I was grovelling on the floor cutting out the panels for a skirt today and although my first thought was that I'm getting too old for such gymnastics, it made me quite nostalgic. Nearly 38 years ago, I cut out my wedding dress on my parents' living room carpet. I'd bought two rolls of wallpaper lining to cover it (they had a coal fire!) All this made me wonder about other peoples experiences with improvisation. Over to you.......

I'm 61 and I cut on the floor some days I have to have my DB come get me up...

We just built a room for my sewing craft room. I have a door which we put legs on and I use it all the time, for cutting pinning etc. I have storage boxes underneath when I keep some of my stash material. It is hip height and I do not have to bend over

3 comments

by killiecrankie 17 Aug 2012

Since the 60's I have used the largest floor space in the house ,which has always been covered in plush carpet in every house we've owned.I vacuum it before starting ,wedding dresses ,bridesmaids dresses ,curtains you name it ,if I made it ,its cut out on the floor.When the Newcastle earthquake hit the floor was covered in silk for bridesmaids dresses belonging to a friend,no damage occurred .Our earlier dogs knew that they had to walk around any fabric on the floor.Our first Westie just sat down watching me cutting out a bridal veil which provided the money to buy him a mate.

by killiecrankie 17 Aug 2012

out on the floor.When the Newcastle earthquake hit the floor was covered in silk for bridesmaids dresses belonging to a friend,no damage occurred .Our earlier dogs knew that they had to walk around any fabric on the floor.Our first Westie just sat down watching me cutting out a bridal veil which provided the money to buy him a mate.

by killiecrankie 17 Aug 2012

watching me cutting out a bridal veil which provided the money to buy him a mate.I don't know how this comment ended up here

My cutting table is a large/heavy old wooden office table...I have one of those acrylic cutting boards with all the measurements on it, that you buy at JoAnn's on the top and hubby put it up on wooden blocks for me so it is the right height and I don't have to bend over.
I would die trying to do it on the floor. Before getting this table I used the kitchen table.
MJDG

I took over the dining table a long time ago. Works great and my cutting mat covers it well.

I am wall to wall with fabric. I have a cutting table, but can't open it up. My space is so small. I saw a few days back about someone using a dresser and pulling out the top drawer. Since my cutting mat 36X22 is beside the dresser I gave it a try. It is a perfect height about 5 inches taller than my ironing board. It fit perfect and the dresser is
across from my computer and emb machine. I had my hip replaced and there no way I can get to the floor!

I use a folding (but it never is!) hobby table from JoAnn's with a white cutting mat the same size. It is taller than a regular table so it is easier on my back.

I use my diningroom table and put my cutting board up on it. My computer stands there all the time since my internet connection is the closest there. I use my cutting board for all cutting and everything else - only remove it when we get visitors. Due to bad back problems after an MVA and osteoporosis in advanced stage, I cannotlift my cutting board up easily. So there it stays very comfortable for me.

Used the floor for 54 years. This year we added a huge sewing room onto the house. Got a big sewing table. Now I cut on that.

I have a large L shaped breakfast bar counter in my kitchen. Large projects are cut there! I am lucky because it is at a nice height for me. All four of our kids use to do their homework there while I was cooking. Lots of fun memories there!!! Hugs, Laura*

I have a 6 foot folding utility table that I just slide out from behind a couch. I'm tall, so I bought some 7 inch bed risers and I put the table legs up on the bed risers..perfect height for cutting and pinning quilts. When I'm through, it folds in half and back behind the couch it goes...

Funny. I live in a single wide mobile home. There isn't enough floor space clear for me to work on. So it's my king size bed. My almost wall to wall king size bed! But about 140 years ago hubby and I owned a restaurant then sandwich shop. I made all his work clothes, all our teenage daughter's clothes and all mine. The birthday and Christmas before she was going away to college, I made her 20 outfits for each occasion. she was thrilled. We were in a 2,000 sq ft home then! But still no cutting table. I would not use my beautiful dinning room table, and the kitchen table always was occupied. So I set the ironing board up and put one of the cardboard cutting boards on top, securing it with c clamps. worked great and small enough for me to walk around. I guess I could do that here, but haven't had a big ironing board in 15 years. And don't want one. Not long ago I had to search for the iron to press a pair of slacks. On the bed!

1 comment

by skyannsgranny 17 Aug 2012

Didn't make my wedding dress, borrowed one. But did make my daughter's. First time I worked on any fabric that cost over a hundred dollars. Scared me half to death. I took it to a friend's who had a big cutting table.

Still on the floor. Not as easy to get up as it used to be, but it's all I have! Married almost as long as you-35 for us. Great ideas from everyone.

I envy you sue, with this arthritis I cannot get up and down easily. Use to cut everything out on the floor. Now I use the cover on top of hot tub. It's just the right height for me. The top is firm and it's great for cutting with a cutting board on top of it. My daughter puts a cutting board on her bed and cuts her patterns out, bed is high so she doesn't have to bend over very far, this works for her./Lillian

I also used our dining table for cutting out.
But now I have a ply wood board that is placed over a row of 4x2 Huge plastic bins with rollers.The bins store all my fabric and yarn. The height is perfect and the long lenghth is great. It is also very easy to roll the bins out without disturbing whats on top.
Hugs Bev

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Oh, how did you refresh my memories, LOL. I made my own wedding dress too, by cutting on the floor (in 1972), but then I was slim and fit. Would not even be able to get my hands with the scissors on the floor now, He,he,he.
I am very lucky to have a large room for sewing, and it is also where I teach dressmaking from, here I have a old melamine kitchen table (1 and a half meters by l meter) on which we work. Also, my dear hubby built desks in on either side of the room for cutting and for students to put their machines. I just love my old Melamine table.
People used to find it very amusing when I was making wedding dresses for others, and they would find me crawling along on the floor. LOL. Must say I never cut a hole in a carpet neither, ha,ha.
Hugs and God bless
Marietta

1 comment

by marthie 17 Aug 2012

And I love going to Marietta on a Friday and we stitch the day away

I use a Farm House table that I found on sale at Big Lots ( for 19.99, it had scratches but I cover it with a cutting board) for my sewing room . But if I don't use that I have a 6 foot folding Banquet table ( light weight ) that I put a set of Bed Risers , that I found at Joann's on Sale for half price 4.99 ,( Walmart has them for 9.99 ) one under each leg , it makes the table about 6 inches higher. ( better for my back) as you can see I Love a Sale . * Nancy

Mine was always my kitchen counter until my husband built me a separate building for my quilting, embroidery and sewing. Now I have one of those fold down tables from Joann's. Plus I can move two larger tables together, if I need to. I have a friend whose husband built her a table in her basement and it's huge like 6 x 8 ft. She used to use her kitchen counter as well. Hope you get something to help you out soon. Joann's table folds down and can store out of the way very easily.

Well - mine is not as big as I would probably want if I did a lot of clothing construction, but when DH built my sewing table for the room he made a drop down that I can raise and use for the cutting, and also an extension if I am quilting anything big. I went over to my sewing buddy's house the other day, and she had an 8' long table that she was pinning her quilt on. It was one of the portable tables, and good for her because she is under 5' tall.

You know what I did Sue... I got a tall dining table. The ones that use the eating bar stools.... and since I'm 6' tall, the height is PERFECT. I then got a nice cutting mat from JoAnn's and bought a piece of ply wood from Lowes cut to size and mounted that on top of the cutting table. I actually wrapped material around the wood so the edges would be smooth. Since it's technically a dining table, it's more sturdy than a portable model. You'd never know!

When friends come over, they are envious of my creation... they think it's awesome and beats what's out there for many times the price. This one cost me under a hundred since the table was used. I like it a lot better than my friends cutting table she ordered from the sewing dealer for 1200.00.

teri

4 comments

by spendlove 28 Jan 2011

Sounds good - I could probably stand underneath it as I'm a shortie!

by simplyrosie 28 Jan 2011

My grandmother used our pool table growing up. She had ply wood cut to size and covered it with felt. PERFECT cutting table.

by simplyrosie 28 Jan 2011

Craigs List my friend... you can always find a remedy for pennies on the dollar.

by dlonnahawkins 28 Jan 2011

Way to go Teri - glad you found something that worked for you.

A couple of years ago we redid our kitchen and installed granite counter tops and on the island which is about 4 X 8'. So when I want to cut something out I just clear of the island and bring out the fabric. I can't use the dining room table as that is where my machine is. I don't always pick up the dining room because we don't use it unless we have company. But when I finish cutting in the kitchen I take my pices to the dining room table and stack there, and put whatever back on the island. I have trained myself to always pick it up before going to bed. I hate to come into a cluttered kitchen.
Mary

I also use the floor and my knees are complaining a lot (so does the doctor who has advised me not to kneel down.) I do not have the space for a cutting table and the space in my sewing room is cluttered with all the materials I "need" (someday)

1 comment

by spendlove 28 Jan 2011

Sounds just like mine!

I used to use the floor for many years, while my children where growing up as I couldn't afford an extra table. Now they have children of their own and I live in a house with a large breakfast nook type area where we eat all out meals and a formal size dining room. I use the dining room table for my projects and cutting, and like basketkase, I used JoAnn coupons for 50% off to get a cutting mat. I now have 2 mats and am thinking about a third. My table only gets cleared for holiday or when we are having guests and need the larger table. I was in a car accident in 1997, and its catching up to me. Getting down on the floor is the easy part, its getting back up thats slow and painful, lol!

Used to use the floor, Sue, but I have disc problems now and unless I use counter height for cutting my back literally kills me...I used a Joann's coupon and got a fold down cutting table with the 50% off and it sure is great with room contraints to be able to fold it down. Now I can hoop on it while it is folded down and open it to cut. It has sure helped with the back issues!! It has not helped with the cat issues....as soon as I open up the table at least one of them jumps up and lounges smack dab in the center!!!!! And they love the sound of the tissue pattern paper as they crumple it in their paws..........GGGRRR!

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 20 Aug 2012

That's what my cats do too! Then they use their back claws to peal out, and leave my fabric in a heap! What is it about cats and fabric???

Sue, I am afraid my days of cutting out on the floor are long gone but have cut out both daughters wedding dresses on the floor. These days I usually use the dining room table. If I am doing a lot of cutting out I use trestles and an old door and work in the garage!!

I have 2 kitchen islands I use...One is 4'x6' and the one next to it is 6'x3'...then if it is to big, I have my pergo floor all around my house to use...I almost have my sewing room completed, but I think my DH has made other plans for it AGAIN...

Thanks for all of these answers - it looks as if I need to change my oval dining table for a pool table. I know one person in the house who might approve!

1 comment

by cfidl 17 Aug 2012

Great choice! plywood on anything works, with your choice you can also have fun with the family.

Oh , sweetie, mine is the dining room table. No way in a day could I eat off that table. It would take me two days to clear it. Fortunately, I have another table in the kitchen. Kay

Kept watching the sales ads and found a folding 6 foot banquet table and when put at the end of the dinning table have a long working surface. I use a folding science project cardboard on a bed when I travel.

I use the dining table, but mine is square. I pull out the extra leaf to make it longer if I need to. I don't have a sewing room, so I use whatever surface I can get. I cut out strips of fabric on the island counter in the kitchen for quilting.

In my ebmroidery/pc room in North Carolina - I had a banquet table that I had a cutting mat for and I used that - in Utah - I have a small drawer that pulls out that I put a small cutting board on - so far - I haven't needed much more than that - as I haven't had much time for regular cutting and sewing. I would love to have room for that banquet table again - but don't.

When I was growing up and my Mother, sister's and I used to sew and cut - we used the living room hardwood floor.

Would be the same for me if I didn't have 2 cats so I can't even cut on the floor! If I decide to try my hand at quilting I will have to use my bed AFTER I remove a cat! I have a kitchen table but hubby has so much stuff on it we can't even eat at the table and I have a tiny house!

2 comments

by hightechgrammy 27 Jan 2011

I love how you have to deal with cats too, Lee! I use the floor too. I had a quilt all carefully laid out of the floor and my kitten ran right through it, leaving about two squares where they were supposed to be. Luckily Ihad just taken a photo. What is it about cats and quilts?!?!? LOL! Patterns are even worse!

by joann13100 27 Jan 2011

By putting the quilt squares on the floor you inadvertently created a new cat amenity, so kitty had to enjoy it---

I used to cut on the floor all the time until a couple of years ago when sitting cross legged for so long made my knees hurt the next day. Getting old is not fun.
Next choice was the dining table but I had to make sure I could "share" with the rest of the family. LOL
Now we have a pool table that has a special fitted cover. I put my cutting board on it and I'm set :)

1 comment

by shirlener88 27 Jan 2011

Cool to use the pool table.

Not quite as nostalgic-couldn't imagine trying to use any floor area in our home growing up-too many feet and not enough floor space lol(household of 8-mom,dad, 5 brothers & myself). Lucky for my mom & I, we were able to lay our cutting board out on top of the pool table-after everyone got board with pool-it became our permanant sewing/cutting area. Boy, did I miss that when I got my 1st rinky dink apartment.~linda~

I have my hubby's pool table... makes a great cutting table... I cut 2 wedding dress's on it.. He has not used it in years.. I keep wanting to get rid of it but then where would I cut stuff.. sort of a catch 22

2 comments

by shirlener88 27 Jan 2011

Hehehe!

by shirlener88 27 Jan 2011

Hehehe!

I use the dining table for most things, the floor if it is floor lenth curtains. You get the idea. I don't have room for a table of any size without bumping into it. So I am very content with the dining room table or floor. Now if you ask what makes my back happy when cutting out a roject, that is a whole different answer,

I usually use the dining table as its 3Ft by 6ft. Though the floor has been used too. I have access to huge tables at work and have used those too as I can walk round them. The dining table is against the wall at a 3ft end. Perhaps you have a great way of keeping fit in cutting out on your floor. Er I have heard of people cutting the carpet at the same time...

1 comment

by spendlove 28 Jan 2011

I really miss the big tables we had in school. Still, I'd rather be retired! I've never managed to cut the carpet.

Had a set of legs to a folding table had hubby get me a 1/2 sheet MDF ( get at home depo they will cut the size you need.) then I used a piece of welders blanket + pad of insul-bright and a material for ironing board cover and covered the MDF now I have a ironboard big enough for my quilting I just put my cutting mat on top and now I have a cutting table if I need the space I can fold the table and put away.

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2 comments

by asterixsew 27 Jan 2011

This looks great

by spendlove 28 Jan 2011

I like that very much!

I use our dining table...too old to be crawling around in the floor...lol. Have a friend that sets up saw horses and then puts an old wooded door down for her small cutting table when she needs a larger one she'll use a half sheet of plywood...she does this in her garage but when the winters have been bitterly cold she'll move it indoors as she quilts and sews none stop.

2 comments

by hightechgrammy 27 Jan 2011

Our dining room table, which is always stacked with other stuff, is oval, and that makes cutting anything of size really tough. I am still using the floor. I get really crampy down there, but I never fall off the chair. The pins get stuck in the carpet so I use a magnet. It still makes me happy to sewing, even if I have to cut down there.

by spendlove 28 Jan 2011

Not just me then!