I want to share with you ladies the neat idea my husband came up with. He made an extension that fits around my free arm machine to have more sewing area. It is cut out of 1/2 inch oak, with adjustable legs. I covered it with contact paper so the material would slide nicely.

Excellent! Now I need to find someone like your talented hubby!

How is it kept at the same level as the machine? does it have legs? I would be interested in any additional info. It's a great idea!

Alice

That is pretty awesome! I can't wait to show my husband as I've been trying to get him to make me one out of plexiglass for a couple years! Maybe if he knows he can make one out of wood he will finally do it! Your machine looks just like mine! Wouldn't happen to be a Kenmore would it?

Would you be willing to share talented hubby? You could probably mak a fortune just renting him out :lol: That was a neat idea --so clever, wish mine wuld do that for my machine. I really like it. I have my Bernina in the mtns--no cabonet for it up there and its so hard to do big projects with out that extra support. Great idea!

:D I seem to keep him busy right here at home. LOL
He made it from a 1/2 inch thick smooth piece of oak, but you could also use pine or what ever. The size is 18 X 24. For the legs, he used a 1 inch dowel cut to heigh size to keep it level, allowing heigh and attached adjustable feet that screw in which makes it easy to slide. I covered it with contact paper. The hardest part was to get the opening pattern.
I just love it. It gives me so much more room for the material. It is real stable, and does not more around. I have a sewing cabinet, but did not want the machine in it, as I use it at the table for my quilting. My machine is a Kenmore Elite.
Now get your Hubby busy.

i heard Congress passed a law last week making it legal for women to use power tools, sandpaper and screwdrivers.

we are woman; hear us roar; even over the noise of a skillsaw.
:mrgreen:

You are so right. Time to get my GF to make one of these for my Elna. It would fit her's too.

tim in san jose

I bought the plywood, the dowel,contact paper and 1inch felt tips for the bottom of the leg first week of April, DH say I'll do it on Wednesday.Well today I took out his circular saw and the jig saw and did it myself.

He looked what i cut and said you messed it up, you didn't even cut the legs straight. It will be all loop sided.

Guess what? I put my table on my machine got out the level and it was perfect all around.

too funny! My ex was useless with tools, learned to do lots of stuff out of neccessity. It's a great accomplishment.

WOO-HOO!!!!

Girls- 2 points (1 for each tool) Boys- 0

Congratulations!! I just showed this picture to my Hubby. He said he can do it, he just wants me to draw out the template. Oh, BTW, his buddy has borrowed the jig saw. If it doesn't return home soon, Lowe's is closer than his friend's house & I know how to pick out my own tools... I have quite a growing collection... :lol:

I took a piece of paper put it under the presser foot even with the back edge and made a crease where it needed to be cut out for the front . Then taped it to the edge of the wood. I made mine bigger then Barb V I used a 2'x2' piece of plywood. Now I have a nice big work area. I then took the other 2x2 piece and put 4 pieces of batting and cover with some heavy material for an ironong mat near my machine.

OK here is my finished table not as nice as Barb V but it works for me

That's a good idea... it's small enough to keep close to your machine, big enough to be quite functional, and totally portable. I like your thinking.

It looks quite awesome to me... I see no problems with either one. Great work!!!

Y'all could make some money at it!!

I like it. Is mine on the way? :D

It took about 1/2 hour from the time I traced the machine opening to putting finished one in place. It comes off just by sliding it backwards or picking it up

Hi everyone,
So happy to see you gals making that extension table. I also like the idea of the ironing table you make. Have to tell my DH that one. But it will have to waite for after summer is over. We are leaving next Thursday to start our camping for the summer. I have 4 wall hanging all ready to start quilting.
If I come up with another ideas, I will be sure to let you all know.
I will have to tell my husband in the morning, how well his project is going over.
Bye for now
Barb

Bye Barb and have a great summer!!!

Have a great summer and thank your DH for the table

Bye Barb... Lucky Lady... Have fun & try to keep in touch. We want to hear all about the great lazy days of summer!!! :D

Carla, don't make me make you feel bad.

*L*

tim in san jose (it's tough having to carry the whole male load around here.)

quite loverly ceannastahr. You have a future in woodworking.

tim in san jose

you can prove your skills by making one and mailing it to me. then i could be your witness.
:mrgreen:

P.S. i'm impressed by the hubby-made AND those the ladies made for themselves. and envious. i'm hopeless with a jigsaw.

IT SPEAKS!!!!! :shock: :lol:

So, uh, has your GF made you one yet? :D

"It" has been busy. And will remain so for another week. New boss, big project, Software course ending on the 25th. I don't have time to play with my sewing machines.

Actually, the Elna case makes itself into one. The Bernina... I made a 4x4 foot drop in table for it. Someday I will take a picture of it if I ever get it cleaned off.

tim in san jose

Patrice,

Just keep checking your mailbox. I am sure it will turn up someday!

The secret to woodworking is... "Don't be afraid of the noise."

It's just like using an electric carving knife only different.

tim in san jose

I have done woodworking for years but don't have a shop anymore. It won't fit in my quilting room. LOL Waiting on mine too. :D

silly boy ...

i ain't afraida no power tools ... nor the noise they make

i just can't get a jigsaw to cooperate.

funny thing about jigsaws is they want to go everywhere but where you want them. when I want straight they make a nice cruve when I want a curve I can't get it to budge off a straight line. If you could only see under the contact paper you see what I mean

It isn't a case of being afraid of the noise just that my ears can't take the noise so I would have to use my muffs used to keep the noise out. However, there are some power tools I'd be hesitant to use.

My huisband also made me an extension, rather is in the process of making it..but we are having a difficult time finding legs for it. Where did you get the ones for your extension table? thanks...mj

So glad this got bumped up. I just made the "foam insulation" extension table, bought clear vinyl for it, but haven't finished the project. I think it is because fate was waiting for me to see this. Enclosing entire foam project with contact paper, theoritically, I think, would be great for keeping it as one piece. Darn, am having to go to WM at lunch, guess that goes on list also!!

my handy hubby has also made me a 20"x48" extension for the ironing board......plywood, insulation padding, cotton batting and then a muslin cover..it is wonderful....friends got after him to make boards for their ironing boards also.......so nice to press fabric.
where I am going after I send this off to you. If I ever figure how to send pics, I will do that later.need the grandkids here to teach an old senior how to do it lololol

Really glad to see this thread! Have been contemplating a plexiglass extension for my machine and now I am ready to move forward! Thanks! :lol:

excellent...enjoy...

I think I could do this. I'm going to try it.

I love the idea of putting contact paper on the table.

:lol: What great guy!!! The extension table is really great invention...I couldn't live without it :lol:

In answer to the question on making the legs. My husband took a piece of dowel, cut 4 pieces a little less then need and added to the botton those leveling buttons.that can be adjusted.