Today I get to share with you my small sewing space.
I would be lying if I said I didn’t want a spacious sewing studio with a pool table sized cutting tables, grand windows, beautiful hardwood floors, and walls lined with shelves full of expensive fabric. BUT…even though that would be crazy awesome and I would love it…I can’t complain. I have carved out for myself a small sewing nook that I use everyday and LOVE (a lot) even if it won’t ever be on the cover of a magazine.
Last year my husband and I did quite a bit of changing and rearranging in our home. And one of the changes we made was to create a “work room” from one of the bedrooms in our house. In this room we gave every child their own space with their own desk, chair, and caddy full of work supplies. Their desks aren’t fancy…one is an old sewing table from the 70’s given to Elizabeth who in turn gave it to me, one is the desk I used as a child, and the other is one we bought at a thrift shop that Mario used to use.
We then filled the room and closet with paper, pencils, glue, books, scissors, whatever they might need for both their school work…and their creative work.
We also began decorating the walls with images that they liked and would be inspiring and uplifting.
Once it was completed it didn’t take us long to figure out that the kids were going to be spending A LOT of time in this room. So we decided to add one more desk…for me. That way I could be in there working alongside my littles…something which I was pretty excited about.
The room is tiny and already had three desks and a book case so it needed to be as small and efficient as possible. I looked around for several weeks before I found exactly what I wanted…the Kallax Workstation from IKEA.
Not only was it a perfect size but it was a desk and storage unit all in one. Plus…the price was right. At $102 dollars it was a luxury that I could actually afford! Yipee!!!!
So the Kallax became a part of the work room creating a work space for me right in the center of my kids! And it has been perfect. The shelving holds all my supplies. (Which aren’t Fancy Nancy either….like a Dollar Store bin to hold the contents of upcoming projects and a painted food canister to hold my scissors, rotary cutter, measuring tape, etc.)
And the desk makes a perfect sewing table.
My baby lock Elizabeth fits there quite nicely!
So there I sit….in the middle of chaos. Sewing and visiting with my kids while they work, glue, figure math problems, and color. It’s not glamorous…but it works and it makes me happy. Really happy.
Plus…you want to know a secret….
Even with my small sewing space…you want to know where I still do most of my sewing. Right at the kitchen table.
I love sewing in afternoon while the older kids are at school. I set the machine up on the table, put a towel on the counter that serves as an ironing board and sew while Baby Ruth eats lunch and curls up on the couch for an afternoon nap. It’s kind of like my heaven.
And as my husband pointed out would probably still be my heaven…even if I had the sewing studio of my dreams. 🙂
-liZ
PS: My favorite sewing chair is in this room and it also came from IKEA…but I don’t get to use it very often. It’s the most wanted chair in the work room and without fail, whoever gets into the work room first steals it as their own for the evening. It’s the Molte chair from IKEA and for $14 its kind of lame that I haven’t just gotten one for everyone in the room.
It looks great for a small space. We all make do with what we have. I used to make pageant dresses in a little cubby hole in my bedroom.
I sewed for craft fairs for years on a card table set up in the family room. It’s true! We make do with what we have! And really what we have is all we need.
-liZ
That should be one of the treats for yourself–the chairs! Then you all have one and you get yours again!! Placing your desk in there is the smartest thing– really. I have my own room and I can’t tell you how often my girls are in here. I posted it on my Instagram (I’ll have to add the tag you mentioned) and in the commentary I say how it is so much more than just a craft room. It’s where life happens. 🙂 I love your table and space!!!
I love it! And on the list of things that make me happy is the fact that we have the same sewing machine. Happy!
I LOVE your setup and wish I’d had similar when my kids were young.
What a happy space! (And love seeing the Four Corners fabric there.)
Love your space! And your creative room! I wonder if I can convince Lisbon to nap on the sofa.
What a cozy happy space 🙂
I should do that for one of my treat myself days!!!!
And I feel like whatever room mom is in is the gathering place and where life happens. 🙂
-liZ
That’s awesome! The Elizabeth is THE BEST!!!! I looooooove that machine!
-liZ
Thank you for sharing! I love that desk of yours, and that you are with the kids. I also love the table that Mario used.
I have been looking for a new sewing desk and this one is perfect! Thank you so much for telling us about this.
Thanks Pam. I love the set up to. It doesn’t make for a lot of quiet sewing BUT I love working in there with my kids.
-liZ
I love sewing the Four Corners Fabric in there too! It makes me smile just having it there.
-liZ
Some days it does take convincing….other days it just happens after a warm lunch and with a soft blanket there waiting for her!
-liZ
Thank you Jenya! I like it!
-liZ
I love the desk that Mario used too! I just realized that I don’t have a photo of the entire desk. Dang it. I love that thing. It’s a desk from the late 70’s and it’s pretty cool. We refinished the bottom but that top was too cool to change.
-liZ
Debbie, it really is a great set up for sewing. I am so glad that I got it!
-liZ
What a great space! I absolutely love the board with inspiring people!
Thanks! I used to have it hanging in my classroom but I loved it so much that when we made this work room I pulled it out of my old teaching bin and hung it up in there.
I wish I could stand in the middle of the room and feel the creative energy! I can’t wait until my family can do something similar (when they children all arrive and grow up a bit.) But what really struck me is your “What Will You Do?” board. I think I need to make one for myself to remember ordinary people have great potential. Thanks for sharing.