Look for a round table that can have leaves added or one with leaves that pop up from inside. Drop leaf tables are awkward because of the leg placements. Your chair may not fit well under the table where you want to have the sewing machine.

I am a quilter and I think a round table would be awkward. You would probably have to put the machine too far back from the round edge to be comfortable.

Donna

My favorite expandable tables are the Danish teak ones with leaves that store inside. I have two, both from the 1970’s, one is card table sized and the other dining table sized. They are often available on Craigslist for very reasonable prices.

i used to sew with my sewing machine on the dining table but I eventually got a Used Koala table on Craigslist and after having a machine at the same level as the table surface I don’t know if I could go back to having the machine higher up. Having a cabinet with the air lift makes it easy to use a machine with a free arm and then store the machine away. Do you have room for one of the small sewing machine cabinets from a company like Arrow that could function as a small sideboard, end table or bedside table when not in use?

What kind of sewing do you do and what kind of a set up do you have currently? How big is your machine. Many machines are VERY heavy and having to drag it out of a closet and put it on a table every time you wanted to sewing would be discouraging. While we were remodeling and in a smaller space I had my featherweight in a cabinet and my big Bernina stored in a closet. I sewed a lot and I think I only got the Bernina out once.

There are lots a people who have modified dining tables (often IKEA tables) to inset their machines but I haven’t seen any that reverse back to just being tables in the same way that vintage Singer card tables for featherweights and 301’s do. With those there is an insert that lifts out and you put the machine in. There are also people who have modified 50’s and 60’s Sewing machine cabinets to hold their newer machines. Once again though they do take up a little space. Pinterest is filled with pictures and ideas.

Good Luck finding the perfect solution for you.

Barbara

Barbara: I have a Kenmore. Right now I have an entire bedroom devoted to sewing. I am moving into a 1 bedroom apartment and need to find anyway possible to make things do double duty. I don't have the luxury of a separate sewing machine table.

Woman have been sewing on their dining room tables for generations so you will be fine. I still stand by my recommendation of a table with self storing leaves like the Danish teak ones. The card table size is very compact without the leaves extended but would give you more space when you needed it. I don’t know if anyone is still selling them new.

Now that I am really old and my shoulders bother me, I like a lower table, maybe one with adjustable legs. I use a dining room table in my sewing room for cutting out patterns and I wish it were lower, or me taller!

Sue

Have you considered a using a folding table for your sewing machine? For me, a dining table is too high to work at comfortably. I have a machine in a desk where the work surface is 30 inches and I find that higher than I prefer. I think adding another 2 or 3 inches on top of that would be quite uncomfortable. My old singer cabinet has a work height of 26.5 inches which I find comfortable with a rolling office chair. For reference, my featherweight card table is 27 inches and I am a short person so if you are tall, the extra couple inches might not bother you

My daughter has a height adjustable folding plastic table which is small enough to slip under a bed or in a closet. For less than $100, I would use a table that would put me at a comfortable work height and just use the dining table for cutting and organizing space.

Oh yes, the adjustable legs table is the way to go. I have two of them. Right now I am planning on getting my 8 year old granddaughter a sewing machine for Christmas and she has one of the adjustable legs tables too. I got it for her years ago. So that will work for her too. It is hard to sew or do much of anything any more, but maybe I can teach her how to sew. She is very good at drawing and crafts and I think she will take right to sewing.

Sue