Like many sewist, I have a lot of stuff. My machines, tools, notions, patterns, supplies, etc. all need a place. Here’s how I organized everything in my sewing closet.
This is part two of three in a series about my sewing closet. You can read the first post about how I put electrical and lighting into the closet at My Sewing Closet: Lighting.
Sewing Table
My sewing table is a sturdy desk that my husband bought for me several years ago at Target. I was tired of using the kitchen table and having to clean up my sewing projects every time we ate. I tried sewing on a card table once, but that was a disaster. This desk is perfect—stable and sturdy, big enough for two machines, and a handy little drawer for all my scissors, pins, and most-used sewing notions.
Thread Storage
I have a simple thread holder that fits perfectly at the back of my sewing desk. It’s in easy arms-reach whenever I need to switch out thread on my sewing machine. It’s looking a little sparse right now. It must be time to head to the fabric store.
Also, I recently saw a post called The Best Bobbin Storage {ever!} on The Scrap Shoppe blog showing a neat trick for storing bobbins.
Storing serger thread has been a bit more of a problem for me. They are big. And I need four spools of the same color every time I use it. That’s a lot of thread. So, I made three simple shelves to hold them.
I took a board (I think from an old bed frame), filled in the holes with wood dough, and cut it into 22-inch pieces, the width of my closet wall. I covered the three shelves with Minwax Polycrylic to give them a protective finish.
I mounted them on the wall with L shaped corner braces. Since very little of the brace sticks out below the shelves, they almost look like floating shelves. I also used L braces because I happened to have some left over from another project.
My serger thread fits perfectly on my very inexpensive, DIY shelves. Although, if I buy any more serger thread, I may need to add another shelf.
Iron Holder
Next I hung an iron holder and a cork board on the wall above my desk. The iron holder is wonderful because I use my iron every time I sew, and since the holder is metal I can put it away while it is still slightly warm.
sewing tip: An iron is one of the most important sewing tools I own. I press every seam after it’s sewn.
Large Storage
I also put some large wire drawers from IKEA in the closet to hold everything else. I have drawers for patterns, sewing notions, craft supplies, and felt and other novelty fabrics. I also have a drawer for my home decor samples and projects. Another for Christmas gifts I’m working on, and one for Halloween costumes. The top drawer is other sewing projects I need to finish, and it tends to get piled high sometimes.
I know the wire drawers look a little messy, but it really helps that I can see what’s inside each drawer without opening them. I guess it’s organized chaos, which seems to be my style.
That’s a lot of storage for a small working closet. And I haven’t even mentioned the top two shelves. I shared those in my final post My Sewing Closet: Fabric. In the meantime, please share how you store your sewing supplies in the comments below!
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