Sewing Room Tour

Hey y’all, if you don’t subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram you may not know that we’re moving at the end of this month. For the story, check the Home highlight button on my Instagram profile. (Note – desktop users use the Home highlight link above, mobile readers open the Instagram app and go to @mellysews then look for the blue button with a house on it on my profile)
Before we move, I wanted to do one full tour of my studio as it is now. The video is also a “before” tour because as part of packing up to move I’ve been decluttering my house fully inspired by the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (affiliate link) as well as the show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. So some of the photos in this post don’t match the video because I took them after decluttering. Check back for a post/video about that process Thursday.
To see a video tour of my studio, check out the video below, or you can watch on YouTube here if it won’t load or you prefer YouTube.
The first image below is the most familiar view of my studio; this is the background you see on most of my videos. I have an Ikea Expedit (now Kallax, but this is the old version) filled with books, fabric, and patterns. Next to that is my sewing machine on a vintage table from an old sewing classroom that I painted.

Behind my regular sewing machine is a table with my serger, cover stitch and combination serger/cover stitch machine. I like to have the serger right behind me so I can turn my chair back and forth between the machines as I work.

I made the thread rack; you can see more details on how here. My zippers hang on a corkboard above the machine, and below the thread rack is an Ikea magnetic knife holder that I use to hold scissors, pins and labels.
Next to me in the bookcase I keep my notions close at hand in the cabinets.

One of the things I learned when I read the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (affiliate link) years ago was to store things vertically, so you can easily see your supplies without having to dig. So the picture above is how I store my smaller fabric scraps in the bins – rolled and standing.
Below you can see my desk corner. In addition to the desktop, my laptop usually sits on that desk, but it was downstairs when I took these pictures. When I’m sitting at my desk I often have both screens open, using the desktop for video editing and pattern drafting, and the laptop for typing, responding to emails and comments. Above the desk are illustrations from some of my pattern covers; I actually have more and have the frames for them, but haven’t gotten around to hanging them. I guess they’ll just wait for my new studio.

Next to the desk is my cutting table, which is on wheels so I move it out into the center of the room when I’m filming. Above that is my bulletin board – I still plan on paper. I also use the board to hold rulers and other miscellany, but I’m not sure it’s going to make the move to my new studio. It’s a lot bigger than I need, so I may move this to a kid’s room and take less wall space for my tools.
I also have another shelf for storing bolts of fabric, my work in project boxes and more folded fabrics. My dress form is generally in this corner as well as my cutting mat (on the wall next to the shelf) and my button storage.
The worst clutter in my studio is in the closet, and this is the after picture. Part of it is that this isn’t only sewing stuff – we also store old photos (that’s what the VCR box is full of) our printer, important papers, etc in here. I’m excited that in the new house we’ll be able to separate the two, so I’ll just have samples, patterns I’m working on, and other sewing stuff to store in my sewing closet.

Cyndi Bass
Love your organization of your room. So very happy for you to create things in your new home! Well deserved!
Mihaela
Thank you for showing us some great organising ideas: storing fabrics as rolls, a magnetic strip for pins, buttons clipped on the wire etc.etc. I adore your spinning wheel…! GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR MOVE and can’t wait to see a video of your new sewing room. Thank you! Mihaela
Kelly G in ATX
I can’t wait to see what your new space is going to look like! Also, do you actually use the spinning wheel?? That is so cool that you have one, and I’d be curious to find out what you do with that too! Good luck on the move!
Susanne
Thank you very much for sharing your studio. I am impressed. It is absolutely beautiful. Soooo fresh, clean organized and all that fabric, the machines…. and a Spinning wheel too!!! Awesome. I wish you all the best with the move and the new house. Hopefully the wind will be at your back, as the Irish blessing goes. No, I’m not Irish. I am German.
I also want to thank you so much for all you do for all of us that struggle with wardrobe things, sewing issues of all kinds, and now you are an inspiration to clean it all up. Thanks. I did watch that show as well. Yes, the “joy approach” changes everything. I declutter all the time, but the criteria so far was if the thing was still usable, if not, had it potential to be transformed, or recycled…that of course does not get much out. I still run it by that, but with the clause of “what are the chances that this will happen within the next few months, and will I be able to store it so I can find it…that keeps something with high potential, and gets rid of the “horde”
Thank you also for the free patterns…that really helps with actually learning construction. I am an expert fixer, but just now am getting to just making new things….mainly held hostage by the mending basket, that magically refilled nonstop, until I stopped mending everything…so what it’s a rip, they actually sell pants like that…a button in a non-crucial location…live with it…
So again, thank you for everything, and all the Best wishes for you and your family.
Cherie Clark
Inspiration at it’s best! I have been wanting to set up my sewing space so it’s easier to use. Right now I have things in totes and scattered threw the space. Time to get to planning!
Leticia
Thank you. We’re doing a renovation and my sewing studio will be getting a facelift.