A Stitching Odyssey: Sacred sewing spaces

Sewing spaces are sacred, right? Regardless of whether they are fully-kitted, dedicated rooms or humbler, carved out spaces within a kitchen or a living room, for most stitchers they are special spaces to be creative in, to relax in, to work in, to learn in, to think in, to dream in, to escape in, to so much more in…

Do you agree, or am I alone in thinking this?

Tilly has beautifully argued the notion that sewing transforms lives (in my opinion so does learning) in a recent provocation paper and surely sewing spaces have a key role to play in the process.

Despite all this though, I’ve not been treating my dedicated sewing space (aka the spare bedroom) with the respect it deserves lately and it has had a significantly negative impact on my sewing productivity. Ironically, I think this is a direct result of the very fact that I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated space in the first place…a place that I can make lots of mess in and shut the door on! For the record, I am actually OCD clean (spotless bathroom, kitchen etc), but sadly this isn’t mirrored in my tidiness levels, which can shockingly result in this…

Absolutely appalling, I know! No wonder I haven’t been very productive lately, what with hardly being able to get into the damned room! Anyway, I decided that a long weekend was my chance to take the deteriorating situation firmly in my hands. I spent Monday and Tuesday buying all sorts of containers and sorting through everything and I feel so much better for it. 

I now have a clear workspace, resulting in a clear headspace. 

I've managed to neatly fit the bulk of my supplies onto the bookshelf lurking behind the door - one thing this exercise has made apparent is that I need absolutely no more patterns or fabric! 

Top shelf patterns are for skirts, tops and aprons/pinnies. Second shelf is ALL dresses 30s-40s in the first box, 40s-50s in the middle one and 60s-current in the last one.

I finally organised my fabric too! Top shelf - shorter lengths for pinnies, accessories etc. Middle shelf - vintage fabric and heavier fabric. Third shelf - plainer and better quality fabrics for more elegant garments. 

I have a mini bookcase which is where the overlocker lives, alongside my sewing notions (top shelf, organised in glass jars so I can actually see what I have) and sewing/fashion related books. I even bought a cutting mat to make me feel extra professional!

Finally, I've decided to store my many current/ongoing projects into a box, because I was at risk of losing pattern pieces the way I had them lying around  before!

It's such a cute box don't you think? My lovely friend Angela bought it for my birthday this year...thanks Angela!

I've always been envious of neat sewing spaces - Jane's, Gina's, Tilly's, and Laura's to name but a few - and now I have one of my very own! Long may it last!

What's your sewing space like? Are you at your most creative in a neat environment or does mess not phase you?