Facebook Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Tiktok Icon YouTube Icon Headphones Icon Favorite Navigation Search Icon Forum Search Icon Main Search Icon Close Icon Video Play Icon Indicator Arrow Icon Close Icon Hamburger/Search Icon Plus Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon

Conversational Threads

the best sewing table cheap

Balencia | Posted in Equipment and Supplies on

Hello all, pleased to meet you, I am new to all this and very excited to see all these interesting tips and tricks. My quandry is that I notice you cannot buy a 12 ft x 4 ft gridded cutting mat from England but have to order from cuttingmats.com or something in America and they do not post such great big items all the way over here cheaply!  Does anybody know of an intelligent way of making your own or where you can get them along with a suitable table from England?  ta.  Yours, Les

 

Yours, 

thankfully – LG

Replies

  1. marymary | | #1

    Les, I assume you are asking about how to obtain a larger cutting surface.  For many years, I used smaller mats pushed together and taped on the underside with masking tape.  It wasn't a great solution because the rotary cutter would leave some theards uncut when I crossed the join.  It was an acceptable solution until I got a mat that covered the entire table.

    1. User avater
      Balencia | | #4

      Hi Mary, yes that is what I try to do at the moment but it does not help to aid getting perfect positioning of grain - but will carry on I suppose until eventually find something else.  Thanks

  2. scrubble4 | | #2

    lgardener:  I do the same thing Mary Mary recommended, I have put them together to form the shape I want.  This may work for you if no one knows of a location in England where you can purchase large mats. 

    Is it expensive to ship from Europe?  Gatherings has correspondents in Europe and someone there might know of a location for large mats as well.

    Scrubble4

    1. User avater
      Balencia | | #5

      Will try to search for ping pong table think and get a grid drawn up - did see in threads issue once about how to cover it but seemed like an expense also.

  3. Teaf5 | | #3

    In an earlier thread, someone mentioned a completely different source for large cutting mats; she got them from hockey rinks that were replacing their side panelling! We have no hockey out here in California, but most of our building supply centers have plastic sheets for different home projects that look as if they'd work as cutting surfaces.

    Folding tables from office furniture stores work well for cutting, and so do pingpong tables. I usually use my kitchen table because it forces me to clean up before and afterward.

  4. ComstockKitty | | #6

    Hello Les,

    A great table is nothing more than a door, and use saw horses underneath. You have storage for stuff underneath, can put a sewing machine on top with cords and stuff, roomy for legs, and you can adjust the height. I am a Fashion Designer, and it is the best table I have found. Just a hollow door, lightweight, yet strong. And, you can pad it, grid it, or anything else. Tack a yardstick to the side is very convenient.

    K

    1. User avater
      Balencia | | #11

      Thanks for your reply  - not sure what saw horses are but will look around for a door. thanks.   What sort of design ing do you do then?  I did the pattern cutting course NVQ and sewing (fashion NVQ) and was going to go on to Tailoring but had a year odd. My mum was an avid sewer spending most nights at the machine making all our clothes! I feel the same urge to do this!   do you do 1:1 design for particular customers or sell your designs to retail market?   

      1. solosmocker | | #12

        You can't beat the 59.99 cutting table from Joanns. It is solid, collapses to 12 x 36 if need be. By the time you pay the current highway robbery prices they are getting for plywood and then a couple of sawhorses at Home Depot, you are way over that amount. That table is normally more money but often on sale for that amount or you could use one of the 40/50% coupons they send out or have online. I have that cutting table and love it after trying alternatives over the years. Hope this helps. solo

        1. User avater
          Balencia | | #13

          thanks for that Solosmocker - I will try them and will let you know how I get on!  What project are you on at the moment?

          1. solosmocker | | #15

            Right now I am making myself a lightweight spring jacket out of a new pale yellow matelasse bedspread. It is near completion and I am very pleased so far. My camera was left behind at my daughters in Mass so until Easter I am without. I will definitely put up pics after that. Since that project is near the end, I cut out a darling little jumper, Simp 3662, for my DGD who is 3. That should whip right up. It will go well with her pink fringed cowgirl boots that Grandma gave her for Christmas. ;)solo

          2. rodezzy | | #16

            Ooooooh, that sounds so cute.  How adorable she will be.

          3. User avater
            Balencia | | #17

            Hi, scuse me for possibly sounding thick but what is a fibre artist please.  ta

          4. solosmocker | | #18

            Well, I think you are one, Rodezzy! I have always thought a fiber artist is one who makes art out of fibers. Fibers can be reeds for basketry, roving for weaving and spinning, fabric for sewing, yarn for crocheting and knitting. JMHO. solo

            Edited 3/2/2008 9:40 pm ET by solosmocker

          5. User avater
            Balencia | | #20

            Interesting.  Nice to be able to use different forms to create, decent fabrics can be so expensive especially if making a large garment nice to be able to do something small and unexpensive.  I will make a scarf with a bit of silk I got from America next as I am not doing too well with this wool boucle jacket I am copying from an old jacket of mine.  The interfacing does not seem to suit the stretch of the wool type also I made the jacket a bit bigger and it is baggy around armhole but tight on arm cap!  hey ho what a waste of time. thanks for reading - les. 

             

          6. rodezzy | | #19

            A person that deals in multiple crafting arts such as sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting and any other form of using fibers.  I use all types of fibers in my quilting and sewing such as couching fibers to other fibers, etc. 

            And, everything Solosmocker mentioned.  I've been working with some sort of fibers since I was 9 yrs. of age.

            Edited 3/3/2008 12:43 pm ET by rodezzy

      2. Pattiann42 | | #14

        Here is a picture of a "fancy" sawhorse:  http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=161034-46921-60582&lpage=none

        The old style are made from 2" X 4" lengths of lumber:  http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1288989

        And here is how to make a sawhorse desk from lumber and sawhorse brackets: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_furniture_other/article/0,,HGTV_3717_1381667,00.html

        Edited 2/29/2008 10:04 am ET by spicegirl1

        Edited 2/29/2008 10:05 am ET by spicegirl1

        Edited 2/29/2008 10:07 am ET by spicegirl1

  5. Pattiann42 | | #7

    Another suggestion, that I read, I believe at PatternReview was to use a plastic floor mat made for office chairs.  I don't know how clear they are, but you might be able to fasten a grid under it if you like to use the grids on rotary cutting mats.

  6. rekha | | #8
    1. User avater
      Balencia | | #10

      Thanks so much for your response - I have ordered from Clothtide as the other company did not put a grid on their mat.  thanks. 

  7. cafms | | #9

    I just happened to see Martha Stewart and a handyman make an interesting looking gate leg cutting table on her show the other day.  I found written instructions for it here: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=ef363721b7446110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=type_1&autonomy_kw=sewing%20table

    Well, that is rather long and may not work.  If not try marthastewart.com then crafts and Gate Leg Sewing Table.   It uses a 4 ft X 8 ft sheet of plywood for the top and folds to about 6 inches wide.  They painted a 2 inch grid on the top.   

This post is archived.

Threads Insider

Get instant access to hundreds of videos, tutorials, projects, and more.

Start Your Free Trial

Already an Insider? Log in

Conversational Threads

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |

Threads Insider Exclusives

View All
View All

Highlights

Shop the Store

View All
View More