Tuesday Tips {Quilt Story}

I am so thrilled to have Megan from Quilt Story here today

to share some Tuesday Tips with us! 

But first, a little introduction...

I met Megan and her sister, Heather, at the Spring Quilt Market earlier this year.  They write {darling} quilt patterns and host a fantastic blog together.  Quilt Story designs are fun and original so you definitely need to check these girls out!  They're hosting a Holiday Gift Tutorial series on their blog every Monday through the end of the month.  I LOVE the modern holiday wreath tutorial they designed recently.  Now, over to you Megan!

♥ ♥ ♥

We were very excited that Amber asked us to guest post on her great series, Tuesday Tips.  It couldn't have come at a better time as I was just moving my sewing room around.  It gave me a little motivation to get it done! Let me start by saying that my husband is in medical school, translation: extremely limited budget and space for my sewing hobby obsession!  So if any of that applies to you hopefully I can offer something insightful!

I have more of a sewing corner than a room.  It sits in the corner of my master bedroom!  I've learned to use my vertical space and as many storage pieces as I can find.  Here are some tips I've found helpful in my space:

1. Keep things at hand: Things I am constantly using I have at my fingertips. I keep my scissors and rotary cutters by my machine in cans/cups, my scrap bins are under the table, a trash can to my right, my WIPs in the next cupboard and a patterns/books/bulletin on the wall in front of me.

2. Work-In-Progress Spot: There needs to be a dedicated place for projects you're working on.  Whether it's a large tote in a closet or in a cupboard.  This way you can actually see how much you have going on at any given time.  They all need to be in one place.  For me it's a closed cabinet below my fabric.  See picture below.  I have at least four quilt tops in there, a messenger bag, some fun stuff! :)

3. The Little Things: I try to keep a designated spot for my notions.  I used to have them all in a few drawers, but then I would never realize when I was out of elastic or how many zippers I had on hand.  I got a great Pottery Barn cubby-thing at a garage sale for $5 years ago.  There are 24 open cubbies and 8 of them I filled with cans.  They are just large 28 oz tomato cans, cleaned and decoupaged.  Inside I have zippers, left-over bindings, marking pens/pencils, pins, etc..  See the next two pictures.

4. Fabric Organization: I have had a lot of thought and conversations on this topic, and this is what I've decided to do.  First I organize by size into three spots. I have scraps bins for pieces a few inches to around 1/8 yard.  In my PB cubby-thing I keep pieces around the size of a fat quarter to half yard.  Pieces half yard and larger I keep in my hutch (also a great pottery barn find for $25).  Second I organize by line/color.  For large lines I keep it all together, and if I have a lone print that matches I put it with that whole line.  For all the leftovers, say 3 fabrics or less that go together, then I organize them by color.  Hopefully that made sense!  See the pictures below. (There's a great tutorial on how to fold your fabrics using comic book boards on That Girl That Quilt that I used on my larger fabric pieces, love it!)

5. Keep Inspired: Keep things in your sewing room that inspire you and make you happy!  I decided to use pinks/purples in my corner because I am the only girl in my family :)  Every room in my house is green or blue so I took advantage and used those girly colors!  I also added the mini buntings because they make me happy!

Hopefully you've found something useful!!  Thanks to Amber for giving us a spot to blabber :)  And make sure to stop by Quilt Story :)

Thanks so much Megan!!!  I love the ideas for working with a small space and I LOVE the sewing machine area!  So cute!!  Please leave Megan some comment love below!  She's so sweet to share her creative space with us ♥ ♥ ♥