Orla Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 In the yard I am having a room built for quilting and to include a long arm machine and table. I am thinking of buying a Mellie. he only thing is the room is going to be 20 feet x 14 feet or I can have the room 16 x 16 feet. There is no option of having any more space than that. I want to use it for quilting and for piecing as well with ironing board set, place for fabric, books etc. I don't want to feel packed out but it would be good to have things in one spot. If someone can please advise me wih this dilemma it would be a great help to me. Orla:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, First you need to consider what kind of quilting you will be doing: for a business, charity, personal. That will help you figure out what size quilts you're likely to do, which will tell you what size table to go for. For example, if you're just quilting for yourself and you don't expect to do any king-size quilts/bedspreads, then you can use a smaller table - maybe even as small as 10' long. The size table you have will determine how you can place the machine in your workspace and what else the workspace can be used for, like your sewing machine, fabric storage, etc. Both room sizes are do-able, depending on the size table you need. Does that help at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 My first studio was a 20 x 20 and after 6 years I was so cramped in there...it was a path in and around the machine and back out....wish I had a picture of how crammed I was...I laugh at it now...way to many toys and fabric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orla Posted July 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 It helps a lot Barb. I am going to go for the room that is 20ft x 14 ft and put a 10 foot frame along the length of the 14 foot wall and that way I will still have a sizeable (sizeable for me anyway!!) space left in length of the room. The frame can almost go against the 14 foot wall and pull out when i want to go around to the back of the frame. Does that sound ok? Bonnie I haven't another choice and will just have to grin and bear and go with the flow. I will definitely put the brakes on what stays in the room and after that do what my family says is my passion of sorting through all the household nooks and crannies and tossing into the rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, I'm thinking, with a room that size, and the arrangement you are talking about, you should have plenty of room if you organize just rignt - as I look around me I want to laugh! Anyway, since it is a new space, you can find things to go in it that will help you organize your stuff/stash to fit properly. It also may be a good time to go through things and decide if some of those scraps of fabric that you are hanging on to might be better served donated to a group who makes donation quilts. (Just a thought). You can go online to webshots.com or google images and type in quilting studios and get some great ideas. Good luck. I would love to have new room to start out in...what fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltjunkie Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, I have a 24 by 14 living room ( the reason I bought the house) with a 12 ft table with the power feed, I have plenty of room in there..I have a love seat, a piano, an antique treadle sewing machine and several other tables and shelves, so a 20 x 14 should work just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocoholic Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Also keep in mind that you need at least 5 feet for the depth of the machine when it is extended back as far as it will go. This is without any room to walk around it, so you probably need more like 7-8 feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t257daf Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 I have my Freedom (same size as Millennium I think) in a section of my basement that is 13X17 feet. Plenty of room to move around the table. I have a cutting table in another section which is convenient. Bigger would be nicer, but so would a Millenium, too! Don Fagnan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hi Orla and welcome to the forum. The frame can almost go against the 14 foot wall and pull out when i want to go around to the back of the frame. Does that sound ok? I'm stuck on the part that says "pull out when I want to go around back". NO, that is most definitely not OK. First, when you set up these machines, they are not really meant to move a great deal. I know that some folks have their machines on wheels but the image I get is like pushing an elephant on roller skates. Yikes! And second, if I had a nickel for every trip I've made around to the back, well, I could retire and stay home and quilt. LOL. Even if you are doing freemotion work from the front of the machine, you still go to the back to load, straighten, roll and check the bottom of your quilt. My first machine was a 14-footer set into a corner on the diagonal in my space and I hated having to squeeze around it on the only side that was accessible. I think that I would put the machine, whichever size you decided, on the 20 foot wall so you have space on both ends and can build your ironing/cutting station adjacent to the longarm on the same wall. Then you would still have 14 feet by 6 feet available for shelving, sewing station, storage, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 You can also do different things when setting up your new space for maximum usage of storage space. My ironing space has lots of storage under it as does my cutting table and sewing table. I purchased 3' wide shelf units that are about 15" deep. Then my DH put them on movers' dollies and I slide them in sideways next to each other. Then when I need something that is on one of them I just roll them out get what I want and roll them back. The take up much less wall space that way and hold a ton of stuff. If that doesn't make sense. Pictures are on my webshots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanros Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, I have a Millennium with a 12 foot table and the room is 12x24. I have my Mille on one end of the room, pulled out from the wall about 2 feet, this way I also have room for a Love seat and TV ( that sets on a low dresser for storage) on the other end of the room. I also have a double cloest at one end for storage and I also store containers under my machine. I hope this will help you to decide what you would like for your new machine.... have fun. Jean Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxooms Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 My recommendation is to do a floor plan...and include all the items you want in the room. I ended up mounting a TV/audio system on the wall to have more floor space. 3 ft. between big items is great to have...you might squeeze it down a little, depending on how petit you are. I have done this and it was extremely helpful, talked me out of a 14 ft LA because I wanted room for just space and other things. I think if you have less than a 14 ft table, you will find it a little quirky to quilt king sized quilts. If you don't do those, a smaller length will work. Don't underestimate the space you need on the "wall side" to walk around the table. Good luck! Marlene in Tahoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAQuilts Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, So much fun getting and designing your own space..luck you;) I would go for the 20x14 space. My quilting and sewing space is 19x10. Would love to have it wider, but it actually works very well as long as I stay neat and organized:D I agree with Linda on LA location. I have my LA centered on the 19' wall, it's parked 26" out from the wall. I can get around it and do pantos very easily. It's on wheels, but I never move it. On the opposite 19" wall, accross from the front of my machine, I have my sewing machine table, a 5'x30" cutting table with drawers below, an ironing table top with drawers below, and a Serger w/ drawers below. On one of the end 10' walls I have a 2' deep closet type space without doors, I hung loop top curtains so I could open all of it easily when I need too, this has floor to ceiling 15-18" deep shelves the entire width. MY rulers including my LA ones are hung on slotted wood brackets that hang above the cutting table. My tread is in Plastic drawers under one half of the LA. My batting hangs on a bar under the other half of the LA My stencils all hang from hooks attached to the sides supports of my LA's overhead light bar. A big Book shelf is on the other 10' wall. My design wall is behind the Panto side of my LA. I can see this pretty good. At first I didn't think my narrow space would work, but it does. Once I realized I wouldn't be sitting at my sewing machine at the same time I was using the LA :D Have fun putting it all together. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Orla, I agree with Linda, pulling the machine out is not optimal, the degree of levelness of floors can vary some and the slightest difference will make the head of the machine drift if you take your hands away from it. I have knocked out a wall to enlarge my studio and I say the bigger...the better! Every convention I go to I come home with more toys, oh I mean tools. I have to find places to store/organize everything. When I win the lottery (like I play it!!) the first thing on the agenda is to design my dream home around the studio... and the kitchen! LOL Good luck with your project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I have a 12' table and it is in a 14' X 24' room. It is set up on the 14' side and gives me enough room to get to both sides of the machine plus leaves most of the room for cutting table, sewing table, fabric storage, etc. If it was my choice I would probably go with the 20 X 14 size as this would give you more options. Good luck and happy quilting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orla Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Girls I want to thank you for making things clearer. I called and a representatives in APQS said it’s possible to purchase an 11 foot (custom ) table to facilitate a 14 foot wall. He added that a 12 foot table will measure 12ft +8 inches long. I realize now it might be way tight. Must add too the exterior of the room is 14 feet and when allowing for insulation the interior walls the room won't exactly finish at size 20 x 14 feet. I’m positively splitting hairs here! So I think I will have to go with a custom table in order to fit along the 14 foot space. Now I’m wondering about another query I have. Will a custom 11 fot table fit patterns and facilitate any design possibility options that the company offers as optional? (I don’t know anything about how the designs are made possible or how the sizes are managed so bear with me! Orla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I have a ten foot table which has 108in leaders, which is fine for any quilting I do. I find that most of my customer's quilts aren't over 108in. If a customer has a larger quilt, I send them to a fellow LA quilter who likes to do large quilts. Moving the machine is a bad idea, the glide and smoothness of the machine depends on the frame being level and straight. No matter how strong the steel, it will twist. New floors will be level when constructed but will change as the wood base cures (dries or absorbs moisture. Concrete floors will "settle". You will need to go behind your machine often while quilting. I find 24-30 inches from the wall gives me plenty of room to manuver. My machine doesn't move but everything else in my studio is on wheels. You will find that you can store lots of stuff under your machine. I have units with drawers under my panto table and a batting bar on the front with even more room to store stuff (and I have stuff) like my CL giant templets, etc. Consider all our advice but remember it's your "dream" so have fun designing it just the way you want. My personal opinion as a quilter is that I will never have enough space for everything I want or buy (I'm addicted to gadgets) so I smile and adapt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobuck Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Orla: My room is 16 x 24 ( added 12 x 16 in 2004)----sounds great doesn't it? I agree with the others, you need to be organized. 2 1/2 feet in width is in closets; three double closets along one wall with an alcove for the tv. Millie (12') is across from the closets and along the outside wall. My DM sewing table is in front of the window (great lake view) at the end of the room opposite it is the cutting table. I have a hide-away ironing board. Small computer table next to the cutting table. I have no room for a design wall because of the closets...so I use the floor. I always did before the addition so I continue. The long narrow room does make the room a challenge. The width had to be as it is because of the configuration of the house. 2' to 3' wider would have been better. I love my sewing room, but it has its limitations. When guests come over they WOW at the room, they of course are using an extra bedroom. In Florida we don't have cellars o for the most part or converted attics either. Someone suggested a design plan-----in my case Mille came after the room. Enjoy what you get----I know I do. Jo-Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaProvencher Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi Orla, I have a 10' table in a room that's, I think 11 x 14. I have room for the table, but I piece in another room. When customers come, it's a shuffle to get around the table and each other. I have turned away 1 or 2 quilts in about 3 years. That's an okay sacrifice for me as the alternative was to close and refinish the garage to get it tight enough to stay clean. I'm happy to have my space and have no complaints. Hey, I don't have to rig my machine up with cool devices to keep everything in reach. It's all right behind me, within arms reach!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KQC Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Orla: I have my 14' Millie and the remainder of my quilt studio in my finished basement or half of my finished basement which is about 12' x 22'. I set mine up along one 22' wall about 22 inches away from the wall on the panto side. I don't do pantos very often but everyone else is right you do need to get around the machine for loading your quilt, thread, etc. Across from the free-hand side I have a table for my Bernina Artista, Serger and student sewing machine. I have storage under my sewing table and under my cutting table. At one of the 12' ends I built a wall of modular storage with my fabric organized by color; quilting magazines organized by year; patterns organized by size (couldn't think of any other way to organize them and be able to find them;)); books and a hanging bar to store my seasonal quilts that I rotate on display in my breezeway coming into my house. On the other 12' end I have a flat screen TV mounted on the wall with sound system that hangs on the wall with more storage. I have a love seat facing the TV, so if I am doing hand work (rare any more) or I need a break, I don't have to go upstairs - I just plop down where I am. Right now besides all of favorite things being downstairs it is the coolest place in the house - perfect - since it has been over a 100 degrees outside all week! APQS is a great resource for giving you specific footprints of all of the tables/machines so you will know how much space you need. But then it sounds like you already found that out. They are great people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Eleven foot machine sounds like it would work well for most everything. I have a ten foot Millie and go up to 105" so adding another 12" for your 11' machine would give you 117". I have my machine stuffed into a bedroom and on a diagonal which gave me enough room to walk around the left side and some quilts do require a lot of walking like the Hartley Fence circles. In the triangular space behind me it is perfect for triple-drawer storage and portable trays. Power source is on the right side when facing the machine. I put that end into a corner and don't need to walk around it in that direction. Lighting from the ceiling is another consideration since it will probably be stationary. I used a billiards lighting fixture for a 9' pool table and it has three shades which spreads the light out evenly. I'm not a florescent lighting enthusiast because of eye fatigue. There must be a tiny amount of flicker in the tubes. Daylight is best and sounds from this chat that many quilters have good natural light and perhaps do most of their longarm work during the day. So keep this in mind when designing your space. Robert Purcell, the thread guy from Superior, said that threads should be stored free from dust and light. If you do a wall rack, you'll want to cover the spools with a drape of cloth. I have mine in a drawer as do many of us since we inventory thread and who knows how long we'll have some spools. Good luck with your new quilting room. What a wonderful adventure. Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I down-sized from 14 to a 12 foot machine when I bought my new one. My old machine zippers were 144" and my new ones are 120". The biggest I did on the 14-footer was 130". It was HUGE. I have done several king size quilts that max'd out my new 12-foot machine. I think that I might have to turn away a kingsize bedspread, though, I haven't had any requests to do one since I got the new machine (Sep 2007). I know a lot of quilters who can quilt their lap and even twin size quilts on their DSM. When they start making doubles and queens is when they start looking for a longarmer. Good luck with your quest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlette Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Orla, Seems you've gotten some good advice here. Me. too, as I'm waiting for my machine to arrive in Sept. Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orla Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Thanks for your advice. I think I’m that much clearer on table size and the workable solution. I’m undecided on lighting. The ceiling is an A shape. It won’t be hugely tall but I am wondering how to manage the overhead lighting. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can implement light fixtures for this type of ceiling? My DH made the suggestion I take advantage of the A ceiling shape and make storage room by having a crawl space the width of room (14 ft ) by a depth of 4 feet or so and to store things I’m not sure I want to part with and to have a ladder that is secured in place to the end of the room to access the space. I figure that this idea could be workable and the ladder would not take up a lot of room either. Any futther comments or suggestions would be very mucha appreciated. Orla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 If you make the ladder just right (sturdy but pretty) you could use it to hang quilts! As to the lights, my studio has a pair of fluorescent fixtures, four bulbs each, but my best light comes from several banks of halogen mini-spots. They are movable, so you can focus the light onto your machine's work area, display space on the walls, workspace behind you, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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