Sewing Machine Cabinets

I personally do not like any sewing cabinets. Most are designed so that you sit centered on the machine. You should be centered on the needle as you would be on an industrial machine. I recently replaced my cabinet with a

Hi,

I have the same set up as Linda. She is absolutely right. This type up setup is much more comfortable plus much more versatile.

Marilyn

Go to an office furniture store and buy a 30 x 60 table with strong legs. I think they go for about $65.00. Affords room for 2 machines......also.......get a chair with casters so you can roll around without getting up for anything........I have 3 of them......2 with 2 machines each and one for cutting..........They are wonderful, and not NEARLY as expensive as those cabinets (which I hate)

I have a 30 X 48 because I don't have enough room for a bigger one. But those tables are wonderful. I have the chair with the rollers too. I found my chair at the Goodwill store for $15.00 and had I bought it at an office supply store I probably would have paid $40.00 for it. I brought it home and cleaned it up and it looks brand new. There wasn't a thing wrong with it except it just needed a good bath. Hahaha

I am a junk store junkie.

LakeUrchin

There are a few of us here. But don't give away all of our secrets. ;-) First check to make sure the posters and lurkers aren't in the same geographical area, or they might get our treasures before we do.

One of my best "scores" (out of many) was for a tabouret - the artist's cart on wheels with all the compartments in it - I use it with my knitting machine - it holds ALL the tools and accessories. It is a hideous orange plastic, but it was $10 on senior day. I also got two presses - one with steam, and a larger one without - for $10 each. The big one had been used to apply an iron-on transfer, but "backwards" so I put some sweat equity into it, removing all the residue of the transfer.

Re: Sewing Machine Cabinets

What fun that would be!! No, we would not arm wrestle, we would decide who had the greater need, then hunt for something marvelous for the other one. When I visit with friends and relatives, we do not "do lunch" or "take in a show" -- we go thrift store shopping!!

It has turned nasty cold here again, too, and I haven't been out to my haunts in a while. DH is far more interested in seeing some things move out of the house, rather than more move in. Silly man. But I did give about 20 lbs. of yarn to a weaving friend last week. Trying to keep my halo straight is wearing out my arm.

When I was looking to buy a cabinet, I looked at all the choices. Koala was out of my price range, and I couldn't justify spending that much on a cabinet. I bought two sewing cabinets from Walmart. They were $97 dollars each.

The two cabinets (one for my machine and one for the serger) are made by Sauder. The cool part was that I also needed a computer hutch to hide all my computer mess. Sauder makes multiple pieces to match, so I got the computer desk and it all looks great. (The computer and my sewing space are in the same room.)

When I am sewing I pull the serger cabinet out to make a "L" shape, but they tuck neatly away side by side. I am very happy with my purchases, and it was all within my budget.

Carol

I use a typing stand intended for an IBM Executive. (Executive typewriters weighed a ton, and the platen still thumped back and forth.) The paper drawer holds my attachments and small tools, the left paper wing supports the fabric, the right one has just enough space left for my pincushion, the brace underneath holds the attachment box, my button jar, can of oil (and a stray clamp that I just returned to DH). And it's on wheels.

Joy Beeson

Re: Sewing Machine Cabinets

Carol, I like Sauder products, too. They are well made, and very affordable. (I'll interject that around here, one can find old, well-made, all wood machine cabintets for $30--$40.00. Back to Sauder--my sewing room is lined with 7' tall Sauder cabinets. (SIx total.) All but two cabinets have doors, and several of them, in addition, have a drop-down door which forms a writing surface. Each has

5 wide, deep shelves. The cabinets are constructed from a heavy, dense particle board, which is topped with a durable simulated wood grain product. I stack my fabrics to fit the shelves, and it is easy to see what I have. Patterns are in cardboard shoe boxes atop the cabinets. (Only because I filled up two four-drawer file cabinets in the freezer room.) If I remember right, I paid about $85.00 for each Sauder cabinet.. I dragged them home--literally--and shredded the cardboard boxes struggling up the sidewalk with each one. They are _very_ heavy, but they go together easily. One wall half is taken up with a large open shelf unit, where I store most of my books, interfacing, bulk bolts of basics, tins and boxes containing buttons, ribbon, anything else you can think of. 1/4 wall is north window, the other 1/4 has a big peg-board chock full of notions for alterations. Under it is a bank of sewing machines, which wrap around under the front window to more machines, a couple of stacked trunks packed with woolen fabric, two tall cabinets. I just tacked a vinyl tablecloth, wrong-side out, over the front of one of the open cabinets. It makes a great quilt design board. Squares of fabric stick to it like magic, so you can stand back and eyeball the arrangement. (Thanks to the folks at rctq for the idea.) I'm only scratching the surface of description here. When the digital camera returns from it's trip to Texas, I will post some pics of my able-to-qualify-for federal-disaster-aid sewing workroom. Then all the rest of you will feel vastly better about your sewing spaces. Cea

I'm jealous of your sewing space. My goal is to refinish my basement and move my sewing down there. My house was built in 1809 and originally the dining room was in the basement. The original built-in china cabinet is down there, and it would make a fantastic stash container.

I dragged my computer hutch in the door the same way. They delievered it to the front door, and I dragged it inside. I put it together and I love it.

Re: Sewing Machine Cabinets

Carol, I like Sauder products, too. They are well made, and very affordable. (I'll interject that around here, one can find old, well-made, all wood machine cabintets for $30--$40.00. Back to Sauder--my sewing room is lined with 7' tall Sauder cabinets. (SIx total.) All but two cabinets have doors, and several of them, in addition, have a drop-down door which forms a writing surface. Each has 5 wide, deep shelves. The cabinets are constructed from a heavy, dense particle board, which is topped with a durable simulated wood grain product. I stack my fabrics to fit the shelves, and it is easy to see what I have. Patterns are in cardboard shoe boxes atop the cabinets. (Only because I filled up two four-drawer file cabinets in the freezer room.) If I remember right, I paid about $85.00 for each Sauder cabinet.. I dragged them home--literally--and shredded the cardboard boxes struggling up the sidewalk with each one. They are _very_ heavy, but they go together easily. One wall half is taken up with a large open shelf unit, where I store most of my books, interfacing, bulk bolts of basics, tins and boxes containing buttons, ribbon, anything else you can think of. 1/4 wall is north window, the other 1/4 has a big peg-board chock full of notions for alterations. Under it is a bank of sewing machines, which wrap around under the front window to more machines, a couple of stacked trunks packed with woolen fabric, two tall cabinets. I just tacked a vinyl tablecloth, wrong-side out, over the front of one of the open cabinets. It makes a great quilt design board. Squares of fabric stick to it like magic, so you can stand back and eyeball the arrangement. (Thanks to the folks at rctq for the idea.) I'm only scratching the surface of description here. When the digital camera returns from it's trip to Texas, I will post some pics of my able-to-qualify-for federal-disaster-aid sewing workroom. Then all the rest of you will feel vastly better about your sewing spaces. Cea

Re: Sewing Machine Cabinets and Storage

I know exactly what you mean. I run a dehumitifier in the basement to ward off the dampness. I would be devastated if my stash was ruined.

Currently, my sewing area consist of a section of the family room/kitchen. I like being near the TV, refrigerator, phone, bathroom, ect.. What I dislike about my current sewing area is that if someone drops by, they see all my mess, and when my daughter is visiting I feel obligated not to spead out and be so messy.

Oh well, my saying is ............ If you come to see me, come anytime, but if you come to see my house, call ahead.

Carol