Many of us don’t have the extra space for a fancy craft room. I’m one of those people. In our first home, we had a downstairs bedroom that I was able to use for my crafting and sewing, along with a big closet for craft storage. I realize now that I was a spoiled little brat to have that.
I really miss that space.
In this house, we don’t have an extra bedroom for an office/craft room, so I decided to store all my “stuff” in the basement until I figured out what I was going to do.
Five months later, almost everything was still living in tubs in the basement. Along with all the other junk I didn’t know what to do with. I was bringing my sewing machine upstairs to the living room to sew, which isn’t super practical. When I do projects, I’ve been sifting through the boxes. Which meant that the basement was beginning to look like a hurricane swept through.
Hurricane Kim.
So, in January, I decided I wanted to get the space in working order to actually use the space to sew and craft. Sure – I’d have to share the space with all our holiday decor, but I think I can make the space functional, organized, and maybe even a little pretty. The basement is dry and we painted the walls and floors so it’s not a terrible space.
The room will be particularly useful for me as we get ready for baby. I may have a few things I’d like to make for the nursery … or perhaps more than a few things. It will be nice to have my own area.
To make this space work for me, I wanted a few things:
- Visible fabric storage, so I could actually see what I have to work with.
- Other craft storage, for all the extra stuff – paint and glue and notions and glitter and ribbon – to be easily accessible.
- Table space to set up my sewing machine and actually leave it set up.
- Better lighting – while the basement gets plenty of light during the day, it’s pretty gloomy at night.
- Something underfoot, besides concrete.
- A little pretty.
Also – I wanted to spend next-to-nothing. I may have to buy a few small things, but I’m hoping to use what I already have.
I started working on the space this weekend, beginning with the first two bullets (organizing fabric and craft supplies). It took much longer than I expected, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.
I started going through the four bins of fabric and craft supplies I had. I was able to get through all the fabric first.
We had this little hand-me-down bookshelf in our old house, and it’s perfect for fabric. To fold into mini-bolts, I used comic book boards (purchased on Amazon for about $12). I got this tip from Smashed Peas and Carrots.
I even have a little extra space for future fabric finds. I had a few large rolls of fabric, and I just stuck those into the umbrella holder part of a coat rack. It works pretty well to coral the larger items.
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Donna says
We used the florescent light idea in the garage and it works beautifully. A cheap, quick and adorable decoration for walls is to take a piece of fabric, duct tape it to foam board and Velcro to the wall. Easy to change. Easy to cut to the size you want. Possibilities are endless!
Christine says
i love, love, loved this post, any further updates on your craft space? lighting? recovering the table?
Leigh says
Good progress. I started work on my craft room (yes, I’m very lucky) last spring break….and I’ve crafted a lot since but done little on the room. I sorted my fabric by color and then rolled them. I might use the boards. But I really like having it sorted by color, you should try that with your scraps.
Amanda Sevall says
What a great way to organize fabric! Totally going to do that when we set up the sewing area later this year, so thanks for sharing the idea you found! Your room looks great – I hope you are enjoying it and I’m looking forward to seeing the first baby quilt you make for yourself!! 🙂
Jenny @ Anything Pretty says
You have inspired me again. This time in the fabric organization department.
I had heard of the comic book thing before but that amazon link was just too handy to have an excuse not to do it.
I am a little worried though. Once all my fabric is all neatly sorted it is going to become even more apparent that I have an addiction.
Kelly @ Corner of Main says
I love that way of organizing fabric; it is a perfect way to see what you have. I will definitely have to keep this in mind!
Good luck with the rest! =)
Christine says
I think someone is nesting 🙂 looks great so far, love the idea another poster had about curtains over the front of the shelves. Our basement in MN also had the lone light bulb. Our Solution was to get some Menards florescent lights ($13 for four foot lights) and hang from your exposed ceiling and they plugged into the base of the light fixture. Very bright now. Some overhead lights for brightness and some table lamps for warmth would warm up the space for you.
PS-did you see your dining room curtains are on the cover of the smith and noble catalog (in blue) this month?
Mrs. 5C says
I am LOVING your fabric storage solution. I need to start hoarding cardboard. 🙂
Katy @ OurSimpleLoveStory says
Wow, this looks really cool! You have some pretty nifty ideas! I can’t wait to see what else you do with the space!
Casey says
I do most of my sewing in the kitchen too because I get a little lonely in my craft room. That, and it is more like a storage/guest/craft rom.
PS, I am drooling over your fabric stash!
Chelsea @ {twotwentyone} says
Looking good! I love how you organized your fabric. I like your idea of adding little curtains to the windows.
Lauren says
I love the trick to organize the fabric even though I have no fabric because I can’t sew.. but if I ever can I will use your tip! 🙂
Melinda says
You’ve done a great job of making your space functional and organized. My sewing space is also in the basement My girlfriends’ dh hung a utility florescent light unit (has 3 of those long tube bulbs) over the space and I run an extension cord to an outlet. Works great and I think it cost about %35.
Arizona Lainey says
Way to go Kim! Looks great!
Erin @ Domestic Adventure says
That is the best looking fabric storage ever! I kind of want to steal all of your fabric. I need to use that same storage tip. Your new space is looking good. Doesn’t it feel so good to get organized!?
Michael - Innkeeper says
ugh. i know the feeling! my dining room is also my craft /sewing room. which means when i have guests, no crafts or sewing for me! agh!
Lindsey says
I love it!! Gosh you are so organized, I am seriously impressed!
Emily says
I love how you organized your fabric – it’s pretty and functional! Can’t wait to see waht you do about lighting – we just bit the bullet and hired an electrician to install overhead lighting in our basement (b/c my electrical engineer of a husband is scared to do it himself. I LOL’d at that…).
yeoldesandwichshoppeva says
The mini-bolts were a very clever idea! I only have one bin of fabric and no craft room, but if my fabric supply continues to increase, I’ll have to consider this for organization.
I currently do most of my sewing in the kitchen. It seems like a weird place to set up shop, but the counters are the perfect height for sewing and there are a million outlets. I’m hoping to one day have the guest room double as a craft room. We’ll see.
It looks like you got off to an excellent organizational start and I like all your ideas so far.
You might look into getting a power strip with a super long cord so that you can mount it wherever you like or have outlets in the center of the room. We have a few 12 foot power strips and they are incredibly useful.
LizzieBeth says
goodness gracious child, you have a lot of fabric! 😉
LB
Heart and Haven says
I love your fabric storage…soooo pretty!
A couple suggestions for your space: 1. When you drop-off items at Goodwill, see if you can find a sturdier table. (I recently completed my 1st ever sewing project, a rag quilt, and used a card table to sew on. It was soooo shaky when I was sewing! Drove me nuts) 2. Make some curtains to hide the storage bin area – perhaps using painters drop cloth. Hang using tension rods, or on metal plumbing attached to the wood shelving. 3. For overheard lighting, IKEA has some good options for lighting you can install to replace the lonely lightbulb you’ve got in there now. Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70190450/ or this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20131887/. 4. Also, are you able to move the base cabinets? I think they would look better centered under the window (especially when you put up some pretty curtains), move the fabric bookshelf to the left, with the umbrella stand on the wall where the base cabinets currently are. 6. Have you thought about adding ceiling tiles? This would make the room look more finished and less like a creepy basement.
Can’t wait to see how everything comes together!
Kristi says
Nice work. Way to make do with what you have. I store my larger pieces of fabric the same way and I love it. It really helps me remember what I already have and keeps me from buying more. Instead of the comic book supports, I cut up tag board and it seems to do the trick. Your post also made me laugh because I remember you saying that you didn’t like the creepy basement. :o)
Leah says
i sew in the kitchen. one of these days my SIL will move out of my basement and then I hold out hope for a guest room/craft room down there. ha.
it’s looking good and organized!
~L
Jenny @ DIY Newlyweds says
Your fabric organization looks great. I have an unfinished basement too and am always trying to dream up ways to spruce it up without spending much money. I bought a few indoor/outdoor rugs on clearance at Walmart and that has made the space seem nicer.
2littlehooligans says
i was sewing in my kitchen for years since we didnt even have a living room. now thanks to making all 3 kids share one room i actually have a craft room! i know it sounds mean, but they want to stay together…so the craft room is a major treat for me!! i think as long as you having everything in one spot you will be good to go. and it looks like you have plenty of storage. great job. i bet it feels great:)
alexandjess says
I too wish I lived in a region where houses have basements. This looks lovely! I’m so sad though, where is your pretty wood desk with the cute spindly legs?
Emily says
Lookin’ good!! Great idea on fabric organization- I wish I had half that amount of fabric (and maybe half your sewing skills as well!)
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
Look at all that fabric! I’d love to great a collection like that one day!
Mandi @ Southern Gnome says
Purging (and cleaning) are great for the soul. Keep this up. You are inspiring me daily to get my act more together.
The space looks great and it sounds like it will be even better when you are done. So smart, you are. Love it.
Liz @ It's Great To Be Home says
You’re making me wish I lived in a part of the country that has basements! I love how you organized the fabric, that is brilliant – all of my fabric is in a crazy disarray and I need to whip it into shape (along with everything else craft-related). The basement is going to see some pretty amazing things made down there, I have a feeling!
Soccerbelle says
I know you don’t want to spend any money, but IKEA has a table that has large leaves that fold down on each side. The table, with the leaves folded down, is about the size of a end table. I was looking at it as a possible sewing table for my daughter who lives in a very small apartment. It has a shelf on the bottom where I thought she could store her sewing machine when not in use.
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
I think you’ve done a great job! I really like the way you organized your fabric–looks fantastic! On a side note, part of the wording to your post was cut off for me. Do you use Live Writer or something? Some of the words on the right side of the post area were cut off….
Mrs. Adventure says
Wow girl you have quite the fabric collection… I may indeed be a tiny bit jealous :o). I can’t wait to see all the “pretty” that you do with your new space.
DecorandtheDog says
This looks great. I love the bookshelf full of fabric. It makes me happy.
I keep deciding whether I should actually turn the current bedroom I am using in to a craft room…or have kids. I will not ask my mother to weigh in on this. 😛
Jordan@the2seasons says
This is looking good. I am ready to come over to your house to get some of your fabric. Love what you have the colors they are so fun. Good luck organizing.
daisy says
You’ve done a great job, Kim! The fabric looks great displayed that way and it’s nice that you can see it all. Very inspirational.
Enjoy using your new room!
Mindy@FSLblog says
I am guilty of pinning the fabric organization a while back & my fabric is still sitting in bags NEXT TO my bookshelf.
*scratches head*
Maybe I need to just do this.
I can’t wait to see what you do to your new craft area!