I’ve definitely gotten used to my new sewing space. For years, my sewing machine sat on a wheeled cabinet in a corner of the family room in front of the patio window amongst the cat posts. It was a nice view and I loved the convenience of the wheeled cabinet. Although I did, quite often, have to remove a cat or two from my sewing cabinet in order to sew.
We go through a lot of those sticky rollers.
Now I’ve got a room to myself, with my sewing machines, supplies, patterns, fabric … the important things … like coffee, chocolate! 🙂
AFTER. My Janome HD3000 
and my Singer 500, the Rocketeer!
While I was moving everything from its hiding places all over the house into my sewing room, I managed to complete the organization of all my fabric, items for repurposing, patterns, notions, etc.
These craft storage containers are handy for bag hardware, sewing notions and thread. I have to keep my thread hidden from the cats, especially Simon, as he likes to eat it! I don’t know how I ended up with four spools of beige #811 and only one spool of black. Maybe now that I can actually SEE what I have I will know what I am short of.
Do you give yourself the luxury of putting your threads on spool holders hanging on the wall?
I’m happy with my pattern keeping system. I keep all the pattern envelopes, or the front pages with all the info, in plastic pages in binders separated by category, like coats, pants, handbags, etc. Then I keep the pattern instructions and pieces in plastic bags stored away numerically in bankers boxes. I also have photos of the pattern envelopes/front pages in folders on my computer, as a backup and so I can access them anytime, anywhere, on any device.
I do love browsing through the pages of my Patterns Binders though, thinking about which pattern I might make next. It makes me feel like I’m window shopping in my local Fabric Shop!
How do you keep track of your sewing patterns?
Seriously my favourite jacket pattern, so far. I love ALL the zippers! 
I save photos of my fabric on my computer too. Along with the photo, there are comments as to whether the fabric is woven or knit, the content, how much of it I have, which Tupperware bin it is in, etc. After browsing through my computer Fabric Files, when I finally do decide which fabric I want to use, I just go to the bin that has it!
I started these systems before there were actual apps that did this. Do you use an app to inventory your patterns and/or fabric?
Over the years I have purchased so much, and family and friends have been very generous and have given me patterns, fabric, supplies, etc. that they had and didn’t need. I just must keep it all inventoried!
Even though I am working on my “pattern and fabric stash”, I must confess that I am also weak and occasionally make the odd purchase or two! Especially when it comes to bag making supplies. Aren’t these SKULL zipper pulls from Emmaline Bags to die for!!! And what about this “World Map” canvas fabric from my local Fabric Shop, The Cloth Castle? I do love map fabric!!! These two items are going to be used for a special Lányos Handmade project someday! 🙂
Now that all my sewing machines and supplies have been moved into my new sewing space and I can shut the door to keep the cats out, I can finally be “cat free” … well no, not quite, Simon still likes to paw at the door until I let him in. Yes, I have given in and he has his own chair beside me!
Have you got some nifty ideas for your sewing space that you would like to share? Let us know!
Oh! Just a reminder! The Tessa Bag Sew Along videos have all been loaded up on the Lányos Handmade YouTube Channel here and we are now weekly loading up the Gemma Bag Sew Along videos. There are other cool sewing projects on there too! If you have any ideas, anything you would like to see demonstrated, let me know in the comments! I’d love to help out!
Happy Sewing!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
STASH BUSTING WITH THIS PROJECT? I’ve been polishing up my latest bag pattern, it’s almost ready for pattern testers, so no sewing that I can talk about here this time. My estimate in my fabric stash is still 117 meters!
It is awfully nice of Simon to share the sewing room with you. I was never that organized when I was sewing. Bravo to you.
Yes, if you over look the fact that he paws at the closed door for 15 minutes, he can be a lovely room mate! 😂 Thank you, I love being organized! 😊
You’re more organised than I am! My patterns are sorted but my fabric tracking is a rarely updated spreadsheet.
😂😂😂hmmm… sounds like you buy quicker than you enter the data?😉 Have fun!
Your sewing room/studio looks great. I think Simon is going to be demanding a cut as an agent soon. 🙂
Thanks, it’s so nice to have everything in one place! And it’s so difficult to kick the cats out 😢😻😻
I love it! I did have those spool holders on the wall, but they were so cumbersome for me I gave them away. I now keep my threads in the sewing cabinet separated in bins. Your cat is so adorable! 🙂 Would one of your bag patterns work with the map fabric?
The spool holders are pretty but I also wonder about dust! 🤧 Simon is a very needy cat, not like my other cat. But they are both good company. I just might have enough map fabric for a bag and a matching wallet. It would have to be something new though as I’m always thinking of new ideas!
I do have the luxury of thread racks on the wall, but I don’t have cats to worry about. I just saw a photo with an xray of a long needle stuck in a cat’s throat, with thread still thru the eye. Please watch out for Simon et al! I keep my patterns the same way you do – but I have my childhood double dresser available for drawer storage of the bags of pattern guts. 4 of the 8 drawers are full, in numerical order (not separated by pattern company at all. I don’t have them on my computer or phone, though. That’s a level of organization I haven’t hit yet. My fabrics are swatched and stapled to index cards in a card file, with all pertinent info, including which category of bin they are stored in. I don’t have each bin numbered – just whether it’s silk, cotton, wool, knit, etc.
Janee
Oh my gosh! I don’t think I could handle that! 😢 yes I’ll definitely watch out for the cats 🐈 🐈⬛ I do love the idea of a dresser drawers though. Very classy! Sounds like you’ve got a firm grip on your stash! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
It’s a great arrangement. Looks stunning to see. You need a lot of patience and love to do this one.
Ah well I like being organized!