Check out my new arrow sewing cabinet! I’ll go into an overview of this, but I can tell you the end result now: I love it for my studio!
When we first bought our house, I knew I wanted to dedicate one room to be my design studio. With blessings from my family, I took the front living room and put up a wall and a door. This works nice for guests to visit because my studio is front and center.
Even though it is supposed to be a living room, it still has limited space, so I have to be very mindful of the permanent furniture pieces I have.
I have a bookcase and a general work table, but when it came to sewing, I couldn’t quite figure out how to set up a good workstation.
Previously, I had a different model from Arrow Sewing, and I loved it so much, but it was just a little too big for what I needed.
A few months back Arrow Sewing invited me to be one of their brand ambassadors and of course I jumped at the opportunity! They gifted me a sewing cabinet of my choice, and I chose the Mod XL Sewing Cabinet.
View this post on Instagram
About the Mod XL
If you are an avid sewer, look into a dedicated sewing cabinet. It will save you time and make your operation much more efficient. I’m speaking form experience!
With the Mod XL, you can close it all up and it becomes a smooth work table, or you can adjust it and use the three-position hydraulic lift for flatbed sewing. It holds sewing machines up to 65 pounds, so it is pretty hefty.
It even has three adjustable shelves underneath the tabletop. The unit has wheels and can be re-positioned. There is a big flap that goes up with two faces underneath so it extends out if you need to cut or measure your fabric.
And a chair!
The chair is absolutely adorable, and even better because it has a seat that opens to reveal a storage area. They thought of everything!
The third piece is a storage unit that is on wheels. I use this for all of my ribbons and sewing notions. The top serves nicely as an ironing station.
Here is the other side of the Storage Cube Craft Organizer that holds all my ribbons and trims. Use code KATHY20 for a discount!
Assembly and set up
All the instructions are included when you receive your packages of the components for the cabinet. If you are the kind of person who loves to assemble furniture, go for it! However, I hired someone to do it for me. I wanted to focus on sewing! The sooner it was set up, the faster I could get to stitching.
My advice on set-up: If you are investing in high quality pieces like this, you definitely want a high-quality set-up. Someone who is experienced, who can easily follow the assembly directions and do a thorough job. You can find someone on apps like Task Rabbit and check their reviews and ratings. Arrow Sewing even has assembly videos to help with the process!
Other ways to set up a sewing station in your studio or house
OK, real talk. This cabinet retails for $1999, but there is a 20% off coupon code: KATHY20. It is definitely worth the investment.
But I’ve been a full-time artist for years. I understand what it’s like to have to save up for a big purchase. In the meantime, there are other ways you can incorporate a sewing station into your workspace.
Mobile: This is when you have NO room and have to work with what you have. In my early days, I lived at my parents house and had to make the most of my bedroom. I used a folding TV tray as my table and I kept all my supplies in a box, fabric in a storage container under my bed. I got the job DONE! This works good because you can take your machine and supplies wherever you go: The kitchen table, the craft room table, even a community workspace
Small space: If you have enough cabinet space, dedicate specific shelves to only fabric and sewing notions. Keep it organized and labeled so you can works with Lee to get what you need. Arrow Sewing also has many options to accommodate tiny areas.
If you have enough room, set up a permanent table to work from. I have used all three of these methods, and realized once I had all of my sewing items put away. It was hard to get them out and working again. So now, with my sewing cabinet, it’s so easy just to use the hydraulic lift to bring up my sewing machine it is ready to go.
See? I’m now in my happy place because I have the best of both worlds! What is your current sewing set-up? I would love to know!
