Get creative with your crafting space

Have you picked up a new hobby or craft recently? Is it taking over your home? Perhaps it’s time to get your creative house in order and make it easy to steal an hour or so to do something that you love and gives you pleasure.

Many of us dream of a space to create, a room where you can close the door and leave any work-in-progress well… in progress, but as Charlotte Newland (@charlottesews), avid crafter and former winner of The Great British Sewing Bee says, ‘The temptation is huge to just “walk away” and leave the mess, but it can quickly build up into a disaster zone. You still need to keep on top of the creative chaos. The old saying of “a place for everything, and everything in its place”, is really useful when it comes to a creating a productive crafting environment.’

If your crafting needs a dedicated table space, then make sure you plan well. ‘The perfect crafting table is deep enough that you can push things to the back and use the front for something else,’ says Charlotte. ‘I shove my sewing machine to the back and then use the front half for pinning – it saves having to pin on my lap, which is a massive pet peeve of mine and makes working that little bit faster.’ Look for a desk with storage drawers, where you can keep supplies close to hand, even keeping the top drawer open as you craft, expanding the size of your work area. ‘I also have a chair on wheels,’ says Charlotte. ‘This is really handy as it allows me to reach things without having to stand up all the time, while shelves close by – or above your desk – are great for keeping kit handy.’

If your crafting sees you creating into the evening, then task lighting is a must. Choose a desk lamp that can be angled where needed, while a floor lamp casting a beam over an armchair will allow you to work on hand projects, such as knitting or embroidery. A retro-inspired design will look unobtrusive in most living rooms. ‘If you are doing really detailed work, then it’s best to get a maginifying light,’ says Sianne Smart, Partner & Assistant Buyer, Fashion Fabrics & Haberdashery. 

Every crafter needs inspiration around them, with magazine files, a stash of fabric or yarn for your next project, tearsheets and colour ideas. ‘It’s important to allow yourself a creative environment to work in,’ says Sianne. ‘Shelves piled high with fat quarters, craft books and essential bits and bobs are a must.’

Charlotte loves a pinboard, where she can gather her thoughts and inspiration for her next quilt, dressmaking or knitting project.

Charlotte has to have a wheeled trolley for keeping tools and WIPs to hand, while Sianne loves a sewing box or knitting or craft bag. ‘We’ve some really fun designs just launched, which won’t look out of place in your living room either,’ she says.

Baskets are every crafter's best friend, allowing you to store your stash in a stylish way. Belly baskets in seagrass are great for squeezing in balls of yarn, thanks to their flexible shape, and one can happily live next to the sofa or move around your home with you as you indulge in a little crafting time throughout the day.

Taking a project to a workshop or away on a mini break? Look at a crafting bag with plenty of pockets, but just like your craft space at home, give it a good sort out every once in a while.

Ah the work-in-progress projects… the bane of many crafters. If your craft room has more WIPs than materials, then you need to be ruthless and either set yourself a time limit to finish. ‘Why not pay it forward and pass WIPs onto someone with the time or inclination to finish it off?’ Charlotte suggests. ‘But of course, if I really knew the answer to dealing with a list of WIPs that I never seem to finish, I’d have a much tidier craft room!’

If you don’t have a dedicated crafting room, then Charlotte’s top tip is to try to limit your crafting materials to only what you have space to store. ‘How about a one in, one out system when it comes to supplies and projects?’ she suggests, with a smile…