I too prefer to have my machine inset into the table. When I bought my Pfaff 7570 in 2000 it came with a Koala quilting cabinet with the lift mechanism. I love it. I also have a featherweight and 2 Singer 301's. I have been lucky enough to have card tables for them that also allow me to have the machine inset into the table. Even without the autolift feature I would prefer the machine to be inset. I rarely have need for the free arm but I still would prefer the inset table.

My main machine is a quilting machine (Janome 6600), so it doesn't even have a free arm. It's set down into the table and for me that's a big deal, I'm much more comfortable sewing that way and my quilt gets hung up much less often. I bought a SewPerfect table and I LOVE it. It's expensive but it's built rock solid and will probably last longer than the machine will.

If I need a free-arm, I can use one of my portable machines, but I don't sew garments so that's not an issue. I can sew small circular things like hot cup cuffs on my 6600 without a free arm just by bending it around a bit so it doesn't seem all that necessary. (In fact those cuffs won't fit over my free arm anyway so it's completely moot for that particular project.)

My table is two doors hinged together. Nice and big all around. My machine is also recessed and I love that as I never have to worry about fabric shifting as it drops over the side of the arm. When doing something like sleeves I just lift it out of the hole and set it on top for that job.

I have my machine inset and I love it. This way gives you a smooth, level surface for moving a quilt around. If I take the fitted insert off, I can use the free arm w/o moving my machine.

When I'm quilting or putting quilts together I use the recessed part in my Horn table. Makes such a difference. However when I'm piecing I find putting my little machine on top makes it so much easier to see well for that accurate 1/4 inch. Old eyes just don't work the same as when I was younger. I think your body will enjoy a recessed machine when you plan to sew for a long time.

I love having my machine set down into the table. It's made a huge difference in my piecing and quilting comfort. When I have to use the free arm, I take off the plexiglass insert to access it.

I have a Sew Ezi table. http://www.seweziusa.com/?gclid=CI3B...FQ4BaQodxgsAOw I like it because I can fold it up and take it with me, and I have the top insert for both my Bernina 440 and my Singer Featherweight. If I need to use the free arm with my Bernina, I just have to remove the insert.

I built my own sewing table, a 4x4 sheet of plywood. The sewing machine I cut an square hole for, then using 4 bolts made a shelf that I adjust for the perfect height to let the removable top of my Bernina 830 (old) sit flush on the top of the plywood. No issues with quilts sliding off as most of the room is on the left side of the machine. If I need to use the free arm (what free arm? I paid a lot of money for it) I lift the machine out of the hole and place it on top. Wait, never happens. I don't sew anything but quilts. If I need to put my back up Elna in there (Even Berninas need a tune up occasionally) I adjust the height of the shelf and ignore the space between the free arm and the side of the hole.

Works really nice. I did use to have a Pfaff I used on top of a desk all the time (in Europe) and found it to be a pain to sew on for more than a few hours at a time. tim in san jose

I just went through this. My Viking is set into an Ikea table, and I love it. (Found an online tutorial on how to do it). But with the Juki, the machine I intended to do all further quilting on, DH bought a 3x6 butcherblock top at Lumber Liquidators and ordered adjustable legs from Ikea. Unfortunately, he didn't have the right saw to cut a perfectly-fitting hole through butcherblock (only a man would buy that heavy a top in the first place). So, since the Juki has a really nice and slippery extension table, I figured I'd leave it on top and try it.

This resulted in serious neck and shoulder pain. The solution was to raise both my chair and my feet, so that the extension table was at the height the table should have been. ( if this makes any sense).

So, IMO, sinking your machine into the table is best, but if your extension table is excellent, you can compensate.

The adjustable legs are a lifesaver and well worth the money. It gives you the freedom to change your mind about the table height AND if your floors aren't perfectly level, they solve the problem.

hope that helps a little.

hugs,
Charlotte

Thanks for the information, everyone! Sounds like I can justify this purchase; I've just finished quilting a full-size quilt and will be finishing four quilt tops in the next month or two. If I didn't like quilting I'd just send them out to be finished, but I DO like the quilting part!! The full size I finished a couple weeks ago was a big wresting match.

I was looking at the Tracey's Tables at Albuquerque Quiltweek and may go ahead with that for my birthday in April. :-) It was very sturdy, nice looking, had storage space, and people who have them seem to like them a lot.

Hallie in NM