accessories at the best possible
prices
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