It's so nice seeing you! I have started sewing again after many years because a wardrobe with fast fashion no longer appeals to me. I used to sew ALL my clothes in school, and even made my wedding dress. When my FAVORITE T-shirt started to fray at the seam and hem a few months ago, I realized how cheaply made more than HALF of my wardrobe is! I am sewing on my dining room table, with my ironing board next to me, and loving it.
This is me except never sewing before I have been noticing how quickly all my clothing falls apart it's insane! Wearing even "brand name" items they've dropped in quality so much! I literally paid 100 dollars for a pair of Nike air force onew and they split by the little toe after Like 6 or 9 months!
@@heritagehooks24 I learned how to sew in Home Economics and made an apron and a skirt. The rest is all self-taught and what the pattern directions have said. Of course, I JUST couldn't figure out WHY my interfacing never laid nice and flat until I figured out that clipping around the curve was a must! I am so pleased that RU-vid is a wealth of knowledge for techniques and short cuts from other sewists. Good luck to you!
You just helped me realise that a designated "dumping ground" - away from sewing table and ironing station - is a thing and I need to make one, instead thinking I will be good and do better and not dumping everything all over my small sewing table.
Yes, I love this! Creating spaces for the way we actually work rather than for an ideal, yet unrealistic workflow. We all need a "dumping ground", and crafting one that helps us stay organised can be so helpful!
I have similar areas in my sewing room. Additionally I also have a seating area in front of the window with two armchairs and a coffee table which is a perfect place for knitting, crocheting or handstitching. I also plan to make a video of my retro sewing room. 😊
It's so wonderful to see you so well Evelyn and gracing us with new video's! Thanks for all you do and for your sewing room tour, it was really helpful to see. Hugs from a fellow Aussie sewist! 😄🌷
Me too, definitely! I had always thought a Rowenta would be the best all round iron. I finally got one and I’m disappointed as it leaks water when you start it up and makes such a mess that I have to keep a hand sized terry towel at my ironing board continuously. Please do a review.
Thank you, I never considered these things. My wild card area is somewhere for my pets to sit to keep me company, and a section for works in progress, while I wait for notions to arrive, as I order on a job by job basis
It’s so wonderful seeing you so perky and refreshed. You look absolutely beautiful, Evelyn! Like you, I do have stations that have evolved over time. Your comment about how we start out in sewing made me laugh out loud. Flash back over 4 decades ago when I had a newborn and a toddler. We had just purchased our very first formal dining room furniture and that room was easily gated off from the rest of our home to keep little fingers away from pins and scissors. My husband used to tease me about our gorgeous dining room table being covered with fabric, thread, scraps, and my sewing machine. Now my dedicated sewing room is my happy place. We still have the same dining room furniture but now we actually use that space to entertain and eat.
My extra personalized space that is essential for my sewing is places for my pups! They are an integral part of my creativity! Plus Im certain dog hair is a must-be-included part of garment making 😂
I’ve always said: “Are you even dressed without dog hair?” 😂😂😂 *I miss my doggy, I lost my 13.5yo baby just over a month ago and it’s devastating, but I love watching doggy and sewing videos to make me smile again!
Thank you for this! You gave me some great tips for my room. My wild card would be my non-sewing creativity supplies, because I dabble in too many other hobbies 😬 Painting, fiber arts, etc. Some are in a storage room but the basics are in my sewing room closet. The keys to my sanity are containers and I love all your little drawers. -Addie
Designing a sewing room reminds me of designing a kitchen. You have a work triangle that needs to be thought through. Cutting table, ironing and sewing machine = fridge, stove and sink. Just started organizing my space! Perfect timing for the video :)
Welcome back Evelyn ❤ My wild card extra area is my relaxation /mental well-being area. I have a rocking chair and my favourite things around. The lovely music on my play list is playing and this is my happy place to hand sew create and plan my next project ideas. It is truly ny happy place
This is so helpful to think about! I (mostly) have these spaces, although my fabric and haberdashery is jumbled together. But I need to re-organize and it's been overwhelming to think about, so your video is well-timed for me. I would LOVE to see videos on new irons, and seeing you go through each of your spaces organizing/re-organizing (it'll be motivational for me)!
Oh, you are so right! I used to have a dining room but now it's a sewing room. Now I have taken over our enclosed porch with various sewing things. Fortunately, all my family and some of my friends are very far away. Those that don't about me are learning I am a compulsive shopper (all things sewing) they will have to get used to coffee in the kitchen. I love sewing STUFF. I hope you are still feeling great and you look beautiful. Bye
So well put! I absolutely need a charging station/area for my phone, headphones and ipod where i'm watching videos, listening to music or looking up references as I'm sewing. Or when I'm on Reddit taking a break. I'm lucky enough to have (now) a separate sewing room and I had to think of all of this when I moved - from the loungeroom corner to my own beautiful room! Picking a cutting table has been the hardest thing so far.
When my husband needed the guest/sewing room for Zoom teaching when the pandemic hit. I needed to decommission my sewing area. Now I take out my machine and all the gear when I sew, and I actually prefer it. I sew in spurts so it works well for me. Sometimes I sew at the kitchen table, sometimes on a table in the TV room and in spring I love to sew out on the patio. The only issue with this arrangement is thread and fabric bits in the dining room/TV room/patio area. 😜
I have a large dining table, that I use, when I draw and cut my designs, and a hole room in the house, as my hobby room. I sew, knit, and a lot of other crafty things. I must say, that hearing your voice and seeing your beautiful smile, brings back a longing to go back to Australia. A huge part of my heart, still lives in Australia ❤
Thank you so much for this! Your kitchen table/floor setup description was spot on. As a beginner, I didn’t realize how much space sewing consumed until I found out that my best cutting so far was done by the washing machine 😂 I’ve been feeling a mess breaking down my station every night, the division of different spaces for different tasks is so helpful and encouraging!!
I get that, my best ironing station so far is between the washing machine and the washroom sink, not having to take down the ironing board every time is awesome. And I set up a cutting station on top of my rabbit's crate, which works beautifully till he comes over to help.
What a wonderful and timely video! My sewing space needs to share space with my crochet/knitting space. It's a bit chaotic at the moment, so I need to come up with a plan to establish a harmonious coexistence for them. Additionally, I would LOVE a video going over your explorations of different ironing set-ups. I've been contemplating getting a new iron, but it may be more practical to simply add one of those mini irons to my repertoire, rather than chucking my quite serviceable full size one. The smaller one would be especially helpful for quilting, I believe.
Hello Evelyn!! You bring so much joy, happiness, knowledge, & encouragement -- thank you!! You look lovely & that alone brings on a huge smile - congratulations on many levels, but especially on your recovery👏🤗
Evelyn you made me laugh out loud when you said, I don't know why you are sewing if you don't love fabric" So true. Glad to see you looking well. Yes please to the iron reviews.
So happy to see you're back dear Evelyn ❤ Your sewing studio is an inspiration. The only thing I didn't see is a full mirror, so you can check what your garment looks on you as you go. Looking forward to more videos, and more advice from you.
Your opening statement is my living history. Funny now we have a spare bedroom that has become my sewing room...I still sew in the family room, in front of the tv! My cutting table is my island kitchen island bench - very large and helps my back. Tables are too low. So why i have a huge sewing room and dont sew there is a point my husband digs at occasionally - but only because he wants it for his train set!!! LOL and i ADORE that yellow dress!!!
Hi Evelyn, I loved this! Your sewing space is wonderful and I'm so happy for you that you are building your dream space. I'm an artist and my studio works in similar ways and I always get a kick out of seeing other creative people's work spaces. Lovely to see your happy face, you look adorable in your pixie ❤❤❤
Evelyn this is so helpful. So fun to see all the things and not in an Instagram kind of way. And by the way: I LOVE LOVE LOVE your hair this way! It’s so flattering !❤
So happy to see you back. My space has to also include my computer and printer on a desk as it is my office and my sewing room. Unfortunately it is in the half story attic space so only about 10x12 feet and I have 3 sewing machines and a serger in here. My treadle machine is downstairs in the living room. I also store all my fabric and books in here so it is pretty tight but I think I am set up much as you are in zones.
I finally got a wonderful flow to my sewing room. I think there will always be things we want and things to improve the flow. However right now mine works for me and is enjoyable to be in.
This is great! My wife designed her sewing space much in the same way. Less steps was the vintage way of designing any room to make workflow easier. Everything in its place and purposefully thought out spaces make for a more enjoyable experience!
The best advice I got was to study how the fabric stores do it. I use the cardboard flaps to use as bolt centres. I measure and wrap the fabrics on each and pin the measurements onto it, so I know if there’s enough for a clothing item. They stand up vertically in an ikea cupboard box that was mounted horizontally.
Congratulations on being able to build your dream studio! Well done. I try and keep my sewing area in a U-shape. The machine is at the centre, ironing board directly to my right (I can iron sitting down), flat surface to work on to my left. In my case I keep everything stored in the open - the sewing machine is sitting on a metal 6-drawer Ikea cabinet I mounted on wheels that holds all the equipment and haberdashery. The ironing board lived to the right of the living room sofa on my Granny's Bertha Washington cabinet that holds the family collection of buttons. Space for folding and pinning and fussing is the rest of the sofa to the left. When I'm done the sewing machine rolls away in a corner. Keeping the studio table clear is the eternal challenge... - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I am so happy you are well! I missed you! I love this video about sewing spaces. Yes I too started out in the dining room table! I am thrilled to have my own little space!
My mother kept the patterns in an old(unused ) luggage. Unique me, is a rolling cart (from IKEA) it has the flat top and serves as a rolling ironing station as needed while sewing. Loved seeing you doing well!❤
I was taught that a haberdashery has something to do with men's dress hats (cleaning, repairing, blocking, or replacing). The last Haberdashery I ever saw was in Greensboro, NC, back in 1968. Men (around here) don't wear dress hats anymore. We use the term Notions when we are talking about sewing supplies (patterns, needles, fabrics, pins, threads, etc.) here is the U.S.A. You are correct. My sewing room has outgrown the Master bedroom in my home. It needs to be weeded through; and, any sewing fabrics, patterns, and other items that I will not live long enough to use should be given away. I'm so very happy to see you back.
Oh wow! We came up with the same arrangement for a mini pressing station. I have the same mini Birch iron and pressing mat and yes, I have them sitting on a repurposed serving tray.
Lovely that you are back. You look fabulous. Would you mind sharing the pattern of the beautiful dress you are wearing? It looks great on you. Look forward to your future vlogs.
Interesting how you broke down the spaces. I agree with all the spaces. Never thought of them broken down like that. I would love to see more on your iron reviews. So glad you’re back. ❤
I'm a musician and have a couple of shelves of sheet music iny sewing room. You have made me realize that I don't really need it to be in my sewing room. It's music that I rarely use and it would be so much nicer just to have only what I need for sewing in my sewing room!
I love all your videos ❤ I have a little u-shape sewing space in my bedroom, separated by curtains. I have my sewing machine built in a table, so it is a flat surface. It makes sewing so much more comfortable. 🥳
Love the Lanstar. It is a gem, the main benefit is it doesn’t seem to burn stuff. I still use a pressing cloth but it is great. Just raise the iron when steaming. I put the large part on the floor.
My sewing area is squeezed into my painting studio, sharing space with my easels, and set ups for three students. And some of my art furniture does double duty for sewing purposes. We had an old armoire style tv cabinet that I had my husband drag into the studio for me, about half of it holds yarn and the other half sewing supplies, keeping things hidden, safe from paint, but nearby when I need them. I picked up a couple items from Amazon that have been a big help for me. The first one is a rolling chest of drawers that just fits under my sewing table, it has six drawers I've filled with most to least used items I like to have handy. The most recent purchase is what I use for a cutting table, it has two leaves that fold down, with two shelves that are boxed in. It's about 57x 35 inches, a good fit for my cutting matt. It's 36 inches tall, the first time I've had a cutting table that didn't give me a backache! It's on casters so I can fold it up and roll it out of the way when I'm not sewing. In case anyone is interested I will put links to the table and drawer chest in the reply.
You are looking healthy and well now. Thankyou for sharing your space. I am in my 80s now and still sewing mainly small craft gifts etc. However as I live in a one bedroom apartment space is quite limited but my dining area is converted into. "workroom. with the objective of storing every thing. My mother who was a sewer and grandmother who was a tailor would still say that I have extra "clutter" but my tools and fabrics keep having offspring. LOL
This comes just in time as I'm planning to make a sewing/craft space for myself. Thank you for laying it out plainly. Btw, I love the dress thank you for the post on that one too! ❤
I'm 69 and have been sewing since I was a child. First experience at 6 - putting my mother's sewing machine needle through my thumb! I was not deterred and have been sewing ever since. I'm living in a small space now and I have found that organization is the key. I know where all my supplies are and how to set up for a sewing day. I think I'm a better sewist than I ever was. It's so good to see you Evelyn doing so well! You are a gift!
I use a small bedroom upstairs in the fall and winter into early spring when it’s not hot. We don’t have AC. All the heat rises upstairs. In the hot months I’m at the dining table downstairs, where we have a portable AC. In the cooler months, I love my sewing space, ample storage. I use a dining table ( which takes up one wall of the room) for cutting with a large cutting mat. Under the dining table is most of my fabric storage in bins, and a place to put rolls of tracing paper, and regular paper, and whatever else rolls. I also have storage in the closet, and also a large rolling cart with so many large and small drawers, which hold all my different interfacings and different sized and types of elastics, ribbons, sewing machine needles, hand sewing needles, buttons, zippers, thread, snaps and grommets etc. My sewing space is on the end length of the dining table, where I put an ironing board which is lowered so I can turn my chair and iron. Downstairs isn’t as comfortable to use a sewing space. It’s cooler because of AC, but I’m left handed but the placement of the power plugins are too far away, so I use power strips, which also barely reach. The problem is, I have a golden retriever who has tripped on the power strip cord while I was sewing and caused my sewing desk lamp to crash on the wood floor, breaking it, and the plugin on my sewing machine came out. Because where she walks to drink and eat has a plugin which I use. So I now I put a kitchen towel over the cord so she doesn’t trip. I have my sewing machine on the large cutting mat with some cutting room, then and the wool ironing mat and mini iron on my left of the sewing machine. In the last 6 months, I have started quilting instead of making clothes. For the notions I need, I repurposed a Costco food platter, which was for vegetables. Tall carrots and celery in the tall section in the middle, with small veg in the smaller but 4” high corners. It holds ALL my notions I need when sewing. I use 2 frixion pens, one pencil, bodkin, seam gauge, scissors and rotary cutter in the tall section, different sized sewing needles, chalk, eraser, pre wound bobbins, spools of thread I’m using, and a lot more I can’t remember right now, I’m on vacation. But it’s perfect for my needs.
I agree with all the areas. I also agree that the cutting area is a clutter magnet. Lovely video. I moved into a space a third the size of my last sewing room so I’ve had to really decide how I wanted to use the room. It was interesting that you basically went to the same categories of organization. I’m very happy for your recovery.
You're looking marvelous. Love the new haircut. I have all you said plus I make purses. That needs to be corralled into one area. Didn't realize that until this video. Thank you.
I am so happy you are dong so well 💓 also, its like you put a camera in my home to watch my sewing apace evolve/devolve. I will definitely try these tips
1) I ❤ the dress you're wearing! 2) Sometimes I like to go through and reorganize my fabric to remind myself of what I've got (and to just enjoy my fabric 😆). 3) I can't stand visual clutter, but have to label bins, cabinets, and drawers because I tend to forget where I've stored things 🤦♀️. 4) my husband and I used a dining table top to build a custom cutting table at a height that doesn't murder my back (42" bc I'm tall). It has a shelf immediately below the top to quickly move stuff out of the way, and another shelf nearer the floor for my scrap bin and 2 quad Ikea units for storage. The whole thing is on locking wheels so I can move it anywhere I want.
Thanks for reminding to store fabric out of the light: I work at a Fabric Reuse store and it is really sad when beautiful fabric is donated, but upon inspection, it is sun faded along the outer folds. It might be pretty to look at if it is in open shelves, but it is in danger of sun damage.
I have a small room that is a sewing, craft, and guest bedroom. Which I'm trying to organise. I'm happy yor back and that dress is fabulous. You look great in it.
