janeknapp

My husband made large rectangular ironing boards, 24" x 60", for quilters in my area. This is a good size. This size fits on top of a regular ironing board.

asimplelife

I use mine for basting quilts and I have lots of storage underneath so I wanted it big - mine is 4' x 6' on wheels.

Silver Needle

My cutting table is 4' x 6'. Now my next wish is for a cutting mat to cover the whole thing.

Sewnoma

My cutting table is a rectangular IKEA dining table that is raised on bed risers. I have a 30x42 cutting mat on it which seems to be the perfect size for me. There's enough space left on the table for me to stack fabric waiting to be cut and also the pieces as I cut them out.

I'm working on a new sewing room; at this point my plans include building in a 20 x 48 ironing surface. I can't WAIT.

maviskw

A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to glue down the last binding fold using the ironing board, but that is so clumsy. The quilt has to dangle onto chairs or the floor and it is very hard to handle.

I put my ironing board (folded) at the end of my queen size bed. The quilt went on the bed, and I turned it as needed. I glued a section as long as the ironing board, held it down while I ironed it, and went on to the next section. It went so fast, I didn't even have time to get a backache, which I am prone to do. So in effect, my ironing board was as big as my queen size bed. I loved it!

athomenow

I have a 6 ft table that is used for cutting some things. I have a 4 ft table that is beside my machine to cut while sewing blocks. I have one of the JoAnn's foldable tables that has an ironing over on it for big things like ironing backings and quilt tops. I also have the cutting mat that goes with it so for trimming up quilts it's great. I have a small pressing mat that is on the left side of my machine and two ironing boards that I use for various things. Like keeping my quilt from hanging over the side of the table and the back when doing bigger things. I have an entire basement so space has never been the issue. If it were, I would get the biggest I had room for. That's just my opinion.

pocoellie

I'll take a big cutting table over a large ironing board.

Kitty10628

I have the biggest work area my room would allow. I have a pressing board and cutting mat on one side and my sewing machine on the other. I move my iron when I am ready to quilt. I love the space.

spstout

I have a 4'x5' cutting table and a 3'x4' ironing station. I love the large space for laying things out. Both have cubeicals storage units as the bases, so they also give me lots of room for keeping things neat.

Terri D.

If you have a large cutting table available, it can double as a layering station when you go to baste the backing, batting and top together in preparation for quilting. It's also helpful to have a large table when you go to trim the quilt when it's ready for binding. This saves you from having to perform either one of these steps on the floor, which can be hard on your back.

A large ironing surface is helpful when pressing an entire quilt top before layering. It's also great when ironing yardage after prewashing. Unless you're into miniature quilts or dedicated to small wall hangings or table runners, bigger really is better!