Sir and I moved last month, which means I got to design and set up a new quilting studio. I seem to move every few years, so I’ve gotten really good at this. It might be my favorite sewing space over the past 20 years. Here we go:

New Layout, New Opportunities

In our last home, we started out with a shared studio in the basement and a shared office in the third bedroom. That made sense at the time because neither of us worked from home, and we wanted to be able to share a space together for making. Then COVID hit, and we were both home all the time. Neither of us are quiet talkers, so we quickly had to shift things around to where I was on the first floor and he was on the third floor. That second floor buffer still wasn’t enough sometimes!

When we were looking for our new place, we had already decided that I would get the basement as a quilting studio and office (it’s the first floor of a three-story townhouse) and he would get the third bedroom. With that, we both started making IKEA wish lists and planning.

My New Quilting Studio

Storage

My IKEA haul was four Billy bookcases with doors. The cases on the ends hold all my fabric, some basic supplies, and anything else not pretty enough to show off. This wall is directly opposite from my work desk, so I have an amazing background for Zoom. Being able to slip outside with my coffee for some natural inspiration is a great benefit of being on the ground floor.

Cutting

I really can’t believe how my cutting table slipped between my two windows with just enough room to not scratch up the trim. This wall is where the electrical panel is, so I hung my memory quilt to cover it up. This quilt is made from scraps from all the quilts I made in my first 10 years as a quilter. Once I used up those little bits in a meaningful way, I was able to let go of some of the pieces I knew I would never otherwise use.

Piecing & Quilting

My sewing table is tucked under a soffit, and I was worried I’d feel cramped while piecing and quilting. I was so wrong. It is just an amazingly cozy space to sew. My roller cart holds all my frequently used tools so they’re right there when I need them.

Inspiration

My favorite part is the wall of mini quilts above my sewing table. I love the clutter and love seeing pretty things whenever I look up. This was the last thing I put up in the studio, and I couldn’t stop smiling when I was done.

Admin Space

When the pandemic first hit, I wasn’t happy about putting a work desk in my quilting studio at all. I didn’t have enough room for it at the last house; it felt like my work life was creeping in on my artist life. Now that I have plenty of room to spread out, I actually like having a work desk here. I can put YouTube or patterns on the big monitor and be able to reference them as I create.

Thanks for hanging in there with me on this tour. I’ve been able to spend a couple good sewing sessions in there already, and it works exactly as I hoped it would!