Whether you have a dedicated room for sewing or just a corner of a room, you can set up a space for quilting that helps to inspire you to sew. I’ll show you some of the tips I have used to make my sewing experience more relaxing and fun. I hope you can use some of these tips and do the same. Let’s get started.

Sewing Area

I’m lucky enough to have a room to myself where I have set up a sewing space, but you can set up a comfy area in a portion of a room as well. Here’s my sewing table that I constructed from drawer modules (found at a home improvement store) and a countertop.

I  have a comfortable stool but I can also switch that out with a chair that has a back if I need more support. To the left you can see a small table with my my wool pressing mat and a small iron so I can press smaller units as I’m piecing without having to go to the large big board and iron. Here’s a closer look at the table (left below) and how I have it set up.

I also have a smaller cutting mat on the table in case I need to do some trimming. Here’s a front view of my sewing table:

I have a desktop task light for more lighting and I use a cookbook stand to hold the pattern I’m working on. That’s part of my “upcycling” fun. Here’s a few other things I’ve upcycled to modify my space:

I use door stops to elevate my sewing machine to a more ergonomic position. Below, I have re-purposed a shower soap dish and attached to  my table with command strips to hold the small supplies I use often.

Cutting and Pressing Area

If you have a room to yourself, I recommend setting up a cutting area that is elevated. We went to the local home improvement store and purchased some very basic cabinets. I pushed them together, added a countertop and made a combo cutting table and ironing station.

By having the cutting table kitchen counter height, I am able to save myself from back pain caused by bending down to cut. If you do not have a dedicated area to create a cutting area, I recommend taking your cutting mat to a kitchen counter and cut there.

I re-cycled items to keep my tools close. A pegboard for my rulers and an old mug holder for my scissors and rotary cutters.

Design Wall

A design wall is a great tool if you want to lay out blocks and rearrange them to get the perfect setting. You can always use a floor or a bed, but if you have your own room, why not have a permanent design wall? I have tips for if you have the wall space and if you don’t. First, if you have a dedicated area with an empty wall, you can set up a design wall like I did. Here’s my wall:

To make this wall, I affixed foam insulation board (found at your local home improvement store) to the wall, then covered it with felt. You can also use picnic tablecloths that are usually felted on the back. Just affix them to the wall felt side out.

Here’s what the insulation board looks like at the store:

Now,  if you don’t have an empty, large wall to make a design wall, here’s a way to make a small, portable design board. Find large foam core boards from the craft store, tape them together (to make it as big as you want) and then covered with scrap batting. 

You can also use felt on these too. It can then be folded and slid under a bed for storage.

If you want a bigger portable wall, purchase a few of the foam insulation board I used for my wall mounted one, cover them with felt  and lean them against a wall for block layout. These can also be stored under a bed or stacked in a closet when not in use.

Fun tip: to make your own block row labelers by wrapping a piece of tape to a pin and writing a number on them. Here’s my 1-6 pins ( have more for bigger quilts):

After I have arranged my block rows on the wall, I put the numbered pins in the first block of each row. That way I can always recognize the block that begins each row of blocks. When I spend a lot of time getting the right block placement, the last thing I want is to mess it up while piecing the rows together!

Random Organization Tips

Here’s a couple of random tips for organization. To keep your fabric organized (including fabric strips), I use plastic tubs. I use larger ones for larger fabric cuts and shallower ones for strips. 

Keep your projects organized (I see you… you have UFOs too!) by using these Art Bins. These are my favorite project storage bins because they are stackable and can fit completed blocks up to 12 1/2 x 12 1/2” with the remaining cut pieces and the pattern:

So that’s it for this week. I hope you liked my tips and the look at my sewing studio and that it inspired you to set up your own dedicated area.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne