Tangled Thread - Tips, Trick and Tutorials in Sewing & Stitching

30 things I need (or want) in my studio

by Chloe on September 17th, 2007

I’ve been playing around with lists lately and have come up with my wishlist for my ideal studio - want to see?

1. Good quality natural light - I’m a fan of Eastern & Northern exposure light if I can get it.
2. It’s got to be generously sized - my current studio is approximately 10 feet square. Luckily, I’ve got a basement for storage, so most of my fabric is living there.
3. Which brings us to #3, it’s got to have lots of storage space!
4. Lots of electrical sockets. I’m living in a 1950s bungalow - which is charming, but it only has three sockets in my studio.
5. My computer. I like to be able to blog, photoshop photos and read emails without having to go to a separate room.
6. A printer, to go with my computer :-)
7. Lots & lots of USB ports - I have so many things plugged into my computer that I need to rotate cables around!
8. A sink - I used to have one in my old studio, but not anymore. It’s handy to have access to a sink when you’re dying fabric. It also saves on cross-contamination too!
9. Surge protectors. I’ve got a computerized sewing machine, my computer, fish tanks and various electronic doodads in my studio, keeping them safe is important.
10. A good sturdy ironing board.
11. Which means you also need a good quality iron. I’m still using a basic iron, but it does the trick for me.
12. A big sewing table. I’m currently using a door, on legs, which works beautifully for me.
13. Self-healing cutting mats - of different sizes.
14. Which means you also need rotary cutters. I love them for doing accurate cuts, especially for quilting.
15. Good quality scissors.
16. Space for books & bookshelves - I’m a book worm & can’t live without my books!
17. A design wall - I don’t have space for one right now, but it’s on my wishlist for my ideal studio.
18. A comfy chair - for those times when you just want to sit down and enjoy a cup of something :-)
19. Paint & paintbrushes (I trained as a painter before I started seriously working on fiber art - it’s still something I do a lot of)
20. A digital camera - it’s completely changed the way I document my art… and anything else I care to photograph.
21. Scissors - I seem to need about 10 different pairs :-)
22. My sewing machine!
23. Hand-sewing supplies - which of course includes things like hand embroidery supplies too :-)
24. Embellishments - I tend to use more things like fancy yarn, beads, charms etc on smaller pieces.
25. A comfy chair for my sewing machine & computer
26. A sound system - I like to listen to music as I work.
27. Art on the walls - I seem to do better with lots of creative stuff on my walls.
28. A safe place to store finished work.
29. Design boards - I’m a visual person & I love having snippets of things that inspire me hanging on the walls where I can see them.
30. Storage for fabric!  My dream studio includes an entire wall of clear drawers so I can see where everything is.

So what’s in your dream studio?  And where is your dream studio?

Share This

Related Stories

Getting Mentally Ready for 2007
wonderful things are happening in my studio
De-Stash Your Studio challenge
it’s that time of year again…
New Year’s resolutions

POSTED IN: Creativity, about me, ideas, thoughts