Since it's in your bedroom I wouldn't worry about it looking pretty. I used to sew on a card table when we first were married almost 31 years ago and I wasn't worried about how it looked and it was actually our dining table! We lived in a very small one bedroom duplex and were so happy things like that didn't even cross our mind.

I'm a seamstress so I want to add that I'm always thrilled to hear when someone new is learning to sew. There for awhile I was afraid it was going to become a lost art. Good luck!

There's a sewing forum here at the Garden Web if you have any questions about something you're sewing. I don't frequent there, but maybe I should considering I've sewn for over forty years now. I started with a small pink plastic child's play machine.

I would put it where it's most convenient, and you have the best lighting. Where is your ironing board? You'll want the two in some close distance to each other, because it's a pain to go back and forth room to room, when working on a project. And if you have pets, make sure to keep all thread, pins, etc. in a CLOSED container if it will be out on the table. A card table is actually a good idea, because it can be moved around easily, and folded up for storage when you're not using it.

That was nice of your husband. Mine wouldn't care if I sewed on my lap. :)

I have used one of these http://www.walmart.com/ip/4-Foot-Folding-Table/7679248 to sew on and it works really well. I've also used a card table and I think the plastic one is a little less shaky. I chose the 4' one to show you because it's smaller and you said your room is small but the 6' table is really nice also (and cheaper, for some dumb reason I'm sure).

Or if you have a dining room table you can use that. I've sewn miles and miles on dining room tables.

Best wishes on learning to sew!

One of the things on my to-do list this year is to set up a sewing area in my laundry room. I love to sew and it was great to find your thread!

Could you use the computer room and just shut the door if it's a mess? I sew in our breakfast room (and this is where all our friends enter ...) It can be a real mess! I try to only buy fabric for the project I'm working on so there is less "stuff" to store.

I'd love to hear how it goes .. what will you sew first?

im just getting my sewing room together but I will say that the plastic tables you get cheap at walmart or costco are way better than a regular card table. One thing I would advise is to try to get your machine on a steady surface because sewing can be frustrating, but it's even more so when your table is wonky. Even the dining room or kitchen table works better than a shaky table. You want the conditions to be at their best when you are learning so you can enjoy the process and become a serious fabric o'holic freak like me :oP Ok maybe not that, but it is easier to learn when you're not frustrated by a shaking table! (I know this from experience LOL)

Hey Sharon, What about a computer armoire? You can find armoires on craigslist for a song. You could then close the doors and hide all your stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: sewing armoire

I'd keep my eyes on CraigsList. There are all sorts of furniture pieces in there all the time for bargain prices, some even free. Sometimes a little elbow grease is needed to spruce them up, but if we paint them, we can make them match our decor. Other plus about CL is the money goes to your neighbors, not to China.

I'm with those who recommend a sturdy table and great natural light. You want a table (as opposed to pretty furniture) because you need the flat surface for laying out fabrics and maneuvering fabric while sewing.

For the last couple of weeks, my sewing machine has been sitting on our dining room table. I've put it away twice when we've had dinner company - I'm in my annual mending mode. My family will live around it until I"m done.
Congratulations on learning to sew! I hope you enjoy the hobby...it's given me much satisfaction over the years.

Good for you for getting started sewing! It's a lifelong hobby of mine, and I love to hear of other people learning to sew. I have a couple of thoughts....

I agree with the poster who said a card table can be very unstable, and can cause problems with your machine. The faster you sew, the more your machine will 'jump around'. Maybe you could repurpose the card table? If you have young kids, you can sew a cover for the card table which will make it into a little fort for them -look on etsy for this.

You need to give some thought as to how you are going to store the things you will use the most. It isn't just the machine you need easy, organized access to, but thread, tools like scissors, elastic, patterns, etc.

For an easy but efficient and inexpensive sewing space, I would check craigslist for a couple of inexpensive two-drawer wooden file cabinets.. Then get a piece of countertop, a thick board, anything that will make a surface for your machine, and lay it across the top of the file cabinets. Paint the whole thing to match your bedroom. Use plastic containers inside the drawers of the cabinets to store your supplies -i.e. one for thread, one for tools, etc. You can also store extra fabric there.

I have a little antique table I actually keep the 2 sewing machines on. I pull the one forward that I want to use, push the other one back, behind. When I'm cutting, I use a cutting board on the dinningroom table....or a cutting board on the double bed. I sew a LOT! But I don't have a dedicated room for it...I'm using the spare bedroom.

Check with sewing machine vendors in your community. Sometimes they get tables in trade with a machine. I like the one that has a folding set of legs like an ironing board and a long hinge on the double-decker tray surface that fits over the open arm on the machine. Fits into a closet when not in use.

I used to sew every day; used to make clothes for my daughter, used to make bedding, then doll clothes. I had an old Art Deco dining cabinet that I kept my machine & serger in. When I was sewing, it was on the dining table; because I could keep both machines plugged in. If we needed to eat, they were easily moved.

I can't count the number of people I've given machines to that wanted to sew but never did. Best advice is don't spend a lot of money on anything until you know that you're going to actually use it. Buy a few basic colors of thread; go to Walmart, they have cheap scissors- don't use the scissors on anything but sewing. I have a fishing tackle box called an over & under that hold the bulk of my thread. For the stuff I always use, I have something similar to a store shopping basket; no clue where I got it from but it works great. I have a few (empty) baby wipe trays in it as well as an old skippy jar for my marking pens & scissors.

As far as where to keep the machine; put it where you're going to use it. Mine are upstairs right now on an old desk; I'd much rather have them downstairs.

Yes, what Roselvr said. Don't spend a ton of money on anything until you know this is going to be something that you're really going to do. My other advice would be to start with a small, easy project. Sew some pillows, or a simple clothing pattern to get started. Choose fabric that's easy to work with, like a quilt weight cotton. And make sure you have a comfortable chair. Good luck!

I use the table in the formal dining room.

hey maybe you could check out this site may help sewingtables

Sharon

Good for you!

I purchased a machine as a b-day present to me 5 yrs ago - & decided to set up a sewing area in the laundry are of my basement - It was dungeoness - over time I tiled, painted, laid a floor - got fun colors and turned the space into a happy place. Got a lovely oak mission desk at a consignment shop for a steal - heavy, sturdy - then decided to paint that to make it fun too

I ordinarily would not think of painting a piece like this, but it really just called for painting

It's to the left of this honking old work table - sorry don't have a pic

Sewing is about creativity - make your space a place you want to be to get the creative brain working - a sturdy table is a must

Link below is to a fun,informative, addictive sewing forum
best to you

Here is a link that might be useful: sms

Watch you local Craigslist. I see several beautiful older/vintage style sewing machine cabinets, some with working sewing machines, some without. I love them because they make a pretty table!
You can always install your machine in the table. I suppose you would have to make sure it fits.

Here is a cheap, but nice, table only.

Here is a link that might be useful: $30 sewing table

I promise - this is the last one. Just showing you what you can get cheap.

I have this cabinet with a Singer sewing machine in the cabinet. Machine works great, the wood cabinet cleaned up beautifully with some Restore-a-Finish, and mine also came with drawers full of some little old ladie's sewing treasures. Love the basket weave on the front. I have it in the corner of my dining room, with a nice lamp and a couple of collectibles displayed on it. Looks like a small desk.

Mine was $20 at a local auction house, plus a nice little chair came with it. It looked worse than this one before I "cleaned it up".

Tuesday

Here is a link that might be useful: My vintage Singer

I really like this one - a little more pricey, but a beautiful wooden table.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nice sewing table and machine

Sharon, in another lifetime I sewed for a living, so my suggestion is that you attempt to find a true "sewing machine" table. To have the top that folds to your left gives you room to lay your fabric as you sew. May not seem like much if you are sewing something small like a pillow, but if you think you may sew curtains, to have a place to "land" the weight of the fabric, will prevent the material from pulling away as you are sewing.

Funny, this subject should come up. I just pulled my machine out of hiding and was thinking of doing some "stuff", pillows, PJ's for me, and whatever strikes my fancy LOL. My machine is a portable one (bought one with all the bells and whistles that I don't need) so I think I am going to hit craigslist and goodwill for a table. Thanks for the incentive.

P.S. Couldn't agree more about the iron. If can make a major difference in whether your item looks homemade or professional. Most importantly - have fun.

I have a great low cost suggestion for a CUTTING table.

I purchased those very heavy duty shelving units. The ones that have the steel L corners and particle board shelving that are rated for something like 500 pounds per shelf. Lowes has them for around $50. When you assemble them, they are actually in 2 36 inch high sections that are intended to stack. But if you leave them unstacked, and then lay a piece of plywood or in my case, a hollow core door, across them, it is a huge island height cutting table with the shelves for storage below.

And with the 2 lowest shelves about 6 inches from the floor, you can place another piece of wood on them and have a shelf long enough for rolls of dec fabric. Cutting out at counter height is a real back-saver. I use this for gift wrapping too.

If you want to do something to cover your table that you have now, this is what I did for my craft table:
Get some fabric that you can use as a skirt for the table. Hem it using an iron and hem tape. Get a roll of sticky velcro. Stick one side of the velcro to the edge of the table all the way around. Stick the other side to the fabric. Then velcro the fabric on. And with the legs of the table hidden, you can store stuff under the table and you won't be able to see it.