A little while ago I ran a poll in my sidebar asking my visitors whether they had a dedicated craft or sewing area at their place. I gave them 4 answer options:
- Yes
- No
- Sometimes – when we don’t want to eat at the table!
- Yes – there’s always projects all over the house!
The results were different to what I expected. A huge 61% of people said “yes” while only 7% said “no”. The others either have a space sometimes – subject to wanting to use the table for eating (17%) – or were like me and had craft projects all over the house. As I look around the room I’m in, I have one end of couch covered with my knitting bag, my stitching bag and a half-finished baby present. Here at the table I have my laptop and a pile of projects to add my Madeit store. I have another room where I have the sewing machine set up and all my supplies stored. Athough I must admit that I might not have so much spread out if not for my lovely husband being out.
Anyway, the 61% got me thinking… what is their craft space like? Is it a whole room? Is it the corner of another room? Is it in the spare room and gets packed away when the mother-in-law comes to visit?
A few years ago when we lived in a different house and I had a new baby and a toddler, I wanted a space where I could scrapbook and not have to pack it away all the time. It had to be away from the curious toddler and available at all hours of the day and night. After all, I was feeding a baby at all hours. So I bought a large foldable table from Officeworks and set it up in our bedroom. It just fit in. I stacked all my supplies (which was not nearly as much stuff as I have now!) in boxes under and on the table. It was perfect. I could go in there when the kids were napping and do a little scrapping, then walk away and leave everything as it was for later. The table also served as an extra occasionally when we had a party so that was good too.
Now that table is still used for crafting. sometimes the sewing machine is on it with the cutting mat beside it. Sometimes it is still used for scrapbooking. Sometimes for other crafts. It really was worth the $50 or so that I spent on it!
But the craft/sewing space that I dream of? It has floor to ceiling cabinets to store everything neatly. It has a fold down cutting table that’s big enough to spread out a quilt on. It has a permanent spot for the sewing machine. It has a workspace with room to have friends crafting as well. It has narrow shelves to put beautifully folded pieces of fabric on so you can see them easily. It has a comfy armchair in the corner with a snuggly throw and a footstool so I can curl up and read crafty books. It has lots of natural light. It has a couch for those rare times when I let my cherubs sit and chat to me while I craft. {sigh} Sounds lovely {sigh}
Want to dream some more? Check out the collection of pictures I found of dreamy craft rooms on Pinterest. There are at least 10 great ones there! I started out thinking I would put the pictures over here but I think I’ve said enough so pop over there and see them.
Tell me about your dream craft or sewing space. What would it absolutely have to have in it? Or maybe you have it already? Share so we can all drool!
I have DD’s old bedroom as my “studio”. It contains my PC, a shared sewing machine (it’s DD’s but lives here for the moment), and some crafting supplies – I am still in the process of moving in to the room and setting it up! Knitting takes place in front of the TV, dyeing (and, rarely, painting) in the screened patio at the back of out house, and wet crafts like felting in the kitchen!
Yesterday I had a fluorescent light installedi n my studio; it has made a huge difference but it isn’t the same as loads of natural light!
I’m big on natural light so I often end up crafting at the kitchen table rather than the room where all my craft stuff is stored. It was built as a media room so it has no windows :o(
I got your email saying that you had moved! Thanks. Yes, I have a dedicated craft/laundry room but it is usually not very nice to look at as there are projects out all over the counters, but how much better than when I had to move it off the table to have dinner!! (That made me laugh as it is sooooo true.)
I sometimes think I need two kitchen tables so that we can eat at one and work at the other!
I have a formal lounge room that has ended up the craft/ironing/piano room by default. (I don’t do much ‘formal lounging’) I have a table that belonged to my husbands grandmother and it is covered with beading stuff. I just wish there was a door insead of just an opening, so no one else could see my mess.
Aren’t crafty spaces supposed to be messy? Doesn’t that show that lots of creating is taking place?
I had my ideal space, once–it was an enclosed carport so nice and roomy, the back wall I’d painted a deep berry pink/purple and has scads of shelving (3 large wire beasts that came out from the wall and formed nooks–one with a wooden shelving unit that held more paper crafting supplies and one that held my sewing table), room for my computer desk, drawing table and a large worktable as well as enough floor space in the center for a nice rug to do my yoga on.
Alas, it was a rental and we moved and my studio has been downsized by about half into a spare bedroom in the new place. Bye-bye work table, the wooden shelves and bureau of fabric are tucked away into the closet and my sewing table isn’t quite functional yet but it’s getting there. Still, as long as I have my own room for it, I’m happy enough.
Its funny how we can adapt to what we have, isn’t it?
*Sigh* mine is all packed in a storage cupboard and only taken out when Amber is asleep or is so glued to what she is doing that I can take it out. (almost impossible when she is up and about), or I do it at night in front of the TV whilst sitting next to my hubby…….and both times everything has to packed away :(. This will all change when we move to our newly built house at the end of the year….. the study will be my space and I am going to make it as fab as I can! My sewing machine will have a space and i’ll get cute little fabric storage containers to put everything else in :)……hubby doesn’t know this yet, but I am going to make that room mine..all mine ;)….. Going to have a look at those dreamy rooms on Pinternest now 😉
Can’t wait to see the new craft room one day!
I saw your Pin board, Skooks. I think I might be addicted to Pinterest!