I want a sewing table. Have been looking. I have a couple of questions though. When shopping for a table or cabinet. I know that I can get a table top one that would work. But to get an enclosed cabinet style one what all do i need to know about for it.
I know alot of you are long time quilters and sewers. But what do you have? And if you have a table top one do you also use the add a table top extention to it?

I've got a 6' plastic table with adjustable legs for ease of cutting. Works good for my back.

I bought an "L" shaped desk for my two machines from Office Depot that fits in the corner.
It's sturdy enough that my machines don't wobble when I "go fast" or the Emb. machine is going. Has plenty of storage and sewing space.
For a cutting table, I just really use an antique wash stand that we put on casters (rollers) it is the perfect height and I use an Alto QuiltCutz (?) mat and guide so it fits well.
I can roll it around next to the machines or to the ironing board.
Kirsten

I got this really cool sewing table that my machine sinks into and has a lift if I want to put it all the down or up. Also It has 4 drawers and a "shelf" that opens in the front and a back lift to make it a big table for quilting those large pieces. Mine was made by the owner of the fabric store near my house but there are other brands out there as well

You mean a table for your sewing machine, right?

I got a cabinet style at a quilt show quite a few years ago. A young couple was making them, and they were quite reasonably priced. I like white formica because light bounces off it, and having a well-lit area helps me work. (My husband is very sensitive to light, so his office is like a cave!)

If I had it to do over, though, I would copy something I saw years ago online. This quilter bought a large table from Ikea, sawed out the area for her sewing machine, dropped that down with a couple of clamps to hold her sewing machine even with the table, and added some formica-like edging tape around the sawn edges. I think that, prior to sawing out the piece from the table, she had bought a clear plastic form to fit around her sewing machine so she would have a smooth, flat area around her needle. (She might have instead taken a paper pattern to the hardware store and had them cut the form for her out of plexiglass.)

Anyway, I know that sounds like a lot of work, but she posted pictures online of her doing it herself, with explanations. What I particularly liked about this was that she was able to set her machine to the right side of the table (leaving plenty of space to support a quilt to the left), and she was able to place the machine further back from the front of the table. Some experienced quilters had told her this makes piecing and machine quilting easier, and it's easier on the shoulders; afterwards, she said she was really glad she had followed this advice.

I much prefer machine quilting standing up -- I don't get nearly as tired and can quilt much longer this way -- so I would love to make a table like this at standup height. It could double as a cutting table when I'm not machine quilting.

I think the biggest problem with tables instead of cabinets is that tables tend to vibrate. Certain machines vibrate more than others. I tried to use a table for one of my older machines and I had to give it up; the machine actually moved around too much from all the vibration.

Mary

My cabinet is a Sylvia Design and I love it. It is much cheaper than a Horn or a Koala even if you do not have a dealer near you and have to pay shipping. I have owned it for 6 years and the quality is super!!

http://www.sylviadesign.com/ourproducts.php

I just bought the Koala table on sale for $199 from www.Nancysnotions.com.
I'm hoping I like it, it weighs 100 lbs so shipping was also $100.
It will be delivered next week.
What I liked about it was the price, extended shelves for cutting and sewing, it folds up small, and has an interior shelf to store my machine.

Everything I priced around here for the same size was $600. I live in a very small house and did not have the room for a 6 foot table.
My dining table is only 36 inches in diameter!

Awsome table Jim's Gem!

I got mine from IKEA.

Hi, I purchased a 4'and a 5' folding table from Staples or sale. The 4' one my husband cut the legs down to make it 26" high. That way my Bernina with the free arm and the clear slide on sewing surface is just the right height for me to have my arms at the right angle when I sew. The other table I didn't cut down as it holds my serger and embroidery machines. Those I don't sew long enough at one time to bother my arms. I use an office chair I also purchased from Staples that is adujustable. I sit between the two tables so that I can swivel around and reach either table without having to get up. There is plenty of room under each table to store my plastic storage cabnets of thread etc. I also used double sided sticky velcro to hang a skirt around my main sewing table to hide the junk underneath as it allows me to face the room and my TV while sewing or quilting. I use an old dresser that I cut the legs off of to make it the right cutting height. It provides storage for my embroidery stabilizers supplies etc. as well as my rotary cutters etc. With a cutting mat on top I can cut and an ironing pad makes it also a great surface for touch ups.
My big cutting table and ironing surface are downstairs in my basement. I get my exercise running up and down when I have something to big for the cutting and ironing surface upstairs. I purchased a rolling wooden unfinished kitchen island that I use as an ironing surface downstairs. I covered a 1/4 sheet of plywood with batting and teflon ironing board material. I nailed a frame of molding strips to the bottom of it to make it sit securely on top of the island surface. It has a large drawer underneath and two shelves that allow me to store boxes of fabric or whatever beneath it. When my large folding cutting table is loaded down as it is now I flop a cutting matt on the ironing surface and use it instead. I have a ping pong table in my basement that makes a great place to lay out quilts for basting. If I figure out how to attach pictures I will post some when I have a chance to clean up my areas a little.

I have an old desk with a center drawer and drawers on both sides....DH cut a hole to hold my sewing machine......I love , love, love it! cost 15.00...DH priceless! :-)

One thing I forgot to mention about my cabinet is how the machine is placed relative to the chair. I think this applies to most cabinets too.

What I noticed is that the machine hole is placed so the machine is centered in the chair opening. If you think about it, what really makes sense is to have the *needle* of the machine centered in the chair opening. When we sew, both hands are positioned around the needle. I think that I tire faster at the machine because of the little adjustments I have to make to position myself to the left of where I am sitting. My body has to twist a little to the left, my left and right arms have to compensate for the off-center needle, etc.

If I were to get another cabinet, I would want the kind where the drawers open out on either side, leaving a wide space available for the chair. That way I could position the chair so that I am centered on the needle. I love the drawers along one side of my smallish cabinet, but they make the chair opening narrow enough so that I have to sit centered on the machine rather than the needle.

Mary

Can I borrow DH? Mine doesn't do wood projects. He is an engineer- will design and analyze it for 10 years before buying wood and analyze for another 10 years, use wood for another project, pull out design, analyze again, decide it costs too much now and we don't have the room. Shelf design.

Ok- maybe not 10 years- no, I correct myself- more than 10 years (I'm referring to my "project" car I've been waiting for since 1996 to be finished). Love him, but I find I do better hiring someone to do it.

I have the plans for a real cool table from Keepsake Quilting. The pattern is $15.00. Maybe someday he will build it. I use a student desk from the 1950's. I cut on a 9 foot banquet table. Works for me for now.

Barbm

Cool table, Gem!! I like it a lot! My machine is on top of an older sewing machine cabinet. My DH doesn't want to give up his Mom's old machine which lives inside the cabinet. So mine sits on top. But my cutting table is a hollow core interior door glued to the top of an old 9 drawer dresser. It turned out the height is perfect, and I have TONS of work space plus 9 drawers to hold TONS of stuff!!

great table Gayle...
jlj - that door and dresser idea sounds perfect, what did you finish the door with?

The door is an interior hollowcore door - it has kind of a "matte" finish on it - it's not wood. It was only about $26, so really a cheapy. We didn't paint it or anything. I was going to post a pic but couldn't find it on my computer. I'll look some more & put it up.

OK - Found it.

thanks, my question to you ladies that your husbands cut holes into table tops - what is supporting the machine, there is an old cabinet at my mothers house,with three draws to the right and the chair that the bottom cushion comes off for a small amount of storage, but I believe there are huge metal hinges holding it up or down??? I guess I should go look at it more closely...

We are just going to take the piece that is cut out and attach it with L brackets. Then we will have to find somewhere that has the acrylic for the insert.

Debbie

thanks Debbie...

I'm using a large computer desk right now. Its big enuf for my sewing maching and my serger, plus lots of xtra stuff. But I did buy a pattern for my hubby to make me a cabinet with the drop down and lots of drawers and such. One of these days..........