Whether you’ve a dedicated sewing room or simply use the dining room table, your creative space is uniquely yours. It’s a happy place, somewhere to unplug, destress, and let your creativity soar! If you’re into machine embroidery, sewing, or crafting, here are some ideas for keeping your workspace clean and all “buttoned up.”
To reduce eye fatigue while stitching, experts suggest a good balance of general, task, and diffused natural lighting. Light should be evenly distributed so your eyes don’t have to constantly adjust. Local thrift or antique stores can be a great place to find a variety of good lamps. (Note: Be sure to protect your threads and fabrics from direct sunlight so they don’t fade!)
What do you have lying around the house? Mason jars and colorful bowls are a beautiful way to store buttons, and spice jars are perfect for pins. You could even mount peanut butter lids to the bottom of shelves, then screw jars full of notions into the lids! Hand-me-down dressers, cookie sheets, and other household items can be artfully repurposed for inexpensive, yet effective, sewing room organization.
My grandmother was a child of the Great Depression, and she saved everything. (And I mean everything.) Plastic pudding cups. Little cookie tins. Packaging that came in the mail. Now, I’m not suggesting you keep a lot of junk around because I’m all about eliminating the clutter (See below!) but if you happen to come across a fun box or an empty hand cream jar...you just may be able to put that to good use.
We all know it’s easy for things to get cluttered in a hurry. Pop into your local dollar store for storage baskets, bins, plastic organizers, and stackable, see-through caddies. Gather what you reach for most in a handy basket, and store items used less frequently in closets or drawers.
If you’ve got the wall space, use it! Pegboards can be found at hardware and craft stores for a modest price and filled with rotary cutters, scissors, Orange Pop Rulers, embroidery hoops, rulers, wire baskets, and more! Mount cubbies, floating shelves, and magnet boards, or even paint a wall with chalkboard paint (so inexpensive!) to keep track of current projects without the paper clutter.
Decorating your creative space is a fun project in and of itself, and again, a lot can be done with what you already have on hand. Frame old pattern pieces or sketches in eclectic wooden frames, or pick up an air plant or two from your local nursery. Try hanging a mood board for gathering ideas with a particular theme, and put a favorite inspirational quote where you can easily see it.
If you’re a music lover like I am, the right tunes can really spark your creativity. Put together a playlist (or two, or twenty) including a variety of genres, and pair with inexpensive bluetooth speakers. Or even better...dust off an old record player and keep in your sewing room with a stack of vinyl. There’s something about sewing (and cooking) that brings out the "I want to hear a classic scratchy record" in me. And it's not just your sewing or embroidery machine that can hum, you know, so sing (or hum) along!
Binders are a cheap but effective way to stay organized with your sewing and crafts and can be picked up for just a dollar or two. Hit the back-to-school sales to stock up on binders, and fill with your Kimberbell instructions and sewing patterns.
Clear, stackable bins are great for storing fabric scraps and can be found for just a few dollars at any big box department store. Sort your scraps by color, with one color per bin, and you’ve got a whole rainbow of creative possibilities!
YOU are the most “creative space” of all; no one can replace what your heart, your hands, and your talents can do. So listen to that music. Reach for that treat. And set aside that block of time when you can Experience the Joy of Creativity™ to the fullest with Kimberbellishments, Kimberblanks, and your favorite Kimberbell projects!
