I have been dreaming about a purpose built sewing table for a long long time. But always put it off as being to much of an expense and I would rather spend my money elsewhere (you can never have to much fabric right?)
And if I couldn’t have a ‘proper’ sewing table then maybe an extension table would do. So I went online to see what was available to buy. Again too expensive. You see we are also saving for a holiday to ‘the big smoke’ and I have a long list of IKEA needs.
So I asked my hubby if he could make me an extension table for my machine with supplies we had either lying around or would be relatively cheap to buy. And much to my surprise he said yes AND started doing it straight away! I think I was in shock there for a while.
But yesterday morning I asked the question and yesterday afternoon I had a purpose built extension table for my sewing machine!
What we used:
Some recycled ply wood (900mm x 1200mm)
Wooden boom handle
Screws
Varnish
We measured up my sewing machine and cut out the space about 20cm in from the front of the ply wood.
Next he cut up the wooden broom handle to create the legs for the table. All up there are 14 legs on this table to support it.
The legs were attached with screws, then it was sanded and varnished and now it is ready for use!
All up this project cost under $50 and I am so wishing that I did it sooner.
Do you have a purpose built sewing table or an extension table for your machine?
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When Amy is not blogging here on And Sew We Craft you can find her over at Actually Amy where she blogs about her life and other things.
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What a great idea, I might have to give this a go.
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I’d love to see it if you do, CJ!
I am loving mine and have already put it to good use this weekend!
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Super! Bravo de France ! Quelle bonne idée! Merci
Awesome idea, I actually had seen this or very similar too it last week. Some one got her hubby to make her one too.
I am on my own..:(
Might have to suss out a friend to do one for me..lol
Late to this I realize but consider for this or any wood-working project as I have done as I am also on my own: Your local high school shop class - they are looking for things for the teens to do that can be useful and they can perhaps learn how to do that they can sell in the future. I myself had quite a few projects made for the cost of materials or the cost of the design: A gorgeous needlecraft frame, a quilt frame, a machine riser, and as for getting work and tune-ups done on my car, I go to the same department but instead of wood shop I go to auto shop. They’re supervised and the work is guaranteed to be just as good as any in a local garage. They love to have new projects to work on, rather than the same old things taught each year, even the teachers love it.
I am thinking my husband is going to busy this weekend ! I need one of these 🙂
My husband and I made an inexpensive project of this from a new Ikea table with legs ($19.99) plus a second identical tabletop ($5.99). As he cut the opening, we discovered that the tabletop wasn’t entirely solid (which explains how it’s so cheap, I guess!), so I lined the cutout edge with white duct tape. The legs are made from 2″ wooden dowel, and I stuck some non-slip foam pads (meant for furniture feet) on the bottom of each. Here’s a picture!
Thanks so much for the inspiration! 🙂
What did you use for the supports for the top layer.
Does it vibrate at all?
Thanks
Wow! that is such a nice table! Could you give me the measurements of your table? What is the length, width? The height of the legs? I would really appreciate it. thank you in advance
Sorry I only just seen this. If you still need measurements I can grab some for you tomorrow. It’s in my storage area at the moment as I haven’t needed it lately and I sew on my dining table.
My husband just recently made a table for me and I love it. It has made things so much easier.
Yay! I love mine too.
awesome idea, and girls out there, if u can sew and quilt, u can built this also, u don’t need the hubby or some guy to build for u, always remember cardinal rule of quilters and carpenters. MEASURE TWICE AND CUT ONCE. was looking for plans for a sewing table for myself and found this. gonna build from the floor up, not to hard, and have all the tools, bit of a tool freak and have woodworking experience, so if u are gonna try this, remember to always check yourself before u cut.
I really want one of those. Ill have to show hubby some pics and my son in law!
I’d love to hear if you do make one, Marsha 🙂
I was wondering how the sewing machine sits in the table?
I am extremely limited to the amount of space I have to work with. I thought it would be a good idea to cut the table top and make it like a dropleaf table so it wouldn’t use up the room when not in use. I wonder if you could make one out of a old drop leaf table. That’s why I would like to see close up how you put the machine in. Thanks:-)
Hi Debbie,
I will try and get you some photo’s this weekend. It just slides in though, the extension just sits on top of my dining table at the exact height of my machine. A dropleaf table would be awesome though. I just needed something and we living far away from any time of shops so we just used what we had on hand to make it suitable for me.
Anyway, I’ll try and get you some more photos soon.
Amy x
This is a terrific idea. I agree that ones in the store are expensive. My husband is very handy and wants to Formica the top.
Oh a formica top would be lovely!
I sure wish my father-in-law was still alive! He could whip up a table like this in no time!
Have you thought about making it yourself, Tami? It is pretty easy. The only reason I didn’t do it by myself was that my husband is a bit preciouos with his power tools 😛
Thanks for stopping by x
This is a great idea. Just got a new sewing machine need this. Thanks
Glad I could help. Let me know if you do make it. My hubby will be pleased 🙂
I think your husband is a keeper! That is a really nice extension table.
Looks like my dad will have a project this weekend! I’ve been looking for something like this, and all the ones from the stores are just too expensive and really not big enough, this way, I can have it as big as I need it. Thank you for posting! 🙂
My husband made one very similiar to this today. Thanks for the picture so I could show him what I wanted. He made it from an MDF board he got for $.50 cents. Then the idea for the broom handle was yours and some scrap lumber for more legs.
Since it was MDF it is rough but I had a large, slick cutting board I bought from Sewing Emporium http://www.sewingemporium.com/‎ at a quilt show. It is very slick and will help the quilt slide. Will put on with double stick tape. I have an acrylic table but the quilt gets caught on the edges and corners so hoping this will work.
SO Thank your husband, I thank you, and lets QUILT!
Yay! Let’s QUILT indeed x
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My husband built me one last week also. L shaped not near as pretty as yours but does the trick. I Think mine is 18″ x24″ Supports the weight of the quilt and can be moved easily if I’m embroidering. Scrap wood is good for so many things like the scraps we save for quilting.
Could you please let me know the measurements in inches for the finished extension table? The measurement of the legs (the height) in inches? It would be appreciated. Thank you in advance
I just found some items I can use for the extension table and it is not going to cost me anything. It is going to be 14 inches wide by 24 inches long and I measured one of my sewing machine and then I am making it that height. It is not going to be fancy but it is going to do the job. Why pay $30.00 or higher when you can make it your self. I don’t have a husband to make it but I am very handy myself.
I’d love to see it when it is finished Catherine! Good luck!
Thank you for this idea it saved me money!! You are truly awesome.
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It is wonderful could you please email me the dimensions/template of the table so I can get someone to make this for me. Thank you.
Hi Kathleen,
Amy’s dimensions are there in the post (recycled ply wood (900mm x 1200mm)) but you could of course make it to any dimensions to suit your own set up.
We’d love to see a picture of yours when it is done!
Tonya
This is exactly the thing I was looking for. Can you please tell me what are the dimension of your table? That’d be really helpful!
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Nice table, thanks for showing it. One thing though, what’s with all the ‘getting a man to do it for you? If you can run a sewing machine, then a saw is simple!
Um, I can and do use tools like a saw on a regular basis. But hubby likes to build things like this and I don’t. I’d rather be sewing 😉
I love the extension table and I’m going to make one for my self, but I do have one question how long are the legs. For everyone asking for the conversion on the size of the table it is 35.5 wide x 47.5 long inches . My husband builds houses for a living so the wood will be no problem but I know ill wind up making it my self after building houses all day when he gets home he doesn’t want to build nothing. Thankfully it not hard to do and I do follow the rule measure twice and cut once.