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Stitching & Crafting Room:  My Sad Sewing Room  |
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HeathersHeartfeltStitches
True Blue Farmgirl
440 Posts
Heather
Lancaster
OH
USA
440 Posts |
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smoothiejuice
True Blue Farmgirl
6309 Posts
Jessica
Bloomington
Indiana
USA
6309 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 06:26:08 AM
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okay heather...move everything to one corner of the room....go get a bright sunny paint color...paint the room...If you want, get a few colors adn get it all funky and inspirational(mine is coca cola red now). Go on Craigslist, get a bunch of cheap $10 - $20 shelves...be patient, might take 2 weeks or 3, but they will appear..they are out there. Range them so your stuff is neat adn tidy, you will be able to find stuff much more quickly. Also watch for cheap lamps, stick them around the room as needed in smart places. And dont forget to find some very cheap very comfy chair that is hideous to throw a quilt over so you have a relaxing place to plop down and finish up projects by hand. Leave one of your walls open for large hangings you have done, put a bulletin board or a quilt board up behind it so you have a place to stick up large projects. For mine I found a huge 4x8 sheet of blueboard on the materials section of Craigslist for $5 and I covered it with felt that was on sale...works like a charm....just my suggestion as to how to fix your space, sewing is happy..make it your bright spot. Also, hang a closet rod just above your eyelevel, hang all your fabrics, and things you have collected to repurpose, that way you can find what you need fast.
#56
http://hectichousehold.blogspot.com/ |
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 07:41:28 AM
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Heather, your space has great potential. I too vote for a coat of paint, however, I went with a deep wheat color in mine that was neutral so it wouldn't interfere with distorting fabric color choices to my eyes. But that is the fun about paint...the world is your oyster, girl! The other thing, if you can do it, might be upgrading the lighting. Though fluorescent lighting can fade fabrics (we'll address your stash in a minute), you might purchase an inexpensive fluorescent light fixture for the ceiling (just replace the current one) might be a way to really perk up the lighting. They come in lengths like 3 feet, 4 feet, etc. You would get a lot of bang for your buck with one fixture. I know how basements can be so dark and that's gloomy to work in. If you can't' find the shelving you like for the walls, you might consider an old chest of drawers to hold your fabric and notions and it could double as a cutting table too. You could find one at a yard sale and paint it to compliment your room or leave it since you like primitives so much. I purchased old desks from a university surplus sale for $1 each and the drawers hold a lot. I put the one I use for a cutting table up on bed risers that I bought for $12 for 4. Also, for fabric storage, how about an old or new storage cabinet, the kind with all shelves and doors to keep out the light? You could put the furniture on the opposite wall of your sewing machine or that end wall so it's handy. I think your room has great potential and once you put in a few hours of work, you're going to love the space. Once you get the paint done, you'll be all inspired to finish it up. Since you've got the cement walls (?) you probably won't hang a lot of stuff up for decoration but you could stencil paint around the top of the walls to cozy it up some or freehand primitive sayings and what-nots. Have a great time girl! I love redoing rooms.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
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Firemama
True Blue Farmgirl
1731 Posts
Amanda
Medical Lake
WA
USA
1731 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 08:28:46 AM
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Heather your space looks just like mine. There is no flooring just cement and wood panneling. So I did what the other girls suggested, PAINTED I picked a mute sagey(VERYLIGHT) green and put some border up around the top. Then I put everything in the center of the room and organized from there. I think you need a great big mirror down there, oposite of a lamp, that will give the illusion of more room and definatley give you more light.Goodluck and let us see what you do with it!!
Mama to 2
FarmGirl# 20
People can only make you feel inferior with your permission, and you dont have my permission......
http://myfarmdreams.blogspot.com/
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Txfarmgal
True Blue Farmgirl
585 Posts
AK
USA
585 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 10:14:17 AM
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I would say paint if you can, also dd and I in my other sewing room took a wall and modpodged pictures of flowers from magazines and we loved it- it actually looked really cool and bright and cheery. It was like looking outside. If you can't paint I would say you can also drap fabrics around. I would try to add pics to the wall. Get some shelves at the thrift store if you can too and put stuff on the shelves. Sounds like a great adventure!
AngiKay-farmgirl sister #301
www.angikay.etsy.com
Heart of TX chapter
Be strong and Courageous. Jos. 1:9
Texas 4H! http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ |
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JudyBlueEyes
True Blue Farmgirl
657 Posts
Judith
Spokane
Washington
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 11:27:52 AM
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Yeah, Heather, definitely paint. I would go and get LOTS of little sample pots of paint from the store and try lots of different colors that appeal to you. REMEMBER, though, BRIGHT is the key here, since you are in the basement. I would even go with WHITE WHITE if that works for you. (As a side note, when I painted my small bathroom WHITE WHITE, from the really dingy off white that it was, I could not believe the difference it made in how bright that room was, even at night, or in the winter.)
And then, you really should be able to drill into those cinder blocks with a cement bit and put up some shelves. I tried doing that in my basement, BUT my basement is 70+ year old poured concrete, and every man I ask about it says I would need a hammer drill or some such, as that concrete is cured to the max...I tried my small electric drill and my neighbor's larger electric drill WITH concrete bits and I barely made a pimple... But you could try on the cinder blocks. So anyhow, I have to go with freestanding shelves, which can be had rather cheaply, even at Home Depot or Lowes. But Craig's list is a good idea, or yard sales too.
In order to hang some stuff, I was lucky, in that there is quarter round between the wall and ceiling. So I can put a nail into that and hang a picture or something. Here's a link to a photo on my webshots of the laundry area (and also my wood burning cookstove!). The paper hanging there is a poem that JPBluesky wrote about some clothespins she found at a yard sale. I need to get a nice frame for it. The other three prints I got at a yard sale for $5 for all 3! http://family.webshots.com/photo/2569861710070475717dstkNQ
And here's another picture showing where I tacked some old curtains up to the quarter round to cover the cement wall and then put some nails in to hang some pictures and a make-do hanger for my old or small purses: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2674263480070475717VCSfas (In this photo, I was measuring buttermilk to make a potion for our faces...I did a spa day for my two roomers and some of their college friends back in February. I wanted to make the basement a little nicer for that, and that's when I got the idea to hang up the curtains.
Anyhow, the point is, if you have the quarter round up at where the wall meets the ceiling, you could do something similar and hang some stuff.
I like Amanda's idea of the mirror definitely adds more light and roominess. And like Jami said, if you just can't hang anything, there are lots of stencil patterns you can get to do something on the walls. I've even seen some of the decorating shows where they paint vertical stripes in all different colors...that could be cute with the right, bright colors.
Well, you go, girl, and DO show us what you decide. Have FUN!!!
We come from the earth, we go back to the earth, and in between, we garden! |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 11:32:42 AM
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PAINT, FOR SURE!!
Add pictures, shelves, baskets, lamp, comfy chair, etc etc. ALL that has been mentioned before are wonderful ideas!!
Love and show after pics too.
Marian
(Only Elvis is a black kitten :) )
http://princess-of-pink-creations.blogspot.com/
my new BLOG
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 1:00:14 PM
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paint and mirrors..you can find really nice big mirrors that you can paint the frames on at antique shops..tucked away in the corner of the shops..I have been able to find those big plastic framed mirrors(white framed ) for less than $10..and they look fab when you paint the frames a color you like.
but definitely go with paint..and a cheery little curtain on that window..bring in a faux greenery tree too. And definitely some little shelves painted in bright colors.
have fun!
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 3:09:34 PM
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| here are an idea that i have used in the past to decorate. maybe it will help. make frames (the size of the wall, can be made in sections) to stretch fabrics on and hang picture from. these can be made either from 2x2s or "stripping" (1 X's) nailed together. that way you can easily change you room when you want to. great to do in a rented place! $1 per yard facric goes a long way in decorating! pick up anything you decorate with at yard sales, thrift stores or on clearance ( we ahve a lovely place lovingly known as the "transfer mall" where everything is free!) the one item i wouldnt skimp on is shelving! sams club has an extremely sturdy, stable shlef unit that costs around $80. it is extremely adjustable and simple to set up! it is stainless steel with 6 shelves. good luck in yoru decorating and let us see pics as you go along! peace connie in alaska |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 4:56:47 PM
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PS you could put velcro around the top of the stainless steel shelves, and put a curtain of sorts around it. (cheap cloth). I just threw a extra large table cloth on mine in the kitchen (although they are the small stainless steel shelves from Bed Bath and Beyond), and I can easily move the tablecloth to get my canned veggies out underneath. I live in a small NYC apt, and so we don't have a pantry, I had to make my own! lol And the stainless steel while sturdy, durable, and in my opinion the best kind of shelves, were cold and too modern looking for me. The country/vintage table cloth warms it up and no one would know it's "new" stainless steel shelves under there, and not some beautiful vintage something! lol
I also love dressers for storage. When we lived in Brooklyn we had a great big bathroom, it had a huge built in woredrobe, but the owners had it filled with their stuff. So I put in my husbands childhood dresser, and we used that for our towels, and bathroom stuff/storage. And ever since I really love using dressers for storage as well!
http://www.wolfprncez.blogspot.com |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 7:05:32 PM
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Paint is definitely the first thing to do. I would opt for a bright blue or sunny yellow. Then add some cute curtains on that window. Maybe shelving with baskets for storage. Lots of pictures. It has lots of potential!!
Handmade Soap and More! - http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
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Stitching & Crafting Room: My Sad Sewing Room |
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My Sad Sewing Room
