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

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.

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 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 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 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.