How to create a sewing space on a budget

After 7 1/2 years, it’s time for you to call an electrician yourself. Your DH sounds just like mine. Good intentions, but as for the execution of those intentions….well….. My advice is to have outlets put in at waist height, then you don’t have to crawl under any furniture, to plug and unplug your machine, lamps, irons, etc.

If you don’t want to make the call to an electrician, then start sewing….a lot, and have your husband bring your machine upstairs everyday for you. But sure and put your machine away, downstairs, every night, as well….with your charming husband lugging it for you. After all, the kitchen table needs to be cleared for dinner every night. It shouldn’t take too long before your significant other either tells you to make the call or does it himself.

There are plenty of things you can make over a long period of time. Quilts are the first thing that come to mind, but you can make some new clothes for summer, or a school wardrobe for a child, or get an early start on Christmas presents for family and friends. Reuseable grocery bags, produce bags, and of course, plain old tote bags are great to make and very functional. New curtains, and if you’re really trying to sell this, then draperies. Pillows and shams to match sofas and beds, Special pillow cases for all sorts of events for the children in your life (and the adults, too) bags for Christmas gifts so you can eliminate wrapping paper (and for birthdays, anniversaries, and other gift giving occasions), dust covers for everything from your sewing machine, to your countertop appliances, to your computers and keyboards, and anything else that may need some protection from dust, etc. This should keep you busy for six months or so. I’m pretty sure that if your hubby is hauling that heavy machine up and down stairs every day for half a year, it’s going to get old, fast. And don’t give in to his suggestion that it just be put aside upstairs for overnight. Make SURE he puts it away for you downstairs where it’s been living for the past 7 1/2 years. If it’s easy for him to get the sewing machine from where it lives to where it works, there’s less incentive for him to agree to actually get the outlets in your nook, not just talk about it. Just make sure that no matter how much he helps, that the stairs are included in both directions…hauling up and back down again.

Back when I got my first expensive sewing machine, I made sure to make some things for my DH early on….a terry caftan was his favorite. Unlike a robe, it didn’t come open at inconvenient times. I made him shirts, both casual knits and woven sports shirts to dress ones with french cuffs. More recently sewing for him has been carrying cases for his iPod and a travel case for all of his cords and chargers for travel. In the planning stages are a padded camera strap for his DSLR, and a PUL lined waterproof carry all for toiletries when he travels. When you make things for them, they really can’t complain about your sewing so much!