The serious quilter will have many unique needs that we must take into account when building them the proper sewing room. If you keep these things in mind when planning the project, you are going to have one happy quilter on your hands (warning: this can also result in more material purchases).
Begin with the placement of the sewing machine. Because quilts are heavier and larger than other sewing projects, it is very important that the sewing machine is level with the surrounding counters, or the project will hang and pull, affecting the stitches. You will also want the counter to be as large as possible.
Another important part of a quilt room is a design center. A design wall will be a nice start, and will make things easier for your quilter. Take a large piece of foam board or Styrofoam insulation and cover it with flannel, felt, or heavy quilt batting. After you attach this to the wall, the flannel will “grip” your material pieces as you move them around to see the combinations of patterns. This allows them to actually see the quilt in progress.
Adding a computer to this room is also another great idea. Many types of quilting software and patterns are available today, and a computer and printer would allow them to be able to get their patterns without having to leave the room. A small flatbed scanner would also allow them to scan patterns from magazines or books so they could print them out as well. A bookcase is another important piece of furniture. Have you ever known a quilter who could resist “just one more book?” File cabinets can also be helpful for organizing all those fat quarters. Place divider trays in the drawers, and you will be able to keep them all organized and easy to find.
A comfortable chair and good lighting is also essential in order to ensure that the quilter has a comfortable place to read their quilt books and plan their next project. A TV and DVD player will also give them a great way to watch their quilting videos and work on projects with their favorite instructor leading the way. Good lighting is critical in this room. Without good lighting, they will be frustrated as they try to complete projects.
Keeping all those rotary quilt rulers straight can be a real challenge. One easy option is to paint a pegboard in a coordinating color for the room, and attach it to the wall as a place to hang them up. Or, you could get a cabinet for storing art prints from an art supply store. These cabinets have very thin drawers which could each house a ruler.
Clear plastic drawer cabinets are a great way to store your fabric. This will allow you to keep things organized and dust free while still being able to see all the colors and patterns that you have to work with.
This can become a fun room for your quilter, and will make them the envy of their quilt guild. Here at Actsoftx.com, we would be proud to put our 30+ years of experience to work for you in putting together your dream quilt project room. As always, you are the most important part of our remodeling team.
