Thanks so much for all your happy wishes to me on my “new and improved” Sewing room. For once it actually feels like a Sewing Studio…not just a room. I am loving all the open space in there and how bright and clutter free it seems. If you missed yesterday’s post where I finally did the full reveal on the room, you can see it HERE.
I told you yesterday, I’d show you a few of my drawers and how I have things arranged. I like having different colorful boxes and canisters to put things in. They do just as nice a job as the clear Rubbermaid containers.
So, let’s take a bit of a tour around my room and look in a few drawers…
When you pull out the three small drawers in the long oak dresser, you’ll find my Little Darling’s shoes, Elin and Patsy’s shoes, Ten Pings, Nyssa’s and Ellowyn’s shoes and boots. I also put my “hair” fixing things in the left hand drawer. They are only about 3″ deep and perfect for these tiny things.
[If you click on any picture it will enlarge.]
Here’s a close up of the shoes…I love seeing them all lined up in rows…
This next drawer is my favorite one in the whole room. It is filled with all my many American Girl doll shoes and I just love how they look row after row after row. This drawer is 4″ deep and just perfect for shoes…
Below the AG shoes are doll wigs. They are actually in little clear compartment trays and so they stay put and don’t get mixed up “with their neighbor…”
In the top left hand drawer I put some of the beads and things I use for my own personal embellishing on my doll dress. Seed pearls, tiny glass beads used in a hat flower decoration, and sometimes I used the beads for embellishing my silk ribbon embroidery…It’s just easier for me to have a few things like this on hand instead of bothering Rebecca for hers…
My hat making supplies are in a drawer below and includes the mold for the Little Darlings…plus all the little paper roses…
In the middle drawer of the white dresser, I have most of my accessories for my girls outfits… a little bit of everything is in this drawer…and it’s really nice to see them all in one glance…
My “shipping station” got moved to a drawer and it’s nice to have it all at your fingertips in one place…
The second and third drawers are connected together and form one big, deep drawer. I have my fabric scraps from my doll dresses I’ve made, in here and will sell them when the drawer is full…It’s full now, so I’ll get that listed pretty soon…
The sweet white hutch is 57″ tall and is perfect for storing my laces in. They are still in bags in some cases, but eventually they will be sorted out and put in lots that are alike…I like opening this door and seeing all my laces at one glance…
My second favorite drawer in my room is my “trims” drawer. I had the trims in those acrylic display units and while I liked them in there, I much prefer to see them in a drawer like this. It’s very easy to see ALL that you have… :o)
Below the trims are some wider wired ribbons that I used fairly often…
…and below them is my drawer of vintage baby rick rack, my petite piping and other piping…
This drawer is holding some baskets and some tiny doll sized veggies.
Guess what’s inside this pretty flap box? If you guessed doll patterns you would be right…
Rebecca thought it would be a good idea to keep these plastic units to put my tulle netting for doll slips, my stretch laces for the fingerless gloves and a few other things in…they fit perfectly on the shelf side by side…
On the bottom shelf of my “fabric” bookshelf, I used a decorative box to place my acrylic paints and fabric paints in…I like the way the box looks…
Aren’t these sewing “canisters” fun for putting things in? …like silk ribbon embroidery…
I hope you enjoyed a peek into some of my dresser drawers. I still have a few that need to be organized and I’m sure some of them will totally change as the weeks go by…I hope I’m inspiring you to do some “cleaning house” of your own… (why should “I” have all the fun???)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wonderful organization, Jeanne! Very neat and tidy. I can see why it took several days to find just the right home for all your groups of items. I think it would be fun if you had a vintage sign of the proverb, “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.” It would fit right in with the other wall decor in your sewing room. Enjoy having everything at your fingertips, and happy sewing!
P.S. Can you please tell us a little bit more about how you sell those scraps?
HI Anne,
Thanks so much for your sweet compliments on my new and improved sewing room… it truly is a joy to be in in now!!!
I am looking for a big sign to put on top of my dolls and fabric cabinets… I might go to Hobby Lobby and find one…I like what you mentioned…
My fabric scraps? I just put them in a bag and when it gets filled up I generally sell it on Ebay… sometimes it’s 8-10 pounds and sometimes more. I’ll take pictures of it all spread out on a table so you can see what you are getting… I’ll work on that as soon as my sister Cindy leaves…
Thanks, Jeanne
The room looks great Jeanne, and the best part will be that you can see what you have! I love having drawers….when I set up my sewing studio I bought three large bureaus with sturdy drawers, and that’s where I store my fabrics…a drawer for each color group(blues, greens, pink and purple, etc), and also one for cotton knits, and one for silky fabrics( which I roll and stand in boxes in the drawer). Works well for me….of course, I still keep buying, so the excess has spilled into baskets on the cutting table, etc…… I keep meaning to sort and discard the ones I know I’ll never use, but…….
HI Kathy,
It sounds like you like fabrics as much as I do… I know what you mean about “keep buying more fabrics”…and it’s hard to stop…
The drawers really work well, don’t they? I am super glad for the dressers I was able to get and love having things so readily available… It’s wonderful…
Thanks so much Kathy,
Blessings, Jeanne
This is fantastic, Jeanne. I’m starting today to do what I can here to aim towards a more streamlined “sewing center”, which, unfortunately, is scattered throughout our house. You are an inspiration.
Blessings.
HI Becky,
Oh good… I inspired someone else to work in their sewing area… I should dig out some old pictures and show my “old set up” when we lived at the house before this one… I just has a small area in the living room… but it worked and now, all these many years later, I finally have my dream room…
I hope you can make it just like you want it…
Blessings, Jeanne
Love how you’ve organized everything, Jeanne!! Oh to have the space to accommodate larger furniture pieces with lots of drawers! You must be in heaven to just open up a drawer and look inside to find exactly what you want. Your creativity juices will be flowing non-stop! I love all your pretty boxes, too.
HI Karen,
It truly is a blessing to have this room all organized and orderly now. It really was out of control… to put it mildly!
I was at Joann’s today… picking up some more tulle for slips, and they had their decorative boxes on sale 40% off, so I picked up 2 big ones in sort of Fall colors. They look great in my room next to my wall color… the big one I had on my oak dresser was actually a Christmas one, which was okay, but these 2 new ones are really pretty in there…
My hubby just was talking to me about the lighting and the cutting table… it’s just about all done now… woohoo!
Thanks Karen,
Blessings, Jeanne
Everything looks great! All the sorting and making things fit in certain areas must have been fun for you. It will be heaven using your sewing room. So enjoyable. You did a wonderful job of the whole room. It is impressive, Jeanne.
I haven’t worked on my doll room for a long time with all the other things I’ve been doing. I’ve also been searching for the perfect shelves to go in one of the corners and can’t find anything that will work. It’s one of the last two pieces of furniture I need to complete the effect I want in the doll room.
In the meantime, it’s so much fun to see what all you’ve done in your sewing room. Very inspiring!!
Thank you so much Paula,
It turned out much nicer than I ever imagined… when I look back at some of my old “messy” pictures, I ask myself how could I stand it like that? I think it took a disaster to get me to make some changes.
I waited a LONG time for a dresser with so many drawers… I hope you find your dream corner shelf soon! It will show up before you know it…
Thanks Paula… (I haven’t forgotten about you know what….)
Blessings, Jeanne
Overwhelmed with tidiness! If only at my house. Stuff still everywhere, but at least I have the dollhouse shelves ready to go. And now the deck project calls my name…
Love the room. Now, you can visit when your sister comes.
HI Joy,
My living room is still a mess, but I managed to hit the table last night so hopefully there will be hope soon for an orderly living room. I know just how you feel!
The rest of my house has been neglected, but my sewing room looks great! I hope Cindy doesn’t mind!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings to you on a speedy cleanup at your house!
~ Jeanne
Your drawers look so neat and organized, I love all my drawers in the house to look that way as well.. It will certainly make whatever you are looking for very easy to find.
I must say that you certainly have a collection of doll shoes, certainly the right color and style to match any outfit. It looks as though you have everything put away except for the bigger props you use for displays such as tables and chalkboard. Where are you storing those now? I like those decorative boxes as well. They look perfect for certain storage needs. I have my embroidery floss, silk ribbons etc in my mom’s old sewing basket she no longer wanted.
Now that you can find everything, it’s time to get sewing. * smiles and winks*
HI Laura,
I’m sure hoping things go smoothly in my room now that it’s all in order. They should… :o)
So many of my doll shoes came from my sister in PA… she lived close to that Dolly and Me outlet store and she sent me LOTS of them… and then I used my 40% coupon at Hobby Lobby on several of the boots…
I just picked up 2 more of the decorative boxes today in pretty Fall patterns… I just love how they go with my walls… They are pretty good to hide things in and make your room look all pulled together.
I forgot to show where my props are… I’ll try and remember to show a picture of them…
You better believe it’s time to get sewing… I’m trying to sweet talk my hubby into going to Lowe’s to figure out something for a cutting table top.. He had an idea I liked… :o)
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Your “new and improved” is wonderful, Jeanne. Everything is so organized that even the drawer of patterns looks pretty. I admit to being jealous of everyone who has a sewing room. Hugs.
HI Jevne,
Oh, I’m hoping you’re not too jealous of my new room… that makes me a little bit sad… :o(
Where do you do your sewing? Do you have a designated spot… maybe you could find a closet or an entertainment piece you could put all your things in?
Let me know where you sew and I’ll see if I can help you think of something….
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations Jeannne! Everything is so organized .. A place for everything and everything in its’ place:)
Love love the way you have utilized the white door chest and tall chest.. What perfectly wonderful finds!
HI Shara,
Yes, I do love my white dresser and hutch… I knew when I saw it, I wanted it! It was just 2 hours away and I had to do a little sweet talking to get it here… But I’m SO glad I did. Both pieces hold an enormous amount of stuff…and everyone now knows, I certainly have an enormous amount of STUFF!!! :o)
Thank you Shara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh Jeanne, I love the way you have everything so organized in the drawers! You did a great job of putting things in the right places! It’s just great to see that it all worked out so perfectly, and looks so good, too, from the living room. Now that you have what you have been looking for for so long, what are you pining for now? Isn’t it kind of strange to be wanting something for what seems like forever, and then when you get it, you are kind of lost? Well, surely YOU aren’t lost, since you know what to do to fill in your time! More doll dresses now for all of us—yay!
I guess the real challenge now is keeping everything as tidy as it currently is. I think it will be a breeze now, since there is a place for everything, and you don’t want your hard work to go for naught. Have a good day, Jeanne!
HI Linda,
You are so right… I’ve looked for cabinets and dressers with lots of drawers for so long, I still find myself typing in dresser or drawers on Craigslist just out of habit. I don’t know what else I need. George has an idea for the lighting and for a cutting table top. I’m itching to go to Lowe’s really badly, but he says he needs a haircut… I’m wondering how I can sweet talk him into going to Lowe’s and THEN giving him the haircut… :o)
I think I’m just about done in there… I do need a tall shelf to go back in the corner beside my big brown cabinet…to put a few things on…things that I don’t use real often but want to keep in my sewing room.
I don’t need any new dolls… I have one that has been on order for 28 long months and she should come sometime very soon…. but I’m not looking for anything else right now…
I would like a new couch in my living room. The one I have is too big… actually it’s too deep… the thing is 41″ deep and just juts out too far into the room. But I can live with it for now… so I GUESS I’M GOOD LINDA! :o)
I certainly hope I can keep the room tidy… I really want too!
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Cindy will be there tomorrow? That will be wonderful for you. She can admire all you’ve done and secretly plan what she’ll suggest you two paint next time. I love the stenciled cabinet. Whatever you do, that might be a starting place — not to paint — but to think of it as inspiration for colors that will continue to keep it a focal point.
I loved seeing Molly in her pretty outfit in the before pictures. Now that everything has moved, where will you put your photography area?
You’ve done the hard part. You can fine tune slowly to your heart’s content. You can admire the sewing room from the living room. You can see the living room again. And you can sew again. Who could ask for more?
HI Marilyn,
Yes, Cindy will be here tomorrow evening… She wants to see my room in person and I can’t wait to show her everything… She’ll have some good ideas too, I’m sure. She said she’d like to paint my living room while she’s here, but I think I’d just like to visit with her.
I like my blue stenciled cabinet too. I was going to sell it after I painted it, but decided I liked it well enough to keep it and it works well for holding my props… yep, that’s where they are hiding.
My pictures will hopefully be taken on top of my cutting table, if everything works out like I’m thinking… George has some ideas…. :o)
I still have stuff in my living room but I want to get it cleaned up so I can take a picture from the living room and into the sewing room and show you all…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Your new design room looks amazing! It’s so organized…will you remember where everything is ? (just kidding). I bet you will just stand back and look and take a BIG breath. You will just love it! HUGE pat on the back for all the work and all your helpers too!
HI Kathie,
Well, I’m hoping I’m a quick learner, because things really have gotten moved around in there and not where things used to be. It will take me a few days once I start sewing to get used to where things are, but I think I’ll manage…
You are exactly right, sometimes I walk out of my room and when I get to the door frame, I turn around and look back at it and can hardly believe it’s my room! :o)
Thanks so much Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow! My first thought was, I want to come and play at your house!! LOL
I have a large dresser in my sewing room, and I really do need to get into it and do some clearing out and reorganizing……IF I can get to it!! LOL (At the moment, my sewing room is worse than your “before” pictures!) It will have to wait a bit yet, as fair starts tomorrow, and I’m judging 8 of the next 11 days (4-H sewing and cooking contests).
Thanks for the inspiration!
HI Charlotte,
I wonder WHY I never considered a dresser with lots of drawers before. I am just LOVING having everything in drawers! It just makes so much sense to have everything that’s alike all in one drawer!. I think I’d like a whole wall full of drawers if I could… but for now this is super fine!
Have fun judging… I remember those days and think back on them with a lot of memories… stressful memories, sometimes though… I was meticulous when I was working on something and hoping to go to State.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Just thought of something else, Jeanne. Perhaps you could buy some pretty tags with a cute design, similar to a luggage tag, but with a ribbon at the end. You could also make some simple tags by using garage sale tags or card stock and adding the ribbon yourself, as I’m sure you have plenty in your stash! You could then label the tags with the contents of each drawer with descriptors such as rick rack, ribbon, mailing supplies, AG shoes, etc. and hang or tie the decorative tags from a drawer pull on each drawer. They would be easy to remove and change if you reorganize the drawers as time goes on. It might help you find things quickly until you remember where you put everything. It would be a quick and simple project you could do with Cindy while she’s there visiting. You even could make them old fashioned by doing the lettering in calligraphy, or use stencils or stickers. Alternatively, you could take a picture of the contents of each drawer, laminate them, and temporarily affix them to the front of the drawers with a gentle adhesive on the back, such as blue painter’s tape, similar to how parent’s label their children’s toy bins to help them learn to put things away neatly. Just a thought!
HI Anne,
You have some wonderful suggestions to help me remember where things are in my drawers. I initially wanted to have one of the dressers for doll things…wigs, shoes, etc, but I didn’t really have that much stuff “for” the dolls, but more things to use to make things for the dolls. So I ended up just picking the drawer that the items fit in the best… like my shoes and wigs…they are in the narrowest drawers so there is the least amount of space wasted.
I sort of have this thing… kind of a photographic memory, so when I see something in a drawer, I remember it. I am very good at that game you used to play as a kid…you know that memory game where you had to turn over cards and match two that are alike… so I’ve already gotten it pretty much figured out just from the few times I’ve opened the drawers up so far. I really am loving the drawer system as opposed to the tubs and compartmentalized containers. I still have a few but they are easy to get to and nothing is stacked on top of them…
I’m doing a few little sewing projects tonight that I needed to get done and I’m loving it. I don’t want a thread or a scrap to hit the floor… now I might become neurotic in here… but I doubt it…
Thanks for all your thoughts Anne, they were wonderful….
Blessings, Jeanne