Has anyone turned kitchen table into cutting room
 

I gave a chance to move kitchen table into a room for me to use for sewing - embroidery - quilting

it is about 42 inches wide and 5 feet long

first of all do you think I can get a cutting mat larger than my normal size one
I've seen photos of some that come as a roll but would they really lay flat

or would I be better in just getting a smaller table. I like the size of this and it would fit into room but am wondering if I am over doing it

thanks fir any and all opinions and maybe photos of what others have done

karensue

Sounds great and if you can get a hole cut in it to drop your machine into, would be even better. then you would have lots of room for piecing, cutting, and quilting. The larger mats usually come flat. I think they are shipped in a flat container. I have two large ones. need to get my big table from other place to put in room when it is built. Have fun.

I currently use a 35 x 60 table as my cutting table in my sewing studio. My 'came as a roll' cutting mat measures 33 x 58 fits on it perfectly! It does lay flat. Just takes a little time to accept the flat vs being rolled up. You will love it if you accept your kitchen table as your cutting table. Nope, you're not over doing it!

The only thing I'd add is to use something to raise your table up higher.
Save your back. :)

The table I use for cutting is an old cafeteria style table (heavy) set up on coffee cans.

I find the kitchen table to low for cutting. Gives me a terrible backache. Great for sewing though. I use an old workbench from a laboratory that went out of business, to cut fabric.

Regular table height is too low for cutting and I"m 5' 2". Your back can't take it, trust me. If you put the table on bed risers it would be much better for cutting. I have a long drop leaf kitchen table in my sewing room. It's a great lay- out table and Elmer's glue basting table. I found the rive foot long cutting mats at Tuesday Mornings for $30. It fits perfectly on the table when both ends are up so I leave the table at full length. And it makes a great gift wrapping station for Christmas time. You can never have enough raised flat surfaces in your sewing room so don't pass up a table.

I use my kitchen counter. I have a long counter with all windows looking out to the backyard. I am tall and the height is perfect. I also use my dining room as my sewing area. Actually my whole house practically is devoted to this passion. Fabric in the pantry, garage and an extra bedroom. Cutting mats stored on top of the fridge. Has this passion taken over, yes, I am afraid sew.

I did the same as orangeroom. And my mat also flattened out after a bit so no problem. I love having the large area to cut although, just like every other flat place in the house, it does tend to accumulate "stuff". I have to be very strict with myself in order to keep it cleaned off so I can cut on it. As others mentioned, I put the table up on bed risers and it is now a good height for me. I also have two drawers in the table and can store rotary cutters, smaller rulers, etc. in them which makes them very handy. Oh and of course I have plastic cabinets under the table to store patterns or yarn or whatever. Got to use every square inch in the room!!!

I have a "dining room table" in my area that extends to about 96 inches long when both ends are pulled out. My husband made "pedastels" to raise it about five orsix inches. I think it is about 38 x 60 when it is closed.it is not too big at all.

The cutting mat is about 36 x 56 (I think - it is in mn -right now we are elsewhere)

I second the comments about the height. I would definitely raise it. More room for under table storage!!!

I use my dining room table for all of my cutting. My DH uses our kitchen table for his cutting. I just use my regular size cutting mat on one end of the table. That way the fabric hangs off both sides and I can get it straight. The rest of the table collects small pieces of fabrics that I pass on to my DH and various other sewing items. You could set up your machine there if you wanted to. Works great for me!!

I thought that's what a dining room table was for?

WHAT???? some people actually eat on them???? How awful!

Definitely raise the height of the cutting table. Mine is formerly my kitchen counter/breakfast bar about 40"x80". Also DH used some old 4x6's to raise my ironing board. Used a door knob cutter to put in recessed holes for the boards legs to sit in so they don't slide off. Ironing is a big chore, but this makes it easier!

i have a custom kitchen counter covering two dressers back to back. they are on casters. the cutting top is 42x48 and is taller than the table but a little lower than the kitchen counter. i keep one of those small, folding ironing boards on one side of it so i can press as i trim.

My cutting table is a beautiful oak table my grandparents bought out from England in 1914, I am baby sitting this extension table for my daughter, I have the top well covered. You can not buy bed risers in this country, so ha a friend make some out of wood,that the turned legs of the table slip into. What a difference to have the table higher, now I just have to educate my self to being more methodical and put things away when I am finished with them. vbg

I use my dining room table. But I sit to cut. It would probably hurt my back if I tried to stand (too low a surface to work on).

Like charsuewilson, I too sit to cut. Even when the table is cutting height, it hurts my back to stand and cut. I use a banquet table. About 30 x 60. I have my 24 x 36 cutting mat towards one end and my table top ironing board towards the other end. And, my chair is on rollers, so it is easy to go between the machine, cutting mat, and ironing board. I don't think I will ever stand to cut or iron again.

I use two long tables put together and my cutting board is 23" x 70". My friend who use to own her quilting store had that size cutting board and I just happened to be in there the day she was ordering a new cutting board. I asked her if she would order one for me and she said "Why sure", so now I have the super long cutting board. I love it. I have had it about 5 years and move my cutting all over the board so there is no deep grooves anywhere. I think it will last me a long time. It was less than $100. You should check with you LQS and ask them about ordering you a long cutting board.

I have just moved my stainless steel topped kitchen table into my sewing room. I have my cutting mat on one end and my ironing board (DIY) and iron on the other end. My chair is between my sewing table and the kitchen table. I just swivel around to press my seams/blocks or trim blocks. Awesome! I'm loving it in my sewing room!!

Okay thanks for all the replies
looks like hubby just had a different idea for me he doesn't like the idea now of me during the table thinks ill just kinda " junk it up" either stuff underneath so he has come up with new idea
I can give the local kitchen design place make me one. He is thinking 2 cabinets side by died on each side so I will then have 4cabinets with doors to hide my stuff
he was thinking 36 wide by 48 long and I am clueless to correct height. (I am 5'w2")?.??
any more suggestions as to going this route. He said I can also have wheels on bottom in case I want to move it
karensue


=karensue;6467082]I gave a chance to move kitchen table into a room for me to use for sewing - embroidery - quilting

it is about 42 inches wide and 5 feet long

first of all do you think I can get a cutting mat larger than my normal size one
I've seen photos of some that come as a roll but would they really lay flat

or would I be better in just getting a smaller table. I like the size of this and it would fit into room but am wondering if I am over doing it

thanks fir any and all opinions and maybe photos of what others have done

karensue[/QUOTE]

I have a "sewing table" which is 70 x 30. On one end I have a cutting mat which is 24 x 36. On the other end i have a pressing mat which is 18 x 24. I have never needed a larger cutting surface, but sure like the ease of using this large surface for sandwiching my quilts or even laying out fabric sometimes.

I use my kitchen table in the eat-in kitchen as my cutting table. The table is about the same size as yours. My mat is 24 by 36 and that has been adequate. I can see that a larger mat would give you lots of options that my smaller mat doesn't permit, so if you have room for the larger one and the money to pay for it, go for it! froggyintexas

The cabinets are a good idea and have been used by many. There is a special forum on this board "Mission: Organization" with pictures and tips on all kinds of sewing room furniture & organization. You can access it from the home menu. As far as the height is concerned, I would actually do a bit of cutting on different surfaces in your house to see which one is most comfortable. I'm also 5'2" and like my kitchen island which is 36" high. Remember to add in the height of the wheels when ordering the cabinets and make sure the wheels have locks.

I use my dining room table. The room is almost never used and out of the way so I don't feel the need to clean up often. I have never thought of putting the table on risers. I wonder of bed risers would work?

Have found that the ping pong table that sits on top of the pool table is a great place to put a cutting mat...not to mention the look on dh's face when I start cutting fabric !!!

Pop this into google search:

custom cutting mats self healing

you will find many companies that make custom size cutting mats

Very interesting. My whole dining room is taken over by my sewing passion. I use the dining room table to cut on and sew on. When it's time to eat I clear off a portion for hubby and I to have a meal. Both of the spare bedrooms are now nearly full of sewing things, material, batting, sewing machines, etc. and the family room downstairs also houses a number of my sewing machine collection as well as the garage.

I'm 5'10" and use the highest place I can find to cut---in this house, it's the kitchen counters----and they are still too low. Whatever you do, get the height right for YOU!!!!!

I bought a clearance table and use it for my cutting tablet. We found wooden bed risers that just happened to match the color of the table. My DH screwed them onto the bottom of the legs and I stained the bottoms to match. It works great. I currently using it without leaves and store stuff under it.

I did make my kitchen table the sewing table, but I added blocks to raise it to counter height. I have a friend who is quite a bit taller than me (5'10") and she thinks it's still too short, so just make sure it is good working height for you.

The kitchen table used to be my sewing table, hated it due to having to move things at meal time. we never ate anywhere but the table, meal time was a required sit down family time. With 6 plus kids you have to have meals controlled or they are eating all the time everywhere. now I have the corner of a room sett up , my cutting table is a 10 ft. work shop bench that I have on wheels to allow me to work around it. under it the shelf is great for storage.

Although I had to give it up when we downsized, I used our old kitchen table as my sewing table and since it was very large with the two leaves in it and over 3 feet wide, it was fabulous for cutting, sewing, sandwiching quilts, whatever. I don't stand to cut, sew or sandwich quilts, so it was perfect, especially when I was quilting a king size quilt - it supported the quilt beautifully. I still miss that table, but sometimes you have to let go.

I'm 5'2" and counter height is perfect cutting height for me. My dinning room table is counter height with tall chairs. I bought the new dining room set with the thought of the table could be used for cutting. LOL

Good idea.

Actually worse. I use the dining room table...yikes!

I have an old wooden conference table my brother used at the bank he worked at. It does take up most of the one wall, but I can put my machine and a 36" square cutting board, or two machines side by side and have a friend over to sew. It gets REALLY messy this time of year, as I finish a project and just push the remains aside and work on another one, but I'd say, if you can fit a larger table in, get it!

Something that I have found indispensible for quilting is *Handi-tak *poster tak.. there are several mfg. It's a putty-like substance that doesn't stain, not permanent, easy to use and reuseable...I put a small dot under the corner of my cutting mats to keep them from slipping. I even keep a small piece of it in a little plastic case in my travel sewing box in case I need to secure my sewing machine or cutting mat to the table at classes, etc.

Add lifters to the table and use the extra space to set up a pressing board.

get some water pipe and have them cut them at Homedepot to the height you need .stick them on the legs wala....... works great

Before I got my cutting table……I used my kitchen island………I bought a large mat from Martelli - and it worked PERFECTLY!! You might want to check them out for their 50% off sales…..(one per month via their Redline Direct web sale)…….I have used the (roll up) mat but find that it dulled my blades and wore out pretty quickly……...