Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space: Sewing-Room Makeovers for Any Space And Any Budget

by Lois L. Hallock

Explains how to transform a cluttered, makeshift space into a functional, beautiful, and well-organized home quilting studio, in a guide that offers dozens of helpful ideas and tips, an innovative selection of practical storage solutions, and before-and-after photographs of real-life makeovers for different sized spaces and a range of budgets. Original.

Genres: Quilting, Nonfiction, Sewing, Crafts

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2005

Reviews

[Rebecca Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good reference for anyone who is reorganizing, remodeling, or creating a brand new quilting space. Hallock offers sound ergonomic advice as well as planning worksheets for taking inventory of your fabric, tools and equipment. She also includes budget planning worksheets and advice on scheduling and executing your studio so the project goes as smoothly as possible. The book contains a number of real quilting studio makeovers, including before and after full-color photographs and floor plans with dimensions, and the rooms featured range quite a bit in terms of size and budget, so most readers will be able to find usefull ideas and layouts for their own available space. I like that, along with explaining how to do a scale floorplan of your space to audition possible furniture placement, Hallock also explains how to do an elevation drawing of each wall, which you definitely need to do if you'll be hiring contractors.

I found this book most useful in conjunction with two other books: Carolyn Woods' "Organizing Solutions for Every Quilter: An Illustrated Guide to the Space of Your Dreams" has much more in terms of storage and organization solutions for fabric and quilting tools, and Lynette Ranney Black's "Dream Sewing Spaces: Design and Organization for Spaces Large and Small" contains more thorough, up-to-date information on lighting, many creative ideas for maximizing even the smallest work spaces, and -- most important -- discusses sewing room design in a general way, with special sections at the end of the book addressing the unique requirements of sewing spaces for professional dressmakers, quilters, and drapery workrooms. This was crucial for me because I need my studio to be a flexible space that works well for all kinds of sewing, not just quilting. However, quilters who only want to purchase one book about setting up a quilting studio would not go wrong in choosing this one.

[Linda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wouldn't you love to have the perfect sewing/quilting/craft room? I think we all would, but sometimes we only have enough room for a "space". But that's ok because in Creating your Perfect Quilting Space author Lois Hallock shows the reader how to use space wisely and make the most of what we have.

This book teaches how to set up the perfect work triangle and create storage space that makes finding your tools, magazines, and fabrics fast and efficient. Many topics are covered: space, lighting, ergonomics, and design walls. Also, there are tips on how to do it on a budget, and how to use what you already have more efficiently.

There are many photographs throughout the book and my favorites were the "before" and "after" photos. What a difference good organization can make! Whether you have a huge room ready for shelves and cabinets or a limited space in a corner, this book will help you make the most of the space you have.

[Kristi Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever had the need to organize a sewing room, you are a true sewer, and need some help. We are lucky enough to have this author at our quilt guild this year.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you're not ready to re-design your whole quilting space, there are a lot if tips to improve what you can.

[Leslie Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not ready for a studio quite that advanced

[Allison]

I was hoping for a chapter on organizing small spaces, like a sewing closet.

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired me to change my sewing setup to increase comfort, as well as organize my supplies in a more efficient way. Also, plenty of eye candy.