Work table in a very small apartment?? Ideas

[Former_Member]

I thought maybe all you creative Etsians could help me come up with a solution. I've been cutting quilts on my kitchen table and it's just too low. It's killing my shoulder. I really need a high work table.

But we live in a very small apartment. The two tables I have (kitchen and sewing/work table) are regular kitchen tables. But, they are vintage and from my family, so I can't part with them.

Our second room is spare bedroom/hubby's office/craft area and doesn't have much wall space between closet doors that take up almost a whole wall and the slanted wall on the other side. There's not room for another piece of furniture.

Any creative ideas about work tables in a small space? I thought about a folding work table. Or maybe even somehow converting the bed into a cutting table. Which would be HUGE and awesome. But what would we do with the top piece when people stay with us?? Haha.

[Former_Member]

Have you looked at the folding craft tables?

Something like
http://www.google.com/search?q=folding+craft+table&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=368vUae-...

may suit your needs as it folds up into a very small space.

[Former_Member]

Yes, something like that would work.

Anyone know if they are sturdy?

[Former_Member]

I've found that they are just as sturdy as any folding table will be.

[Redthreaded]

My cutting table is made from two folding banquet tables side by side on bed risers to get it to the right height.

[lauraprill]

here's an idea- howsabout one of those table protector pads that are meant to go on a dining room table? Maybe that would convert the bed into a "table" that you could cut fabric on and lay out your work. They fold up so you could still have a guest bed.

[Former_Member]

I bought a huge folding cardboard cutting mat years ago. I use it on the bed for Christmas gift wrapping now that I no longer sew.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=folding+cardboard+cutting+fabric&qpvt=folding+cardboard+cutting+...

Talk about space saver!

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the suggestions. I found a great folding table at Ikea...we might be able to do some re-arranging for it.

[Decadence2Jewelry]

I have a long plastic craft table I put up when I cut out anything but I put one of those folding cardboard mat on top, mine was actually my mothers so it's probably 30+ years old..lol works fine and stores away to nothing.

[Former_Member]

What about getting a shorter chair so that your shoulder height would be more ergonomic with the table you already have?

[FabulouslyHomemade]

My workshop is our guest bedroom. We took a recycled slab door and attached folding legs on it, then cut PVC pipe into segments to shove onto the legs to raise the table high enough that it goes over the foot of the king sized bed. We also added end caps to the leg extensions. It works perfectly, and you could also just use an 8 ft. Folding table with PVC leg extensions instead of making your own table. Whenever we have overnight guests, we fold up the table and slide it out of the way.

Lots of quilters use PVC pipe to raise tables up to a more comfortable level. You can do a web search to see pictures of how it looks.

[Former_Member]

"Lots of quilters use PVC pipe to raise tables up to a more comfortable level. You can do a web search to see pictures of how it looks."

Not just quilters. This is how you get nice customer height tables for craft shows too. :-)

So they don't have to bend over to browse.

[Former_Member]

My study looks like some kind of war between writing and jewellery making, so I sympathize. I remembered that Ikea sells these fold down tables that can be mounted on a wall. They may not be big enough, and your landlord may not let you attach things to the walls, but have a look:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/20217522/
You could put it at any height you wanted.