I 'd like to share some more with you about my recent organizing activities in my sewing room. I am always interested to hear about how fellow sewers set up their space, so hopefully my posts on the subject will be informative for some of you as well.
I have had this dresser in my sewing room (in three different houses) for the past ten years. I used to keep thread and notions in the top small drawers, rulers, stencils, applique supplies, leftovers from various projects, and the bottom drawer was always full of notebooks, journals and Filofax organizers. It was always pretty much of a jumble.
Now that my space is so much smaller, I am reluctant to let seldom used rulers and other notions take up valuable real estate in this dresser. My husband has recently installed some metal shelving in our garage, all for my personal use. I have plastic tubs of fabric out there, organized by color or designer (Fig Tree, Bonnie and Camille, Minick and Simpson all get their own tub). There is also lots of room out there for these rarely used quilting stencils (like just when would I be using those?), duplicate or special purpose rulers, applique supplies, embroidery threads, balls of yarn, etc etc.
So now my dresser is all cleared out and ready for the stuff that really matters. Thread, scissors and rotary cutters still get to be in the small drawers, but the larger drawers are designated for precuts! I tell you, I get a silly happy feeling when I open those drawers and see all my charm packs, layer cakes and jelly rolls.
Charm packs.
Layer cakes (rolled up).
Half yard and fat quarter cuts from Fatquartershop.com.
I just can't bear to take them out of their lovely packaging just yet.
On the other side of the closet (my folded fabric is on the right side), I have my fat quarter bundles and in the tub on the lower shelf are the rest of my layer cakes. The plastic boxes on the upper shelf are current project boxes. I have a labeling machine that makes identifying things so easy.
To the left of the closet is my bookcase. I have my quilting library on it of course, and some of my toys and pincushions. The four boxes have patterns in them, and I am planning on figuring out a more uniform way of storing those in the near future. The little brown bins are from Target and take up less room on the shelves. I just ordered three more for pattern storage, and it will free up the entire upper shelf. The white wooden boxes are pretty, but take up too much room so they have to go.
Next time I will show you how my tubs are set up on the shelving in the garage.
34 responses to “The Stash Dresser and a Look Around the Sewing Room”
Again, you are an inspiration Nicole. I just became our guilt comfort quilt chair. Searching the guild’s stores and then my own stash for blocks, nearly finished quilts, and backings, I found so much I did not realize I had. I need to get more organized quickly or the additonal fabric & duties will swamp my sewing room.
Again, you are an inspiration Nicole. I just became our guilt comfort quilt chair. Searching the guild’s stores and then my own stash for blocks, nearly finished quilts, and backings, I found so much I did not realize I had. I need to get more organized quickly or the additonal fabric & duties will swamp my sewing room.
P.S. That’s comfort quilt chair, not guilt, although I might be that too!!
P.S. That’s comfort quilt chair, not guilt, although I might be that too!!
I do enjoy seeing how other quilters organize their sewing rooms and stash. Having just redone my sewing room, I searched a lot online before I made any decisions and found it very helpful. Thanks for the look around!
I do enjoy seeing how other quilters organize their sewing rooms and stash. Having just redone my sewing room, I searched a lot online before I made any decisions and found it very helpful. Thanks for the look around!
Really nice organization and thanks for the tour ….give me some ideas how to reorganize my room. Thanks and look forward to your garage organization of totes.
Really nice organization and thanks for the tour ….give me some ideas how to reorganize my room. Thanks and look forward to your garage organization of totes.
Everything looks great all organized ! I use 3 ring binders for all of my patterns . Looking forward to seeing your shelves in the garage. Thanks for the tour
Everything looks great all organized ! I use 3 ring binders for all of my patterns . Looking forward to seeing your shelves in the garage. Thanks for the tour
I think using a dresser for fabric storage is a great idea! I have my son’s changing table repurposed as a cutting station and scrap fabric storage in the drawers. I really enjoy seeing how others organize their sewing space because I am always looking for new ways to better organize in my studio. Thanks for letting us peek into yours!
I think using a dresser for fabric storage is a great idea! I have my son’s changing table repurposed as a cutting station and scrap fabric storage in the drawers. I really enjoy seeing how others organize their sewing space because I am always looking for new ways to better organize in my studio. Thanks for letting us peek into yours!
Nicely done, Nicole!
I have a dresser and two chests of drawers in this wee sewing room and I do need to reorganize those jumbled drawers.
Love the good use of space! There are a couple of great books about sewing rooms. One is “Setting Up Your Sewing Space”.
Hugs!
Nicely done, Nicole!
I have a dresser and two chests of drawers in this wee sewing room and I do need to reorganize those jumbled drawers.
Love the good use of space! There are a couple of great books about sewing rooms. One is “Setting Up Your Sewing Space”.
Hugs!
Thanks for the tour, Nicole, your stash dresser looks great. It definitely takes some organizing when you have a small sewing space. I try to keep things as tidy as possible in mine, always cleaning up before I start a new project. If there is too much chaos, I begin to feel overwhelmed and can’t get anything done.
Thanks for the tour, Nicole, your stash dresser looks great. It definitely takes some organizing when you have a small sewing space. I try to keep things as tidy as possible in mine, always cleaning up before I start a new project. If there is too much chaos, I begin to feel overwhelmed and can’t get anything done.
I am very inspired by your method of organization. I like the comic book board idea a lot. What is the storage boxes for the patterns. I need to, um, REALLY need to organize those!
I am very inspired by your method of organization. I like the comic book board idea a lot. What is the storage boxes for the patterns. I need to, um, REALLY need to organize those!
I wish my sewing room looked like this, I’m so jealous! Now some questions…when you wrapped your fabric on the boards, was it larger cuts, larger than what size? What did you do with smaller cuts, scraps? What about loose fat quarters, do you keep those separate from the rest of your fabric? What do you do with kits you’ve purchased, or do you not have many of those, I have a LOT! Thanks for your inspiration, I now need to get to work on my space!
I wish my sewing room looked like this, I’m so jealous! Now some questions…when you wrapped your fabric on the boards, was it larger cuts, larger than what size? What did you do with smaller cuts, scraps? What about loose fat quarters, do you keep those separate from the rest of your fabric? What do you do with kits you’ve purchased, or do you not have many of those, I have a LOT! Thanks for your inspiration, I now need to get to work on my space!
I love a dresser for storage versus shelves–less dust! I have two dressers but unfortunately only one is actually in the sewing room. Glad all your fabric is cohabitating where it makes you happy 🙂
I love a dresser for storage versus shelves–less dust! I have two dressers but unfortunately only one is actually in the sewing room. Glad all your fabric is cohabitating where it makes you happy 🙂
Love seeing pictures of your sewing room. What organization!! Love it. Thanks for the tour. I agree with you on the charm squares, aren’t they cute. Looking forward to seeing more of your organization and thanks for the eye candy.
Love seeing pictures of your sewing room. What organization!! Love it. Thanks for the tour. I agree with you on the charm squares, aren’t they cute. Looking forward to seeing more of your organization and thanks for the eye candy.
Looking great! I hope to accomplish myself one day but for now, will plod along as we are trying to sell the house. Thanks for the tip on storing the patterns.
Looking great! I hope to accomplish myself one day but for now, will plod along as we are trying to sell the house. Thanks for the tip on storing the patterns.
I am very proud of you girl!!
I am very proud of you girl!!
Great ideas for storage and I’m so jealous you have a whole room for this! Some good looking stash too Nicole.
I love receiving my FQS orders…always so nicely packaged and they are super generous with the fabrics in their kits.
Looking forward to seeing the garage bins 🙂
Great ideas for storage and I’m so jealous you have a whole room for this! Some good looking stash too Nicole.
I love receiving my FQS orders…always so nicely packaged and they are super generous with the fabrics in their kits.
Looking forward to seeing the garage bins 🙂
Oh my! A drawer full of charm packs! I love it! I’m still working on reorganizing my stash – I think a new cupboard and some bins or baskets are in my future.
Oh my! A drawer full of charm packs! I love it! I’m still working on reorganizing my stash – I think a new cupboard and some bins or baskets are in my future.
Ok, that’s an impressive precut stash. I’m in awe!
Ok, that’s an impressive precut stash. I’m in awe!