Organised Sewing

This is a somewhat misleading title actually as it implies I'm organised which I don't think I am but I do try.  The latest effort on this front is trying to get my odds and ends of sewing equipment into a fashion where I can see what I've got instead of hunting around knowing things exist but where?

I don't have a huge fabric stash as I know some of you do, any fabric pieces that are hanging about is usually because they are leftover bits or duvets spotted at the charity shop.  I have a couple of large pieces due to that.  Still I don't like to waste any of it so every bit gets saved as you never know if it will come in handy, up to now this has consisted of hastily folding and shoving in a box or drawer.  that way is not very efficient as you have to lift everything up to see what you have at the bottom.

  A while ago I read the Marie Kondo book, it has not made me housekeeper of the year but my tights and tops are certainly easier to find.  With that in mind I decided to stick with my storage box for the fabric but I have turned everything on its side.  As some of the pieces of fabric are really not that big they will not stand up the way tops do when using  this method so I cut up stiff card from a box, lots of pieces of it the same width as the box and just pinned the fabric to it.

It is a bit like files in a cabinet now and like I said they are not that big but they are easy to see.  I have a few more pieces in a drawer but not a lot and a bag that is full of really scrappy little bits.  A while ago I was taking unwanted bits from my mother in law or a friend but I was finding I didn't really like the fabric quite often so it was more stuff just hanging around the place.  I love to recycle items but you have to like what you are working with don't you.

I don't have a dedicated room just for sewing, it is a desk at one end of a room off my kitchen.  It is a nice bright space so I don't mind this but it does mean I can't spread out too much.  The extent of leaving a work in progress is, it will be on the desk. Or sometime on the mannequin beside the desk.

After having a little look around ideas on pinterest for storage in a small crafting area I have seen some gorgeous little spaces but they are tidy. Does anyone ever do any work in these spaces or is it just me that is incredibly messy, currently at the  moment  there are a friend's trousers on my sewing table to take in, some pegs and a few other bits ( Ha so much for the sorting!)

I am getting there, small steps as they say.  What are your sewing spaces like? Are you an  organised creative or happily sewing amongst the loose threads like me?