Quilt Studio Setup

Expert advice for setting up a quilt room.

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Guest Myrna Giesbrecht, author of Setting Up Your Sewing Space, shares her ideas for creative quilting spaces from adapting guest bedrooms into a quilting area to quilt traveling kits. Currently her studio is located in the basement of her home.

Giesbrecht's "Five Ws of design'' to consider when creating a special quilting area.

Who will work there? You or you and someone else?
What will be done there? Hand quilting or machine quilting?
When will I quilt? Is there enough natural light for daytime quilting?
Where should I set up my quilting space? What space is available?
Why am I setting up a quilting space? Business or pleasure?

Practical quilting equipment

Create a sewing surface with an ordinary desk. Cut a hole in the desk to lower (drop) the sewing machine into the desk.
Add a plastic template to create a flat sewing surface.
Create a pressing surface with a section of board covered with batting and muslin. Place wire baskets underneath to store fabric.

Create a cutting surface with a basic table and raise it to an appropriate height with paint cans.

Create a pegboard for hanging quilt tools.

Attach wood blocks to form a space (between the wood blocks and pegboard) for hanging quilt tools to the pegboard.

Attach the pegboard to the wall. Tip: Home stores will cut wood to a specific size with a courteous request.

Create a design board. Place plastic foam or insulation board on top of a piece of pegboard or wood and glue in place. Cover the board with flannel or batting or any stickable surface and wrap around the surface and staple in place.

Guest Bedroom Studio

Use baskets, trunks, boxes and drawers for storing quilting supplies.
Store baskets under the bed with quilting supplies and fabrics.
Cover an office chair with a slipcover for a favorite quilting seat.
Fill a glass hurricane lamp with sewing notions for additional storage.
Adapt a six-foot dresser into a sewing structure by placing both a cutting surface and a pressing mat on the dresser top. Store fabric and materials in the drawers and store the cutting mat and pressing board under the dresser when not in use.
A mock closet is made from two tall bookshelves framed out with bi-fold doors on either side. It has a drop down table for a sewing surface. The shelves will hold fabric, books, sewing machine and supplies.