Transform my box room into my Sewing Haven

As a result of all the decorating work downstairs my little sewing room is full of stuff. To declare it finished I’m setting myself the final jobs:

• empty the room of all extraneous stuff
• put up shelves in the alcove
• Populate the shelves
• tame the cupboard of doom

Last night we dragged the second industrial machine upstairs. It put up a good fight – but we triumphed! AND we avoided getting covered in machine oil! We SO won.

This morning I took up a spare length of MDF to make a temporary work surface and get an idea of space and scale. It’s cramped but very usable. I think this little room will help create some amazing outfits.

We dismembered it on Saturday morning and exiled it to Oxford.

Next mission is to get the straight stitch industrial machine upstairs. This is no small job – as it seems to weigh as much as both of us put together plus the cat and my stairs are tiny!

R has also promised me that we can fix some kind of work surface up there for Tuesday week when I begin the first of this summer’s wedding dresses.

All that remains to be done:

• Straight stitcher moved in
• Ironing/work surface
• Cupboard in the alcove
• Rail along the wall
• Rail inside the fabulous cupboard
• Cork-board inside the fabulous cupboard
• Pictures up on the wall

I believe I have finally worked out how to get both industrial machines AND a workbench/ironing bench squeezed into my Sewing Haven and still have room to open the door!

The fabulous cupboard formally known as the cupboard of doom is still tidy and my office cupboard is far emptier and will soon be dismantled and exported to Oxford.

I can’t wait to have all my sewing in one hidden out of the way place. At the moment, to sew on so much as a button I seem to trash the entire cottage as it involves rummaging through or using space in every single room.

Last week I emptied it out entirely and we took four huge bags of fabric to the textile recycling bin. It’s now so neat and tidy with everything easy to find and boxed up. I keep opening the doors (previously an achievement in itself without causing an avalanche) and peeking in at the shiny new order inside. This is a cupboard bigger than some bedsits I’ve lived in – it’s a major victory.

Now the biggest challenge is my office cupboard. It involves wrestling files from the clutches of my ancient and grumpy PC, an amount of filing, some intermediate level discardia and building at least one new cupboard – possibly some shelving.

It can all be done. It will all be done. It’s already a comparative joy to work in!

I managed to get done everything that I set out to do this week on the boxroom:
Less fabric – tick
Empty shelving unit – tick
Room for one sewing machine – tick

This weekend my gorgeous fella is going to dismantle the shelves and we’re going to shift the overlocker upstairs.

So the tasks for this week:

• Ring the handyman about the alcove cupboard
• Reduce the fabric stash a little more
• Empty one draw in the black chest

Last night I made really good progress. I found the entire floor, which despite being small, was very hidden. I also cleared 3 of the 6 shelves on the unit.
I spent some time playing with Illustrator and measuring the room and the furniture and working out how to fit all the bits in there that I need. Strangely I can’t wait to get back to it this evening.

In the gradual squeezing and manipulating of the space in my cottage, the box room is next on the list.

This week I plan to:

• reduce my fabric stash
• empty the shelving unit
• create enough space for at least one of the sewing machines