One of my machines, a Bernina, used to give me a back and shoulder ache when I used it for over an hour. I seem to be a bit taller than the average or maybe just awkward. Anyway, i was wandering around Walmart looking for answers because I was determined to be comfortable sewing on the Bernina. I looked in lots of departments and considered assorted answers. I wanted to do this one myself. And I wanted it now.

And then I got into the kitchen area and there was the answer - a rectangular, aluminum baking pan just like the one I'd been using for cakes and coffee cakes, etc. If I turned it upside down it was just the right size height to help the Bernina problem. And what's more it was inexpensive, sturdy, stable, etc., etc. When I considered it, the pluses for trying my idea out just continued on and on.

It came home and has made the Bernina the crown of the sewing room. And no more backaches. Decide on your bottom line and then think outside the box. You may find "cake pans" in your future.

Have a good one. PS: all the counter tops, etc. in our house are about 2" higher than usual.

Pat

I bought a 'Saunder Sewing & Craft Table' from Walmart for $149 (on sale now for $89). I've had it for about two and a half years. It works great. It has a cupboard with a shelf on the right side and on the left there is a fold out shelf for more room. I see it for sell at other places for over $400. I planned on using this until I found something better, but this works so well, that I quit looking for anything else. It has a place for an extra sewing machine. Go to Walmart and type in Saunder Sewing & Craft Table and take a peek. They have two - one without a sewing a machine and one with a Brother sewing machine.

I have the same setup for my Brother. Half of the 6' table is used for cutting (my Olfa mat stays on it) and the sewing machine is on the other half. I have the table up on bricks so it is about 33" high (I am a shortly) and I use an adjustable drafting chair at the table. To my left is the ironing board, whichi have set at the same height as the table. Works quite well. :-)

We had an expensive oak entertainment center with 2 drawers, and lots of cubby holes. I had my husband cut it down to a little shorter than ironing board height and reconnect the heavy top. He trimmed out the connection between the top and the bottom We had made a 2 ft x 4 ft ironing board with 2 layers of batting and Insulbrite and topped with a layer of Teflec that fit over an ironing board. It had 1x2 blocks that we put on the bottom of the ironing table. It fit on an ironing board which I hated because it wobbled when you ironed anything on it. We simply put a non slip surface on the bottom of the 1 x 2 pieces on the bottom of the iron table. Now I can take the iron table off and use the top of the old entertainment center to put my cutting mat on or you can leave the iron table on all the time. The old entertainment center has lots of storage space for thread, tools, and fabric and cubby to store a suitcase I use when I take stuff to a retreat or sewing day. You can't sell the old entertainments centers, so second hand stores are filled with them. I saw several this week at secondhand stores for $25.00 to $60.00. I love it and it is the envy of all my quilting friends.

A piece of Masonite on one side of plywood would make great cutting/ sewing table. You can get them cut to whatever size you wish and then put the cutting mat on top of that.

We just remodeled our bathroom and I found that it is a lot cheaper to have someone build cabinets to your specifications than to buy some of the stuff out there, I won't mention any names, but one starts with a "K". The nice thing is that they then can fit your specific space. Oh and ditto on the outlets. Have several different circuits too. If I have my iron on and the lights on and my machine running and DH starts the vacuum, it can blow the circuit breaker!! Susan

The ideas shown by both Yobrosew and Alikigirl made my jaw drop! This is taking the idea of an extension table to brand new heights - er, that is widths! It's an excellent solution to the problem of wanting the machine level with the surrounding surface without having to spring for a special piece of furniture, as long as your chair is a comfortable height.

What I use for my main machine is an old sewing cabinet that came with an insert that fits my 1972 Bernina machine. When I got the new Singer I had a handyman cut a piece of quarter-inch acrylic to fit it. I made a template for him by taping some typing paper together.

I want to second what KSellers said about checking Craigslist. That's where I found my sewing cabinet, and of course it was much, much less than a new one. They turn up now and then. One time I saw a to-die-for cabinet and matching cutting table with storage, very reasonably priced, but alas, I didn't have room for them. It's definitely worth having a look.

[wait? Are you getting a whole room for this and a "blank" slate? I'd go with some doors/planks and set them on cabinets--file drawers/night stands/ etc and be sure at the height that works for you so your back doesn't get achey. Then I'd put another table (large) for cutting--my cutting table is actually a drafting table so it's higher than a regular table and doesn't hurt and I like that I can walk all the way around it. Again--what works for you. Then I'd put another wall of cabinets--preferably lower ones with regular doors to block out the messier stuff and maybe glass doors on top so I can see the fabric (but not where the sunlight would bleach it). A presenter at Guild today showed us picture of her workroom--she had regular shelves and then tacked clear plastic (from WallyWorld)over them so that dust was kept out. Lots of lighting and plug-ins(preferably at waist height so that I didn't have to bend to use them!) and a space for a big ironing board! And an easy chair and table so I could take a break with a cuppa' and some music or tv, plus a phone so I didn't have to toddle down the stairs when it rang! And a bathroom convenient!

I turned a small bedroom into my computer and quilting room. I took my twin sized bed and turned it over, put a 4x8 sheet of melamine on top, cut out a hole so my sewing machine would be level with the surface. Works very well and a lot of surface room for machine quilting larger pieces.

I bought a desk at target it was only $89. on sale and has a draw in front for thread and my cutting tools and my mat. Have limited space for sewing area.