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Help! Good Ideas Needed!


luv2kwilt

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Hi everyone, I am not sure where to post this, but I have seen great ideas here before, so I thought this was a good place to start.

I am having the great opportunity to move my LA business into a 23 x 19 area in our shop (pole barn). It has one side that is about 12 feet in height and then drops down to about 9ft on the opposite side. There are windows in two sides and I just don't know how to set it up.

Currently I have my machine in a bedroom at my parent's house. I don't seem to have that much "stuff", so it doesn't seem like I would need a lot of storage, but I will also move my domestic machine and stash out there. Also, I would need a place for cutting table, batting, thread, stencils, templates, HF, and whatever else I may need.

I know, its a "terrible" problem to have, but I am NO good at planning these things out, and would appreciate all the help I could get, or any pictures of your studios that haven't been posted here recently because I have read and re-read this site! Thanks again for all your help. What type of cabinets do I need? What would be a good layout? (It would be great to see some of the experts studios!)

Thanks!

Liv2kwilt

Millennium

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how much fun you are going to have. I have my studio in our 20x30 metal shop building but I only have 20x20. I do not have windows but it is a great working space. having said that, I did not research like you are doing and kind of let my husband and his mother plan out my layout, well now I wish I could take it all out and redoe it. LOL. I have a tall metal shelf thingy I got at a local store that I store my CL and templates on and my batting rolls go on the bottom shelf and I have a shoe holder for my pantos that hang on one end and a hooky thin that I hang my stencils on on the other. I have my Alice long ways toward the back of one long wall and then my DM and cutting table etc. along the other wall which leaves the middle open. I do have french doors I can open in the summer and I have a bookself on each side where I keep my CDs and DVD's and books and magazines and various knick knacks. I will try to post a picture. I have some areas that are pretty cluttered and I am trying to get that straightened out, but that entails getting rid of "stuff" and that takes time to sort through.

I know you will get lots of great ideas cause there are some really wonderful work spaces that our sisters have.

be sure to keep us up to date on your progress

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It's not really quilt studio related, but when my husband and I moved into the new remodeled kitchen recently he had a great idea. He had us put sticky notes on all the cupboards and drawers to indicate what would go where so that we could think if that made sense before actually moving anything.

Mr. Wonderful also built me a thread rack which I posted a picture of when he first built it. I love it because it's only one cone deep, so nothing gets to hide back there. Sadly, I've filled that one, and have overstock in another area.

I'd also suggest something to stand on, whether it be a rug, anti-fatigue mats or something so soften the floor for standing while you quilt. Overhead lights are a must, and mine are simply florescent "shop lights" from Home Depot.

Guess that's my suggestions for the moment, but I'm sure you'll get lots of great ideas from others out there. Meanwhile, it's time to quilt!

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My room is about 30 ft x 12 ft. I wish it were a little wider. I have my longarm on one end and my machine, ironing station and cutting table on the other end. I still want to move things around a little, just haven't had time to get to it. I have my sewing area set up so that I can turn around and my ironing station is right there. My cutting station is off on my left. I think it can be better still and will keep playing with it until I get it right. I like my LA area. I have my machine and next to it I have a 3 bin plastic storage cabinet. I keep my thread in there and some of my other tools. I have a big peg board that holds all my rulers and my stencils. I also have a sewing box that holds my rulers that don't have holes in them. I also have another cabinet the size of a pie cabinet that holds my bobbin winder, tools, cleaning supplies and other machine specific things. That way I know right where everything is. I also have a bookcase and sewing cabinet for storage.

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Sounds like a nice big area. I wish I had a pole barn shop insolated and drop ceiling. Lot of storage for material and a place for customer quilts and a place to hang my pantos up for customers to see when trying to decide which one. High part would be good to keep a space for hanging quilts and putting batting up high out of the way. I have a wall cabinet for thread cones, that works great need LA. Hope this helps you.

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One thing I did was bought 8 Sterlite (plastic?) cabinets . . . 4 have 4 drawers, the other 4 have doors and shelves. We lined them up back to back and DH built a countertop that sets over the top of them. It's covered with formica and looks really nice. Great for cutting and storage, etc. It's great for those days when I decide I need to "rearrange" things because it all comes apart easily.

My room is about 32' x 14' with door to laundry room on one end and open stairway on the other. We have put in lots of lighting; it's in the basement so the only other light is from short but wide windows that are almost the length of the room. It doesn't even feel like I'm downstairs; nice and bright!

I have my Millie setting lengthwise with my back to the windows since I can't really see much out of them anyway, and because I like to know when someone walks in the room while I have the machine going. (Otherwise I spook . . . and oops!)

DH has put in a rack for rolls of batting, shelves for threads, long iron? closet rod suspended from the ceiling to hang quilts on, etc. I have to look at all I have waiting for me to do when I look up from the machine . . . not sure I like that part!!

Anyway . . . that's my space! Hope this give you an idea or two!

Oh, and if you are having any wiring done?? Outlets every two studs and a few on the floor!! lol!

Becky

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I've recently finished my quilting studio and would suggest the anti fatique mats on both sides of the LA. We transformed our qarage which had 8ft. flouresent lights, I replaced them with daylight flouresent lights with the recommended 6500 Kelvin and 88 Color Rendering Index. I also have a 4' X 8' table that I use for cutting and it is very nice to lay out customer's quilts to measure and discuss the quilting with them. Storage is a must, I still need some type of system for my batting but want to think about that some more.

If you are needing heating and cooling for your studio and do not want the expense of a big system, I bought a window unit (could also be mounted in wall) like a window AC unit but it has heat also, remote control, energy saver and timer. My space is 23' X 25' and the unit is 12,000 BTU and works wonderful. I ordered it from Lowe's for $567 I believe. I have a friend building a LA space and she is thinking of putting two smaller units in, one on each end of her room to equal out the temperature throughout the room.

My best suggestion is to think about the furniture, machines etc. you have, how you currently work with them, things you would like changed and then incorporate those ideas in your new space. I trashed alot of paper designing my room. The best of luck with yours!!!

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Quilter 4 Jesus and Zebra_2(Becky)

,

Hello and welcome newbies. Love the names sounds like you have some nice quilting spaces sure hope to see some pictures.

Hopefully we are all peacemakers and (piecemakers) from the looks of Liam's post it is pretty unanamous, we are both!! Glad to see all you newbies out from lurkdom!!

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You guys have got to post pictures of your spaces...they sound great. I've got the space planned as far as where machines will go in the yurt, but I don't really have my storage spaces planned yet. Plus, I want a big tv so that when I watch a training DVD, I don't have to watch with a magnifying glass:P

I love windows, so my longarm faces a window that I should be able to look up and out into the meadow where the horses are. My DSM will be by a window, too, but that one just faces our house. I'm putting Dennis' stuff in one area so that if its a mess (which it generally is) it won't impact my area...hopefully. His messes tend to grow;)

Wow, Holly, your space is incredible!

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I am jealous, all of you have these large studios. I have a 13' x 13' room, which my quilting machine takes up most of it. I have to crawl under my machine to get to the other side. I have my DSM and my Embroidery machine in the same room. I have all my other goodies in the room across the hall, this room is 12' x 10'. I keep all my fabric in yet another room which is a 12' x 12' loft, I have at last count 328 bolts of fabric (mostly Moda) in this room (did I mention I have a fabric addiction?). Oh I almost forgot I keep my large rolls of batting in the spare bedroom (Wow my quilting has taking over 4 of the 5 bedrooms). It would be nice to have one large room where I could have everything, instead of running from room to room.

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LOL, I do have a lot of fabric! I have been stocking up the past couple of years. I order 8-12 bolts each month and 4-6 FQ Bundles on average. But lately my orders are getting larger, I just place an order for 26 bolts and 8 FQ Bundles. All the money I make Quilting goes into buying fabric. I am hoping to open a small quilt/fabric shop in the near future. I am so sick of Factory work and can't wait to get out of there.

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Liam, you need to open that quilt shop soon or you will be pushed out of your home by the fabric alone :D

Make sure when you open it you also have an online website for purchasing as well so all of us on the chat can buy fabric from you. I do most of my fabric buying on line, because of all of the deals you can find and for the convienence it offers. Good luck!

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OK back to this post...... As far as cabinets, I would say any style of cabinets you like that will house all your goddies..ie: fabric, thread and such will work. I remolded my kitchen and saved most of the cabinets and counter tops for my future studio. You will want a large sturdy cutting table, so you have plenty of space and room for squaring backing and anything else like stencil'n and such. When you set up your room you will want to have your machine near the best lighting. As far as the rest of the stuff, set it up where it flows to your like'n and convenience. I don't beleive there are any set rules to how a studio is suppose to be set up, just what works for you.

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Hey guys! Thanks so much for all your help! Great suggestions and much to think about!

Please, any pictures would be great! Especially those of you who are well versed and been doing this long enough that you have made a few moves and perfected it as you went! Post Pictures! Thanks so much!

Luv2Kwilt

APQS MILLENNIUM

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The amount of yardage on the bolt varies. From the manufacturer it is generally around 50 to 100 yards. Then the distributor will re-roll into 15 - 25 yards to sell to the retailer. Sometimes the amount the retailer receives is actually less than he ordered, and there can be a conflict. The amount is generally printed on the end of the bolt.

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Most of my calicos/prints and Marbles are on average 15 yard bolts. The batiks are on average 10 yard bolts and the backing comes on 15 to 25 yard bolts. I am hoping everything works out where I can open a small shop around the first of the year.

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