Readers who frequent the same message boards as I may already know that I have been working hard on my Craft room. the room is large, but also must function as office/computer room, and as Dining room, and has no real storage, no closets, and no built in shelves.

Well, its been a long time coming, but I have finally re-done it.

Of course, that is completely on a re-arrangement/organization level. no new paint, and so far, no new window dressings. But its a start.

Previously, I had done my craft room in This Post. But that was before we were given DH’s Bubby and Zadie’s Dining room table, a beautiful old table, which has seen several generations of use. My Father in law remembers causing one of the many story-telling dings in the table when he was 2 years old. We decided that despite its dings, it is still a very pretty table, and more than that, it is an heirloom for my husband, and for our kids.

So, we had to find space.

and of course, we had 2 computers up until recently, a desktop and a laptop. Well, then 2 things happened. we replaced the dying laptop with a humungo but amazingly fast and up to date desktop, and days later, the old desktop pretty much died. so now, we have one functioning computer, which takes up a lot more space than my old laptop did.

Then there are the sewing machines. well, one serger, one embroidery/sewing machine, and one high tech sewing machine. I love them all. but, in the space I had, the poor embroidery machine was sadly ignored. and piled upon, so I could barely get to it. completely sacrilegious.

I had to make some decisions. we got rid of the old desktop, and are sharing one computer now, which we moved onto the computer desk, where my 3 machines had previously been housed.

I decided to relegate the sewing only machine to backup, and it will move upstairs to be stored, and now I will have only 2 machines in front of me, and will still have 3 functions. The machines are moved to the sewing table, where the new computer had been housed. (I know, we were backwards, but the sewing table did not have room for 3 machines. it does have space for 2.)

I gave away to a friend a PILE of fabrics, mostly fleeces that I was not using, and probably never would. when they were bought, I was using them, of course, but my sewing skills, and my diaper construction has changed so much that it was just a waste of space to keep them.

Now, all my fabric is confined to one large dresser (6 feet long) which when we need it, functions as a buffet, as well. Also on that dresser is the tower of shelving I previously had over my sewing space. It now holds my personal yarn stash, not the hugest stash, but it fits well. on top, my vase of spindles and mini-skeins has a home.

No more fabric on the big book shelf we brought into the room last summer. instead, I currently have 6 big show-off bins (which fit perfectly 3 to a shelf) and 1 small one. I need 3 more large ones and 2 more small ones to make best use of the space.

My favorite new feature is my vertical storage. more specifically, I finally convinced DH to mount a shelf on the wall above my new sewing space. on that shelf will be my collection of stabilizers, and embroidery and sewing accessories I don;t want the kids reaching. they’ll be stores nocely hidden (mostly) in the basket I am making just for the shelf. I think my spinning basket will also find space up there.

My thread racks have moved to their new home, over the new sewing space, a little higher than I first thought, but possibly better this way, since the machines can be pushed all the way to the wall without bumping thread.

Sorry for the incredibly long picture free post. I promise, the next one will be picture heavy and show off all this craft-room goodness. I just have to finish cleaning up remnants and take some pictures.

This also means you can expect to see installment 2 in the Art of the Rolag very soon. Spinning the Rolag. I just could not see video recording in the mess I lived in before.

Tags: Organization, workspace