I think your table is amazing and goodness who doesn’t like it? There is clearly a lot of thought put into its design I wish I had one ! Keep up with all your creativity! PS I have never in my long life seen a sewing room that is flawless and perfect. I tidy and clean every couple of months and then it turns into a swamp in between lol 😊
Regardless of what anyone else thinks you should do for your organization, the only right way is the one that works for you! As to the notions...if you find a better one than the baggies, please share because that's what I do with all of my oddball kind of stuff too! It's relegated to one drawer and it's subdivided with reused baggies! And yes...I just throw mine back in willynilly and have to re-bag the loose collection periodically when it drives me mad! But if you just WANT an opinion? I love your creative space! It's YOU, it's functional and efficient, and I adore the fact that you did it mostly by recycling items found on the street! Your creativity, ingenuity, and frugality never cease to surprise and amaze me! Let them suck those rocks and you do your awesome self!!
In the end it doesn't count how perfectly organised you are, it counts how easy you find things and how efficient you can work in your surrounding. I like your workspace and your organisation. And i like that it's organic and a lot of stuff is reused.
My take-away is: make your space work for you. Really think about what you need in your space, what you have to work with, and make the most of it for yourself. I loved watching you gather the mats for this table, the planning you did, then manufacturing it. Every sewist is unique, and it's so cool to get inspiration from each other, then make it our own, for our own needs. Thanks for sharing. Oh, my fave side of the table, the drawer and baskets side; so many textures and contrasts of color, yum. Have a wonderful weekend.
😂🤣🤣. Someday you might actually want to cover that cardboard box in fabric to extend its life since it is the perfect size to keep your serger protected. 😉. My serger is stored in the box it came in when I’m not using it. Also inside the box is a piece of fabric I set aside for covering the box …. More than 10 years ago🤦🏼♀️. I still plan to do that someday but it just hasn’t become a priority. When the corners of the box start breaking down I will get to it then😂
Haha😂 you are hilarious. I always meant to cover mine but in the end when I get time and motivation to sew, covering a cardboard box just sounds so dull. I did draw a flower on it with sharpie though 😅
I just wanna say I love your space and how you organize it. I've loved seeing it every episode and this just adds to it. Your space feels so realistic and like something I could aspire to and actually create in my own home. I love how honest you are about us not "needing" to purchase things that you use and how you found/made so many of the things you use. The fact that your space isn't "perfectly aesthetic" is what makes it feel real and part of what makes me love coming back each time you post.
I like the idea of adding a pinnable top to my old, somewhat battered 6’ x 3’ wooden table. My very large snake’s vivarium used to live on top (before we rehomed her) which added significantly to the “distressed ” effect. I think it’s closer to “distraught”, personally!
I have a similar setup (most of us with a sewing obsession do) I made a curtain on a tension rod to cover my material that is folded like yours. It protects the fabric from UV light and dust. I find my sewing room can get very dusty. My bugaboo are the scraps! I haven’t found a good solution for scraps 😒. My sewing room is a hodgepodge, I would rather spend money on fabric and patterns than fancy storage. I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated space that no one is brave enough to enter (kids have stepped on pins too many times 😂). However, my grandkids just love to go up there and poke around.
I made a scrap-pouffe for the sewing room where I stashed all my scraps. So when I need them I just open them up, and when it's not needed they serve as low seating, as I'm Team Floor Troll
i like how your table and storage is recycled, upcycled and reused items. It keeps costs down, It takes patience though to find what is needed or wished for. It helps the planet. I suspect lots of people even after watching your Montreal move day street scavenging realize how it really is in this major city.
Your original table video was one of the biggest inspirations I used when building my own cutting surface (I don't have space for a full table). I found that, for my workflow, making the surface ironsafe was WAY more beneficial for me than anything else. Personally, I hate pulling out a squeaky wobbly ironing board so lessening that "barrier of entry" has more significantly improved my sewing than making a pinnable work surface...though I also have that and it *is* nice lol For reference in case someone wants another use case, I used plywood as a base, foam insulation instead of homasote, Rowley's worktable padding to make it ironable, and a thrifted heavy cotton fabric as a cover.
It was a huge inspiration to me too! I used a regular sized dining table top (secondhand, free), the base is a big dresser (purchased secondhand on marketplace, i sanded and refinished it). Since the dresser isn't deep enough for the tabletop, added corner posts meant that it's an amazing place to store bolts and oversized things. A sheet of plywood at the bottom, some scrap wood to form a frame and wheels complete the main structure! I opted for a magnetic top!!! We spray glued a thin sheet of metal to the tabletop. I tacked a fabric cover (grid pattern canvas - but the measurements aren't accurate). It's a-ma-zing! Magnets to hold fabric, plus the "natural" table lip means it's easy to use clamps too.
Made the ironing board which was shown on @jordanfabrics. I added hinges (??) to it and mounted it to the wall. now I can flip it up to a horizontal surface when ironing is needed and flip it down again so it's just ganging at the wall like a low hanging picture. Works brillant, especially for smaller pieces.
Love your craft room, table and the way you think. It’s all about what you need and how you work. Most of the sewing room tours I’ve seen are like a magazine layout, matchy matchy or film set. What I like the most is that it looks like a well-used happy place for making stuff. If the room was a little larger, I’d add a comfy arm chair for reading patterns, watching your videos and enjoying a cup of tea.
Thank you! I'm very much not into the matchy-matchy aesthetic that seems so popular in "crafting spaces meant for public viewing"... just not my thing 🥰
Thanks for giving your height. Turns out I am the same and you confirmed my gut instinct, my layout/cutting table needs to be a bit higher. I learned from my ballet teacher (when I was 10) how important posture is. At 70, my body tells me when I have been neglectful--I get headaches--and layout and cutting are my biggest problem. My Mom would have loved you to bits. She "cobbled" together things for all of us anytime we moved and her sewing space was the most impressive. Your work table would have lit her up.
15:15 Get a pizza peel, aka paddle. You need a smooth piece of something stiff, cut to the size of your cubbies, with a handle on it. A "fabric peel". The peel can lift the above fabric to enable the extraction of the selected piece below.
Your work table is brilliant! I especially like the unmatched basket collection, since you probably can visualize exactly what’s in each one. Years ago I had a sudden need to set up a cutting table suitable for cutting patterns from multiple bolts of fabric at the same time. I repurposed an old door and the top and bottom halves of a small metal Gorilla storage shelf, topped it with some fabric to avoid snagging the good stuff, and duct taped everything. That cutting table lived in my workroom for years. On the shelves, I stored oversized bolts of fabric, a mini ironing board, and other random items. I always meant to fancy it up, but making dancewear to sell took priority for a while. And when that phase of my life wound down, it was easy to break down the table and re-repurpose the parts. Love your videos and totally appreciate the hard work that goes into each one!😍
As for the spaghetti patterns - here (Poland), the most popular sewing magazine is Burda (it's a German magazine originally). All patterns there are on this HUGE spread of paper, where you have to find them among the lines. For me it was so confusing, that I gave away all those magazines, that I've had, but there are people (legend says ;)) that have no problem with using them.
Just draw over the lines you need with a neon marker before tracing it. The burda patterns have a great fit I prefer them over knip, victor or fiber magazines...
Masterfully done! The magnetic art deco door is delightful. I love that you scavenged your materials of course:). I'm a surface designer/printer/sewist/quilter whose table also gets a workout:). Pinnable is a great feature! I enjoyed hearing you work thru your rationale for the design. Your videos are very enjoyable...
For small notions I like clear bead storage. I have clear boxes with little clear canisters. They come in two sizes, the larger will hold safety pins, odd needles, medium pom poms... the smaller for hooks, loose buttons, snaps, sliders, etc.
I use my spare bedroom as a sewing space. My biggest hack is that I use a card table with only two legs unfolded and lay the rest of the table on the end of the bed to use as a cutting table with my rotary mat on it.
Your studio is so well balanced- a lovely space and a functional space ♥ I totally get you not wanting it to be too pristine, if it's too pretty you almost don't want to mess it up which would make you less productive (like cutting the first slice out of a beautiful cake!)
It's not even that I don't want it to be pristine, it's just that it could never work that way for me - I don't have the money to go out and completely renovate an entire space from head to toe with new materials, and even if I did, I would feel pretty guilty spending the money on that AND it would feel very unnatural to me to do so! This way the overarching aesthetic works, it flows, but individual components can be swapped in and out as my whim dictates (or as I find new curbside finds) without ruining a "matchy-matchy" sort of aesthetic!
I’m really glad you made this video. While I do enjoy the “how I made it” videos, it is incredibly useful to know how the space is working after time. I find that my creative spaces need to change regularly as my interests and storage needs evolve. Not getting too wrapped up in matchy matchy makes those changes easier to make. I love being able to use gorgeous vintage finds next to inexpensive modern storage.
Love that you built that table yourself. I've been repurposing in my own home to get a better sewing/craft room space instead of waiting for my husband to find the right time to redo the closet I'm missing. At this point, he's too late to help. But having the space organized is so letting me have the brain space to create instead of hunt for things and sort piles on the floor. I'd say do what you can to make the space work as there's always another day to improve and tweak. I have my thread spools lying on their side in 2 drawers so I can put like colors together and see them. They roll some, but if all the greens are together, life is just simpler!
This was wonderful! I felt like I was sitting on the floor next to you as you gave the most lovely tour of your storage. I have a few ideas that might make mine better after watching this, too. Thank you!
The hodgepodge looking storage is beautiful!😍And that's exactly how mine look too. Just much smaller. I think that identical storage containers looks boring and sterile. Please don't cover up the cardboard box. It's fun to passively annoy some people. 😂
boring and sterile and also WAY harder to swap things in and out on a whim! Also totally agree that it's fun to so passively annoy ppl, although if I had to guess, they wouldn't last long on my channel anyways, so they're probably already gone!
I remember watching you build the table. I was and still am so inspired. For storing small notions, I too use ziploc bags or empty prescription bottles (works well in my tool box also), I went to the dollar store and found some plastic organizers to separate out my button collection. I safety pin zippers together along with small bits of ribbon and string/ rope parts together with a safety pin. More delicate items with more yardage get wrapped on cardboard and stored in a plastic container inside the cubby. I like to call it controlled chaos.
Thanks Shannon, your energy and enthusiasm for solving problems is infectious! I have a bunch of crafting supplies from years of hopping from one enthusiasm to another. I can't do exactly what you do, but setting up a creative space is in itself a creative activity. Rainy day today: could this be the day I spend in my messy craft room? Maybe! Just one question: only one UFO box? I have maybe 20!
People giving you grief for your space not being "aesthetic" need to sit down. It's your space, it has to work for you, and it seems like it does! I wish I had a dedicated sewing/crafting room... my apartment is tiny, but we have a weirdly roomy/useless hallway where my (tiny, sit-down) sewing table now lives (any cutting out happens on the floor). It's just a tiny corner but at least it's something. I also have a peg-board there, it's the only way I managed to store all my tools, it's the absolute best. My notions storage is a gorgeous original Danish mid-century modern sewing cabinet. It was toe-curlingly expensive but it was 2020 and I was looking for something to spend at least part of my vacation budget on. It has four larger compartments for things like zippers and ribbons, plus six smaller ones where I keep my threads kind of sorted by colour. It's one of my most treasured possessions and I love that it's still serving its original purpose!
I love your storage solutions! These were great videos! When we redid our living room last year (we also live very very small), we put a shelve under our desks that was high enough that it could fit those fabric Ikea boxes, for extra storage, and then it turned out that the space under the shelve fit some other Ikea plastic storage boxes (we didn't want to put the fabric ones on the floor because they're open at the top and would get dirty too easily). We managed to add a lot of extra storage in our living room that way. Mine are mostly filled with my knitting/crocheting and my sewing supplies.
I used your original table build video as inspiration! I used an existing metro rack as the base and reused the top from my existing sewing table. I then purchased a similar fiberboard from Lowes, and covered it. But, i can iron on the fiberboard! No need for an ironing board, plus it’s easy to layout large pieces, especially when interfacing! Thank you for your inspiration!
Awesome! Well done Shannon. I have been collecting thrifted sewing baskets for under $5 to store my sewing notions. They are different sizes and colours and look cute around my house. Some are wicker and one is a wooden accordion box. I get a lot of joy from looking at them and surprise at how organized I am now. Not ideal for small spaces but a lot of fun. I did get some inspiration from your video for a sewing room I’m planning to build. Thanks for sharing.
I love your table! The wheels, the long storage, the width, and the pinable surface are all parts I want! Someday in my dream sewing room! I really wonder about people who have watched your channel and still think that you care about making everything perfectly the same! You're all about functional things that works for you! It's your room and should be the way you want! I'm always amazed how much you can store without having shelves everywhere! For notions I found some plastic drawers at a thrift store that I've labelled so I can actual find things. I may have gotten carried away a time or 42 purchasing bags of notions at thrift shops!
My guess is that the people leaving those annoying comments are not in any way regulars to my channel... it was probably one of my first videos for them, and if I had to guess, I'd say that they didn't last very long on the channel and aren't here to see me call them out, and that's fine by me! (and yes, one person did comment on last week's video that the room "looked pretty but was a waste of space" because I didn't use any of my walls for storage... to which I mostly just rolled my eyes and wished them well on their search for other channels on which to find inspiration)
@@ShannonMakes smile people forget that everyone is different. I use my wall space but have a friend that says she can’t go into that room. It’s all good cause the rest of us know your amazing at organizing in a small space that is also a living space!
I learned about the importance of having cutting & work surfaces counter height when I used to be part of a quilting group. It absolutely saves your back, especially if you have lower back problems. They took bed risers and put them under the legs of those portable heavy plastic fold-out tables and they work like a charm.
Wow thanks for the sewing table tour. You crammed a lot into it. I totally needed this. I have been wanting a sewing table forever. My husband told me if I cleaned out the sewing room/ office area just off our bedroom that I could have one as long as it fit. It's been crammed full of stuff since we moved in 5 years ago 😳 But I have been slowly going through all of it. Found some treasures from when my kids were little and some other momentos that are keepers, so not all is just stuff we should've gotten rid of or burned to ash to put into our garden 😊 Home stretch. I could probably finish it off today if I wanted. Anyway you gave me some ideas about what I might want to do with mine. It probably won't be as big as yours as I don't have that much space to work with, but I did think about putting it on wheels so I could pull it out as needed. I really like the ironing board storage place. I want to incorporate that into mine. I had the idea of using 3x3 cub storage for the short ends but now I'm thinking I might want the cubes for the long ends, so I can store my ironing board the long way. Idk yet I'm still thinking on it. I'm not sure if I will be storing my fabric in there as I have it all in bins and right now it's a system that works for me. They are protected from the light and dust. Being as I live in the desert there is a lot of dust! The sun can be pretty brutal too, even when filtered through blinds. I've had things fade in there, so for now the fabric stays in the tubs. Maybe someday I will get a wardrobe or a cabinet to store my stash in. The sewing room in in a state of evolution if you will. Little changes here and there that will over time will make it function better. I had the idea of putting a removable cork board surface that I could pin things down on but also take off when I needed a hard surface to do there things on. I already have a table for my sewing machines to sit on so the surface would primarily be for cutting and pinning. Maybe occasionally tfor ironing g something flat that wrinkled up or for using fusible interfacing. I actually have a ironing blanket somewhere in there for that purpose, that I got years ago. Maybe I want to do something else so I don't have to have something removable so I don't have to deal with the extra effort. I'm always looking for creative ways to be lazy 😜 I wouldn't be using a rotary cutter anyway so maybe I will look into your option. I'll explore my options when I get there I guess. First I need to finish clearing out the space for said table. You gave me some good ideas to go off of. I love yous and I can see how it works for you. 😊
I am proper shook and impressed by your small UFO bin. Amazing. My quilting UFOs take up an entire 4x2 Expedite unit. I made a custom ironing surface to sit on top of the expedite unit. I love not needing extra space for an ironing board.
I learned a cute trick for keeping spools of thread with the matching bobbin thread : take a hair elastic and pass it through the centre of the bobbin, then loop it over itself to secure. Next attach it to the spool!
I have a couple tips for people who might not have space for a table like this (which is amazing, by the way!): You can hang your ironing board on the back of a door, using a two-pronged coat hook; I just have the legs between the prongs. Also, with folding fabric: I do use a thick piece of cardboard - but only to wrap cloth uniformly. I then slide the fabric off of the board and re-use it again and again, rather than storing each piece on cardboard (which would take up unnecessary space in a drawer or cupboard). If stacking vertically doesn't work, perhaps you could have thin wooden or thick cardboard dividers occasionally; then you would only need to slide out part of a stack...
Honestly I love all the different textures and variety of baskets. Way more my style than matchy matchy. Also means it’s easier to swap out solutions if something isn’t working without having to redo the entire space. I like the idea of the pin able surface. How do you find drafting patterns/drawing writing on it? Is it firm enough for that?
Thank you for asking the same question I had!! I love the idea of a pinnable surface, and *adore* that wood backdrop cloth, but I don't think it would work for me full time if it's too squishable.
I have a suggestion for your fabric storage that I have seen in costume shops where I have worked. If you have ever seen the historic scroll library shelving (also seen in yarn stores) - cubbies like you have that are split into quarters with diagonal boards. Each triangular space is filled with rolls. You can roll your fabric and tie with torn strips of fabric. This way, you can see each piece at a glance, and pull them out individually. If you want to get even more organized, you can pin swatches to the end of the roll to make the patterns more easily viewable. Or for extra credit, get some oaktag labels, staple swatches to them, and keep the swatch cards on a ring, which can hang on a corner of your table.
You're my motivation to get started to sew again, after a long period being stuck in trauma (PTSD thanks to ex bf).. I have my sewing stuff mostly in a big bookcase, hiding behind a funky '70 curtain because I don't have a spare room to use as a craft room and everything is in my living room. Now I would like to rearrange my 2 small tables to be as much as possible efficient and not too crowded. Thank you for the inspiration! My buttons are sorted by color, as my threads so it's easy to make a choose (and a quick find as well).
I sort all my thread by color families into Ziploc bags before tossing them into one box. I find the bags help keep the threads from getting tangled together, which mine wanted to do when they were all in a box together. It also makes it easier when searching for a blue thread to be able to pull out the one bag and see all my options, rather then digging around in hopes that there might be a better color match buried at the bottom of the box.
I. Have been. Waiting. For this video. Since you said you were making it!! Hooraaaay! I am in the process of trying to figure out HOW to organize my art room. I was gifted SEVERAL stashes (some complete, some partial) fairly recently, and because I am dead broke, I don't refuse free supplies due to something as silly as having nowhere to put them! 😅 I was convinced that I just wouldn't have room for a big table like yours, and thought the video would just give me some good ideas for storage inside the room itself. Uhh, nope. I'll be making a table now. And because of all the wonderful viewer comments, I'll be making the top from my current workable that has a busted leg, and I can use some of the plywood I have stashed in my shed! I love your channel, and the community around it! 😘
For my fabric stack, I space every few fabrics with something slippery, usually a plastic bag. (They're out of sight, covered by the fabrics.) That way I can pull a pinch of fabrics, instead of the whole stack. Sometimes it helps to lever with a rigid illustration board or my cutting mat to stick between fabrics to pull some out or to restack. Basically I reduce friction and keep them flatter.
I loved getting a good peek into your sewing space! I'm probably going to be reorganizing my sewing space soon, so all inspiration is welcome. For the notions bin: maybe you can make some cardboard deviders for in the bin, which would give you slices for each category. You could do buttons, ribbons/trims, and notions (or more if that's useful). That way, if you're looking for something, you only have to go through 1/3 of the bags instead of all of them.
I love the way you have it all set up. I especially love that you are doing your own thing. If it works for you that's what counts. My sewing room is exactly like I want it. Others think it looks cluttered, but I know where everything is. Good on you for all your creativity.
The only potentially helpful tip I have is: Sort your mixed buttons by colour and put them in jam jars! It's useful when you're looking for buttons, and the jam jars are cute! This is how I've sorted mine and I'm planning on setting up a shelf and displaying them in rainbow order. It might not be as helpful to sort one colour per jar unless you have a lot of buttons, but I inherited a friend's grandmother's entire stash and needed to do something to organize them. The jam jars are good for other small things, like bobbins and "quilting clips," or pinchy crabs.
It definitely sounds very cute, but alas it would eat up too much space currently... but I can see how inheriting a big collection of buttons would warrant more than a simple ziploc baggie!
I also have my fabrics folded and stored on shelves. I cut stiff plastic pieces (like an unused piece of old cutting mat) into rectangles that were slightly smaller than half or one-third the shelf widths, as I stacked two or three stacks per shelf. I wrapped the fabric around the plastic mat to the correct size, then pulled the mat gently out of the middle of the fabric and put it underneath the folded piece, put the folded piece on the stack on the shelf and then pulled the plastic mat out. I also wrote the fabric type and dimensions on a small piece of index card and pinned it to the fold which faced out. Now when I want a specific fabric, I insert the plastic piece under the fabric, lift it and the fabrics on top of it out, remove the piece I want and use the plastic to replace the upper fabric stack back on the shelf. It works surprisingly well.
for ribbons and lace sorting i cut foam core board into rectangles and wrap lengths around them many different trims can be on the same board. a ball end straight pin inserted into cut sides hold pieces in place..stack on sides in box or bin for easy viewing..
I love the way you store your patterns. I am still looking for a couple of mine but since I haven’t had a system they are still lost in my sewing furniture. I sew on my dining room table and have a large armoire with added shelves. Along with a hope chest full of fabric that doubles as extra seating for the end of the table. I also added a tall but slim dresser in the space to hold notions, yarn, knitting bits and extras. Thanks again for inspiration, I will be using a combo of hanging and folding some of my downloaded patterns. I hope to find those lost patterns soon. On the subject of low cost sewing: I do use my public library and get free book published patterns too. Most of my fabric is thrifted, I enjoy hand me downs with no shame-tell people you sew and they will call you to offer stuff. I also belong to a sewing guild and get a great deal of learning/mentoring, community, and low cost stuff with their swaps and market days.
I am an occassional sewer. My sewing storage is in a set of Ikea dresser drawers. The deep drawers means I now have to wrap my fabrics around cardboard so I can store them on their sides for easy access and visibility. My notions are stored in old clear containers with small compartments I already had. Its so easy to see what's what. On top of these containers I have a old bright purple stationary organiser tray. I use this like your wooden tray. I have all the necessary quick access items here like measuring tape, unpicker, pins, chalk, small scissors etc. Easy access, even easier putting away. My patterns are also organised in a storage box. I have a stack of vintage Burda magazines from my Grandma which I store flat on the bottom, then I have an old shoebox on top in which I stand my paper patterns upright for easy flicking through. I set up this arrangement last year and I find it really suits my current needs.
You are much more organized than I am. I spend most of my time looking for something and cleaning up from the last project. I wondered about the top of the table since it pins so easily.
Very nice. I am in a small bedroom for crafts and had no room for a table. I had four Ikea cubes that I screwed together and added a board on top and bottom along with wheels and it works for me. I can roll it over to either of my sewing machines and can iron on a wool mat. When I need to lay out fabric for cutting I do it on my kitchen island which is large.
Love it! I built a crafting table from kitchen cabinets back in 1997. It had wheels and I never used them when it was a craft table. I converted it to a bar in 2010 and then would use the wheels to move the bar for different set ups. My new crafting table is made similarly to yours, Shannon. It has a similar under cabinet and a middle section for my rolled fabrics. I didn't add wheels and don't miss them at all. The top is wood but I added 2 large cutting mats, which I love. I also made my own ironing board that stretches the longest length of the table which allows me to easily iron my fabric before using. I also still have my small ironing board and a ham for detail work. I'd suggest to make a list of everything you want to use the table for and another of what storage you want so you can design around that. For the table height, I stood straight with my elbow bent at a 90 degree and then my husband measure from the floor to the bottom of my elbow. The table height is that value minus 2.5 inches. My previous one was a little lower and I'd find that my back would hurt after several hours.
"I'd suggest to make a list of everything you want to use the table for and another of what storage you want so you can design around that" -- that's exactly what I did in my first video about building the table!
I also love sewing and everything while standing! Not to mention I get way less problems with my back! Of cause you might need to build up some muscle, but at least for me I am much better at standing straight than sitting straight with my back 🤷
You just reminded me that I really must tidy my space and organise all of my sewing supplies. You're definitely more organised than me Shannon, so who cares if it is asteticly pleasing or not? Functionalty is so much more important, and your space is definitely that. Thank you for the tour.😊
Thank you very much for sharing. I just thought of an idea that may work when pulling out a certain fabric from the larger stash. Cut out (say) four pieces of cardboard the same size as the cubby. Divide your fabrics into four sections and insert a piece of cardboard within each one. So if you want to pull out a fabric from the second layer from the top then you do not have to pull everything out. Just the two top lots. It is easier on your body as there is lesser weight to deal with at any one time. I hope that my explanation makes sense.
I actually have something like that already in place for the cubbies that have thinner fabrics (and therefore many more different fabrics can fit in one cubby) - I have a few extra pieces of IKEA drawers that were salvaged, and they fit perfect in the cubby like you were saying, and so I use them in this way. I don't find them necessary in the wools and linens section, because there are fewer individual fabrics (and because weight is very much not an issue for me personally), but with the thinner cottons, it does make sub-dividing much easier!
Actually, if a space is multi-purpose, I think wheels are really a good buy! It's been a godsent in my office/craft room, enables me to push it to the side if I need to put down a mattress for guests and makes vacuuming extra easy!
Definitely if it's multi-purpose, then yes! Or carpet sliders, as one of my Patrons suggested! And everyone's use cases are different, but I'd say on the priority list, they're not a make-or-break feature for most ppl
This video found me at the exact right time as I am building a cutting table for my sewing room now. I'm combining a dresser I found on the side of the road and painted with my fold down cutting table top. I really like the ironing board storage idea as mine is always a mess with clutter and I'd love to hide it away. I currently have a rack that hangs on the door for it but i never use it and just hang clothes off the rack.😐
I never knew what your table top material was called. I had a piece of cellulose when I took a macramé class and found it helpful. I love your table and appreciate how versatile and fantastic every nook and surface is. Your motivation and repurpose motto is encouraging. I've enjoyed watching. 🏅
I find mismatching bins helps cue my memory about what is in which, makes it much quicker to find things. I often go for different colors of the same thing, but different textures/shapes also works.
I love your setup. Mine is a small cart and a side table for sewing on. I have fabric stashed in several areas including a big cedar chest. Before I stash things, I use a whiteboard and take a picture with the pertinent info (size, type of fabric and special properties as well as where it is stashed. This picture lives in my phone in a special album. I also have a bin for my patterns but these too are photographed (big 4 have front and back of envelope) so I have all the info about each one in my phone. This allows me to look up the specifics if I find a piece of fabric I want to use (saves me a lot of grief) Keep up your fabulous ways. I enjoy watching your videos.
My cutting table is set up almost exactly like yours. Those Ikea cubbies are great! I'm going to add the lovely "long storage" shelf in the middle. I need a place to store bolts of fabric and the wrapping paper for drafting patterns.
A positive about having different baskets for storage is that it is a visual way to differentiate between the different supplies in your mind, without having to use labels. I hope that makes sense. Gives me the idea to get binders in different colours and patterns so there is more visual separation on my bookshelf for papers. I have them all label, but still they do all seem to merge.
It's also way easier to change one component out if it breaks, or if a better component is found - you can swap one out without worrying about breaking a perfect "matchy matchy" look!
I’m moving house and planning my new studio; the work table I’ve had has not been ideal, it’s not coming. Thank you so much for this review and all the details of its design, I’m so inspired! ❤
For your notions cubby. Maybe look at thrift shops for fishing tackle containers. Have built in dividers for bits and pieces. They would stack nicely in the cubby. depending on which size containers you find make keeping things organized easier.
Love your videos. Great comments and the recycling is brilliant! I made some cubes from a JCPenney set (1984). I still use them. They can be reassembled as I need them to serve other purposes. I love the ikea options also. My crafting area is always so much in process I couldn’t do a video of it for fear of retribution. Thanks for sharing, yours is tidy and very functional.
A suggestion for your notions bin, reuse some shoe boxes that fit within the cube bin. You could alternate how they are stacked so they don’t fall inside of each other and potentially one could cover them in small fabric or paper scraps so they can be color coordinated to which ever function they serve (ribbons, etc). I believe that you could just drop the bags you already have them sorted into in the suggested shoe box. I picked up a lot of shoe boxes from a shoe department for free. Otherwise, I love your video and I’m excited to borrow your long storage concept as that what I have been missing out on.
I have a similar storage bookcase from IKEA, and for smaller stuff I use those cardbord boxes with lids. Two boxes fits near perfectly into one cubby. I have at least 6 of them by now, and they make it easier to keep track of my baggies and small containers of notions. It does not quite solve the problem of 'finding the correct sub-container' but I find that it made it more manageble.
You're a traveling kind of soul, keeping the serger in the box it ships in makes perfect sense to me. Keeps the dust off, makes it easier to grab and, most importantly, you're the one who lives there. That it was up for debate just proves that people tilt towards the odd... Even thin cardboard would eat away at storage space - sounds like a good way to spend time for not much result... I sorted my open buttons by colour way, into zip bags they went and they sit in a drawer in my Granny's Martha Washington sewing chest. Let's me see what I have. You're table is a masterpiece. Well done. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
If you’re really looking for an alternative to the plastic bags for notions, I recommend pencil boxes. Maybe it’s just in my area, but one of my local thrift store always has the same style (or very similar) plastic pencil boxes for around $1 or $2. I have labels on mine since they’re not clear (sewing pins, sewing needles, hooks, snaps, etc). They’re large enough to hold a good amount but small enough that you can really separate your notions.
I think it's great, and have appreciated seeing what you find is working as well/better/not as well as you imagined. The mix of wicker baskets etc. makes me think of the Wabi Sabi aesthetic - I think you'd be doing some aspects of that aesthetic already, Shannon. I do have a couple of suggestions, but not sure how they'd work for you. For the piled fabric, I would put a sheet of MDF or something thin but solid enough under the piles of fabric, and make it the size of the cube. Attach a tiny rod of wood to the front top edge of MDF. Then when you want some fabric from that cube, you can pull the mdf out most of the way (and lean against your leg if needed), and take the fabric off including the one you want, put it on the table, and return the fabric above the piece you want back to the stack. I think this might keep the stack neater, and hopefully stop the little fabric pieces at the top toppling as much as I imagine they currently do when moving the entire stack. For the notions, I would keep the smallest ones in one of those flat divided plastic containers. You can get them in many different sizes and number of compartments (some with removeable dividers), so I suppose it depends if the streets have one that will work for you, and how tightly the lid closes to keep things in their compartment. Or maybe a divided teabag box. One of those should fit in the cube box on top of the bigger notion bags etc.
I do use a similar system in my cotton cubby (because it has so many more different fabrics in it than the other cubbies), and it does work pretty well, although it's not really necessary for any of the other cubbies!
I have no suggestions, only a bit of envy. That being said, I am a scavenger as well and repurpose wood and hardware regularly. I also added a bit of under desk storage to my sewing desk with a $2 coffee pod drawer and brackets i already had. I have alot of fabric that seems to populate like rabbits, or, actually hand in hand with thrifting trips. Earlier this week i sorted all of it out and separated by seasons, (fleece & flannels), and purpose. I used 5 large vacuum storage bags for winter fabrics so that it could all live together. I love those bags! I am crazy about how you salvage as well. Would you please consider doing another video on it, maybe with pointers? Salvage and repurposing is my vibe, along with fabric rescue missions at thrift stores.
I love the big table you built, just watched the construction video! I store my fabric by rolling. I fold it along the yardage a few times to match the depth of my shelf, then roll it up. One end faces outwards so I can see everything on the shelf. It's easy to take things out and put it back.
I made my own sewing table inspired by your original video about that table. I absolutely love it! It was not that hard to do and I am so happy to have a big sewing table.
My mother - a consummate organizer - always swore by storing stacked fabric with the folded side facing out. It makes it easier to lift the fabrics above the one you want and slide that one out. (But it doesn’t necessarily make it easier to put it back in the same place.)
I love the fabric being visible. I fake bolt because i store upright. If you want to get fabric out if the middle, try slipping a card/plastic board above and below, you may find thet can be slid out easier.
Wheels are also a good idea if you're putting a big table into a small space. You can push the table up against a wall- but still be able to access the backside storage
I love your crafting space. Kind of like you have some stuff in ziplock bags, I have some fabric stored in those clear bags with a zipper that bedding sometimes comes in from the store. Its very helpful with the smaller scraps of fabric. I inherited a bunch of notions and happened to have a clear photo organizer case with smaller boxes in it that i was able to store buttons and some snaps and things in them. I also use those clear tackle boxes for some of my sewing threads so i can see what I have. I need to reorganize my crafting space again so i can actually move around in it better.
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I think your table is amazing and goodness who doesn’t like it? There is clearly a lot of thought put into its design I wish I had one ! Keep up with all your creativity! PS I have never in my long life seen a sewing room that is flawless and perfect. I tidy and clean every couple of months and then it turns into a swamp in between lol 😊
mine has also been known to turn swamplike from time to time 😆
@ShannonMakes Just so you don't get "bogged" down! Although 'muskeged' is more Minnesotan to be sure.😁🖖🔭📚🫖🐈⬛🧘♀️🏕
Regardless of what anyone else thinks you should do for your organization, the only right way is the one that works for you! As to the notions...if you find a better one than the baggies, please share because that's what I do with all of my oddball kind of stuff too! It's relegated to one drawer and it's subdivided with reused baggies! And yes...I just throw mine back in willynilly and have to re-bag the loose collection periodically when it drives me mad! But if you just WANT an opinion? I love your creative space! It's YOU, it's functional and efficient, and I adore the fact that you did it mostly by recycling items found on the street! Your creativity, ingenuity, and frugality never cease to surprise and amaze me! Let them suck those rocks and you do your awesome self!!
In the end it doesn't count how perfectly organised you are, it counts how easy you find things and how efficient you can work in your surrounding.
I like your workspace and your organisation. And i like that it's organic and a lot of stuff is reused.
Thank you 🥰🥰🥰
Adam Savage from MythBusters calls it the first order of retrievability.
@apcolleen that's why I mentioned that exact term in my studio tour video last friday 😊!!
My take-away is: make your space work for you. Really think about what you need in your space, what you have to work with, and make the most of it for yourself. I loved watching you gather the mats for this table, the planning you did, then manufacturing it. Every sewist is unique, and it's so cool to get inspiration from each other, then make it our own, for our own needs. Thanks for sharing. Oh, my fave side of the table, the drawer and baskets side; so many textures and contrasts of color, yum. Have a wonderful weekend.
You're very welcome, glad you enjoyed it!! 🥰
Oh, no no no! Thou must shield thine nakey cardboard box from view, Shannon! Think of the children!! 🤣
Thaaaa childrennnnnn 🤣🤣🤣
😂
😂🤣🤣. Someday you might actually want to cover that cardboard box in fabric to extend its life since it is the perfect size to keep your serger protected. 😉. My serger is stored in the box it came in when I’m not using it. Also inside the box is a piece of fabric I set aside for covering the box …. More than 10 years ago🤦🏼♀️. I still plan to do that someday but it just hasn’t become a priority. When the corners of the box start breaking down I will get to it then😂
Haha😂 you are hilarious. I always meant to cover mine but in the end when I get time and motivation to sew, covering a cardboard box just sounds so dull. I did draw a flower on it with sharpie though 😅
CLUTCHING MY PEARLS
I just wanna say I love your space and how you organize it. I've loved seeing it every episode and this just adds to it. Your space feels so realistic and like something I could aspire to and actually create in my own home. I love how honest you are about us not "needing" to purchase things that you use and how you found/made so many of the things you use.
The fact that your space isn't "perfectly aesthetic" is what makes it feel real and part of what makes me love coming back each time you post.
Thank you 🥰🥰🥰
I like the idea of adding a pinnable top to my old, somewhat battered 6’ x 3’ wooden table. My very large snake’s vivarium used to live on top (before we rehomed her) which added significantly to the “distressed ” effect. I think it’s closer to “distraught”, personally!
🤣
I have a similar setup (most of us with a sewing obsession do) I made a curtain on a tension rod to cover my material that is folded like yours. It protects the fabric from UV light and dust. I find my sewing room can get very dusty. My bugaboo are the scraps! I haven’t found a good solution for scraps 😒. My sewing room is a hodgepodge, I would rather spend money on fabric and patterns than fancy storage. I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated space that no one is brave enough to enter (kids have stepped on pins too many times 😂). However, my grandkids just love to go up there and poke around.
I made a scrap-pouffe for the sewing room where I stashed all my scraps. So when I need them I just open them up, and when it's not needed they serve as low seating, as I'm Team Floor Troll
It's easier to remember what each drawer holds if they look different. Use what you have. 😊
Solid point!!
i like how your table and storage is recycled, upcycled and reused items. It keeps costs down, It takes patience though to find what is needed or wished for. It helps the planet. I suspect lots of people even after watching your Montreal move day street scavenging realize how it really is in this major city.
thank you!
Your original table video was one of the biggest inspirations I used when building my own cutting surface (I don't have space for a full table). I found that, for my workflow, making the surface ironsafe was WAY more beneficial for me than anything else. Personally, I hate pulling out a squeaky wobbly ironing board so lessening that "barrier of entry" has more significantly improved my sewing than making a pinnable work surface...though I also have that and it *is* nice lol
For reference in case someone wants another use case, I used plywood as a base, foam insulation instead of homasote, Rowley's worktable padding to make it ironable, and a thrifted heavy cotton fabric as a cover.
It was a huge inspiration to me too! I used a regular sized dining table top (secondhand, free), the base is a big dresser (purchased secondhand on marketplace, i sanded and refinished it). Since the dresser isn't deep enough for the tabletop, added corner posts meant that it's an amazing place to store bolts and oversized things. A sheet of plywood at the bottom, some scrap wood to form a frame and wheels complete the main structure!
I opted for a magnetic top!!! We spray glued a thin sheet of metal to the tabletop. I tacked a fabric cover (grid pattern canvas - but the measurements aren't accurate). It's a-ma-zing! Magnets to hold fabric, plus the "natural" table lip means it's easy to use clamps too.
Made the ironing board which was shown on @jordanfabrics. I added hinges (??) to it and mounted it to the wall. now I can flip it up to a horizontal surface when ironing is needed and flip it down again so it's just ganging at the wall like a low hanging picture.
Works brillant, especially for smaller pieces.
That's a great table and it's very cool that you built it yourself out of found objects.
Thank you very much!
Love your craft room, table and the way you think. It’s all about what you need and how you work. Most of the sewing room tours I’ve seen are like a magazine layout, matchy matchy or film set. What I like the most is that it looks like a well-used happy place for making stuff. If the room was a little larger, I’d add a comfy arm chair for reading patterns, watching your videos and enjoying a cup of tea.
Thank you! I'm very much not into the matchy-matchy aesthetic that seems so popular in "crafting spaces meant for public viewing"... just not my thing 🥰
Thanks for giving your height. Turns out I am the same and you confirmed my gut instinct, my layout/cutting table needs to be a bit higher. I learned from my ballet teacher (when I was 10) how important posture is. At 70, my body tells me when I have been neglectful--I get headaches--and layout and cutting are my biggest problem. My Mom would have loved you to bits. She "cobbled" together things for all of us anytime we moved and her sewing space was the most impressive. Your work table would have lit her up.
Thank you 🥰🥰🥰
15:15 Get a pizza peel, aka paddle. You need a smooth piece of something stiff, cut to the size of your cubbies, with a handle on it. A "fabric peel". The peel can lift the above fabric to enable the extraction of the selected piece below.
That is an amazing idea! ❤
Thanks for the table tour. That center area would be a perfect hiding spot.
Oh totally! …if only it were ever empty! But yes, I like the way you think!
Your work table is brilliant! I especially like the unmatched basket collection, since you probably can visualize exactly what’s in each one. Years ago I had a sudden need to set up a cutting table suitable for cutting patterns from multiple bolts of fabric at the same time. I repurposed an old door and the top and bottom halves of a small metal Gorilla storage shelf, topped it with some fabric to avoid snagging the good stuff, and duct taped everything. That cutting table lived in my workroom for years. On the shelves, I stored oversized bolts of fabric, a mini ironing board, and other random items. I always meant to fancy it up, but making dancewear to sell took priority for a while. And when that phase of my life wound down, it was easy to break down the table and re-repurpose the parts. Love your videos and totally appreciate the hard work that goes into each one!😍
very good point about visualizing what's in each one, that's very true!
As for the spaghetti patterns - here (Poland), the most popular sewing magazine is Burda (it's a German magazine originally). All patterns there are on this HUGE spread of paper, where you have to find them among the lines. For me it was so confusing, that I gave away all those magazines, that I've had, but there are people (legend says ;)) that have no problem with using them.
I like burda patterns❤
Me too😎 Once you get the hang of it, they work just fine
Just draw over the lines you need with a neon marker before tracing it. The burda patterns have a great fit I prefer them over knip, victor or fiber magazines...
I thought of Burda when she talked about this. I’m in the US and I used to buy Burda magazines. A great pattern company!
Masterfully done! The magnetic art deco door is delightful. I love that you scavenged your materials of course:). I'm a surface designer/printer/sewist/quilter whose table also gets a workout:). Pinnable is a great feature! I enjoyed hearing you work thru your rationale for the design. Your videos are very enjoyable...
Thank you so much!
For small notions I like clear bead storage. I have clear boxes with little clear canisters. They come in two sizes, the larger will hold safety pins, odd needles, medium pom poms... the smaller for hooks, loose buttons, snaps, sliders, etc.
I use my spare bedroom as a sewing space. My biggest hack is that I use a card table with only two legs unfolded and lay the rest of the table on the end of the bed to use as a cutting table with my rotary mat on it.
I love that!!
Your studio is so well balanced- a lovely space and a functional space ♥
I totally get you not wanting it to be too pristine, if it's too pretty you almost don't want to mess it up which would make you less productive (like cutting the first slice out of a beautiful cake!)
It's not even that I don't want it to be pristine, it's just that it could never work that way for me - I don't have the money to go out and completely renovate an entire space from head to toe with new materials, and even if I did, I would feel pretty guilty spending the money on that AND it would feel very unnatural to me to do so! This way the overarching aesthetic works, it flows, but individual components can be swapped in and out as my whim dictates (or as I find new curbside finds) without ruining a "matchy-matchy" sort of aesthetic!
I love the mismatched organization. Feels more organic and cozy.
Thank you! The overall aesthetic flows and goes well together without the individual components needing to be perfectly organized and matchy-matchy!
I’m really glad you made this video. While I do enjoy the “how I made it” videos, it is incredibly useful to know how the space is working after time.
I find that my creative spaces need to change regularly as my interests and storage needs evolve. Not getting too wrapped up in matchy matchy makes those changes easier to make. I love being able to use gorgeous vintage finds next to inexpensive modern storage.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Love that you built that table yourself. I've been repurposing in my own home to get a better sewing/craft room space instead of waiting for my husband to find the right time to redo the closet I'm missing. At this point, he's too late to help. But having the space organized is so letting me have the brain space to create instead of hunt for things and sort piles on the floor. I'd say do what you can to make the space work as there's always another day to improve and tweak. I have my thread spools lying on their side in 2 drawers so I can put like colors together and see them. They roll some, but if all the greens are together, life is just simpler!
"At this point, he's too late to help" ...not gonna lie, that made me actually laugh out loud 🤣
It's a fabulous table & gives others ideas on how they can customize their own spaces to fit their needs.
This was wonderful! I felt like I was sitting on the floor next to you as you gave the most lovely tour of your storage. I have a few ideas that might make mine better after watching this, too. Thank you!
The hodgepodge looking storage is beautiful!😍And that's exactly how mine look too. Just much smaller. I think that identical storage containers looks boring and sterile. Please don't cover up the cardboard box. It's fun to passively annoy some people. 😂
boring and sterile and also WAY harder to swap things in and out on a whim! Also totally agree that it's fun to so passively annoy ppl, although if I had to guess, they wouldn't last long on my channel anyways, so they're probably already gone!
I remember watching you build the table. I was and still am so inspired. For storing small notions, I too use ziploc bags or empty prescription bottles (works well in my tool box also), I went to the dollar store and found some plastic organizers to separate out my button collection. I safety pin zippers together along with small bits of ribbon and string/ rope parts together with a safety pin. More delicate items with more yardage get wrapped on cardboard and stored in a plastic container inside the cubby. I like to call it controlled chaos.
Controlled chaos is exactly the right term!!
Thanks Shannon, your energy and enthusiasm for solving problems is infectious! I have a bunch of crafting supplies from years of hopping from one enthusiasm to another. I can't do exactly what you do, but setting up a creative space is in itself a creative activity. Rainy day today: could this be the day I spend in my messy craft room? Maybe! Just one question: only one UFO box? I have maybe 20!
People giving you grief for your space not being "aesthetic" need to sit down. It's your space, it has to work for you, and it seems like it does!
I wish I had a dedicated sewing/crafting room... my apartment is tiny, but we have a weirdly roomy/useless hallway where my (tiny, sit-down) sewing table now lives (any cutting out happens on the floor). It's just a tiny corner but at least it's something. I also have a peg-board there, it's the only way I managed to store all my tools, it's the absolute best.
My notions storage is a gorgeous original Danish mid-century modern sewing cabinet. It was toe-curlingly expensive but it was 2020 and I was looking for something to spend at least part of my vacation budget on. It has four larger compartments for things like zippers and ribbons, plus six smaller ones where I keep my threads kind of sorted by colour. It's one of my most treasured possessions and I love that it's still serving its original purpose!
omg, that notions cabinet sounds stunning!! And couldn't agree more that 2020 was the year to buy something like that with the vacay money!
I love your storage solutions! These were great videos!
When we redid our living room last year (we also live very very small), we put a shelve under our desks that was high enough that it could fit those fabric Ikea boxes, for extra storage, and then it turned out that the space under the shelve fit some other Ikea plastic storage boxes (we didn't want to put the fabric ones on the floor because they're open at the top and would get dirty too easily). We managed to add a lot of extra storage in our living room that way. Mine are mostly filled with my knitting/crocheting and my sewing supplies.
Thank you 🥰🥰
I used your original table build video as inspiration!
I used an existing metro rack as the base and reused the top from my existing sewing table.
I then purchased a similar fiberboard from Lowes, and covered it. But, i can iron on the fiberboard! No need for an ironing board, plus it’s easy to layout large pieces, especially when interfacing!
Thank you for your inspiration!
Awesome! Well done Shannon. I have been collecting thrifted sewing baskets for under $5 to store my sewing notions. They are different sizes and colours and look cute around my house. Some are wicker and one is a wooden accordion box. I get a lot of joy from looking at them and surprise at how organized I am now. Not ideal for small spaces but a lot of fun. I did get some inspiration from your video for a sewing room I’m planning to build. Thanks for sharing.
That is awesome! Thank you 🥰🥰
I love your table! The wheels, the long storage, the width, and the pinable surface are all parts I want! Someday in my dream sewing room!
I really wonder about people who have watched your channel and still think that you care about making everything perfectly the same! You're all about functional things that works for you! It's your room and should be the way you want! I'm always amazed how much you can store without having shelves everywhere!
For notions I found some plastic drawers at a thrift store that I've labelled so I can actual find things. I may have gotten carried away a time or 42 purchasing bags of notions at thrift shops!
My guess is that the people leaving those annoying comments are not in any way regulars to my channel... it was probably one of my first videos for them, and if I had to guess, I'd say that they didn't last very long on the channel and aren't here to see me call them out, and that's fine by me!
(and yes, one person did comment on last week's video that the room "looked pretty but was a waste of space" because I didn't use any of my walls for storage... to which I mostly just rolled my eyes and wished them well on their search for other channels on which to find inspiration)
@@ShannonMakes smile people forget that everyone is different. I use my wall space but have a friend that says she can’t go into that room.
It’s all good cause the rest of us know your amazing at organizing in a small space that is also a living space!
From the way that I lead my life, you are fantastically organized. I mean it seriously, you are an inspiration! Thank you very much for sharing
Aww, thank you!
I learned about the importance of having cutting & work surfaces counter height when I used to be part of a quilting group. It absolutely saves your back, especially if you have lower back problems. They took bed risers and put them under the legs of those portable heavy plastic fold-out tables and they work like a charm.
Wow thanks for the sewing table tour. You crammed a lot into it. I totally needed this. I have been wanting a sewing table forever. My husband told me if I cleaned out the sewing room/ office area just off our bedroom that I could have one as long as it fit. It's been crammed full of stuff since we moved in 5 years ago 😳 But I have been slowly going through all of it. Found some treasures from when my kids were little and some other momentos that are keepers, so not all is just stuff we should've gotten rid of or burned to ash to put into our garden 😊 Home stretch. I could probably finish it off today if I wanted. Anyway you gave me some ideas about what I might want to do with mine. It probably won't be as big as yours as I don't have that much space to work with, but I did think about putting it on wheels so I could pull it out as needed. I really like the ironing board storage place. I want to incorporate that into mine. I had the idea of using 3x3 cub storage for the short ends but now I'm thinking I might want the cubes for the long ends, so I can store my ironing board the long way. Idk yet I'm still thinking on it. I'm not sure if I will be storing my fabric in there as I have it all in bins and right now it's a system that works for me. They are protected from the light and dust. Being as I live in the desert there is a lot of dust! The sun can be pretty brutal too, even when filtered through blinds. I've had things fade in there, so for now the fabric stays in the tubs. Maybe someday I will get a wardrobe or a cabinet to store my stash in. The sewing room in in a state of evolution if you will. Little changes here and there that will over time will make it function better. I had the idea of putting a removable cork board surface that I could pin things down on but also take off when I needed a hard surface to do there things on. I already have a table for my sewing machines to sit on so the surface would primarily be for cutting and pinning. Maybe occasionally tfor ironing g something flat that wrinkled up or for using fusible interfacing. I actually have a ironing blanket somewhere in there for that purpose, that I got years ago. Maybe I want to do something else so I don't have to have something removable so I don't have to deal with the extra effort. I'm always looking for creative ways to be lazy 😜 I wouldn't be using a rotary cutter anyway so maybe I will look into your option. I'll explore my options when I get there I guess. First I need to finish clearing out the space for said table. You gave me some good ideas to go off of. I love yous and I can see how it works for you. 😊
Thank you! 😍
I am proper shook and impressed by your small UFO bin. Amazing. My quilting UFOs take up an entire 4x2 Expedite unit.
I made a custom ironing surface to sit on top of the expedite unit. I love not needing extra space for an ironing board.
I learned a cute trick for keeping spools of thread with the matching bobbin thread : take a hair elastic and pass it through the centre of the bobbin, then loop it over itself to secure. Next attach it to the spool!
Your table/cubby organision is real life stuff which I appreciate.
Thank you! Trying to keep it real here on this platform of vapidity and asshats 🤣
I have a couple tips for people who might not have space for a table like this (which is amazing, by the way!): You can hang your ironing board on the back of a door, using a two-pronged coat hook; I just have the legs between the prongs. Also, with folding fabric: I do use a thick piece of cardboard - but only to wrap cloth uniformly. I then slide the fabric off of the board and re-use it again and again, rather than storing each piece on cardboard (which would take up unnecessary space in a drawer or cupboard). If stacking vertically doesn't work, perhaps you could have thin wooden or thick cardboard dividers occasionally; then you would only need to slide out part of a stack...
Honestly I love all the different textures and variety of baskets. Way more my style than matchy matchy. Also means it’s easier to swap out solutions if something isn’t working without having to redo the entire space. I like the idea of the pin able surface. How do you find drafting patterns/drawing writing on it? Is it firm enough for that?
If I need any firmer surface, I just pull my cutting mat over!
Thank you for asking the same question I had!! I love the idea of a pinnable surface, and *adore* that wood backdrop cloth, but I don't think it would work for me full time if it's too squishable.
"they can go suck rocks" I love this so much! Great use of space and resources! Keep doing you. 💓
🤣🤣 Thank you!! 🪨
That table is awesome and your storage suits your needs perfectly.
Thank you! And I fully agree!
I have a suggestion for your fabric storage that I have seen in costume shops where I have worked. If you have ever seen the historic scroll library shelving (also seen in yarn stores) - cubbies like you have that are split into quarters with diagonal boards. Each triangular space is filled with rolls. You can roll your fabric and tie with torn strips of fabric. This way, you can see each piece at a glance, and pull them out individually. If you want to get even more organized, you can pin swatches to the end of the roll to make the patterns more easily viewable. Or for extra credit, get some oaktag labels, staple swatches to them, and keep the swatch cards on a ring, which can hang on a corner of your table.
You're my motivation to get started to sew again, after a long period being stuck in trauma (PTSD thanks to ex bf).. I have my sewing stuff mostly in a big bookcase, hiding behind a funky '70 curtain because I don't have a spare room to use as a craft room and everything is in my living room. Now I would like to rearrange my 2 small tables to be as much as possible efficient and not too crowded. Thank you for the inspiration!
My buttons are sorted by color, as my threads so it's easy to make a choose (and a quick find as well).
I sort all my thread by color families into Ziploc bags before tossing them into one box. I find the bags help keep the threads from getting tangled together, which mine wanted to do when they were all in a box together. It also makes it easier when searching for a blue thread to be able to pull out the one bag and see all my options, rather then digging around in hopes that there might be a better color match buried at the bottom of the box.
I. Have been. Waiting. For this video. Since you said you were making it!! Hooraaaay!
I am in the process of trying to figure out HOW to organize my art room. I was gifted SEVERAL stashes (some complete, some partial) fairly recently, and because I am dead broke, I don't refuse free supplies due to something as silly as having nowhere to put them! 😅 I was convinced that I just wouldn't have room for a big table like yours, and thought the video would just give me some good ideas for storage inside the room itself. Uhh, nope. I'll be making a table now. And because of all the wonderful viewer comments, I'll be making the top from my current workable that has a busted leg, and I can use some of the plywood I have stashed in my shed! I love your channel, and the community around it! 😘
Thank you 🥰🥰 Glad you found some inspiration in the comments here, that's amazing!
For my fabric stack, I space every few fabrics with something slippery, usually a plastic bag. (They're out of sight, covered by the fabrics.) That way I can pull a pinch of fabrics, instead of the whole stack. Sometimes it helps to lever with a rigid illustration board or my cutting mat to stick between fabrics to pull some out or to restack. Basically I reduce friction and keep them flatter.
I loved getting a good peek into your sewing space! I'm probably going to be reorganizing my sewing space soon, so all inspiration is welcome.
For the notions bin: maybe you can make some cardboard deviders for in the bin, which would give you slices for each category. You could do buttons, ribbons/trims, and notions (or more if that's useful). That way, if you're looking for something, you only have to go through 1/3 of the bags instead of all of them.
I too keep my fabric our and visible - inspires me! love that table!
Yes! Thank you!
I love the way you have it all set up. I especially love that you are doing your own thing. If it works for you that's what counts. My sewing room is exactly like I want it. Others think it looks cluttered, but I know where everything is. Good on you for all your creativity.
Thank you! Well done to you too… as long as it’s working for you, it’s fantastic!
Very nice table. You can add rechargeable lighting inside the table. ❤
The only potentially helpful tip I have is: Sort your mixed buttons by colour and put them in jam jars! It's useful when you're looking for buttons, and the jam jars are cute! This is how I've sorted mine and I'm planning on setting up a shelf and displaying them in rainbow order. It might not be as helpful to sort one colour per jar unless you have a lot of buttons, but I inherited a friend's grandmother's entire stash and needed to do something to organize them. The jam jars are good for other small things, like bobbins and "quilting clips," or pinchy crabs.
It definitely sounds very cute, but alas it would eat up too much space currently... but I can see how inheriting a big collection of buttons would warrant more than a simple ziploc baggie!
I also have my fabrics folded and stored on shelves. I cut stiff plastic pieces (like an unused piece of old cutting mat) into rectangles that were slightly smaller than half or one-third the shelf widths, as I stacked two or three stacks per shelf. I wrapped the fabric around the plastic mat to the correct size, then pulled the mat gently out of the middle of the fabric and put it underneath the folded piece, put the folded piece on the stack on the shelf and then pulled the plastic mat out. I also wrote the fabric type and dimensions on a small piece of index card and pinned it to the fold which faced out. Now when I want a specific fabric, I insert the plastic piece under the fabric, lift it and the fabrics on top of it out, remove the piece I want and use the plastic to replace the upper fabric stack back on the shelf. It works surprisingly well.
clever idea! Glad it works for you
for ribbons and lace sorting i cut foam core board into rectangles and wrap lengths around them many different trims can be on the same board. a ball end straight pin inserted into cut sides hold pieces in place..stack on sides in box or bin for easy viewing..
I love the way you store your patterns. I am still looking for a couple of mine but since I haven’t had a system they are still lost in my sewing furniture. I sew on my dining room table and have a large armoire with added shelves. Along with a hope chest full of fabric that doubles as extra seating for the end of the table. I also added a tall but slim dresser in the space to hold notions, yarn, knitting bits and extras.
Thanks again for inspiration, I will be using a combo of hanging and folding some of my downloaded patterns. I hope to find those lost patterns soon.
On the subject of low cost sewing: I do use my public library and get free book published patterns too. Most of my fabric is thrifted, I enjoy hand me downs with no shame-tell people you sew and they will call you to offer stuff. I also belong to a sewing guild and get a great deal of learning/mentoring, community, and low cost stuff with their swaps and market days.
Thank you 🥰🥰 So true about people giving hand-me-downs once they know you sew!
I am an occassional sewer. My sewing storage is in a set of Ikea dresser drawers.
The deep drawers means I now have to wrap my fabrics around cardboard so I can store them on their sides for easy access and visibility.
My notions are stored in old clear containers with small compartments I already had. Its so easy to see what's what.
On top of these containers I have a old bright purple stationary organiser tray. I use this like your wooden tray. I have all the necessary quick access items here like measuring tape, unpicker, pins, chalk, small scissors etc. Easy access, even easier putting away.
My patterns are also organised in a storage box. I have a stack of vintage Burda magazines from my Grandma which I store flat on the bottom, then I have an old shoebox on top in which I stand my paper patterns upright for easy flicking through.
I set up this arrangement last year and I find it really suits my current needs.
Sounds like your set-up is absolutely perfect for you, and I love that!!
I think your storage table is great!🎉
Oh thank you!
You are much more organized than I am. I spend most of my time looking for something and cleaning up from the last project. I wondered about the top of the table since it pins so easily.
Very nice. I am in a small bedroom for crafts and had no room for a table. I had four Ikea cubes that I screwed together and added a board on top and bottom along with wheels and it works for me. I can roll it over to either of my sewing machines and can iron on a wool mat. When I need to lay out fabric for cutting I do it on my kitchen island which is large.
sounds perfect!
Love it! I built a crafting table from kitchen cabinets back in 1997. It had wheels and I never used them when it was a craft table. I converted it to a bar in 2010 and then would use the wheels to move the bar for different set ups. My new crafting table is made similarly to yours, Shannon. It has a similar under cabinet and a middle section for my rolled fabrics. I didn't add wheels and don't miss them at all. The top is wood but I added 2 large cutting mats, which I love. I also made my own ironing board that stretches the longest length of the table which allows me to easily iron my fabric before using. I also still have my small ironing board and a ham for detail work. I'd suggest to make a list of everything you want to use the table for and another of what storage you want so you can design around that. For the table height, I stood straight with my elbow bent at a 90 degree and then my husband measure from the floor to the bottom of my elbow. The table height is that value minus 2.5 inches. My previous one was a little lower and I'd find that my back would hurt after several hours.
"I'd suggest to make a list of everything you want to use the table for and another of what storage you want so you can design around that" -- that's exactly what I did in my first video about building the table!
Thanks for all of the ideas!!Thanks to you I am putting wheels on my recycled sewing table. It’s going to make my life much easier ❤
I also love sewing and everything while standing! Not to mention I get way less problems with my back! Of cause you might need to build up some muscle, but at least for me I am much better at standing straight than sitting straight with my back 🤷
You just reminded me that I really must tidy my space and organise all of my sewing supplies. You're definitely more organised than me Shannon, so who cares if it is asteticly pleasing or not? Functionalty is so much more important, and your space is definitely that. Thank you for the tour.😊
Mi piace tantissimo come hai organizzato il tuo studio!❤
Grazie mille! 🥰
Thank you very much for sharing. I just thought of an idea that may work when pulling out a certain fabric from the larger stash. Cut out (say) four pieces of cardboard the same size as the cubby. Divide your fabrics into four sections and insert a piece of cardboard within each one. So if you want to pull out a fabric from the second layer from the top then you do not have to pull everything out. Just the two top lots. It is easier on your body as there is lesser weight to deal with at any one time. I hope that my explanation makes sense.
I actually have something like that already in place for the cubbies that have thinner fabrics (and therefore many more different fabrics can fit in one cubby) - I have a few extra pieces of IKEA drawers that were salvaged, and they fit perfect in the cubby like you were saying, and so I use them in this way. I don't find them necessary in the wools and linens section, because there are fewer individual fabrics (and because weight is very much not an issue for me personally), but with the thinner cottons, it does make sub-dividing much easier!
I love that idea, and I’m going to use it! Thanks for sharing!
Actually, if a space is multi-purpose, I think wheels are really a good buy! It's been a godsent in my office/craft room, enables me to push it to the side if I need to put down a mattress for guests and makes vacuuming extra easy!
Definitely if it's multi-purpose, then yes! Or carpet sliders, as one of my Patrons suggested! And everyone's use cases are different, but I'd say on the priority list, they're not a make-or-break feature for most ppl
This video found me at the exact right time as I am building a cutting table for my sewing room now. I'm combining a dresser I found on the side of the road and painted with my fold down cutting table top. I really like the ironing board storage idea as mine is always a mess with clutter and I'd love to hide it away. I currently have a rack that hangs on the door for it but i never use it and just hang clothes off the rack.😐
I never knew what your table top material was called. I had a piece of cellulose when I took a macramé class and found it helpful. I love your table and appreciate how versatile and fantastic every nook and surface is. Your motivation and repurpose motto is encouraging. I've enjoyed watching. 🏅
Thank you! 🫶🥰
Love it all and envious! ❤❤❤
Thank you!!
I find mismatching bins helps cue my memory about what is in which, makes it much quicker to find things. I often go for different colors of the same thing, but different textures/shapes also works.
I love your setup.
Mine is a small cart and a side table for sewing on. I have fabric stashed in several areas including a big cedar chest. Before I stash things, I use a whiteboard and take a picture with the pertinent info (size, type of fabric and special properties as well as where it is stashed. This picture lives in my phone in a special album. I also have a bin for my patterns but these too are photographed (big 4 have front and back of envelope) so I have all the info about each one in my phone. This allows me to look up the specifics if I find a piece of fabric I want to use (saves me a lot of grief)
Keep up your fabulous ways. I enjoy watching your videos.
That sounds like you've got your system down to a T, and that's amazing!
My cutting table is set up almost exactly like yours. Those Ikea cubbies are great! I'm going to add the lovely "long storage" shelf in the middle. I need a place to store bolts of fabric and the wrapping paper for drafting patterns.
My craft room is also my office and guest room. My stuff is piled in boxes and the bed! Your space looks anazing to me, cardboard box and all!!!!
Thank youuuuu!!
Who am I to suggest, your set up looks pretty good and most of all functional!
A positive about having different baskets for storage is that it is a visual way to differentiate between the different supplies in your mind, without having to use labels. I hope that makes sense.
Gives me the idea to get binders in different colours and patterns so there is more visual separation on my bookshelf for papers. I have them all label, but still they do all seem to merge.
It's also way easier to change one component out if it breaks, or if a better component is found - you can swap one out without worrying about breaking a perfect "matchy matchy" look!
@@ShannonMakes Yes! I didn't even think about that.
I’m moving house and planning my new studio; the work table I’ve had has not been ideal, it’s not coming. Thank you so much for this review and all the details of its design, I’m so inspired! ❤
You are so welcome! Definitely check out the making-of for more tips on building, etc!
Impressive table, and you made it yourself....amazing! Thank you for sharing.
For your notions cubby. Maybe look at thrift shops for fishing tackle containers. Have built in dividers for bits and pieces. They would stack nicely in the cubby. depending on which size containers you find make keeping things organized easier.
Great idea!
Love your videos. Great comments and the recycling is brilliant! I made some cubes from a JCPenney set (1984). I still use them. They can be reassembled as I need them to serve other purposes. I love the ikea options also. My crafting area is always so much in process I couldn’t do a video of it for fear of retribution. Thanks for sharing, yours is tidy and very functional.
Thank you! And you're welcome!
A suggestion for your notions bin, reuse some shoe boxes that fit within the cube bin. You could alternate how they are stacked so they don’t fall inside of each other and potentially one could cover them in small fabric or paper scraps so they can be color coordinated to which ever function they serve (ribbons, etc). I believe that you could just drop the bags you already have them sorted into in the suggested shoe box. I picked up a lot of shoe boxes from a shoe department for free.
Otherwise, I love your video and I’m excited to borrow your long storage concept as that what I have been missing out on.
I have a similar storage bookcase from IKEA, and for smaller stuff I use those cardbord boxes with lids. Two boxes fits near perfectly into one cubby. I have at least 6 of them by now, and they make it easier to keep track of my baggies and small containers of notions. It does not quite solve the problem of 'finding the correct sub-container' but I find that it made it more manageble.
You're a traveling kind of soul, keeping the serger in the box it ships in makes perfect sense to me. Keeps the dust off, makes it easier to grab and, most importantly, you're the one who lives there. That it was up for debate just proves that people tilt towards the odd... Even thin cardboard would eat away at storage space - sounds like a good way to spend time for not much result...
I sorted my open buttons by colour way, into zip bags they went and they sit in a drawer in my Granny's Martha Washington sewing chest. Let's me see what I have.
You're table is a masterpiece. Well done.
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
ooh, I wish I had the time or patience to sort my buttons by color, it sounds very soothing and practical!
It's a soothing way to spend an evening. It's actually been kind of useful to-do to have done.@@ShannonMakes
If you’re really looking for an alternative to the plastic bags for notions, I recommend pencil boxes. Maybe it’s just in my area, but one of my local thrift store always has the same style (or very similar) plastic pencil boxes for around $1 or $2. I have labels on mine since they’re not clear (sewing pins, sewing needles, hooks, snaps, etc). They’re large enough to hold a good amount but small enough that you can really separate your notions.
Clever!! Thanks for the tip! 🥰
Your table is fantastic. My favorite part is the "wood" top.
Thank you!
I think it's great, and have appreciated seeing what you find is working as well/better/not as well as you imagined. The mix of wicker baskets etc. makes me think of the Wabi Sabi aesthetic - I think you'd be doing some aspects of that aesthetic already, Shannon.
I do have a couple of suggestions, but not sure how they'd work for you.
For the piled fabric, I would put a sheet of MDF or something thin but solid enough under the piles of fabric, and make it the size of the cube. Attach a tiny rod of wood to the front top edge of MDF. Then when you want some fabric from that cube, you can pull the mdf out most of the way (and lean against your leg if needed), and take the fabric off including the one you want, put it on the table, and return the fabric above the piece you want back to the stack. I think this might keep the stack neater, and hopefully stop the little fabric pieces at the top toppling as much as I imagine they currently do when moving the entire stack.
For the notions, I would keep the smallest ones in one of those flat divided plastic containers. You can get them in many different sizes and number of compartments (some with removeable dividers), so I suppose it depends if the streets have one that will work for you, and how tightly the lid closes to keep things in their compartment. Or maybe a divided teabag box. One of those should fit in the cube box on top of the bigger notion bags etc.
I do use a similar system in my cotton cubby (because it has so many more different fabrics in it than the other cubbies), and it does work pretty well, although it's not really necessary for any of the other cubbies!
I have no suggestions, only a bit of envy.
That being said, I am a scavenger as well and repurpose wood and hardware regularly. I also added a bit of under desk storage to my sewing desk with a $2 coffee pod drawer and brackets i already had.
I have alot of fabric that seems to populate like rabbits, or, actually hand in hand with thrifting trips. Earlier this week i sorted all of it out and separated by seasons, (fleece & flannels), and purpose. I used 5 large vacuum storage bags for winter fabrics so that it could all live together. I love those bags!
I am crazy about how you salvage as well. Would you please consider doing another video on it, maybe with pointers? Salvage and repurposing is my vibe, along with fabric rescue missions at thrift stores.
Thank you! I laughed a bit at the image of your fabric populating like rabbits, but on a mysterious schedule that coincided with your thrift runs 🤣
I love the big table you built, just watched the construction video! I store my fabric by rolling. I fold it along the yardage a few times to match the depth of my shelf, then roll it up. One end faces outwards so I can see everything on the shelf. It's easy to take things out and put it back.
I made my own sewing table inspired by your original video about that table. I absolutely love it! It was not that hard to do and I am so happy to have a big sewing table.
That is awesome!
My mother - a consummate organizer - always swore by storing stacked fabric with the folded side facing out. It makes it easier to lift the fabrics above the one you want and slide that one out. (But it doesn’t necessarily make it easier to put it back in the same place.)
So cool!
Thank you!
wow I love your set up for the small space and all the storage under the table that works for you...great explaining too. thanks!
You are so welcome!
I have a pleater just like that one!! I love it. And I love how you’ve put your space together!
thank you!
I love the fabric being visible. I fake bolt because i store upright.
If you want to get fabric out if the middle, try slipping a card/plastic board above and below, you may find thet can be slid out easier.
Wheels are also a good idea if you're putting a big table into a small space. You can push the table up against a wall- but still be able to access the backside storage
Love your table, love your space, love your attitude, love YOU!👍💪
Thank you!!
I love a good sewing table. Yours is amazing.
I love your crafting space. Kind of like you have some stuff in ziplock bags, I have some fabric stored in those clear bags with a zipper that bedding sometimes comes in from the store. Its very helpful with the smaller scraps of fabric. I inherited a bunch of notions and happened to have a clear photo organizer case with smaller boxes in it that i was able to store buttons and some snaps and things in them. I also use those clear tackle boxes for some of my sewing threads so i can see what I have. I need to reorganize my crafting space again so i can actually move around in it better.
Yes, those tackle boxes sounds lovely, I should probably keep my eyes out for some!