Setting Up a Work Space

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 2, 2014 at 10:27am

Here's my fiber studio. The cabinets are from our old kitchen. We were able to make use of all but one of them. The work surface is an old hollow-core door covered with homespun fabric and then clear plastic, which I like better than paint for easy cleanup and a smoother surface. My Featherweight sits on this table:

The cabinet in the corner is where I do my cutting. I have a big cutting mat on top of 3/4" frosted plexiglass. There are two under-cabinet lights (face up) underneath the plexiglass. If I want to trace something, I can remove the mat and use the plexiglass surface as a light box. The plexiglass is thick enough to hold my weight when the mat is in place and I'm cutting fabric.

Here's the light box in use:

There's a cutting board that slides out from one of the cabinets, so I put my small pressing mat there. I can just turn around and press from where I'm sitting at the machine.

My design wall attaches to the hooks on each side of the top of this closet. Behind the curtains, I have shelves for storage.

It's a lot of space, but besides quilting, I spin, knit and weave. Then there are the little cross-stitch and needlepoint projects. Gotta love retirement!

Permalink Reply by Sheila Craft on January 2, 2014 at 10:28am

Interesting, Peggy! Is that a chair in the foreground of the first picture?? I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. What kind is it and where on earth did she get it?? I like the idea of having a comfy place to sit and do hand sewing. Wish I had the room for that. My space serves as both a sewing room and an office and it's 10' 10" x 13' so it's a good size but not very well functioning. DH and I are working on revising it but, he's slower than a snail (World's #1 Procrastinator with an award to prove it!).

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 2, 2014 at 10:51am

I'm on the floor! Oh, I would love to have a comfy chair like that! Actually, it's a wicker hamper filled with spinning fiber. I would love to see your room. I have to use my room for the computer, but I just have a laptop, and my printer is in there, too. One drawer is filled with office supplies, and another holds printer paper and page protectors.

Permalink Reply by Sheila Craft on January 2, 2014 at 11:18am

Too funny! We must have been typing over each other. I was referring to the first pic of Joanie's room - not your hamper. LOL!

Current photos:

 

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 2, 2014 at 1:31pm

I'm guessing you mean the second one of Joanie's workroom, the one with the window. That was a sectional. When she sold her loom to my husband (for me), she tried to sell the sectional. Someone was willing to take the sofa but not the short section that went with it, so she kept that part and used it for seating. Joanie has a degree in Interior Design. Her house is amazing! Her daughter moved in with her to help her when she got where she had trouble climbing the stairs, cooking, etc. The former craft room downstairs became the daughter's room, and the "loom room" became the craft room.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 2, 2014 at 1:32pm

OK, I'm up off the floor now. (It was still pretty funny.)

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on February 14, 2014 at 6:44pm

I found this photo from Joanie's workspace. I hadn't included it earlier, but it shows a closer view of how she has her tools organized.

Permalink Reply by Sheila Craft on February 15, 2014 at 5:27am

Peggy, how interesting! Last night i was on utube watching organizing videos. There are some really strange ideas out there. One woman used an old crib to make a table bit it wasn'tvery inspiring. Then there were videos on folding fabric. OMG-hysterical.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on February 15, 2014 at 6:31am

Sheila, I'll have to go have a look. Joanie isn't into anything technical, especially the computer, but she could create some wonderful videos.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on October 5, 2014 at 9:11pm

Remember that first photo of my fiber studio? I reorganized my fabrics and yarn, and this was how it looked when I was done.

Someone suggested using magazine cardboard to fold fabrics around. I haven't tried that yet, but it looked pretty good when she did it. You can buy the cardboard at Amazon.

Here's another look at my light/cutting table.

And my knitting/handdquilting/guest bedroom area. (I've been working on it.) The couch is the new sofabed from IKEA. The hardest part about putting it together was pressing the slipcover. I'm not used to pressing three-dimensional fabric items.

The sofabed faces my loom, which I will spare you. It would just make you tired to look at it. It does me.

Permalink Reply by Kitty Pearl on November 28, 2015 at 6:14am

Genius light table! Thinking where I can make space to try that....

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 28, 2015 at 7:01am

I'm not sure if I got the idea for it from my head or something I had seen somewhere. That's how my mind works. I love it, though. It's just the right height for cutting or tracing (for me, I'm fairly short), but you could probably adjust the height when you choose and install your cabinet.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page