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Come behind the scenes at A Happy Stitch for a #CraftRoomTour and see Melissa's sewing room in New Jersey.
My sewing space is just about my favorite space in the whole world. It is a cutting table, a sewing table, a bookcase and a chest of drawers filled with luscious fabric. Under the cutting table is a rolling organizer and an old toy chest. All of that is tucked into a corner of my bedroom. Thankfully, the room has windows on three sides so it is bright and filled with natural light. I love sunny, warm days when I can play my mellow music and sew, sew, sew. I'm endlessly grateful for that time.
One of the other things I love about my space is that all of the furniture in my sewing studio, except for the two white tables, is up-cycled. The chest of drawers was given to me by a neighbor while the bookcase and organizer under my cutting table is old furniture the kids outgrew. I love that I can hobble together my creative space out of these pieces. I think it's good juju.
Tell us about your space
My sewing studio is one half of our large Master Bedroom. My husband and I agreed, as soon as we looked at the house, that I was going to commandeer the space. I wasn't sure if I would like working in the same room as I sleep. I'm still not sure if I like it!! It's a bit of a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, I can use the bed and the rest of the room to spread things out on. On the other hand, I need to keep my sewing space very tidy or it will drive me to crazy to look at it when I'm trying to get to sleep. My husband isn't bothered either way but I need to put things away and keep it relatively tidy.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
To make the space more homey, I attached a molding to one side of the wall so I can hang up cards, fabric swatches and handmade items from friends. I love being surrounded by so many beautiful things. I also can easily switch them up and hang pattern instructions up so I only need to glance over as I work.
I also love having plants around. Green living things make the space feel more vibrant.
How do you keep organized?
To stay organized, I keep my fabric tidy in a chest of drawers where it is easy to see but only when I open the drawers. I use up-cycled baskets to organize everything in the chest under my cutting table and keep my sewing odds and ends tucked away in the rolling metal organizer.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Take the time to find a place for everything! And, stay flexible enough to look around every once in a while and check if you need to re-evaluate if you actually have a place for everything! I'm still working on this myself.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
One of my most favorite possessions is an embroidery piece my friend made me that says, Dare To Be Awesome. I strive for that as much as I can but it's important to have a reminder that it's ok to aim for awesome! As I sew my own clothing, I am often either wearing one of my creations or I have it hanging on my dress form.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I organize my ideas and inspiration in lots of different ways. I keep all my sewing patterns in a file cabinet and a flip-through binder. I also keep lots of notebooks and journals on hand for when an idea strikes. I would also say that I'm deeply inspired by patterns and fabric so having my patterns and fabric accessible and organized is key.
Where do you look for inspiration?
By far my best ideas come to me while I am working on something. I can come up with a million things to make and create once I am cutting and stitching something. I need to be in motion and in action. I can't just stay in my head, I need to dive in.
I also love getting inspired by my students! I am a sewing instructor and I love the buzz I get my being around people new to sewing. I always leave my classes feeling even more inspired by the creative energy my students bring to the classroom.
Other than that, most of the time if I am feeling stuck it is because I'm indecisive. I just can't decide! When that happens, I try to listen to my gut. Even if it tells me to try something odd that I'm worried won't work out, I try to just listen. When I really listen to my gut I don't regret it.
Lastly, I also find lots of inspiration in sewing supplies themselves, actually. A stroll through a big craft store or a fabric store will help exorcise any self-doubt and get my juices flowing again. I can sometimes find Pinterest or blogs inspiring as well but only in small doses.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
My dream craft space would have it's own door so I could close it at the end of the day without having to clean up! But, other than that, I don't think I would change much!
Whose craft room would you love to explore? Send us a message!
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