pocoellie

I agree with gale, the bigger(more) is better, but if your room space is limited, then only you can decide how much of the room you want to take up with a cutting table. My room is small(9x15), compared to my old sewing room(20x20) and my cutting table/storage is roughly 4 1/2' wide x 7' length, I wouldn't give it up for the world.

Feathers-N-Fur

MY room is 9x11 and my cutting table is 26x42 with a 24x36 mat. I'd love a bigger table, but my room is too crowded as it is. It all depends on how much other stuff you have in your room. Mine is made from two bathroom vanity drawer bases. I made a platform with wheels to bring them up to the height I wanted.

Snooze2978

I can relate to having a small sewing room. Mine was only 10 x 18. That sounds large but when you have a 10ft frame in the middle long ways, 2 embroidery machines along the side, 6 bookcases full of fabrics, patterns, etc and a computer armoire, the space is crammed. I also had one of those folding tables like you have too. Almost forgot about that. I also can say I had lots of bruises on my hips from walking around everything. When I moved to the Midwest, I made sure my sewing room would be larger for everything I had at the time. I made a cutting 3 x 4, then a 4 x 6 and finally 4 x 8. Found a cutting mat to fit the table or should I say I made the table to fit the cutting mat. Anyway, I've added a larger quilt frame, more bookcases and all my machines are now out in the open for use. I'm right back where I started with not enough room. Will we ever learn?????

NoraB

Happy to see another Innova owner and that fact that your "old" sewing room had the quilting machine in the middle of the room. That is exactly what I have now. Since my husband made that "big board" ironing board for me, it is definitely a "tight squeeze" all around. If I suck in my stomach as I move from one side of the room to the other, I can fit.......so I'm thinking this is also a weight management system......if I start gaining any more weight....I'll be rubbing against something as I pass thru it.....Wow.....a quilting/sewing room AND a weight management room! Couldn't be happier! Nora

copycat

I use the Norden Gateleg Table from Ikea.( I added wheels with castors to make it mobile.) Go to the Ikea link to read the dimensions of the table. The sides fold down to make the table easy to store. The top fits the large cutting mat with room to spare. The sides have 6 sliding drawers to store sewing notions. A lady posted this table on her sewing blog so that is how I discovered this wonderful table.

AliKat

Since I live in a town home and my studio is the other bedroom and has a lot in it: a HQ16, sewing machine, serger, embroidery machine, and storage there isn't much room left.

I bought a rolling kitchen island with shelves that can be folded for storage. I keep it in the living room unless I have non-quilting friends over. It fits in the studio when I'm not actively engaged in a project in the studio. I've only folded it up once when I had out of state visitors for a prolonged period.

When I want to cut out something really large, like batting, I call one of the LQS's and ask when I can use their tables for this sort of thing. They know me well enough as a customer that this works really well for me. Of course we have a lot of LQS's down here.

EmiliasNana

I, too, had to downsize my cutting/ironing table. Bigger is always better, however, I find my new table 2' x 4' works just fine. My mat is 24" x 36" but my ironing surface is the entire 2' x 4'. Like others, I want to be able to iron my fabric open to it's full width &/or cut it into strips folded as it comes off the bolt. It works for me.

AliKat

I have a rolling kitchen island that I use. The top is larger than the 24" x 18" cutting mat I use. I keep it in my living room but can easily move it into my 'studio' [the smaller of the 2 bedrooms I have .]

It fits my space. It forces me to get up and not sit too long at a time, which reminds me to exercise a bit.

linkd

Years ago my DH and (then) teenage son found a really nice workbench at Costco (Christmas promotion - not there now.) The top measures 2' by 5', I have it sticking out into the room like a peninsula so that both long sides are usable without moving it. They added locking wheels which also raised the height a couple inches and is perfect for me and a piece of heavy duty pegboard across the back for rulers and cutters etc. There are workbench drawers that hold a lot of junk and even a couple of enclosed shelves. I'm not sure that I wouldn't occasionally like a larger cutting surface - but having it stick out into the room solves most space problems.

KalamaQuilts

when I was away from home for three years I used a card table, with the bed risers thingies under the feet.
The bigger the cutting table the more carpola gets stacked up...