sewing room

[Faye]

I need suggestions for setting up a sewing and computer room. I have a room that is 11'2"X9'4" that I am going to set up as a sewing room with space for the computer also. I had thought about getting a couple base cabinets and 3/4 plywood and letting my son make a counter along one wall and a few feet on the next wall. I need a place to be able to have my machines set up at all times instead of like I have to do now which is moving them off the table when I need it. Any suggestions?

[leera]

It'd be kind of cool if you could build a counter with spots for sewing machines that fold down in,like closing up one that's in a cabinet,then you could have counter space and sewing space.

[Faye]

That sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure my carpenter(my son) will have time to do it right now but I bet he could do it when he has more time. He is a maintenance supervisor at a hospital and works on the side trying to get a contracting business going so he can work for himself. He usually works on saturday and if I need anything done he does it on sunday afternoon. Luckily he is a type A personality. He gave me a material list today after measuring and figuring out just how to do the job. I have to go with Roy to the doctor in Mobile wednesday so I'll go to Home Depot and get everything. There are still a few details to figure out but at least I'll have everything. I'm trying to figure out whether to leave the electrical outlets where they are or put them higher up on the wall at the back of the counter. What do you think. He said I could put grommets in for the cords to go down through at the back of the counter.

[leera]

If it were up to me,I'd have him put in a strip along the wall,at the back of the counter with outlets in it all along the way.........we have them at work,and they're great.

You can buy them with as many plug in spots as you need,and they wire in just like a regular electrical outlet.

Depends on where and how often you're going to be using them.

Try and picture it in your head,where are the things that need plugged in going to be? .......and what if you want to move things around,will they still work the way you want them to?

I might even go so far as to use some cardboard or masking tape and place imaginary ones around the room...........then you can move them around until you have them where you need and want them.........

Just my two cents........ :)

[Faye]

I hadn't thought of that but I think I'll suggest it to him and see what he thinks. Along the longest wall I will have my sewing machine(or 2) and my serger and along the shorter section of wall I will have my computer desk. I just don't have a big house with a lot of room and not likely to get one so I have decided to use what I have. This room used to be a bedroom but we took the wall down and made it part of the living room. Well, it is still like a separate room but there is no wall there. It has my computer desk and a treadmill in it. I don't use the threadmill so my daughte is getting it and I am going to work in the garden for my exercise. I might put up the wall but leave a double opening instead of a solid wall. Not sure about that yet. I better make a note about the electrical strip so I won't forget it.

[Faye]

Update on the sewing/computer room. After much consideration I have decided not to do anything permament in the room. The reason being that I have a way of wanting something until I get it and after a few days I don't like it anymore. Since this was going to be a lot of work for my son and money for me I decided to do something a little different for now. I bought 2 Sauder Sewing/Craft Cabinets. The furniture you have to put together. My son and Roy put them together today after church and my machines are sitting on them. Tomorrow I will organize things and get ready to start sewing. For the computer, I am going to get an office desk, I hope. Roy works for a large chemical plant(which I hate) as a maintenance mechanic and he is also in charge of their bid yard. I have been asking him about a desk and he said he has 2 on the bid lot. He is going to try to get one of them. He said it is in good shape. We'll see.

[leera]

I know what you mean.

You should see my computer desk......

It's an old elementary school art table,that my hubby tool the keyboard slide off another desk and attached to the underside......it's very functional,but not at all pretty to look at. :)

[Faye]

If Roy gets the desk I will try to get a picture made of the room and, if I can talk myself into it, I may even be in the picture. Someone will have to tell me how to post it, though. I hope to find out about the desk today.

[CarolAnn]

Faye,

One thing I built for my own sewing area is a thread board. It's a board with a grid of 2" dowels pounded into holes that I drilled. Spools of thread fit on the dowel stubs. I used my dad's drill press, but you could use any drill.
http://i9.tinypic.com/4gy39f4.jpg

With a board that was about 12x24, I tipped the press base so all the holes were a bit slanted. This keeps the spools in place when you hang the board up on the wall. *I figured out how far apart to put the holes by lining up spools with a little space between, then marked where the spool holes were. I made some closer together for small spools, and even a row along one side with longer dowel pieces for surger thread cones.

I used a bit slightly smaller than 1/4" so that the 1/4" dowels would fit tightly.

It's great to see exactly what thread I've got to work with, and what I need to buy. I also installed a pin cushion on one of my boards and eye hooks to hang other sewing notions like zippers and cards of buttons.