Sewing/Crafting Space - when you have NO space!

Just one year ago on Halloween, I sat down to an old, broken sewing machine, and decided to learn to sew...

This was my setup then, kids' old computer desk with a folding table and the rolling cart the kids used to keep their Legos in!  It "worked" but, was very shaky, and nobody could get to the back door!  Oh and let's talk about the fact that the "cart" was missing a wheel, so it would randomly just decide to flip over and spew it's contents all over the floor :)

Most of you seasoned sewers/crafters will understand and be nodding your heads furiously when I say that my newfound love of "sewing" quickly morphed into the desire for organization!  Things started reproducing at an alarming rate: thread, fabric, grid rulers, miscellaneous paraphernalia strewn about like beer bottles in a frat house.  By now most of you know the horror that strikes in me - now over the past 8 months add all my knitting and now scrapbooking junk into the equation... this was definitely one of the worst hobbies a Type A/OCD girl could take up in a home with 950 sq ft!  Hubby would get home from work, trip over a sewing machine cord strewn across the living room right in front of the door, be forced to sleep on the couch because I have quilt pieces laid out on the bed for placement (don't move those!), he even started using my ironing board as a kitchen island it had been there so long!  

What's a guy to do?  Well for starters, I had a cart that had an open top used to store appliances.  He made me a wooden top for it and I made panels to hang on it and cover up.... all my fabric storage!  Yep, this thing actually looks like a kitchen island now -

Below is a peek behind the curtain:  I have yet another old Lego bin I stole from the boys and labeled it for different size precuts and scraps, I buy those big 12x12 clear scrapbook page storage envelopes (with the 50% off coupons, of course) and use them to store fabric in, a repurposed open bin for stuff I'm currently working on, and an old box full of, eeeek - old sewing machine parts.  Yes, I am amassing quite a little collection of estate/thrift machines, it's a sickness I will write about another day :)

Nowadays, however, it parks conveniently between a door and my desk and I topped it with my favorite inspirational things and instead of looking at stacks of fabric all over (remember I have no closets in our open plan house!), now I have a cool little retro groovy fabric corner that rolls anywhere I need it to! Well, I like it anyways :)

But this little gem below is what makes it ALL work... enter the "Go-Go-Gadget, Craftroom"!

A very small footprint with a big storage shelf, huge and deep drawers, and wheels!  We all know how much this house needs wheels!  Here she is folded down and parked just about anywhere:

And here she is all folded out - takes only about 20 seconds to fold it out, and if you were so inclined, there's room for 4 crafty people to set up!  You can even store 1 or 2 machines on the bottom so it's always there.  It's awesome for cutting patterns on and don't even get me started on how handy this is to serve a buffet on...  

I really wanted to see how it held up to abuse before recommending it, but I've been using it since February and just love it.  It sees lots of abuse here too, since I can't leave it set up so it gets rolled around the house and folded and unfolded every time I sew - no problems.  It fits one of those big folding cardboard grid things on the top, so that helps with pinning and cutting so I don't mark up the table.

I won't bore some of you with repeat photos, so check out my post on the "Crafty Hallway" to see how I got a ton of storage out of my hallway, great as long as you aren't 5 feet wide, I guess, because then it would cease to function as a hallway :)

Anyway, that hallway is there by the blue curtain covering up my washer/dryer, so it's easy to grab the supplies I need.

 Besides the actual folding table, the only things I have purchased for the "space" were the carousel I mentioned the other day I got for 80% off, and this light below.  I saved a TON by buying this adjustable light for $19.99 the last time I was at IKEA, when I saw how much those crafting lights were I almost fell over and after using this cheap one for 8 months now, I can't imagine that there's anything the spendy ones could do for me that this can't, I love this light.

So here it is today - it's pouring outside so I set it up and am going to sew.  If hubby needs to get into the bedroom though, he's going to have to crawl under the table, he's used to it!  Just kidding, there's another door to the bedroom off the hallway :)

So in the span of less than a year, I'm basically a lost cause.

And oh, yeah... Santa can find this table here.  If you watch you might find a sale, I got mine in Feb for $179.99 with 10% off that price with a coupon code and free shipping. No, I'm not getting anything for the review, I just like to help others with the same lack of space issue as I have!  

So now show me yours!  I'm still jealous as can be of those of you that have a room for crafting (we know who I'm talking about!) but that sure doesn't stop me from wanting to see!  Someday, someday... :)

*note - it's BIG, measuring 36" x 76" and if you have carpet, you would probably need to leave this in one spot because I'm pretty sure it won't roll on that! - Also note that it is a counter height table (which I happen to love), so you will need to find a bar stool/chair that has a nice place to rest your feet so it's comfortable.