I’m hopeless. I cannot seem to keep my sewing area clean. I’m a pig! I save everything. I buy too much. I could fill up a 10 story building if given just a few months. I don’t want to be a pig but . . why is there always a but? No matter how much organizing I seem to try to do, I’m a failure. Don’t try to make me feel better . . I know the truth . . I’m messy and clutter rules in my sewing room.
I’ve spent days . . really . . cleaning. I’ve thrown away stuff that I thought I would never throw away. I now look at my room and think . . WOW! I’ve cleaned it up and it looks so good. Then I take pictures to share here and I look at the pictures and I think . . If I were looking at these same pictures and they were someone else’s room, I’d think they were horrible!
But (there’s that word again), I did finish the main part of a new quilt top. Maybe I wasn’t cleaning as much as I thought I was! 🙂
Since this is probably as good as it will ever get, I’ll share and please . . don’t hurt my feelings and don’t try to make me feel better. It’s still a mess but it’s a better mess than it was. And, I’m pretty happy with the way it looks right now so what else matters? Right???
Of all the progress I made (yes, I consider it progress), this photo probably shows the best.
- The cutting table is clean
- The ironing table is clean
- The floor in front of the fabric is clean
- All the fabric is put on the shelves (except for the bolts) and it’s a bit neater than it was.
- The top shelf has been cleaned off.
Both sewing tables are fairly clean. The floor has been vacuumed . . well, most of the floor has been vacuumed.
The longarm table is clean. Nothing is piled up on there. Whatever is on there is what’s supposed to be there.
I’m going to clean some more and I’m hopefully going to get it looking a little better but I can live with it the way it is right now.
Karleen Taylor says
Your room looks very nice Judy! It will never look as nice as your friends because you don’t have the same shelving system she has. I can see that if you needed a piece of fabric 6 piles down the whole pile is going to shift more or maybe tumble over. You need to spend more money on shelving if you want that quilt store look. 🙂 But then there is that saying, “A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind” and a noted psychologist says that “A clean desk can hinder worker efficiency”. I’m sure that applies to sewing room tables, etc. So be creative! Make a mess! Enjoy the process! 🙂
Karleen
Judy D says
I clicked on the pictures to enlarge them so I could see horrible. I think I need a new, more ginormous monitor because I can’t see horrible.! Relax, create, enjoy. Mostly relax.
I love that you have your machine cabinets side by side. And what is that thing under your longarm, in front of the drawers–an attachment?
I think your room looks awesome. 🙂
Pat says
All I will say is…..I’m a quilting PIG, too. And….I’m proud of it!!! LOL
Kathy B in TN says
Hey Judy
There’s money on your floor!!!
Your space looks great to me – but then again I know the feeling that it’s “just not neat enough” – my space is that way too.
Do you like your Ott Lite? I’m considering getting one. The old eyes are just not what they used to be . . .
CJ says
Judy, what I see is a sewing room that makes you very happy! You create art in that room, and you do it on a regular basis, so I’d say your sewing room is absolutely perfect!
katie z. says
If you’re happy, the rest of us will be happy for you! I currently have wooden beads everywhere on my floor because my girls decided to spill them! You don’t have that problem…
Jerzydeb says
I think it’s just perfect. My “sewing room” is spread out through multiple rooms, and I guess it’ll remain that way until I can convince one of the kids to move out? Either way, I’m printing out copies of your room for inspiration one day !
Now – to wade through the paperwork so I can sew sometime this weekend !
Pam says
Looking good.
Unfortunately, creating causes clutter.
Be thankful that you have that nice space to work in.
Just call it C3 or C cubed (creating causes clutter).
Have fun and keep on doing what you are doing.
We have cool weather this morning in the sunny south.
Elaine says
Judy, I love your room, and I loved it when I saw it a few weeks ago when it was messy! I’d trade you even up but you’d be miserable in my room without your stuff! You make lots and lots of beautiful quilts in that room and I wouldn’t change a thing. Except maybe pick up that dollar hiding under your cabinet!
Jane says
Judy,
The fact that you can see all those surfaces in your room makes it super tidy in my eyes!!!!!! Gosh, I wish I could get mine to that point…….
Elaine says
PS – I am NOT trying to make you feel better! You ARE messy, I’ve been in your car! But I love you just the way you are and I wouldn’t want you to be a neat freak, cause then we couldn’t spill in your car, and you wouldn’t be YOU!
Ruth Landon says
Looks great to me, But thing that matters is that you ae appy with it its the room where you spend alot of time so you don’t need to please the rest of the World. Just enjoy.’
Ruth
Mary C says
I had to click on the pictures to see the money on your floor. There’s MORE money on those shelves and they good darn good to me! So much easier to see what you have and not have to wind fabric on bolts. I think I’m taking all my fabric off the bolts, when my wrist feels better. I bet I can fit a lot more into my small pantry closet that way. I’ll take a picture when it’s done. I have a tole painted sign that says, “Mom’s workshop, Enter at your own Risk” on it…
Linda says
Your sewing room looks great to me. And I’m not just saying that to make you feel better. I tend to call a spade a spade. I envy you all your space. My main sewing room is in a 9 x 12.5 room that it shares with a set of bunk beds and a chest of drawers. Fabric is stored in two other spots in the basement as well. My Gammill Premier is in yet another room where I have to continually move it from side to side & end to end to get around it while I work. Neatness isn’t everything, you know. 🙂
Linda Stichtenoth says
Judy, slow down there, girl. You’re being WAY too hard on yourself. Your sewing area looks fantastic and who cares if it doesn’t always look that way?! You’re a creative, enterprising spirit. Creativity is a messy business. Enjoy your room, let your imagination lead you, and forget the rest of the stuff that doesn’t matter in the longrun anyway.
pdudgeon says
Judy, pats on the back for you. you’ve done an excellent job of cleaning up. Now i can see that there’s a floor and some room for Speck to run around and play. I bet he’ll like that.
Annie says
Looks fabulous, Judy, wish it were mine! I’d love to own all that fabric and equipment. Drool, drool.
: )
swooze says
OK I have seen your notes on other blogs about how nicely their stash is organized. Yours is too. I am just going to have to show mine sooner than I had planned. Will get it done and posted this weekend. You will think your stash and organization is perfect!
Connie T says
I’m in trouble if this picture shows “horrible”. I would call this very neat – as you say, the fabric is up off the floor, I don’t see a stack of “discards” or “maybes” adywhere. I wish I could get my sewing room to look that neat!
And I agree with the other comments – your space is marvelous!
Michelle says
I won’t comment on whether or not your room is clean except to say that I wish my sewing space looked like that. I’m drooling over all the fabric! It’s also looks like you’ve made efficient use of your space! I can’t believe you fit all that in there! I love your vintage machine. It looks like it’s in excellent condition.
Pat L says
Looks like heaven to me!
Creativity is not tidy. It takes time (a limited commodity) to tidy up so the only necessary cleaning is the cleaning that allows you to use your creativity to it’s fullest. Allow yourself to enjoy the blessings of your sewing space without guilt.
call me crazy says
It looks very nice to me too. I had to enlarge it to find the money too~ kinda like ‘Where Is Waldo’. LOL I’m curious about what is under the log cabin quilt~? my first thought was so goofy, I won’t say it. 🙂
Sandy says
Your sewing room looks great to me. You have a nice large room to spread out and even have 2 sewing machines set up at once, never mind the longarm.
I lilke the way you have all your colors of fabric lined up so you know right where to go to pick something out. I have mine in various containers and hard to find anything.
I wish I had more room (sharing computer/sewing) but then I used to be sewing on the kitchen table. At least now I don’t have to put everything away before eating at the table.
Richelle Robinson says
I think it looks great! You shouldn’t feel bad that things get a little untidy, it happens to the best of people. Enjoy it!
Greg says
Judy, stop stressing about the sewing room. At least you have a sewing ROOM! My sewing machine lives on my work desk, and my fabric is stashed everywhere – kitchen closet, dresser drawers, etc. Someday I will have a nice sewing room like yours. Enjoy all that space!
Liz says
Your room looks good – especially since it is at a point where you are comfortable with it. Sometimes, that is all that is needed.
Your stash looks like it has been near some strong winds – they are all leaning one way – like a lot of trees in Oklahoma! Could Vince make you some vertical dividers – clear plexi that can be placed in the center of the shelf with o-rings. You would get the feel of a bunch of cubbies on your shelving, but it would still be open and flexible.
I have worked on my room this week – the fabric mound got moved out into the hallway and I am sorting into smaller piles for filing into the stash closets. But I am feeling good about my room and I want to get back into sewing.
Penny says
I think it looks great, I’d love to have a sewing room that big. Just waiting for my son to move out then maybe I can take over his room which is bigger.
Mary says
It looks neater than mine does at the moment although the downstairs looks better since I bought the shelving unit a couple weeks ago.
Cindy Kuipers says
I think your room looks GREAT!!
If you are happy with it, that’s all that matters.
I have the same problem with saving everything and having a hard time getting things uncluttered and organized, no matter how hard I try.
Cindy K
Cindy says
You know what I really like? You can see all your colors. Your colors are organized. I’d dither for 20 minutes on “is this blue or grey?” “or maybe it looks green!”.
I keep buying the same fabric over and over cause I can’t see what I have.
Literally, I have at least 4 cuts of the same floral print. I must really like it! I won’t use it, but I love it.
carol c says
You have made progress
Quit laying into yourself, and let the hens do the laying-lol
it looks great, and you have SO MUCH room
i am envious
the fabs look clean and compact and approachable
great job!
Marilyn says
Just curious, what do you use your Singer 301 for? I have one and would like to use it more.
Susan Calitz says
Love that when you tidy you sew something.
Thats what I also do.
Love the money saving tip: HIde your money under the sewing table!!
Susan
Becky R says
There is nothing wrong in any of your pictures. I wished my room looked as good as yours. Don’t I wish.
dee says
We seem to have sooooo much in common. I think I win this one though since I can’t even get near the mess to take a photo. My “studio” is getting done and I like to think it will be nice and neat. It’s only a dream. Reality is that I’m a messy quilter and I always will be. I was the same when I was an artist. Paints, paper, pens and ink all over the place. Acceptance is the key. Be happy with who you are. Don’t know why that’s so hard- but I’m working at it.
Cindy LeCamus says
Your sewing room is gorgeous!!!! Cleaning the sewing room really is overrated, As long as you can find what you are looking for. Either you clean or you sew…be kind to yourself!!!!!!!!!!! Love your quilts, what is the quilt under the table, is it quilted?
ruth anne shorter says
That is a gorgeous space! I love how you have your 301 is in the cabinet beside your other (Bernina?) machine and then your longarm. I put my 301 in its cabinet in my family room so I could sew and talk to hubby. But I haven’t done it one time since I moved it. Maybe it is going back upstairs! LOL I love all the fabric colors and the way it is displayed. My fabric is just in plastic crates stacked 3 deep on a knee hole wall (right terminology?)
I have had these crates for 20 yrs or so. As they sometimes break, I just replace them. But I didn’t want them closed up and not see the fabric. But I lilke those metal shelves much better. My room is a wonderful room over the garage with lots of windows and a patio door with a small deck.