In our only basement bedroom is where I have all of my sewing supplies. The room is also the computer room, business room for my husband who runs his own construction company, music room (where we store all our piano and guitar music and our 4 guitars), and guest bedroom. That is a LOT of things to go in one room.
I’m VERY hesitant to show you what a disaster my craft corner became after I started this blog—any extra time I had was devoted to crafting, and I went a little crazy and didn’t manage my time well. As a result, my craft corner became a big mess.
If you are shocked, it’s ok. I am, too! Especially because my house is generally more clean and organized than this! These next pictures are from July, 2010, when the craft corner was at it’s worst. Wow, it’s embarrassing to post these!
After some organizing the following month, it was looking LOADS better.
P.S. I hate the paint color. Just thought you should know.
These next pictures are in August, 2010.
Fun Fact: I sew on a this card table. If I sew too fast, the whole table bounces up and down, which causes my machine to bounce up and down. It’s fun.
My mending, all tucked nicely into a basket instead of resting on top of the table by my sewing machine.
And finally, what you’ll find my craft corner looking like today:
My favorite part of the entire corner is the ric-rac on the edge of the shelves. And sorry for the grainy pictures—there is really hardly any light from the basement window, plus it’s been so cloudy every day!
Do you love my sewing box? My sister gave it to me for Christmas. She said she got it at Joann last August. Love it!
I created labels for all my boxes.
And just put some fun scrapbook paper to hide the random vent behind the machine (the vent doesn’t serve a purpose—really, the homeowners before us did some strange things in this house. The basement toilet is literally on a higher built-up portion of the bathroom floor, like a throne—for reals).
I cannot tell you how excited I am to have a craft room in our house we plan to build this year. But for now, this is where I sew most of the time!
Love the final look! It always makes me feel more like crafting when my craft area is neater. I used to have a tablecloth on my sewing table too, until it got sewn onto the quilt I was making – had to rip out a good portion of my stitches to get it loose! No more tablecloth now!
oh it looks great! so jealous you have a room to store it all. we are renovating our 1870’s farm house and are only living in 1/2 a house right now, so i store all of my sewing goodies in two dressers in the corner of my kitchen. the only place i can sew is on the kitchen island. its hard but it would be harder not able to sew at all. i love looking at others sewing spots, thanks for sharing!
My craft room in the basement is in far worse shape right now. Fabric EVERYWHERE. It’s not at all a creative space until I can get it under control. Good job on your cleanup.
Ask me how bad my craft area is right now…go ahead…ask!!! It makes your BEFORE look organized!!!! But I am working on it :) Mine is also in the basement……no one ca hear me scream down there…..lol. Love your after! My mom used to sew on a machine EXACTLY like your black vintage one!! I wish I had it now!! Even tho I can’t sew….lol
The room looks really neat and organized. I love the ric rac and having your bins labeled is a great idea! And don’t worry…I think all of our craft rooms/spaces have looked like your “before” at some point (mine still does!). Is it because we work on so many projects at once? I’m determined to get mine organized this year! You’ve given me some good inspiration!
Your craft room looks great! Makes it easier to actually craft when it’s tidy. At least that’s my experience because you don’t have to hunt anything down. Everything is in it’s place. Awww the calm. Now bring on the projects! Have fun!
Haha–I didn’t think “oo, messy.” I thought “Hey! I have that red fabric in the picture too!” I don’t think crafters see “mess”–we see opportunity and inspiration. How can we be creative if we have to be neat and tidy? That’s my story and I’m sticking to it ;)
the ric-rac idea is pretty cute.
Oh, I love the sewing box. I haven’t seen it before. And your craft corner really is so well organized, as is all of your house. Very you.
And 2009 or 2010?
Christie,
I love your craft room, before or after! It does feel good to craft in a neat and tidy room, I agree. I try to keep mine that way most of the time, but sometimes when I have two or three projects whirling around in my head, mine becomes a disaster area with fabric and trims and beads all over the place! Then I have to clean up all over again. lol
I wish my craft area(s) looked like that. I’m just too cluttery and lazy to get it all organized. And you’re right, the ric-rac looks really cute!
I sew on a card table too! I totally get the bouncing table stuff, it’s hilarious.
My sewing table shakes too! My husband even did a blog post about it once. :) I like the ‘tablecloth’ you added, I am working on a sewing machine quilt for mine to sit on. A little color on the work table!
Lady? That ‘Before’ pic of your sewing room? Yup, that looks better than mine does.
I chalk it up to fully being in the creative moment and not wasting it on organizing :)
HOWEVER, organization is a must. LOVE the ric rack. SO stinkin cute and retro.
That looks AMAZING! Do you have any great ideas on organizing materials….especially the scraps for small projects! I need some major help in the material organization area!
Can you tell me (us) something about the wooden box with the old time sewing machine graphic? What is it? Is it an antique? I love it, love it!
a) I spotted the twilight series in your bookshelf! Haha! Guilty! Wait, what do you mean, how do I recognize them out of a whole self of books? Uh… moving on…
b) My craft room looks like that right now. Well actually it’s recovering from looking like that. A bomb went off in there right after the baby was born. I’m pretty sure, at least. Goodness knows I don’t think I was actually crafting…
c) I love that vintage machine.
d) My old sewing machine? It could make my actual DESK bounce. Now THAT was awesome.
Love it! I used to sew on a card table too and my machine would bounce all the time. It sure makes sewing an adventure. :)
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mah you are brave! I should show my husband, I’m in the same boat.
My room is for: 3 computers (2 pc’s share a desk for alternate use) and then my big main desk for my 27″ iMac. An art table which doubles as my sewing table… then bookshelf packed (overpacked) to the brim and multiple other shelves in an attempt to fit it all in. SIGH. This is all in a 10x10x10 room. eek! Now, I am having baby #2 and don’t wish to have her share a room with her brother so I am figuring it out we’ll just say. The result is good, but really, I need an entire studio. Hoping to eventually build another house in the next couple years for my sanity sake in crafting, working and painting. lol
LOVE that you shared your mess. Mine doesn’t seem bad now… mine IS that bad (in middle of tearing it apart too) but working on cleaning it up right now. SIGH
good job. love the finished look! hope it stays that way!
love the ric-rack! I am stealing that for my room!!
good job. I recently did a little work room makeover…so much easier
i too work on a folding table…my serger about spins in circles when I use it on its fastest speed. My daughter thinks it knows how to dance. ha!
wow, great transformation! I know what crafting/sewing in a mess feels like – no fun. Glad you got it all spiffed up!! I loved your bangs post the other day too, it’s fun to see you showing more of yourself on the ‘ol blog. :) oh and mending piles, ick, I have one too and those are not so fun, don’t you think?!
i LOVE the messy pictures!!!
Just Better Together
My craft corner is in our bedroom since we don’t have a basement at this house and it is just lots and lots of semi-organized piles and plastic bags of stuff. I really need to organize it and get some bins, so it can look more like your after picture! Our house is chock-full of weird things previous owners did too, every time we go to do a new project we discover something else! Such an adventure. I can explain the bathroom thing in your basement though! They probably added the bathroom to the house later and did not want to cut out the concrete for the plumbing and then repour it, so they just ran the plumbing on top of the concrete and than had to build up to hide it. Not as unusual as it seems I think. My husband has cut many a basement floor up for bathrooms and it is a lot of work, so DIYers who don’t want to mess with jackhammers and concrete probably do it like your basement. You should just go with the throne feel and decorate the bathroom like a palace ; )
I glare at my mending pile. You’re kind to give yours it’s own space and stack it so neatly!
Oh, I half-way did my craft room, but stopped because of sheer exhaustion and in need of serious inspiration! needless to say you’ve helped me get back in there!
the ric-rac idea is so cute!
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