Make a custom sewing table cheap!

I don't have the room or the money for a huge expensive sewing cabinet so I created my own design for a sewing table and I call it my Quilting Desk.

I started with:

2 relatively inexpensive folding tables from SAM'S Club ($42 each in Anchorage, Alaska) that measure 2' wide x 4' long (get the ones with the adjustable height legs - it matters!)

4 sheets of rigid foam insulation

2½ yards clear vinyl (54" wide on a roll, cut to length, and comes in various mils thick) for sale at WalMart from $2 to $3 per yard, or from a hardware store for a lot more $$

I use 2 tables because I quilt large quilts and I cannot have any drag on the fabrics as I am quilting them - I need a perfectly flat surface for several feet, all around the sewing machine, to support the bulk of the quilt as I am working on it.

After setting up the tables, I put my sewing machine on the table top and measured the height from the top of the table to the top of the stitch plate. It measured at 3½".

I purchased 2 pieces of rigid foam insulation

1 piece of 2" thick x 8' long x 2' wide
1 piece of 1½" thick x 8' long x 2' wide.

I cut the length of both pieces in half, to make 4' sections, and then lay each 2"(thick) x 4' onto each table, then put the 1½"(thick) x 4' sections on top.

Here's how I made the cuts for the sewing machine to fit in. I cut the bottom piece of foam to match the base of the sewing machine and the top piece of foam to match the free-arm top part of the sewing machine (so the cuts don't match up exactly!) FIRST I set the sewing machine on top of the foam insulation and positioned it as far away from me as I could comfortably sew and quilt.

Quilters need a lot of support space in front of the needle, to support a heavy quilt as they are quilting it.

I used a pen to mark an outline of the sewing machine onto the blue foam and set the machine aside. Using a serrated knife to cut the foam, I cut out the space for the sewing machine from both layers of foam.

I started with a cut to just fit the sewing machine, but then went back and made it bigger because I wanted space to access the front loading bobbin area easily. Then I made 1 straight cut through the top layer of foam only, to create even easier access to the bobbin. (see photo above - this is only necessary if you have a front load bobbin)

When I need to change bobbins, I just slide this piece out a few inches, giving my hand access to the bobbin area.

Lastly, I layered pieces of the clear vinyl over the top of the foam and around the sewing machine. This vinyl is so slick that everything including heavy quilts just glides right over it - sweeter than sweet!

{I bought the clear vinyl in 2 places - expensive was at the hardware store where it is sold on a roll as storm window covering for a few $$ per foot

- cheap was at Walmart Fabric Dept. where it is sold as just a vinyl covering for dining tables, etc. for a couple of $$ per yard. At both places you have your choice of thicknesses - go with the thickest you can afford - it lays flatter}

I put the vinyl in place and then cut out an area just larger than the feed dogs of the sewing machine and then cut out an area for the tall part of the machine, so the vinyl completely surrounds the machine. I taped all 4 sides of the cut opening around the feed dogs that that my fabric doesn't get caught up on the edges.

I put a strip of black electrical tape (you can use masking tape or anything else you want) to mark the ¼" edge for quilting, that's why you see that in the pic.

For inspiration and for fun, I slide photos, magazine pages and quilt patterns under the clear vinyl so that I don't always have to look at the blue foam :)

In about an hour I had a custom Quilting Desk that is completely portable and stores easily. The tables have folding legs and they can fit in a closet and so can the blue foam insulation. The vinyl rolls and unrolls easily as well.

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