Workroom: photos of changes

I did say I’d take photos today so here they are:

The cutting table was turned 90 degrees to give access all the way around it. It is one of the collapsible kinds that is on wheels. I do wish I had a bigger cutting surface but this works well for the smaller one-off projects I tend to do. Behind the table is my embroidery station and a wall of supplies in cubby holes. The plastic bins from The Container store fit perfectly into the Ikea shelves! There is a tall rotating chair to use while pattern drafting at the table. I eventually would like a real drafting table but for now it is at least a clean surface. My embroidery hoops are stored under the table in a clear bin so they are easy to reach from the embroidery station. They are still easily movable and can be put elsewhere when the table is collapsed. And then garbage bags hanging from each side, a tall covered garbage can, and my roommates rotating fan.

I’m tempted to get a custom rotary mat made for this table but I’d have to store it somewhere when I collapse the cutting table. I might collapse it for instance when I’m draping or working on a larger gown and need the floor space to dress a mannequin.

The chair to the right covered in red/pink fabric is my roommates station. To the left of the cutting table is the client area with a couch and coffee table. I tend to do all my hand sewing sitting there with a basket of sewing supplies near at hand. My roommate has her tv set up to watch movies while hand sewing. I have my wii fit set up to try to remind myself to stand up and exercise sometimes instead of working all day without moving.

In the client area I’ve removed the rug:

I clear off the coffee table to look over books or contracts with clients. You can see the book shelves are stored in this area as well. I’ve been tempted to put up draperies to corner off this area but I kinda like the open feeling into the workroom. This does mean I have to put away secret projects each time I have people over. It gives me drive to keep my workroom cleaner than I might otherwise though, so that is a benefit. I think having the cutting table pulled out a bit will give me an area to keep my pins when I do pattern adjustments during fittings. I hate bending over repeatedly for things off the coffee table.

In the client area I eventually plan to put up my three way mirror instead of the tv station. As is, I just pull out two or three mirrors and prop them up for people to see themselves. I think the visual feedback is a rewarding part of the process and lets people see how things are progressing as well as watching me alter things on them. They can provide additional feedback to me during that process.

Ironing station:

I’m thinking about covering the entire smaller table with padding and creating a larger surface to iron yardage. Right now I have the two ironing boards out at different levels which allows me to iron yardage and then do large pleats of it onto the upper board to keep it neat as I go. I don’t know if that makes sense but it works.

This is absolutely the largest workroom I’ve ever had – double my last and four times my original bedroom work space years ago. I’m getting used to all the space and trying to learn to use it effectively. Each space takes some time to find the optimum flow for your work. This is the fifth space I’ve set up and it started out better than some from what I’ve learned in the past in my other workrooms.

Pegboard, mannequins, and another section of cubby holes:

This is also the first space that I’m sharing with another seamstress. So I get her input too and she shares her experience from other workrooms as well. When Mervyns was closing she picked up a rotating peg board that we had stuck into a nook and didn’t really use the first few months. She explained how it was useful in another shop she worked in but we hadn’t found its optimum location yet. In the first location we never used it except to store things we rarely used. Now, since re-arranging her station, the peg board came out into the open and has been wonderful to use. Everything is much better organized, easy to see, and easy to put away. So there is an example of a small change that made a huge difference. Still, there is always room for improvement!

I hope the recent changes will create an even better environment for working.