Here are some pics of my new sewing studio. I haven’t moved everything over yet and I’m still organizing but here is what it looks like so far. Sorry for the lighting quality….I don’t quite have the perfect lighting figure out yet. You know that I am a fanatical/borderline OCD about organization and cleanliness…. everything has to have its place for me to work….so I’ve shared a few tips as well!
The sewing side of the studio:
Another view of sewing side:
Mr. LBB built the sewing workspace for my Mother’s Day present along with the closet shelves. Here is a view of the underneath so you can see how it is made. Basically he attached two 2×4’s onto the wall and then drilled steel shelf supports into those and added the counter. You can easily drill holes for your power cords with an attachment for your household drill. Total cost for work bench: $40.
I store smaller pattern pieces are kept on hooks right above my cutting table. You can get the metal rings at any office supply.
The larger pattern pieces are stored by size on pattern hooks:
Bins organizing scrap knits by color and type:
Labeled bins to keep me straight: ready to sew, ready to screen, in progress and customer knits.
Stored knits in the closet waiting their turn:
Lots of yummy thread colors:
Finally all of my pattern templates are organized and notched. I use a pattern notcher to punch out key markings for my patterns to line up:
I use an inexpensive scrapbook punch to add holes for the pattern hooks:
And each pattern gets hung up by size onto a garment rack! Easy to grab and put back! The pattern hooks string right through the hole to hold them.
Well that’s it for now! Gotta get back to work! Hope you enjoyed the peek!
Update: I had a few questions from this post and wanted to answer them.
Where so I buy pattern hooks and other supplies?
Amazon has a great selection of almost everything you need.
What do you use for your pattern templates?
I don’t use the manila paper for my patterns….just poster board which I buy in large quantities from an office supply.
Which machines do you use?
I only have 2 overlock sergers. Both are a Brother 1034. I love the quality of the stitch on this machine and it is very inexpensive so I can run it into the ground. I have one I use every day and the other as a backup because sometimes machines break or need parts. I do have to replace the knives on this machine pretty often though…..but that is probably because about 10 dresses get sewn on it a day. A great supply for those is Sewing Parts Online. They have great customer service over the phone too. Don’t try to sharpen the knives yourself…..it won’t work, the fit of the knives is too precise….and no knife shop will touch them. I also have a Brother Coverstitch which I use mostly for hemming. There are machines that will do both the overlock and the coverstitch but I like having a standalone machine for each function.
That is an amazing studio! Now i just want to see you in action! do you really use multiple colors of thread on your serger at one time? so cool! and you have THREE sergers? wow! I love your closet full of knits too…so much fabric, so little time!
O m g !!!!!
that is the most beautiful and organized work space I have ever seen! you have given me some great ideas to organize my space! thank you!!!!
Wow three sergers! Mine is still sitting in the box 🙂 I think it's the same one… Looks VERY nice!
looks amazing!!! your work is so awesome!!! you have a very bright future ahead of you!!! best of luck:)
Wow! Awesome!
You may have just given me a heart attack. I. Am. Beyond. Jealous. 😉
xoxoxox love it!!!!!!
I love it so far. I also love that you explained how you keep everything organized.
Wow, wow, wow! So much to just go "waaaaaah!" over!!! That workspace is heaven. Your organization of that workspace is heaven. Those sergers…oh, those sergers all in a row–heaven! (I have yet to get my first one–I am saving up!) The ability to have Boo play outside and be able to see her–heaven! You must have been so good in your last life! he he he! 🙂
Hugs to your hubby for that great workspace as well! You really deserve it!
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
What a wonderful work space! I love the tip on hanging patterns, but where did you get the hooks? Inspired to clean up my work room now! Thanks!
I love it!
Oh, and I am rasterbating right now. That's a crazy name for it, but will look great in my tweens room! Thanks for sharing!
Um, how many machines/sergers do you have?!?
Um, how many machines/sergers do you have?!?
So lovely, neat and tidy; how I dream of my crafty space being!
That workbench is PERFECT. I may steal that idea. Hope you don't mind!
awesome, awesome!! i have a couple of questions…
what do you make your pattern pieces out of? is that some sort of plastic?? i LOVE the idea of hanging them up on hangers like that. i dont know how many hours i lose just looking for all of my pieces!
what kind of serger do you use? they all look like the same kind. i'm curious as to what brand/model? i love using my serger but it's definitely a love/hate relationship. it is so awesome when it is on a roll but as soon as a thread breaks, it takes me forever to get it back to where i was before…and that's neat you use all of those fun colors together.
thanks so much for sharing this insight into how you work. i love seeing people's spaces.
Seriously, I think you "out OCD" me (NOT an easy task…impossible according to my DH)!!!! WOW! You're amazing!
Ashley! This is hugely inspiring. I'm moving soon into a new house and getting my own sewing room. Not quite as large of a space as you appear to have here, but I definitely want to incorporate some of your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing.
Amazing. I love it! You must be thrilled!
Your sewing studio is beautiful…I love how it looks out to the pool area…I wish mine did! You are very blessed! I wish I was as organized as you are- it felt calming just to view your photos!
You are an inspiration! Thanks for all of the great tips and pointers.
ooooooh i am turning into a mrs shrek (as in green with envy), what a lotta space,,,,,,,how organised. i have a little cabinet that my machine sits on and thats it! its in the lounge so i can be with the kids too.
then again you are exteeeemely talented so hey girl you NEED the space. good on your hubby to help out. he gets a gold star from us.
thanks for sharing the tips too.
becky
bpbajona(at)maltanet(dot)net
Wow, what a great place to work!
Your work space is beautiful! And so organized.
Wow- great organization:) That was super nice of your hubby to build you shelves in your workspace! This post is getting me very inspired to keep organizing my space. Can I use pics (with credit, of course) of your studio for a post I'm working on? I love it!
Emily
Here is my hypothesis on your multiple sergers:
You have a different foot on each one, so you dont' have to keep switching up; you just move from one to the next.
Am I even close?
I have an el-cheapo serger, but I might like it more if I used fun colors. 🙂
ah just kidding I just found your FAQs!
Ashley, your shop looks amazing! I'm impressed with your organization!! SO fabulous. I need to do some of that 🙂
I love the rasterized poster idea!
I linked to you on my blog. Thank you!
deliacreates.blogspot.com
Oh, boy it has been long since I've visited. You have been a busy bee like always. Now you've even changed studios. I'm also working on organizing my new studio space. It sure takes time, doesn't it?
Looking good! =)
hi..
this is really beautiful n well organized studio. since i live in Indonesia & have assistant to take care my daughter,, I'm also amaze how u organize Ur time 4 sewing while taking care boo. U r my inspiration.
Hey. I am teaching myself how to sew (both with a traditional machine and a serger) and was having trouble with the serger and I honestly thought of you first and hope you might help. I am sewing onto the fabric fine and the stiches appear to be correct when I match them up with the owners manual, but it isn't tight at all. As soon as you flip the garment right-side out the stiches show without even being put on! I have tried to play with the tension settings and all that seems to do is mess up the position of the stiches on the fabric. What am I missing?