Updating my Sewing Space - The Old

At the start of 2012, I embarked on the task of moving my (now) 12 year old son from one bedroom to another. Midway into the week that I planned to complete this, I got sick - nothing serious - but enough to put me on my back for another week or so. So, this is a task which is still not quite done.  I need to plow into the piles in both bedrooms and get things organized (mostly it is a matter of putting stuff away).

My original sewing space was in the corner of our bedroom, which while offering easy access to the "design bed" was not the most conducive to setting seams, layering quilts or leaving projects out to be worked on later. Eventually the table became a dumping ground for folded laundry that didn't get put away quickly enough and stacks of books.  Plus, having the big board propped against the bed when not in use wasn't always the best option for clumsy corgis or their people.  Thus the creation of my sewing space started.


Reading through lessons in Volumes I and II there are a multitude of good tips and things to consider for optimal sewing and comfort. I set out one day before the move to try out chairs as I have a chronically bad back, and sitting on the hijacked dining room chair or the borrowed office chair from Gus's room wasn't doing my back any good.  I spent an afternoon sitting in chairs at Staples and found a wonderfully supportive mesh chair.  One glaring problem became apparent after I got the chair home and assembled.  2 points to the person who can figure it out from this picture... okay, I'll give you the answer - the ARMS.  The arms on this chair do not change height - a detail I neglected to check on at the store, and I don't think I can remove them either as they are a part of the frame (though it may pay to flip the chair over and figure it out).  Because of the shelf under the sewing table, I can't get the chair comfortably close to the sewing table. I've been trying different configurations without success, and I'm to a point of trading my nice comfy chair to my son for his cheapo office chair which fits quite nicely. I've tried lowering the seat and using a disk similar to the dyna disk recommended in Volume II, but that still doesn't solve the arm problem.  I may have to go back to the drawing board on the chair issue.  This puppy is HEAVY - and it also doesn't roll well on carpet.