Customer Reviews

Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space: Sewing-Room Makeovers for Any Space and Any Budget

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you read the reviews of competing books, you'll see that I've already pawed through the virtual shelves. Some of those "organize your craft space" books are okay, with a few tips that might justify the purchase of the book, but Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space is the first one that made me feel that it's worth reading more than once.

For one thing, the author is very specific. You don't get general advice like "organize your books by theme." Hallock gives the shelf dimensions that work best for folded quilting fabric (i.e. most bookshelves are too shallow), and then she gives directions for folding the fabric consistently and neatly. I've already put that tip to work (it's something to do while I wait for the iron to warm up) and wow, does it help!

She is also very cognizant of storage issues, pointing out wisely that most quilters never do fold-up their cutting table, and suggesting that instead you choose a surface with built-in drawers or other storage. Sure, you could apply that as "expensive" advice (such as buying a kitchen cabinet), but it'll also cause you to cast a gimlet eye on a dining room sideboard you find at a garage sale. There are several before-and-after makeovers, too, so you can see the advice put into action.

Even if you're expecting to look at this book from an "armchair makeover" perspective, and your redecorating budget exists in the same fantasy world as your New Zealand vacation, this book is -- unlike the others -- worth it just for the organizing mindset that Hallock provides. She hates clutter, so there's plenty of advice just in the "organizing" section.

I had eagerly awaited the arrival of this book but must admit I was disappointed in it. I didn't find the information new, creative or inexpensive. If I had a large room, a carpenter husband to build shelves, or money to have them made, like most of the rooms portrayed in this book, then I wouldn't have needed help setting up my sewing room! I found the two books "Dream Sewing Spaces" by Lynette Ranney Black and "Setting Up Your Sewing Space" by Myrna Giesbecht to be filled with more ideas for storage and room design than "Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space".

This is a very exciting book as it helps you figure out how to create a more organized, functional, less cluttered studio. I struggle with organization and CLUTTER....her ideas have helped me to create a room that I WANT to be in and I want to QUILT as opposed to feeling overwhelmed. I got rid of tables and storage baskets and bought tall cabinets at IKEA and an island that has storage below as opposed to wasted space underneath. I'm working at the correct heights too, so my shoulders don't hurt....it's a book that i'll mark up and incorporate more ideas in time. Lois designed marysquiltingcabin.com It's a quilting palace and the tables are the right height, for your sewing machine so that your shoulders and back don't kill you after sewing for 2 days. You can incorporate her ideas into other areas of your home too....to make life easier...thanks for a great book Lois!

I love the book "Dream Sewing Spaces" - which is my favorite because of the variety of sewing areas it defines - from utilizing a closet to using a whole room. But this book is both inspiring and full of practical advice. It has beautiful, idea-filled pictures of sewing spaces before and after. I'm a big fan of bookshelves - which are well represented in this book. The person who wants to transform a room can get lots of practical ideas from this book. It is great for transforming an existing sewing area or making your sewing haven from scratch.

This book provides great information about setting up or rearranging sewing and quilting workspaces with function and ergonomics in mind. She pays special attention to the special needs of quilting (as opposed to other kinds of sewing) such as setting up a work triangle that includes cutting, piecing & pressing. She also provides lots of information on how to choose correct work surface heights based on your body and the task you are performing. Helpful to prevent aches and pains from poor work surfaces, like using a dining room table for rotary cutting - too low, causes strain. Offers a range of solutions for a range of budgets and spaces, so it's easily customizable to your home.

I received this book and read it nearly cover to cover. I am just beginning to remodel a room specifically for sewing. It has some wornderful ideas and useful information about ergonomics that will help me in finding the right heights for the different surfaces in the room. I am tall and I have adjusted the height of my ironing board from the information in the book and my back is so grateful. I also realize that my cutting board should also be raised to reduce the strain. The idea of using the ruler to fold my fabric is brillaint. I should have thought of it! The pictures are clear and help you in visuallizing the room and why they chose that layout.

This book is filled with wonderful ideas for organizing your quilting space. Most of the "makeovers" featured in this book use inexpensive ready-to-assemble furniuture from Ikea. There is even a chapter called "Rearranging What You Already Own". This is especially good for me as I have a limited budget to work on my sewing room. I am going to spend my weekend folding fabric and rearranging my room!!!

I'm an avid quilter and was delighted to read this book. I can't wait to put all of the relevant advice into practice. Like most quilters, I have a ton of fabric. I've already started refolding it per the book's directions and am finding it much easier to locate a specific color. If you've ever found your shoulders stiff after sewing or cutting, the guidance for the proper height of working surfaces should help. I strongly recommend this book for all quilters and a great deal is also applicable to other types of sewing. A great present for yourself or favorite quilter.

Although at the moment I do not have a room or a corner that I can devote totally to my quilting space, I found this book to be very inspiring. The chapter on ergonomics, proper lighting, and UV protection for fabrics alone was worth the purchase price! I have learned the correct heights for my cutting, sewing, and ironing activities to avoid back and neck strain. The book also offers the most efficient dimensions for ironing surfaces, cutting boards, and shelf depth. Room dimensions are provided, which I can now compare to the size of my spare room to see if it would be possible to convert it someday. I like the author's suggestions for converting base cabinets or buffets into workable spaces.

The section on fabric storage was an eye-opener. I've been feeling pretty smug about tucking my fabrics away in plastic shoeboxes, very tidily arranged on a closet shelf, but now I've discovered that plastic storage encourages mold to grow in the fabric.

The book progresses from least-expensive makeover to the big dream spaces, but I think the title could be somewhat misleading to people who are on very, very tight budgets. Most of the options offered run in the $1,000-$2,000 range. It will take a while to save that much money -- especially when I could be buying more fabric -- but the author's suggestions are straightforward, reasonable, and very helpful in showing exactly what you need to do, or spend, in getting a very efficient, usable, and attractive workspace.

this book was equally usefull to help organize my primarily garment-construction sewing room. I came away with all sorts of good ideas to identify and organize problem areas. The information on ergonomics was especially helpful!

I was fortunate to be able to visit the sewing room featured on the cover - and it is even nicer in "real life".