Creating a Sewing Space for Quilting

When the spring cleaning bug bites, why not take advantage of it by rearranging your sewing area? Whether you have an entire room devoted to quilting, a small area, or whether you quilt on the go, all work spaces can be made more comfortable or more efficient.

The first consideration you will need to make is whether you will do any piecing or quilting by machine. If so, you will need to make appropriate accommodations for the sewing machine. Make sure it is set up at a height comfortable to you. You may have a sewing machine in a cabinet or you may have a portable one that you set on a table top. Either one is fine as long as they are at the proper height for you as you sew.

If you will use a sewing machine, make sure to set up a table to the left of the machine and behind it. This will allow you to more comfortably deal with the excess of your quilt as you work on a specific area.

By keeping so much of your quilt from just dropping to the floor as you sew, you stand a better chance of sewing in more evenly spaced stitches. Also, if the quilt pulls too much while it is under the machine,  your needle might break. Needle damage can ruin a quilt, harm your machine and – if the needle breaks and flies out – might even cause injury to yourself.

As you rearrange your quilting materials and craft space, determine whether you have proper lighting.  Too much or too little light can cause eye damage. These days there are so many bulb options. As a sales clerk to help you determine the best one for your craft room needs. Some bulbs mimic daylight, office light, etc. Telling the sales rep what your needs are can better help him/her select the right bulb for your sewing room.

If your overhead lighting is lacking, consider adding a floor lamp. By using a floor lamp, you can choose to move the lamp to various points of the room to determine which better lights for each project.

You may determine that you also need lighting closer to your project. A small clamp light might help that situation. Again, it can easily be moved to accommodate changing natural lighting.

If you don’t already have an ironing board accessible in your sewing area, consider adding one. It doubles as a handy, adjustable “table” top for cutting fabric pieces plus encourages you to press your seam allowances as you work.  If you have enough room, you can even adjust the ironing board so you can press out your seams while sitting!

If you don’t already have an established sewing area and are creating one, make sure the space fits your needs.

Do you need a quiet place with few distractions? Find the best room in the house to accommodate that.

Many quilters like working on their projects while enjoying time with family and friends. If this best describes you,  set up your quilting area close to a busy room. Just be mindful that your sewing machine (if you use one) might distract from the TV or video games that other family members are playing while you quilt.

Also keep in mind that your area might accumulate small thread scraps, little pieces of fabric, etc. Keep a broom or small, handheld vacuum handy to keep the area picked up – especially if your quilting area is in an area shared by the entire family. A small waste basket near your sewing area will also be helpful.

© 2010-, Penny Halgren. This article courtesy of http://www.How-To-Quilt.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.