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Over the course of our year-long organizing process, we, too, have found a number of ideas that WE just LOVE and want to incorporate into our personal studios. Check out the items that made Lilo's and Mary Kay's wish list of the top 6 things they want to use in their studios. 

Lilo's Studio:

My current studio/office is in a former bedroom, not very large (12' x 11'), so every inch counts. There is great natural light from two windows, which is why this room was selected, and three small sets of track lights also provide light where I need it (design wall, sewing area, cutting table). I prefer a visually clean space and keep most large storage and work items in shades of creamy white to keep the space as open and light as possible. A fairly deep closet (4' x 8') with a set of hinged doors holds fabric, batting, patterns, and other bulky items. Repositionable hooks on the inside of the doors hold baskets of serger thread and small rolls of stabilizers and fusibles, as those items are not needed on a daily basis. The sewing table is a solid wood kitchen table (found at a garage sale).  A local carpenter cut and built a shelf to insert my BERNINA 153QE so that it sits flush with the tabletop. Two back-to-back Ikea Kallax shelving units (with 1/2"-thick wood tops) serve as my cutting/pressing station. The open shelves hold boxes of WIP, beads and other paper craft books.

1.  Most of my rulers, rotary cutters, drafting and stencil storage hang on a vertical pegboard (painted the color of the walls to blend in), but I do love this idea of hanging rulers with repositionable hangers on the side of the cutting/ironing station. Kathydrew

2. Having loved colored pencils since childhood, this idea for making a carousel for a collection definitely speaks to my heart. Pencipets

3.  I also have a weakness for dishes, and currently use a large Mexican wardrobe (with shelves) in my living room for my collections.  There is no space in the kitchen of my current house, so to most visitors the wardrobe is just another decorative piece of furniture in the living room.  No one ever has to know that YOUR organized craft supplies are hidden in plain sight in another part of your home. Stephanie

4. The Alex Ikea cabinet (thin white drawers to the left) sits on a table for easy access, which leaves lots of room under the table for other items. This particular cabinet does not take up a great deal of space but the drawers are nice and long. They would make great storage for my WIP. Heartandhand

5. When carrying a relatively large cutting mat to class, there is always the worry that it might become bent.  This folding option means that a fairly sizeable cutting mat would easily fit into my quilt class tote bag. Olfa

6. During the winter months, there is usually a hand sewing project near my couch, so that I can do a bit of stiching while watching TV.  The Stella floor light (in black) appeals as a floor version, as it appears to be a decorative light that most vistiors to my home would never know is a task light. Stella

Mary Kay's Studio:

My studio/office (10' x 12') was built out of an area of space that is a large living room. Contractors put up a wall and added two French doors, but unfortunately, there is no closet. A floor-to-ceiling wall unit from Ikea holds the computer as well as some books. It also has a number of drawers for many of my sewing supplies. Two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves (also from Ikea) hold my over 700 quilts books and my stash of batiks.  Patterns are stored in cute painted baskets that sit on top of the bookshelves. My husband built me a custom sewing desk which holds my Quilters Select full-size cutting mat, and my BERNINA 750 always at the ready (using a lift if I need to raise or lower the machine). The sewing desk is large enough to store my five other sewing machines on the shelves below.  

Fusibles and interfacings are rolled and stored in a Longaberger basket, while thread lives in stacking plastic thread containers. The only problem that I have is that with all of the floor-to-ceiling units, I have no room for a design wall (which Lilo says she’ll help me figure out). I also have to keep my ironing board in the middle of the room when I need it. Visual stimulation is provided by my Pirates of the Caribbean skateboard (and Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom autographs), as well as an extensive Barbie Doll collection.

1. The Stanley roll and take is perfect for taking to a class or retreat. Mary Kay can even pack a small Featherweight and rulers/cutting mat in the cases. Happyzombie

2. Sometimes Mary Kay needs to leave a quilting class before the iron has completely cooled off.  The All-in-one travel iron caddy is great for when class is over, but your iron is still hot. Thepaintedquilt

3. Hang rulers from ClipItUp for smaller rulers, as they are always getting lost in the drawer that holds large rulers.

4. Mary Kay likes the plastic cups on a pegboard idea.  She can just drill a hole in the back and use an "S" hook to hang on the peg board. She can see herself using this for other items as well (small rulers, scissors, chopsticks) and really loves the color of those cups; they match her Ikea cabinets.

5. MK actually has a drawer she could do this with; she needs to go shopping and get the utensil drawer system like Martha Stewart has to keep these items out of sight. The SeasonedHomemaker also uses this system in her studio.

(photo from MarthaStewart.com)

6. A rack with dowels offers storage and display. This doesn't take up much room and MK can hang her backing and binding while the quilt top is being completed.ThePatrioticQuilter

We want to hear what your favorites are.  Let us know what would work in your space.

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