Good morning everyone. With the new puppy, I'm a bit sleep deprived and am really going to enjoy my coffee this morning. I hope some of these tips will help you in your space. Living small is a challenge,. Downsizing is much harder than it looks. And being satisfied with what you have can be elusive. But sewing small has many bonuses too. I hope you can utilize this tips to make your sewing space work for you. Enjoy!
Good ideas. I am an RV dweller. I wanted to add one more resource for a small area quilter. I have at least one local shop with a separate classroom that isn’t being utilized on the regular. I am able to take my little portable machine and a few UFO’s that need some space to lay out for border or backing application, major ironing, or just to have an airy space to move around in. It has been a life saver and my wonderful shop owner offered it to me at no cost! I’m so thankful! Another space some RV park dwellers might consider is the rec room in the park. Many times it’s empty and could be utilized for several hours to do the same.
When I was an art student in college there were many times when I simply had no money. I was forced to have what a friend called a "limited pallete" and my creativity was forced from that, and was many times successful. As I made money I found, and sometimes still find, that I purchase more and my creativity is overwhelmed. I can imagine so many projects. I overwhelm myself and end up not doing much. Your video reminded of the days when I was more productive because my scope was limited. Thank you for it.
Great tips for a crowded space. I'm soooooooo glad that I don't have to use them. I took a look at a satellite view of my home and realized that my sewing room is almost 1/3 of our living space which is a 1950's 3 bedroom ranch with a single room addition on the back. I took one look at the house and said, "This is my room!" One tip that I can't make use of is talking with quilting friends and sharing stuff. I don't know anyone in the area that quilts, so I have no quilting friends except online. And going online is how I came across your videos. Lots of good stuff from a gal with a great sense of humor and attitude towards quilting and life. I love your new family member. Looks like a sweetie.
After your tidy challenge, I learned I'm a "Goldfish". Meaning what ever the space I have I will grow to fill it. This video about small space sewing applies to large sewing space as well. I not only have a 30'x 26" space to sew in, It is bursting at the seams. It looks organized, but I know in my heart its gotten ridiculous! So every 2wks I reorganize again. Little by little, I am regaining control. This type of video is good to see again and again!!! Enjoy that puppy, they are only young for a short time. From a dog lover
i have a small space that has, on occasion grown beyond its limits. I now have trained myself, as a wind down after work i make some scrap blocks to reduce my overflow and to be able to store them neater. plus I have to sew every day and sometimes i cannot be bothered tackling a big project
I have found that an easy way to store fabric is to hang it. If you store your fabric in a closet and fold it over twice, like a pair of pants, you can have yardage in a very compact space. I use two hangers together if it is 4 or more yards, like backings. Install a couple of extra dowel rods at different levels and what could only hold a couple of bins now holds 100 hangers with fabric. Sort by color, size (1/2yd, 1yd, etc.) or fabric style (flannel, regular, etc.). I have used this system for 20+ yrs. easy to see options and pull from your stash.
Thanks, Karen! There is just no one else I’d rather watch on You Tube when it comes to quilting than you. You are so down to earth and practical! Good luck with your new pup!
I never get rid of any scraps which could be used for applique on my embroidery machine. I used to have them in a plastic bag but then I saw a video where a lady sorted her scraps by colour. Then she put a piece of card in several of those thin plastic A4 file pockets, labeled each one with colour and put the relevant sraps in each pocket then stored them upright in a box. She did it with paper scraps but I've used the idea for fabric and it really works. If I need a certain colour I can find it right away and it doesn't take up much room. Thanks for these tips, very useful. Edited to add that your puppy is gorgeous. Lots of doggy fun to be had!
I lived on a sailboat for 12 yrs. 27 ft then 35 ft. I sewed my clothes and canvas covers for the boat. Just had to place everything away . It can b done
A few months ago I moved my crafting space to a smaller room in preparation for a future move. I used your Declutter Challenge and organization videos to organize my quilting supplies. I have just finished organizing my apparel and costume fabrics. I will be using the same processes for getting my other craft supplies (weaving, crochet, origami, polymer clay, paper making, etc.) into the same space. I continue to be amazed how much less space is used after going through the declutter and organization processes. My conversion from disorganized pack rat 🐀 to organized pack turtle 🐢 will soon be complete. Thank you for the inspiration and tips to make this possible.
I've got a small room that I use as my sewing room and my home office. I also have some bins of old family pictures that I'm using for my family tree. I can store things out in the garage if I'm not using them, and when I store fabric out there I put it in plastic bins with silica gel to limit moisture issues.
So happy to see your furry new addition to your family. He will bring such joy and mirth everyday and fill that little empty spot in your heart. Thank you for all your work in making such wonderful tutorials!
I sorted and re-organised my sewing space and works well till I can't find what I'm looking for. Spent 2 hours yesterday after work looking for patterns for sewn animals I was asked to make. Found 1 but the other elluded me. Only to realise later that my niece borrowed it 3 years ago. Lol. I'm now keeping a book to record my borrowed items.
Karen how nice to have a new buddy to share your day with. Mando is his name? He's a lucky puppy. I hope you don't think for a second that you picked him to live with you. Nosiree. He picked you to live with him. 🤗 I think I'll get a lot of scraps together and make some blocks. There's just too much. Loved your video and you never cease to inspire. Stay safe and happy quilting. ~ Arlene 🙂
You have been inspiring me for months on finishing projects, organizing in zones, use of colour, etc. You always have tips in every video that help. I have finally allowed myself to realize I myself am 'finite' and will never finish hand-quilting the over 30 tops that have lanquished in my closet. My local long-arm quilter now has about 15 of those in her queue to 'get done'. I feel so unburdened finally. I have some fabric and tops to donate to clear space as well!
Thank you, Karen. I have been re-organzing my sewing space. I was overwhelmed. My resolution in 2020 was to sort my fabric. I gave away 3 garbage bags fulls of fabric. By chance I discovered your u-tube site. I now have a new attitude and gaining a workable sewing space. I still have to much stuff. I'm getting through it with each minute time period. Amazing what I accomplish.
I love my small space. I have a much larger bedroom that is empty since my son moved out, but I am keeping my small space. It forces me to keep things organized and not overbuy. It also limits me to only a few projects at a time.
My working space is in a triangle design, on the smaller size but I’m happy and comfortable in that. When my quilt top is complete and ready for layering it’s off to my kitchen table and that’s okay. My design layout is made out of three sheets and foam insulation, duct taped so when I’m not using it I can fold it onto itself to one panel.. Your new puppy is adorable and must be my son’s puppy “Honey “ identical twin. Thanks for sharing your tips. The hardest one is not to go fabric shopping, because it’s addictive. 👍❤️😊
I really like your video s there so helpful without the " bigness" of a real big sewing space". I finally after many many yrs of having very' small spaces for my love of sewing space" have a small room( I share with my washer and dryer combo") it's a small room but I love it's it's my Happy Space in my " older sewing age" 😊 thanks for sharing your sewing wisdom's ! 😊
Oh my -i feel like you’re talking to me personally here. Okay - this is my year to use up what I have. I love the way your channel has been growing - this is just great!!
I have way too much stuff for my space. I am slowly trying to use your ideas to use or get rid of things but I have been "arranging" my stuff for years, it's sort of a joke. :D I don't ever expect to get done but you are definitely helping! Your new puppy is so cute, I am looking forward to watching him grow in your videos. I hope we see him a lot!
I know how you feel. I have an elderly cat but I have forced myself to stop thinking of the day he will leave us but on enjoying him today and each day. It is very hard isn't it? Edited to add that poor Oscar was hit by a car yesterday (16th) and I have lost him! He was 18 last week. I can't stop crying.
Our sweet old yellow lab was 13 1/2 when she died last summer. So very hard. No new pup yet (I'm glad for the lack of dog hair in everything!) but craving the sweetness. Not sure when we will get a new little friend.
Hello - I recently spent an unexpected week @ my mother-in-laws' house. I'd forgotten how much I could accomplish on a card table for sewing and a wool pressing mat on a TV tray! Ah, the good old days - kinda challenging and fun; I did get a LOT done. Thanks for your down-to-earth advice. Now ---- on to the scrap drawer. LOL
No matter what, I think we all max out our space. We would be more productive if we scaled down our workspace and stash (inventory!!!). Since listening to your videos I've been using scraps and making 16 patches as leaders and enders and that alone has decreased the amount of scraps in my space. Once those area, ahem, gone, or mostly gone, another area will be tackled. Too much of everything! These videos have been so helpful in organizing my space and being a more efficient quilter. Thanks for all the terrific tips!
I moved into a tiny home two years ago and I love my quilting and my sewing projects. My downsizing was a little painful but now after two years it has worked out very well. I still listen to tips and tricks to keep everything organized as I’m a bit of a neat nick.
I had accumulated more than 300 magazines with patterns and ideas and it was taking a lot of space in my room. So I bought an dual-side scanner and proceeded to digitalize everything. I had the magazine spine cut at Staples beforehand. The scanner is expensive (though you can sell it afterward and get most of your money back) but I don’t regret having all those magazine stored on my ipad and on my home server. It made a lot of space.
I have no room to dedicate for sewing or my knitting so I have my items stored around the house. I find it easy to forget what you have when you must squirrel everything away. I try to take it all out every couple of months to take stock . So far it is in control but it can easily spiral if you don’t take stock regularly. Cute wee puppy!
My room is 10x12ft. rounding up. I have a wall with one floor to ceiling window, a chimney jutting out of one wall,a slanted ceiling on the other, it’s basically the attic and I have one straight wall and there’s a doorway. I’ve furnished it with IKEA furniture and I love it. It’s very organized and I hate clutter. I try to go up with little luck because I have little wall space and there’s a lot triangle wall wall space, not to mention my walls are plaster so it can be a little scary banging holes into the wall. My husband says I need a bigger room but I say I have too much stuff. If I had a bigger room I’d just fill it up. I only wish I had a cutting table in the center of my room and a design wall, I also wish I could fully extend my sewing table, I have a Juki J-150QVP and it has an extra large extension table. My room is small but I love it.
Thanks Karen. Another tip is to use the timer on my phone instead of storing a timer. My son bought a tiny speaker to listen to music off his phone also instead of a radio.
Thank you for the tips! Your scarf is lovely and looks so nice on you!😊🌷 Also, Great tip on digital patterns and magazines! I had years of quilting magazines saved up (they were from before the digital era) and also tons of fabric, because like every other quilter, my eyes are bigger than my stomach, so to speak! Well there was a water main break and my apartment flooded and I lost almost all of the magazines and a lot of the fabric! So absolutely: You can store a lot of magazines on one little tiny thumb drive! And buying fabric too far ahead doesn’t save you anything! You have to move it every time you move; and it might get destroyed before you ever get to use it! 😬
Have started after 5 years of sewing, finish a project and maybe a smaller one to change the pace but no more. Just started quilting after retirement and everything you said is true, I wanted every notion made out of pure excitement. Another good video. Thank you. Love the lending library
Your wisdom on keeping the number of projects down, and finishing UFO's is so good Karen. I find too many projects are a drain on my energy. And buying what you are going to use is so good to hear from a RU-vid quilt instructor, (The Quilting Marine is good at that too, keeping costs down that is). I LOVED your mantra - "one fast project and one slow".
I have used some of your tips, but the one that really hit home was when you said what youve got(your sewing space) is what youve got. Accept it and make the best of it. ( my interpretation). So i did. Then i used your small sewing space ideas. Helped me alot. Thanks!
I need to purge a cutting system. It takes up too much of my quilt room! You had me at “small space” Karen. You’re always so practical! Great thoughts and ideas.
I always appreciate your efforts to give solutions that are more than common or standard. Several there I didn't think of immediately myself. And you organize and present all the points for us.
I just did 2 scrappy denim tote bags out of old jeans the had been in my stash for over 20 years. The inner lining was an old skirt with lots of embroidery. So far so good. Giving to daughters to get it OUT OF MY HOUSE. Thanks for the help.
I recently found a local quilting group that I was able to donate a lot of fabric to. They work on charity quilts. Nothing was wrong with the fabric, just had too much “stuff”. I neglected to also say that my space is limited. Thank you for another wonderful video.
A lot of churches have Quilt groups that sew for charity... well not now where we live...but when they open back up, look for some in your area who would love donated supplies!
Love your pep talks. They get me back on track. It’s amazing how many quilt tops I now have waiting for the long arm. Can’t wait for lockdown to end so I can travel to deliver them for quilting.
Congrats on the new puppy, what a cutie! I'm new to quilting so don't have a huge stash yet, but I have knitted and crocheted for years and while doing that I only ever bought yarn I needed for a particular project. I'm going to have to apply the same philosophy to my fabric buying. The problem is I have so many projects on my list of "want to make" already! 😂
This is great, Karen - very helpful. Check out your local public library's digital magazines. Mine offers several quilting magazines and, while I cannot print the patterns, I can preview the magazine before purchasing or subscribing.
Monda is simply amazing! We have always had a Golden Retrievers and a rescue dog. Retriever breeds have IN-FINITE lol energy Karen!! It's like have a busy, attention seeking, amazing furry toddler around. Enjoy! Great video as always! We have the opposite problem big old house and 3 of 5 children are grown and gone. Too much room to fill with nonsense! Decluttering with your challenge this week.
My mom was in an assisted living community for the last 10 years of her life (from 87 to 97). She was fortunate to be in a place where there were other quilters and the facility even had a craft room. People left their extras in boxes in the craft room and others could use as needed. It worked really well for her. She finished her last quilt at 96 and it hangs in my brother's home in Hendersonville NC. Mom passed about 6 months after finishing that quilt and the amazing thing to me is every stitch in that quilt was done by hand. She never used a machine for anything except when she made clothes. I am now the proud owner of her Featherweight circa 1935. It still runs like a top, I just keep it oiled.
Again all helpful ideas Karen as always. I had sewing projects ready for when two of my granddaughters come and stay tomorrow for a day or so. Only problem my needle won’t pick up my bobbin thread. Who knows when this happened as I’d been sewing happily. Cleaned this area of fluff and now can’t use the machine. I’d bought lovely fabric and pillow inserts as this was the project. I’ll add the fabric to my stash. Puppy is lovely Karen 🪴
Keeping the number of projects down has been a challenge, proven by my UFO box! I have made progress, though, and will allow myself to pursue a brainstorm on paper then do a play session testing something out. Then when that little storm passes, I can go back to the larger project. In theory, of course.🤪😏
Thank you so much for the great video. The advice about limiting your materials to what you can manage and not have more than you can work though on hand is just what I needed to hear.
Great video. Being forced to downsize due to a move. I will be donating fabric to our guild's philanthropy group. Hopefully, that will help. I also will go through rulers and tools. Thank you.
Congrats on the new puppy. A friend had the same type of puppy. She turned out to be the same color as their carpet so she had to put a baby shirt on her so she would blend in!
Your content is just great. I don't have sewing friends, small town + my age group makes me the odd one out. You make me feel connected, if that makes sense, thank you.
I think if you ask around you might be surprised about that. If your older, you have knowledge. If your younger you may have questioned. I say this from person experience as I was raised in a small town and as an older woman with grand children and great grandchildren. I love for my granddaughter to come over and organize "her" box of old thread spools by color❤️
As an under-30 quilter, my retirement age quilting friends are so welcoming, generous, friendly, and encouraging. Love of quilting can make anyone bond. I’m not sure of your exact situation, but you may be surprised. All quilters love to see others keeping quilting going.
@@palmtree2939 that's so great for you! I just don't think there are many quilters around my area, I've looked. The closest fabric store is an hour drive away. Often I get comments like "you're so young to be sewing" or lately my favorite *blank stare* followed by "you sew?" It's almost as if sewing equals some sort of deformity.
Jamie why don't you put a notice up at the little local store asking about local quilters and sewers. Growing up in small town I was very shy, but when I moved away, I found out people thought my shyness was because I was being rude. They didn't know me so I could see why they thought I was rude. So I decided if I wanted to know something I had to ask because they couldn't read my mind. Your bound to get at least one quilting and sewing buddy somewhere there and you'd be surprised at just who it is. My husband is retired military, so when we moved to another place it was up to me to get my children involved in activities that I wanted them in instead of just picking that person they saw somewhere. People don't see how much you care until you show them how much you care. Hope you find your buddy.
Great tips and strategies thank you. My quilting guild had a sharing day recently and we made the Ugly Quilt. So many fascinating versions resulted. I am currently working on my third!!!
I understand what you are saying about using your space wisely, but I am like so many others I see fabric I just love and can't always resist it. I have fat quarters stashed everywhere. I have done better during this pandemic, trying to stay at home. Thanks for your suggestions, tips, tricks
Love your channel and all your tips. Your new furbaby is adorable. Training is tough but by 12 weeks house training should be complete and you can get some more sleep. My sewing room is small and getting out of control so clutter control and a good cleanout is in order for me. Thanks again.
This is so helpful Karen! I have a small space and am just starting out quilting so this helps so much! I got a self healing mat and ironing pad combo by omnigrid and that helped too!