Stand up sewing
 

I have been seeing ads on TV about the thing that allows you to stand up while working at your computer. Wonder if there is anything like that for sewing machines. You can sit or stand with just a quick adjustment so you can change your position easily and it seems like that would be a great idea for long hours of sewing.
Anyone know anything about such a thing for us quilters?

some people make tables high enough to stand while sewing. The use counters when building them

I have an adjustable-height table from Ikea. I got it so I could raise it for cutting, but sometimes I sew standing. It took a bit to get used to operating the foot pedal while standing, (I end up sort of standing on one foot), but I like having the option of changing positions easily.

I'm like Jennifer--I sometimes set one of my machines on my taller cutting table to sew standing up--with a good fatigue mat under me, it can be pretty comfortable. I wonder how study those desks tops are that raise up for standing? They may work for a machine if it kept there from being too much vibration.

I had a work station that raised high enough to stand and work on my computer. (It was during the days when the computers had the huge monitors.) It would be very expensive to install one in your home but they do make them. I cannot remember the name of them. It was so nice when we had them installed. I was one of the few people that actually raised it that high, but after sitting for hours on the phone and doing data entry onto a computer I needed to stand for a while. No they are saying that people will be more productive if they stand. (That is until people start having other physical injuries from prolonged standing. I believe people need to be able to make adjustments throughout the day.)

I got out my portable 2662 the other day after cutting some fabric and put it on top of my cutting table. Went right to piecing. Worked great. I sit a lot so this was a great alternative.

I also like to stand but usually not for prolonged periods. Normally my sewing is broken up with pressing or hunt-and-search mission or some other distraction so there's a lot of both sitting and standing during a sewing session. Many of the newer machines now have the start/stop button which is helpful for standing ..prevents the need to stand on one leg with opposite foot up. That is the main obstacle to sewing while standing. It can become uncomfortable after just a short time but w/ the button, it is very much easier to do.

I would like the idea of being able to stand part of the time-I cannot at present. However, I am careful to move around a lot. My sewing room is in the basement and we have a bathroom down here. However, I always go up and down the stairs when I need the facilities. My coffee pot is upstairs in the kitchen-so, more trips up and down. When my husband built my sewing center I wanted a pressing station that I could pull out. I thought it was a great idea! However, I never use it. I get up and go over to the ironing board to press. The time savings are not worth the problems of sitting too long at a time. I probably go up and down the stairs 30 or so times a day to say nothing of other stand and walk activities. So, fellow quilters, keep moving.

My sewing machine lives on a higher counter in the laundry room. I was moving it to a table when needed. But, recently, just use it standing where it is. I like it, its comfortable and there is no up and down to grab things. My back likes that.

Quilterpurpledog, at Weight Watchers we call your movement planned inefficiency or planned wasted steps. I purposefully keep my ironing board in another room so I have to move,as well. I just thought the idea of a quick adjustment to stand for a while would be neat....never thought of the vibrations. Maybe someone can invent such a thing and go on Shark Tank for funding!!!!

I have a fairly large sewing room and keep my ironing board on the other side of the room from my sewing machine so I have to get up and walk around the table to get to it. I heard a retired chiropractor who taught sewing talking about the necessity of getting up and moving around and not just sitting long ago. She advised making things not so convenient so you have to do that. I'm up and down when I'm sewing because I'm usually doing laundry, rustling dogs, doing other stuff at the same time. It does slow my sewing down, but it makes my body feel much better.

I have a friend who puts her sewing machine on her ironing board and stands up to sew. There is a wooden board under the machine to stop "bounce" She has been doing this for many many years.

I have my old viking mega quilter sitting on a corner of my cutting table and sew with it all the time. Its been there since I got a nolting fun quilter to replace it as my quilting machine and thats going on 8 years now,i think. It doesn't vibrate that much unless you are sewing pedal to the medal! Which I don't! Anna

I have one sewing machine located at one end of my cutting table to sew on long borders and binding onto my quilts. This gives me plenty of room to lay the quilt on instead of having it hang over the side. My main sewing machine is up against a wall as I have no where else to put it so my quilts will bunch up in the back. Since the other machine is on the cutting table I do have to stand for this. I'm looking into finding just the right height stool to put there as standing for such a long time hurts my feet and back.

I had a old table glass top that I put on 4 cabinets that I bought cheap. I use it for cutting and stand up sewing. No bouncing or wiggling. Works like a dream.

Look into Martelli Work stations. They look $$ but if you check them out at a demo at your local shop or a Quilt Show they are very reasonable. They raise up and down and also tilt. They are amazing!

I do this too when I need to use a machine that I don't have room to keep set up all the time. Usually it's my serger. I made 12 pairs of pajama pants a couple years ago with my serger sitting on my ironing board.

Cari

If you go to the Arrow sewing furniture website, they make a table that is adjustable in height, I think it's called the Tasmanian or something like that. It's listed in with their 2nd line of sewing furniture which is the Aussie line (the one that has the Dingo table). I think it's pretty pricey, but not nearly as pricey as the Martelli height adjustable table.

Rob

i just bought the Tasmanian table. I love it. I will not use it standing up, but will set my chair for a counter height table. It's awful on my knees getting up and down. I can't wait to get the plexi insert for around my machine!

standing tables are already marketed in Albuquerque. I saw one at the sewing center the last time I was there. It was beautiful and pricey. I'd never even considered such an idea until I saw that cabinet 3 weeks ago.

Sew perfect dream table is a sit or stand table. Google it. Looks interesting.

My chiro tells me that it's better to have my ironing board across the room so I have to get up and move around often. I have my sewing rooms upstairs with gives me essentially the same thing you have. I have to get up and go downstairs to get food, something to drink, put laundry in or any of the other things I'm doing while sewing. I think it does help me to move around more.

in my last home i used guest bedroom as my sewing room. hubby made my sewing table, measured to my height, so that i could stand to sew, press, cut ..whatever. in current home no room big enough for my beloved table so, when i am able to sit for short spells i sew at dining table now. but back is worse and not doing much sewing at all. i do have one quilt top that i need to quilt. i do that standing at kitchen counter ..island type but w drop in stove. so i cover whole mess w plastic table cloth held down by binder clips. time consuming but only way that i can fmq w domestic. i have to stand up to quilt. it's not an issue for the foot pedal ..i position machine so that the pedal just reaches floor and lays flat.