After months and months of having to move my sewing machine around from room to room, I finally have my own sewing "room". It is actually a closet under the stairs, but it is home for me.

The previous move of my sewing machine had me sewing in the dining room on a small corner table. But when we had to move our large aquarium to a more stable setting, I was forced to move my sewing machine again. This time I didn't know where to go. I had already lost the desk in my room, and the table in the family room and since my children aren't babies anymore, I can't sew in their rooms (they don't want mom's stuff in there room anymore). Even after days and days of thinking I still didn't know what to do.

Then one afternoon, I went into the closet under the stairs to get a roll of leftover carpet so I could put it in the play cubby in my boy's bed room. But to get the carpet I had to take everything out of the closet because it was way in the back. In the process of doing that I found an an electrical outlet on the bottom right wall. I was ecstatic. After all, all I really needed to sew was somewhere I could plug in my sewing machine.

Immediately visions of my own sewing room popped into my head. I went into the shed to see what left over wood we had. There were remnants of an old computer desk that had previously been converted into a smaller children's computer desk. It was enough for me to make a good sewing surface. I went back in the house and immediately got to work cleaning out the closet. Once it was empty I took measurements so I could plan the desk. The closet was 36 inches wide by about 9 feet long. It was perfect.

I went out to the shed and used the two top pieces of our old computer desk and made an L shaped desk that was exactly 35 1/2 inches wide. I screwed it together with some other scrap pieced of wood and added some shelves on the inside underneath the top. Then I brought it into the closet, squeezed it in the space, and nailed it to the wall for extra support. Then I moved my fabric shelf in (it had previously been in my clothes closet). I made thread holders and attached them to the back of the stairs. I also made spaces to hang my embroidery hoops on the inside wall of the stairs. I added small shelves on the back side of the stairs to hold small objects or remnants of fabric that I am working with.

On the wall near the floor by the door, I also hung a white board. I use that for my kids. They sit and draw on the white board while I sew. It keeps them busy and lets me sew at the same time. I put my sewing machine on the long part of the L shaped desk and use the smaller side for cutting small items. My larger cutting mat hangs on the wall. I still have to take it out to the kitchen table when I have big cutting projects.

Everyone who looks at the room wonders how I sew in there, they all say it would make them claustrophobic. But I put some good lights in there along with a small radio and it works for me. I can actually leave my sewing machine in the same spot and leave out one project. That's all we really need to do at a time anyway is one project right. :)

When we finish our attic and our oldest daughter moves up there, I will confiscate her room and turn it into a full fledge sewing/craft room, but until then, I am happy that my sewing machine has found a place to stay where it won't have to be moved around every couple of weeks. And I can leave my work out and shut the door when it is time for bed.