lots2do

Hi there,
I am setting up a sewing space in a small room. The bed needs to stay in the room. I need a clever solution for a cutting table that is the right height and that won't take up a huge amount of room. I've looked at the Sullivan Better Board that fits over an ironing board but I'm not sure an ironing board is sturdy enough to be safe to cut on. In Florida, I've used bed risers with a banquet table but I don't have that kind of space here. I suppose I could put a piece of Masonite on the bed and cut sitting down but I'm not sure how accurate that would be.
I welcome your ideas...
lots2do

QuiltnNan

my cutting table is two dressers, back to back, with a top covering both. that way, the drawers are still usable at each side. i made the top using kitchen laminate plastic... it's quite heavy. when i need to move houses, it just comes apart in pieces. the dressers are on casters. the whole unit is 34" tall, which seems just the right height for me

NJ Quilter

I'd probably vote for some type of dresser/chest of drawers. If you could find one that is a bit short, you could put locking casters on it so you could move it away from the way and then have access to all sides.

I have one of the folding craft tables that JAF sells (although mine was not purchased there). Both sides fold down leaving about a 12" center section. If you have room to have all or half of that open, it makes for a nice table. Again, it's on wheels so moves. By having both side sections folded down you could utilize the center section as a side table in the room if needed??

Murphy224

I agree with NJQuilter, look for one of Sullivans folding cutting table. It is a good table, compact but the right height for cutting. Trying to cut sitting down on a bed is a recipe for a disaster in my opinion. A danger mainly to you! You can usually find them on sale or you can use a coupon. I think I got mine at a Black Friday sale and have had it for over 15 years.
here is one on sale at Walmart but Joanns carry them and you can find one online.
http://www.joann.com/double-wall-car...dgMaAhGE8P8HAQ

lots2do

Ironically, I also had the fold downtable that I got at JAF but when we moved I gave it to a guild. I don't think I have the space for it. The room is about 7' by 10'. I like the small bureau idea with locking casters. That suggestion lead me to looking at kitchen carts on line. We have quite a few antique and vintage shops in this area so maybe I'll get lucky! There's a huge piece of furniture in the room right now that needs to be moved out so I have some time to look for a solution.
Thank you for your responses and Happy Stitching!

Stitchnripper

I don't have any great suggestions, but, what about two ironing boards set up next to each other for a bigger space and stability? I have one of those white tables from Costco (or Sam's or Walmart), but realized it bows just a bit when cutting, enough to make me think my blade is dull. I had a piece of laminated board from IKEA leftover and put that on top of the white table and what a difference. Just make sure anything you use is perfectly flat and doesn't "give" when you press down on it.

toverly

I sometimes cut on my kitchen island. With a mat of course. I love it because I can walk all the way around it and it forces me to move.

Tartan

Do you have room for a tall bed size square table? I have a square kitchen island unit on wheels with 2 drawers that I use as my cutting table. It is the kind with locking wheels. You could lock the wheels in place at the bedside for a bed size table and unlock it and move it to cut on. One of the great benefits to my rolling kitchen island unit is, it's a good height for cutting and it is like a rotating cutting surface because I can move it.

ube quilting

I also use a long dresser top too. It was my DMILs and it now holds fabric and with mats on top is a great sturdy place to cut.

Make a trip to a second hand store and find a sturdy old dresser that could be used as a piece of furniture in the room and double for cutting. You can hide sewing in a few drawers when you don't want to see it. Double duty is the way to think about use of furniture.

rryder

How often does the bed get used and what size is it? A friend of mine made a table that was wide enough to slide over the end of the bed ( like those hospital ones only bigger, with legs on both sides of the bed). If the bed is only used for an occasional out of town visitor and if it's double or twin sized, you might be able to do something like that. You'd have to figure out what to do with the table when the bed was in use, but if you are handy with basic tools or have a spouse or friend who is, it would be easily do-able.

Or, you can just do like I do, small cutting surface in sewing room and nice big cutting surface in another room.


Rob