Organizing Solutions for Every Quilter: An Illustrated Guide to the Space of Your Dreams

by Carolyn Woods

A professional organizer’s handy guide to creating an uncluttered, inviting quilting space for yourself—whether it’s a small closet or a large studio.  This practical guide shows you how to organize and maintain your quilting space, no matter what size. Learn handy ways to sort and arrange all of your fabrics and supplies into easy-to-use stations—and find actual organizing solutions from quilters’ studios, including Alex Anderson and Diana McClun. Create a calm and happy place for all your beloved fabrics, books, notions, tools, and even UFOs (unfinished objects). With colorful photos, you'll see real examples of what makes an efficient, functional, and inviting quilting space. You'll identify what's causing the clutter, learn how to turn it into a more creative zone, and find more time to do what you love—quilt!

Genres: Quilting, Crafts, Sewing, Reference, Nonfiction

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

Hi, and thanks for visiting my page! I'm a work-from-home single mom of 4, and I'm always trying to find more efficient ways of doing things so I have time for the fun stuff!

I've written books on teaching your family new languages while you are running errands or doing household chores, and on jobs / businesses you can do from home, to combine earning money with taking care of your kids. Currently I'm writing about homeschooling, as I now homeschool all 4 of my children.

I'm always happy to hear from readers, so feel free to contact me through Amazon or at my web site http://www.carolyn-woods.com.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for someone new to quilting to be able to think through the different working zones and storage needs - or for someone unorganized. I know neatly organizing and storing doesn't come naturally to a lot of people. For seasoned quilters I'm not sure it offers much new.

[Denise Link · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone recommended this book and I bought it without really thinking about it. Organization is not my problem--or more accurately, *lack* of organization is not my problem. And I don't really quilt anymore, but sewing uses most of the same tools.
Still, the ideas are sound and the pictures are pretty.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book is professionally presented & contains some very helpful info for planning & organizing your quilt studio, it doesn't have the benefit of being written by a creative quilter. As an organizer & novice quilter (artist in many medium) I found some of the methods used to organize in this book a bit impractical. It's sometimes clear that the organizing side of the process takes precedent over the creative process... still helpful but not necessarily as a one fit book for a studio organizing needs.

[Rebecca Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Professional organizer Carolyn Woods immersed herself in the quilting world to write this book, visiting the sewing spaces of quilters near her home in Arizona as well as consulting with quilting celebrities like Alex Anderson, Libby Lehman, Diana McClun, and Nancy Arseneault. I found quite a few storage ideas in this book that I really like, including the ClosetMade wire drawer bins that Alex Anderson uses to organize her fabric stash, repurposed library card catalogs used for thread storage, and a number of really good solutions for storing embroidery hoops, acrylic rulers and the bazillion tools and notions we all have piled up in our work spaces.

The reason I only gave two stars is that the ergonomics section of this book is so poor. I have consulted two other books, several sewing web sites, and the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA recommendations for ergonomically correct sewing and cutting stations, and Woods' recommendations are so far out of whack that, if her advice was followed, it would CAUSE more back, neck, shoulder and wrist pain than it would alleviate. Woods has degrees in political economy and business administration and runs a professional organizing business -- she does not have any credentials as an expert in ergonomics, and she does not appear to have consulted with any ergonomics or medical experts. Woods' suggests a sewing surface height between 5 1/2-7" HIGHER than your elbow when you are seated with your arms bent at right angles -- this is in direct contradictions with current OSHA guidelines; OSHA and every other reputable source I consulted says that having to reach up like this to sew is stressful to your wrists, shoulders, etc.

If the author didn't want to research ergonomics for sewing, she should have left that part out of the book and focused on storage and organization, her strongest suits. Misinformation is so much worse than no information at all.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book after hearing Carolyn's interview on Pat Sloan's quilting podcast. I have recently retired and have become involved with my county's Linus Project. A few generous women have donated fabric to me to make quilts for sick and/or underprivileged children. The fabric was sitting on my floor in bags and boxes for a few weeks. Then I bought this book and started sorting, organizing and putting away the fabric in an afternoon. I definitely used Carolyn's ideas. I now feel a great sense of accomplishment and my sewing room is so much neater. Next I will tackle my books and magazines! (October 20, 2016)

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing really new, just organizing tips. I try to read these books thinking I will pick up something, but I either already did the things in this book or I felt my organizing ideas were better. It would probably be a good book for a beginning quilter or person that wants to start getting organized better. I didn’t really feel like she was probably a real quilter, just wrote a book for quilters and has probably moved on to write a book for some other group.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, at 111 pages, is bursting with ideas and pictures.

I have even MORE ideas now to make my crafting space organized and pretty.

This is a book I get from the library often. In my fantasy days of actually organizing my craft area, I'll be employing a lot of the ideas from this book in particular.

[Teresa]

This book is very practical when it comes to organization of a sewing room, or any other room. Not much new here, but it is still inspirational.

[Barbara Bainbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good and reasonable ideas

Provided many good ideas. Provided me the inspiration to tame my mess! Have put into place several of the suggestions already. I will get organized!

[Cathy Alty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas for keeping organized!

Good ideas some new, some not. I think overall this book is a good one to help stay organized when faced with piles of fabric!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Organizing Solutions for Every Quilter by Carolyn Woods, 2011, C&T, library book, read March 2018. Very good reference for designing a quilting studio or spaces and storage.