FMQ Friday – Creating the Perfect Spot to Hand Sew
It’s finally Friday! I’m so happy this week is over and the Summer Solstice is finally here. It’s officially summer!
To celebrate I’m heading to IKEA, which might not seem like the best place to celebrate a seasonal holiday, but today I’m looking for a nice chaise lounge or sofa bed to put in my guest bedroom. The little futon fitting between my book cases just isn’t cutting it. It’s hard, uncomfortable, and not somewhere I ever want to sit. I think a softer, cushier chair would be a lot more suited to this space.
My goal here is simple: I want this spot to be my spot to sit and do hand work. I’m tired of constantly shifting my hand work bags, baskets, and bins to the living room, dining room, bedroom, upstairs, and downstairs depending on where I’ve decided to stitch that day. I’m ready to have a dedicated space just for this, where I can sit in the sun and stitch comfortably. I might even install a camera mount to the side of the bookshelf so I can film easily here. How’s that for efficiency!
Way back in college I had a special chair set up in front of a window in my dorm room. I’d sit and stitch, read, and study comfortably for hours in the sun with my sewing machine propped up on a small storage box in front of me, and all the fabric I owned fitting into just 2 grocery bags.
Unfortunately I never took a picture of this setup, but it was definitely cute, though I don’t at all miss the pain in my back from leaning over to stitch all day. Looking back I probably should have noted that when given a choice between studying for a biology exam, attending class, or sewing a pair of pants, I always choose to sew.
So now I’m wanting to somehow bring that experience from 11 years ago (has it really been so long?) into my guest bedroom. I plan to sit my way through IKEA until the perfect couch or chaise lounge is found!
What about you? Do you have a special place to sit and hand stitch? What makes a spot particularly more comfortable to you?
Let’s link up and share anything this week! I’m not free motion quilting this week because piecing has taken precedence so feel free to link up any post you’ve written this week about quilting!
Let’s go quilt!
Leah
I do my hand sewing in front of the TV. It gives me the excuse to watch the latest Netflix selection in my queue. I sit on a comfy, but supportive sofa with an floor standing OTT light to my left that pivots and even has an "arm" with a magnifier. There is a whole wall of windows to my right that overlook the lake beside our condo. There is also end table to hold my glasses, hand sewing container with things like small scissors, needles, thimble and the current thread and of course a coaster for a beverage.
This is a habit I picked up from my mother. She didn't quilt, but she did like to do crewel or needle point. She didn't feel justified JUST watching TV nor could she JUST do hand sewing. However, if you combined the two, that was OK.
I like your space there, such good lighting and lots of shelves. Hope you find the perfect chair or couch!
One of my favorite things about handwork is portability! I like to take my handsewing along and sit on a park bench, or at a coffee shop. At home, I curl up in the living room in a comfy chair. Your guest room looks like an inviting and sunny spot to sew!
Dedicated space is important when you want to be by yourself. I do like to sit in the living room at night and do handwork on a smaller scale. My husband never thought quilting would take over the whole house though. LOL Chris
Because I have real studio space in this house, my second bedroom became a small den, with a couple of comfortable arm chairs, with a small side table–large enough for my sewing basket and Ott lamp, TV, and book shelves. It's my favorite place to sit and stitch … if I'm still in the studio when the sun sets, one of the cats will come and bug me until I go upstairs with a project to hang out with her there.
I'm not a fan of hand sewing. I've never been good at it or had the patience for it, which is funny because I'm a knitter and I don't think twice about doing that. Anyway, I'm currently working on making my primary sewing space more functional and comfy so I understand your desire to find the perfect spot. Good luck in finding a great chair.
Great idea to find a dedicated space for handwork. I also am moving my stuff from room to room. Natural light is the best. I am going to put on my thinking cap on how and where to get a designated sewing spot for handwork.
If you set up a camera, I'd love to see a time-lapse of a day of your hand-sewing!