Sunday 17 April 2011

My new sewing table

Keith has been busy in my sewing room again after I saw this on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/CrazyShortcutQuilts#p/u/40/g14govA4pIM

I've been complaining for some time now, well ever since my 830 wouldn't fit in my Horn cabinet, that I missed the flat sewing surface.  Buying another cabinet capable of taking the larger, heavier machines was out of the question.  So after we watched this video we made a quick trip to B&Q and Wilks for the materials and this is the result.

Table as seen from the back, notice we have left enough room for ventilation.  Also we couldn't get the wider insulation into the car so had to settle for smaller blocks taped together with gaffer tape.
 On the front there is a removable piece so I can change the bobbins easily.  Previously I had to remove the table each time I wanted to change bobbin thread because I  couldn't see what I was doing with it on. Now changing bobbin thread is easier as lifting out the front piece leaves it easy for me to see everything.
This is the piece that fits in front of the machine.   I have about 7.5" of space between the front of the table and the needle.   I am still sitting at the same height as before.  Begin vertically challenged Keith chopped off a bit of the table legs so I was sewing at a comfortable height.  But the new 'infill' gives me a wider sewing surface and allows me to rest my arms on the table to quilt, much less strain on the old neck and arms.

We had to use four insulation boards in all, two on the bottom and two on the top. Drawing round the machine for the base boards and round the machine arm for the top boards.  The insulation foam is easy to cut with a serated knife but you have to remember when you draw out the pattern which way is the top!!  We nearly cut the arm piece with the curve going the wrong way!!  It's very sturdy but light and can easily be removed and propped up somewhere else when I want to use the embroidery unit.

I covered the whole table with heavy duty plastic that I'd bought some time back to make bags etc.  I cut a hole where the needle and feed dogs went and was surprised to find the plastic stayed in place and acted a bit like my Supreme Slider making it easy to free machine.  I'm very pleased with the outcome, it may not look pretty but it works.

2 comments:

Benta AtSLIKstitches said...

It looks great - you lucky thing :-)

black bear cabin said...

very nice...im jealous :)