Sunday 4 August 2013

Tidying up my sewing table



For a very long time, my battered sewing table looked like this...










Everything I needed was close to hand, but in an awkward way.  The sewing machine was on a couple of chunky crochet mats, a pair of scissors and a seam ripper were normally hanging about nearby,  there was a tin of pins, a pincushion  and an old preserving jar in which to put all the cut threads.  Oh and my self-covered, Cath Kidston radio - don't forget the radio! (The hazardous making of which you can read about here and here.)


But everything was sort-of on the wrong side for me, a right-handed person, and also I kept scooting things off the table as the fabric passed through the sewing machine.  


It was time to create something to serve my purposes better!


First I created some random patchwork.    I made three strips, each of which measured 36" by 4", made up of  2" squares, 4" squares, 4 x 2" rectangles and 6 x 4" rectangles.  I was able to use up lots of scraps I had around the place - quite a lot was Tilda leftovers from another project, but I added in some other favourites, as it was going to be nice way to preserve them!




To make my runner, I cut 

24          2 1/2"    squares
18          4 1/2"    by   2 1/2" rectangles
6            4 1/2"    by   6 1/2" rectangles
3            4 1/2"    squares

I divided those up to make three strips which I arranged differently so each strip was unique, then sewed the strips together to make my 36" by 12" strip.




I found a suitable sized piece of backing fabric (part of a pretty, old, cotton duvet cover) and a remnant of batting.  I quilted the piece with horizontal and vertical lines in a sort-of random way, then bound it with a super long length of 2 1/2" strips which I had sewn together simply (not joined diagonally as you would normally do) and used folded in half.



Then I set about making some pockets to attach to the right hand end, that was going to dangle over the side of the table.


One was to be a thread bin (I hoped fabric would be better for this than the glass had been as threads 'stick' to my rough fingertips - I reckoned I could swipe the threads on the fabric).  This was a lined pocket with a channel sewn at the top and some 'boning' threaded through to keep it open.  Having no actual boning to hand, I used a section cut from the top of a family-size yogurt pot!  Worked a treat!




The other pocket was for small scissors and a seam-ripper.  

These were simply sewn onto the finished runner and embellished with buttons.

My final addition to the runner was a  built in pincushion.  I selected an area about four inch square in the central patchwork strip to the right of where the sewing machine would be.  I made sure this had been quilted all the way round, then cut a small slit in the backing and lightly stuffed the square.  I also squeezed in two small, super-strong magnets (salvaged from old computers) before whip-stitching the slit and placing a neat patch over it.  





This created an area where I can stab my pins, and two corners where I can place safety pins and needles and know they won't end up on the floor (and from thence into my foot!)




My desk looks much more swish now!





15 comments:

  1. that look fabulous. The runner is super looking and really great with the pockets. I'm impressed! xx

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  2. I agree it does look swish, although I was quite taken with the white crochet. Hope you have put it to good use.

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  3. It looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing your square pattern. I'm just beginning to think about trying to quilt and everything that I see is too hard and complicated. I can do your pattern and it is beautiful. I love how you included your organizing pockets, too.
    Perfect project :)
    Have fun sewing.
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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  4. Absolutely wonderful, so clever! I need one of these...

    Helenxx

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  5. What a good idea! Perhaps yo should patent it?

    Love Claire xx

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  6. Que bonito! Gostei muito! Os trabalhos artesanais são sempre maravilhosos...
    Parabéns!
    cemmanias.blogspot.com

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  7. Hello Alix I've just discovered your blog via Thriftwood. Once I'd read your post about your sewing runner I thought "right I'm following this lady and making one of these." Can't wait to discover more wonderful ideas on your blog.
    Ali x

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  8. Great idea, I'm really into quilting and this would be a really useful thing to make to keep the mess together!

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  9. Very nice. I love to see posts about "tidy up the sewing room". I'm ever wanting inspiration to tidy mine up. Thankyou for being today's inspiration!

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  10. What a brilliant idea. Even I could do that. Love the pincushion bit too,

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  11. That is so clever and so neat and tidy, brilliant! x

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  12. Hi, I'm back. I just wanted to thank you for your sweet visit and to reply to your comment about applique: I think that the temporary bond spray makes all the difference. It holds your pieces exactly where you place them without sliding around. Much better than pinning or basting.
    I think that your idea for the built-in pin cushion is genius, the magnets is a fab touch, too. :)
    Have a marvelous week
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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  13. Oh I just LOVE it! I need one of these on my sewing desk. The pincushion is a genius addition too. Humm.....I have the fabric stash so now to find the time and an Alix original... :-)

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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