Do you have room, maybe in a corner, that you could put a small table that could be your sewing table? That way, you don't have to clear off the dining table to be able to eat, I know exactly what you mean, it's a lot of work to set up, only to have to clear it off again. My husband says I may just have to sew inside the "house" this year, since my "sewing room" has absolutely NO insulation and I really don't want to do that because I know I won't get anything done.