The Best Sewing Table: Take Your Sewing Studio to the Next Level

Best-Sewing-Table

A sewing table or cabinet can radically change your sewing experience. So if you're in the market, why not have the best sewing table? Think about this scenario... 

...You’re in the middle of organizing all of your fabric pieces and supplies on the dining room table for a sewing project. You’re extra proud of how it's looking, when the doorbell rings.

It’s UPS, delivering a box of gorgeous new fabric! Awesome! When you return to the dining room, you find your worst nightmare:

Choose Your Own Nightmare (It's like a choose your own adventure book all about quilting drama):​

  1. The cat has jumped onto the table and vigorously rolled all over your pieces – tumbling blocks to the floor and getting everything out of order.
  2. Your toddler has decided to “finish your sewing for you” and has mashed all of your supplies into a ball and stuck needles in it in random places.
  3. Your significant other placed a piping hot… greasy… pizza box right on top of your fabric, and then opened a bottle of shaken soda, which sprayed all over your sewing machine.
  4. You left the window open and a powerful gust of wind blew everything onto the floor just in time for your new puppy to gleefully bound over every single piece of fabric.

If ANY of the above have ever happened to you, then listen to me. I mean this in the nicest, I-love-you-and-I-care-about-your-future-quits way: You need a sewing table. And possibly a design wall (which is much easier to create than you think.)

A sewing table is your own cat and pizza free sanctuary where your projects can be safe and protected. It’s also a place to spread out, get organized, and sew with stability and confidence. If you don’t have one, you need one. Or at least, you deserve one.​

When Considering the Best Sewing Table for You: Remember the 3 S’s:​

Sewing tables have a number of key features you can look out for when you’re on the hunt for the perfect new sewing space.

  • Stability. You may be able to type, write, or eat at a moderately shaky table, but when you’re sewing, you need serious stability. When your sewing machine is charging ahead at full-speed, you know a shaky table is going to shake. Look for a sturdy, quality sewing table that can handle the stress and power of your machine.​
  • Storage. Minimalist sewing tables are gorgeous sometimes, but at the end of the day, I want a place to put my half-finished project, and my embarrassingly extensive (AKA awesome) notions collection. Some sewing tables have built-in shelves or drawers that are perfect for the sewist/hoarder like me.
  • Surface Area. You know for sure that your sewing table needs to have enough room for your sewing machine… but consider all of the cutting, ironing, and piecing you do on a regular basis. It might be totally awesome to have space for that, right? I actually have my computer set up on mine – which then doubles as a TV so I can Netflix and sew on glorious Friday nights. (I live a rocker lifestyle. Don't even try to keep up.) 

The Best Sewing Tables in the Universe

​Arrow Sew Cabinets

Whether you’re looking for super-storage, extensive surface area, or just a splash of color, Arrow Sewing Cabinets have a huge selection. I love the simplicity and sewist-specific designs of a lot of their spaces. I also think I’m going to cram all the S’s into this post as I can. Don’t try to stop me.​


Kangaroo Kabinets

If you are able to pay a little more money to sew in the land of luxury, check out the tables and cabinets at Kangaroo Kabinets. Each “studio” is equipped with storage and usability that only sewists can appreciate. A cool feature about these is that you can invest gradually by adding extenstions later.


Sew Steady​

If a new table isn’t exactly in your budget, check out Sew Stead. They sell smart sewing machine add-ons that can help you organize your supplies, and extend your space a bit, on a lower budget. The Large Deluxe table has a table, drawer tray and centering ruler that gives you just enough extra features to make you a sewing superstar. (These tables are great for sergers, too!)


TDM Sewing Craft Center Folding Table

If you have less space, like a low-profile, or have house mates that need you to hide your sewing stuff when they’re trying to impress new people, check out folding tables like this sewing/craft center from TDM. It’s a sewing table! No! It’s a totally normal cabinet! This baby can change hide your stash within seconds, if that’s what you’re into!​


Sewing tables are seriously game-changers for quilters, and all crafticians alike. They save your sewing projects, and your sanity, and possibly even some of your relationships. Anyone have an awesome sewing set-up they want to share? Send it my way! I’m always looking for new ways to organize!

And if you're interesting in reading more from my "Best of" series, check out:

Best-Sewing-Table-Studio

59 thoughts on “The Best Sewing Table: Take Your Sewing Studio to the Next Level

  1. Erica says:

    What Katy said… or really- I want that machine in the picture!! 😉 Did I miss it or did you not say what you use?

  2. Karen says:

    I recently bought a new sewing table. I absolutely love it. It is electronic height adjustable. I can either sit or stand at my machine. I have my small pressing surface at the end (30″x60″ table), and also a cutting area. I simply push a button to move it up or down depending on the task that needs to be completed. So very happy with it.

  3. Emily Sardo says:

    Okay. All of this is swell, but what did YOU end up buying??? Gah Lee, that Kangaroo cabinet you posted looks dreamy! I am also in the market for an entirely new set up since moving. But I don’t sew for a living like you, so it’s going to be a while until I circle back around to a good solution.

    • Suzy Quilts says:

      Oh I totally forgot to follow up on that tease. Oops! Simply stick a piece of batting to a wall with Command strips. If you don’t have a set sewing room, you can get large pieces of cardboard that fold – staple batting to that.

  4. Jackie Stevens says:

    I have a Koala sewing cabinet after tons of research. The deal breaker—all wood and no partical board. Finish makes it look like fine furniture, electronic adjustment, and large work space. It is great and deserves a look.

  5. Dianne says:

    Hi Suzy,

    A few other things to consider is leg room and “dropping your machine so it’s level with your table top”. I purchased the Sew Perfect Quilt Professional table and it is AMAZING!!! It has 2 small drawers for some “basic stuff” and I have other storage for fabric, WIP’s, notions, etc.. Having the machine level with the top increases your surface area.

    http://www.sewperfecttables.com/sewing-table-quilt-pro.shtml

    I have to ask as I’m very curious. Do you personally check out (or test drive) all these BEST products prior to making a recommendation or are these lists made from just internet research and customer reviews. I find some of your picks interesting.

    Dianne

    • Suzy Quilts says:

      Sounds amazing! Some of the products I have or have tried, but most of the machines from the “best of sewing machines” lists come from research of products reviews.

  6. Pam Morrow says:

    Check out office furniture. Often a great size “office desk” is a lot less cost and better made than a specially named “sewing table”. The height is good, they are sturdy and if you can get one with the return, it’s even more functional. (A return is the small desktop set at right angles to the main desk – you usually can decide which side you want it on.) Add in a couple of sets of drawers on castors to sit neatly under the desks and you are set to go. I managed to find my perfect desk set-up in the Used section of the office furniture store. It was a bargain!

  7. Martie says:

    I think the SewEzi should be included in your list. Doesn’t have storage but it is fantastic. I have 3, one for each of my machines!

    • Caryl Anne Halfwassen says:

      I have the same units, 2 of the grande tables. Love them. Also I purchased the quilter’s version of a Koala unit. Pricey but I love it.

  8. Leslie says:

    I have a sturdy kitchen table from our previous home that I had refinished and wanted to keep (but didn’t want to use for my new house). It works great. Currently, I am looking to buy or build (my dad is quite the carpenter) a cutting table for my craft room. My back has been killing me bending over the plastic folding table I have used AND there is just the slightest sag that seems to make my cuts just a tad bit off even with my templates. I have been looking for a while and may be going with buying counter height cabinets and a countertop (butcher block or formica) to make it work. I want that storage underneath and I want to use all the space in the nook I have available in case I ever get to upgrade my 24×36″ cutting mat to something larger. 😉

  9. Gayle says:

    Hi, interesting thread. I’m interested in sewing table, not big, but to hold my beasty Janome. Kitchen table does not offer storage below, so..thought I’d look into something designed for the heavy machines. Possibly, the drop kind, but, want to use the great table that came with machine. Also, storage for a bit of fabric. Love the wire drawer type, as you can see the items. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, for any clues to my new sewing room furniture/storage?!

    • Suzy Quilts says:

      You might need to get two separate things – a sewing cabinet and wire basket storage. I don’t know of any sewing tables that also have that kind of storage. My thought is that it wouldn’t be sturdy enough to hold your machine without it shaking.

  10. Joan LaRochelle says:

    I purchased several of these https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-62-in-Adjustable-Height-Work-Table-HOLT62XDB12/301810799. I bought the 62 inch but it also comes in 52 or 42 inch. They are super sturdy, you can sew as fast as you want and they are rock solid. There is a crank to raise and lower as low as 26″ without the casters and as high as 42″. The crank works smoothly and is easy to use. I can rearrange the tables to suit the project I’m working on. You can’t really do a cutout but I use an extension table as well as a Sew Steady and that works for me. They go on sale from time to time – I got the 62″ on sale for $199.

  11. Catherine Lewis says:

    “Choose Your Own Nightmare (It’s like a choose your own adventure book all about quilting drama):​“ 😂

  12. Butch Haight says:

    Thanks Suzy, you’re pretty thorough with all the different items you cover. I’m a 66 yo male, I broke my back and am going stir crazy. I had someone give me a sewing machine. I really am a beginners beginner. Anyway, I bought a 2’x5′ collapsible table. Built a stabilizing brace to put between the legs for stability. My Biggest investment was for an 18×24″ clear machine table extension. My sister gave me her old rotary cutting mat. I made a real simple hanger system to hang the mat off the back of the table when I’m not using it. To find that they need to be moistened is a new/good thing.
    Anyway, thanks again for the variety of postings. It gives me a lot to read and learn by.

  13. Birgit Leitenberger says:

    Hey Suzy, btw: if you are interested, against my first impression, your gorgeous vintage machine is not a Zuendapp, it is actually a russian Tula machine. I found this while I was searching for a similar vintage machines to purchase.

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