Having a craft room is priceless

[MichelleMermaid]

A few weeks ago my co-worker showed me a list of the expenditures of a Merril Lynch big wig who revamped his office for a mere million or so. One of the things that sticks in my mind is the commode he bought for about 30 grand...truly amazing!

I had to laugh, as I had just completed arrangement of my craft room - on a dime! And I love it so much.

My little room measures in at exactly 99 square feet and has room for everything I need. I furnished it with a bunch of leftover furniture I either already owned, bought cheaply or borrowed.

The architect's desk is a remnant from my college days. It has a newish top wider than the original, but it works great. It gives me a wide plane for working and because the smallest side is up against the wall I can work sitting on my chair and then walk around to the other side to work on something else, which I do quite often. One of my rotary mats works great right there on the desk top where I can easily measure out a length of thread or fabric and cut with a rotary wheel as I please. The lamp I bought at Walmart for $20. I bought the lap loom from a friend who owns a quilt shop for $60.

Behind the desk sits a chest of drawers purchased from my quilter friend for $50. In it I store my fabrics and the top holds some UFOs, including a king size quilt headed, hopefully sooner rather than later, for my bed.

Here is my little corner where I can iron, sew and serge without having to get up.

It took me a while to put this ensemble together, but it works great. The bookshelf is also a leftover from early days. The Babylock sewing machine was a gift from my mom for 8th grade graduation, I think, or somewhere around there. I've had it forever. The serger is at least a decade old, but still seems new to me. Nothing you see here has been newly purchased.

I am particularly proud of this number, our old entertainment center that was headed for the curb but, as you can see, I gave it a new life as a storage unit.

I wasn't sure if it would work for this purpose, but, surprisingly, it really does. The big gaping hole where the tv sat holds this three-drawer plastic chest really well, with room on the side and top. I bought the chest at Walmart for $23. I'm also proud of myself for organizing its contents: the top drawer has embroidery thread, the middle holds carded ribbons and trim and the bottom drawer holds laces and appliques.

I really love the space on top which holds a nice bright lamp and my computer and speakers. I am in absolute heaven when I can stitch while listening to a book downloaded from the Kansas library. When I have a story going and needle and thread in my hand I am in a state of bliss in which the hours fly by and, really, the entire world melts away.

The relationship between my craft room and I has been a marriage of the best kind. So, it seems fitting that I also have something borrowed that also happens to be blue.

This glider was sitting in my mom's garage and she kindly let me borrow it. I wasn't sure if it would fit, but I scooted the entertainment center...excuse me, storage center....over and it slid in just fine. You can't see the little drink stand, but there is one. I like to sit here with a longish project. And my stitching books are conveniently located to my left on the bookshelf.

So, let's see what it actually cost to set up this room.

Desk: free (equals already owned item)
Lamp: $20
Loom: $60
Chest of drawers: $50
Sewing machine: free
Serger: free
Bookshelves: free
Iron and ironing board: free
Entertainment/storage center: free
Plastic chest of drawers: $23
Glider: free

Total cost of room? $153

Value of having my own space to create where I can shut the door: PRICELESS!!!

If you'd like to see more details of my lovely little craft space head over to my flickr account for a looksee.

[Margaret]

Such a great place for your stitching and so tidy I think you put most of us to shame. You seem to know where everything is good on you. My stuff is all over the house, I do have a small room but it is too cold to stitch in and the light is poor. Every so often I try to re arrange things and end up in a bigger mess than when I started!!  I do most of my stitching in my klitchen the warmest room in the house but it means I am constantly clearing things away when it is time for meals etc, never mind I am happy in my little world.The big drawback to having things all over the place is the time I spand trying to find them.

[Meg Mackenzie]

Michelle, thank you for sharing the pictures (and costs) of your craft room. It is wonderful. It is so good having a space to oneself. At present, my painting, sewing, craft storage and office are all shoved into a 3x3m space along with my husband's desk and a single bed. It's a tight squeeze and whenever we have a guest I have to clear out! To my delight, we will soon be getting our house plans back so that we can begin building extensions to our house - and the extensions include a room for my office and sewing room WITHOUT a spare bed in it. I am so looking forward to it! All of your lovely pictures are giving me good ideas.

[Jacki Biller]

You did a great job of utilizing what little space you have.  Looks comfy and cozy as well as efficient.

[Connie Kusevskis]

I agree, having a designated space for your crafts is priceless. For over 30 years I had my stuff all over the house with no room for a designated space. When my husband retired we added on space to our cabin in northern Wisconsin, sold our house in Illinois and moved north. I made sure I would now have a crafts room, and I love it every day, everything is at my fingertips. The room doubles as a guestroom for the grand kids, with bunk beds, but I have a whole wall of closet that can be closed off, and I have my stuff on every shelf, I also have all my tablecloths hanging on special hangers, that was also a dream of mine, now they are always ready to put on the table, I don't have to iron them first. I finally got organized.

Connie

[FlowerLady]

I love what you have done, and you are so right about your own space being priceless.

[Linda]

What a great idea to use the old entertainment center for storage. The big opening (for TV) always puzzled me...what to put in there. And you have the answer. Now I'll be on the lookout for one of those at a garage sale - thanks for sharing your ideas. I agree about taking time to organize and put things away when the creative process is stalled a bit. In fact, that's what I think I'll do this morning....get organized.
Linda

[Iris]

Hi,
I remember the days of the perfect workspace, but now I can only live there in my dreams. I have posted here about how I live now.
But, one of the most valuable things I have found is to have a workbench/table at the correct height, which does vary depending on the type of craft/project being done. As my different projects vary so greatly, so does my working height.
I heard a few years ago that one of our hospitals had some old operating tables that had been in storage for many years and they were not sure what to do with them. They are the old hydraulic type and were being replaced with new electric ones. Fortunately I did have a connection, and managed to snap up two of them - one for hubby and one for me, for a steal -a few$100 instead of the usual $10,000s. They can articulate in almost any direction. I can sit or stand, can work like an easel or a table, just perfect.
Now I only need a dedicated room to use it in - lives in hubby's workshop at present. Just doesn't seem to go with the dining room decor somehow!
Cheers, Iris

[merrilyn]

Looks good wish I could organise mine and keep it tidy
I also recyle furniture to use in my sewing room
Tables Draws even a dislay cabinet that I use as a light box which is 6ft long and 18" wide with soild timber frame and flouro light with 3 doors on the front 18' high and I store roller boxes under neath shall put a picture on when tidy up

[MichelleMermaid]

Hi Marihette,
Part of the reason the room is so tidy is because it is new, I think. The other reason the surfaces are so clean is because I had everything tucked away before shooting the photos. I even vacuumed! haha! I wanted it to look nice for the photos.
However, the room is so small that there just isn't room for much clutter. I have a lot of clutter problems and you would see it if I took pictures in the dining room and my bedroom. And right now I am in the middle of making a lot of motifs for a swap, so I have ribbons, beads and threads strewn all over my desk. Every once in a while, though I clear everything off and put everything away, usually after I am done with a certain project.
I also find that being able to see everything really helps. I mean, I have places for everything and can put them right back where they belong...threads go here...fabric goes there...
I am also working hard to keep up with projects and really finish what I start. I do have the UFO pile, but it is out of the way, yet where I can still see it.
At times when I am weary or tired of the creative process I do some housekeeping. There are moments when I am really in the flow of making something and the times when I am not I find it a good time to organize and put away.
Dakotah

[Marihette Fourie]

Hi one question? How do you keep your work space so tidy?