How to Make Your Dining Table a Sewing Table

Placing your sewing machine at the appropriate height makes sewing much easier and more comfortable to use over long periods of time. Many people who have the space in their homes dedicate an area or room to sewing. For those who cannot, using the dining room table as a sewing surface is the next best thing. The important things to remember are height and comfort when making this choice, as both affect how you feel and how long you are able to sew. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Setting Up Your Home Sewing Machine on Your Dining Room Table

1

Place your home sewing machine on your dining room table. A home sewing machine is also referred to as a portable sewing machine. The distinguishing difference is that a home machine may be stored in a closet or elsewhere, while an industrial machine is mounted on a special sewing machine table with a motor attached to it.

2

Put your adjustable chair in front of your sewing machine and sit in your chair.

3

Adjust the height of your chair so that you are comfortable sitting at your sewing machine. Dining room tables are designed to be eaten from. Therefore their height is slightly taller than a dedicated sewing table or cabinet would be. To be comfortable at your sewing machine for long periods of time, you should be able to sit up straight and maintain a comfortable arm position while feeding material through the feed dogs.

4

Place a rubber mat or mouse pad underneath your sewing machine to prevent vibration, movement of the machine, and damage to the table top.

Adding a Removable Surface to Your Dining Room Table

5

Measure the "arm" of your sewing machine. This is the surface on which you feed fabric through the feed dogs. Measure the length and width of the machine arm as well as the depth, the measurement from the top surface of the arm down to the table.

6

Determine how much extra "table" space you require. If you are making quilts it will be more than if you are sewing long hems.

7

On the piece of plywood, measure three to six inches in from the edge of the plywood at one side edge of the plywood piece. Draw in the measurements of the arm of the sewing machine, so that when it is cut out, there will be a large notch or hole coming in from the side of the plywood.

8

Measure the rest of the length you require for a sewing surface. Mark that measurement off on the plywood. For quilters, you want a wide and long surface area to support the stitching of the quilt. For people working with long lengths of fabric, such as people making wedding dresses or other voluminous pieces of clothing, you want enough surface area to support the majority of the garment you will be working on to alleviate tension on the hem or seam while it is being sewn. Keep in mind the width and length of your dining room table as that is what will support this extra sewing surface.

9

Trim the plywood to the appropriate size with a circular saw or table saw.

10

Cut out the hole that will fit around the sewing machine arm with the jigsaw.

11

Cut several pieces of dowel rod to the depth of the sewing machine arm. (Measurement from the top of the sewing machine arm to the surface of the table.) Use as many as will be necessary to support the amount of plywood you require to add to your sewing machine surface. Cut two for under the front of the wood that extends in front of the sewing machine arm and two under the wood that extends in back of the sewing machine arm, one at each end of the arm. Cut as many pieces as you feel will be necessary to support the faux table top, keeping in mind the edges of the table top as well as supporting the center of the table top so it doesn't bow.

12

Screw the pieces of dowel rod to the faux table top from the top of the table surface down into the piece of dowel rod. Place a small amount of wood glue at the top of each piece of dowel rod before attaching it with a screw to help secure it to the faux table top.

13

Cover the faux table top with vinyl sheeting, attaching it with staples underneath the table top surface, or with shelf paper, putting the sticky side down on the table top surface. Wrap the edges of the plywood in vinyl or shelf paper as well. This will prevent fabric from snagging on the plywood.

14

Put felt furniture pads on the bottom of each piece of dowel rod to prevent your dining room table from being scratched.

15

Slide your faux table top around the arm of your home sewing machine to create a large sewing surface.