supergma

My DH built two shelving units and set them up with a board on top of them the way you did your bookcases. I am taller than average, so he made them a little higher than the kitchen island.
I bought baskets for the shelves and that is where I keep my WIP and future projects.

Jo Mama

The best cutting table is made by Martelli but it is extremely expensive. I'm going to look around consignment furniture stores and thrift shops for an old table, put it on those risers you can get at Wally's and add a cute skirt around it so I can stow bins of fabric below.

amandasgramma

My cutting table consists of 2 2 drawer filing cabinets I got at a garage sale, a 2x4 spacer unit hubby built and all topped with a sliding closet door I bought at 2nd hand store. The whole unit cost less than $50.00. As for height, that depends on your height. Check around for places that have cutting tables (an excuse to go to your LQSs) and find which height feels the best for you.

cjaye44

My cutting table is similar to BarbP's. Except I had a 10' piece of counter top cut into two pieces and then put a laminate on top of both. The cutting table is 53" long and 34" high. I put a skirt around 3 sides to keep the fabric protected from sunlight . The other piece which is 67" long and only 25" high uses shorter runner frames and smaller baskets. That is my one of my sewing tables. I had the sewing table cut longer so I could have more than one machine set up and space underneath for storage. It's worked well for me the last 15 years and it has gone through 4 cross country moves with no damage.

Retiredandquilting

I have been using this cutting table for 15 years and it cost me very little to assemble: I have an old pine dresser that has three drawers and the top is 32 inches off the ground. I then added to pieces of 2 x 4 to each side and topped it off with a piece of plywood that is 30 x 60. i then tiled that top with sticky back floor tile to give me a nice, easy to dust and clean up surface. You can get these tiles at the $ store, or $ General for very little, cometimes 2/$1. The finished height is 37" (I am 5'6" tall). I use top two drawers of the dresser for fat quarters, and the bottom one for UFO's. The top piece of plywood does not need to be that big; you can scale it down depending on the size of your room. I like it big; I have a lamp, utensil holder and other stuff on the surface, along with my very big cutting mat 24" x 36". Hope this helps you!

pasovasz

I am 5'2" and like the height of my dining room table: 29.5 inches.

I cut a lot of denim for Operation Quiet Comfort Quilts, so the lower height allows for better leverage when moving and cutting the denim.

For me, it is also a good height for sewing, using the regular dining room chair.

Works for me.

katkat1946

I've been using tables put on those bed risers-seems to be perfect for me. (5'4" and shrinking:) )

Kuusistoquilter

I use a cheap plastic table that my DH extended the legs with PVC pipe to bring it up the the proper height. the table is the plastic banquet ones you can buy for $25-$40 from Menards, KMart, Shopko, etc. He cut the pvc pipe and then added a 3 way elbo. The table legs fit into the PVC pipe. It works for me and was in the budget.

lakesidequilter

I use an old kitchen table...It works for me for the big stuff. I also have a drawer pull-out deal when I need something small chairside while I sew (I can convert it to chairside ironing with the appropriate pad). Either my smaller cutting mat or the ironing mat fit on it.
I believe that you need both the large and the chairside small surfaces.

laurafet

My DH took an old kitchen trestle table that was a freebie left at DS home when he bought. He added an additional "foot" on each trestle for height- a 2x4 for me, and painted her up nice. Then he took a sheet of plywood (4x8) and made a removable top that I use for sandwiching my quilts. I clamp the edges with the big construction clamps I got at HD, and that holds everything snug while I pin. A LOT less back pain while cutting and/or pinning. No pics right now. The top also fits my dining room table. I do need an extra pair of hands to get that plywood top up and down, so I usually will pin 2 or 3 tops while I have it on the table. The height needs to be what works for you.