countertop?????? you mean that place the machine sits that I haven't seen for the last 10 years or so?????? do I remember what it is????????
Ohhhh yes....it is longleaf pine, with a pour on poly finish. It has held up wonderfully well through MUCH abuse!! We made the tabletop with butterfly joints and then poured the finish on...it is not only solid and heavy, it is beautiful to boot.....when I can actually see it :^)

We just built and we have solid surfacing in the kitchen and bathrooms but I have a nice cabinet in my wash room and I had formica. In my sewing room, my husband is going to make an enlarged table for my sewing machine and I plan to put formica on it. I'll keep my sewing machine in it's small cabinet but he'll build an enlargement that can be folded down when not in us.
It is really just a personal choice.

Happy Sewing.
Sally

My sewing machine sits on a big old office desk,and my cutting table is an 8 ft conference table that dh put risers on for me.
Kathi

My machine sits on a sewing cabinet...wood. It has an extension leaf that lifts up to expand the length..and that is usually where I do my rotary cutting.I have a 6 foot folding table as a work surface when I need it.
I think that as long as your surface is smooth, and you use a non slip mat under your machine, you can use whatever you want to. Either/or are both acceptable.
Your space sounds like it is really going to be nice. Good luck and happy sewing!
Woodsy

Mine is a wooden surface. You have to post pictures when you get done. Formica sounds good. It is easy to clean and since it is in a closet, it doesn't have to match the rest of the house. Colleen

For what it's worth: you're using the term "solid surfacing" in a way that most countertop-industry or construction people do NOT.

While granite and marble are certainly solid, the construction field uses "solid surfacing" to mean Corian and similar products--an artificial, acrylic- or polyester-based material that is (unlike laminate) the same thing all the way through.

True "solid surfacing" (the artificial kind) would be OK, though it scratches easily (not huge gouges; just sort of a patina-like effect), so perhaps it's not the best.

My vote would be laminate (Formica being the most famous brand). There are some gorgeous ones--including ones that look a lot like the stones you are using elsewhere.

But I disagree w/ your husband on the idea that you should use the same surfaces. Frankly, a work table isn't for company; it isn't "for show" (though of course it should look nice). Even if it wasn't in a closet (that closet is bigger than my second bedroom), it's not necessary to match throughout the house. It's much more important to match the FUNCTION.

My vote would be a soft white or a very pale beige/almond--no speckles to hide pins; not glaring white bcs that's a tad hard on the eyes.

Thanks Talley Sue :) I was using the wrong word wasn't I :) I'm an anti Corain girl :) so I'll strike the words "solid surfacing" from my vocabular today :)

DH was there when the appraiser complimented me on choosing to redo every level of the house, instead of leaving the family room (first level) and family bath alone. I'm carrying through granite countertops and travetine floor and tub surround. I think DH heard that and thought..."Oh the entire home has to be granite and travertine" (I should discuss the garage with him LOL) Anyhoo, I think that's where it's coming from.

The idea about not using a speckle surface color is great as well. I did originally think it would be nice to use something like that, but given the use of the counter, a plain color verses specks is a much better idea! That room is decorated in soft brown, gold and creams with orange accents (gad that sounds bad dosen't it? heh heh) but a gold or tan would look best for the counters and blend in well with the closet pieces (we're having built ins for the whole thing done.

It was going to be my fairy tale closet when it started out...but since the suprise baby, (who sleeps in that closet) I've had to give up space for a crib and our cloths :) so now I'll just sit and face the wall and pretend it's my huge sewing room (which will become the baby's room some day down stairs) and when I have to turn around I'll just try not to see the crib in the closet LOL

At least I have a fabulous view :) The sewing desk is centered on the back wall facing the lake. I have a wonderful view of the lake while sitting there :) which will help make it more fun to work at :)

My machine is in a cabinet with a leaf(that's always up). It is crammed in the corner of the bedroom. The cat's bed is on the leaf...the dog's bed is on the floor between the sewing cabinet and my side of the bed. I have my ironing board hanging on the wall near another corner. When I sew, I move the dog bed to the other side of the bed, put the cat bed on the bed, get the ironing board down and put a 2'x 4'x 1/4" sheet of sanded pine on it for laying out and cutting fabric, then put the pine sheet back in it's place behind the bedroom door and plug in the iron, and THEN I'm ready to go! Of course, I have to put everything back the way it was even if I don't finish. Boy, do I miss having a sewing room! LOL!

I have a room for my sewing but still do not have cabinets. I have a long folding table which is always up and has my Bernina, two sergers and a blind hemmer on it. It wouldn't matter what color it was either since it is always covered. My fabric is in MANY plastics totes so it looks more like a storage closet........but it has a door to close....and no one goes there except me.

I have my machines on a wooden door that sits on 2 wood file cabinets. For cutting out I have a wonderful table that you twist to the side, then flip it open and it is double it's size. My DH would like to get rid of it, but NO WAY! It is just too handy.
I too look out the window above my machines and look at the lake, so peaceful.
Kathy G in MI

LOL Noinwi...I'm going to have to cut and start my bedding, curtains and my SIL's bedding next month in my temporary sewing area...in the garage. I've stacked tires to hold an old piece of the counter top we took out of the kitchen, and somehow I'm going to manage to get some fabric out there. I won't feel so bad since at least I won't have to move cats (but I do that inside...the reason I bought my new machine was in part because it has a hidden thread holder, so they won't eat it if I leave it threaded).

Where there's a will, there's a way.... ;)

What counter top? I can't find mine either. As I recall it is one of those adjustable bed side tables on wheels. Like what they have in the hospitals. I can't get very far into my sewing room. When we moved to Utah my sewing room shrunk to a fourth of the size I had in Los Angeles. It has been two years and I just shut the door after rolling out the sewing machine. Please post pictures maybe I'll get inspired to find my sewing room.

noinwi, your set up sounds kind of like mine. My sewin room is in the corner of our dining room. I have my machine sitting on an old Singer cabinet (since it wasn't made for my machine, it just kind of sits there on top). I have one of those stacked plastic container things on my right and an old wooden cabinet for fabric. Our dining room table is round which makes cutting pretty tricky. But no cats--just 2 guinea pigs who hate the sound of my sewing machine. I hear "weeeek weeek weeek" as soon as I start sewing. I too have to clean up even if I'm not done, because we use our dining room for meals (kitchen's too little).

But luckily, my family is pretty understanding about my addiction and will forgive just about anything--except when they step on one of my pins!

Oh--counter tops--I agree with the folks who say "Use what you like", who cares if it matches the rest of the house!

I told my husband what the question was and his response was, "what counter top? You mean your sewing machine sits on something?"

For several years I used formica top (from our old breakfast bar) and loved it. Cutting is a breeze and pins slide in like magic. IF I ever get another sewing room that's what I'd choose.

Suzi

That's what I'm thinking will work best Suzi, just for that reason. I hate the thought of scratching up all my pins on rock. Kind of like fingernails on a chalkboard.

When we finish (anticipated finish date is 90 days from Thursday) I'll be sure to post pics. It will be compact (considering I had planned on making an entire room my sewing room...) but heck, at least it's a spot :)

Hi, I am a lurker on this forum. I am active on the quilting forum. I just had a sewing room built over my garage and I used wood as my table tops.They were given to me by a friend of mine. For my cutting table, I was able to get WalMart's cutting table when they remodled. So, if I had to buy a table top, I would have gone to Lowes and orderd a kitchen countertop (or brought one home if they had it) and it would have been laminate!! Fairly inexpensive and a nice surface for your machine. It is all in your preference and your budget.I have attached a few pics of my new room!! Good luck to you...and on the baby as well!!
Susie
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Here is what my fabric is in...pattern cabinets from Walmart.
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Our dining room table is round which makes cutting pretty tricky.

My mom's "countertop" in her "sewing room" was a 4x8 sheet of masonite that she set on our round dining-room table. That gave her a smooth surface that reacted well to pinning (didn't scratch a lot, just a little, and so didn't snag fabrics)

I use the Dritz Superboard on my oblong DR table, and I have this ingenious folding cardboard table that's more like waist height, but I don't think they make it anymore.

After reading this, I think the best thing for me to do is to give up my sewing room entirely. I'M MOVING IN WITH SUSIE!!!!! Hope you like babies dear :) That room is crying out for me to ummm sit in one of those corners (or a nook, or the middle, or heck anywhere. You could give classes in there!!!

My DH was laughing when I showed him your pictures just now. We're building quite a spendy new kitchen (over $100k) and it's going to be beautiful...but I said I'd trade it all for your room and a hot plate heh heh

I don't think he's going to let me do that...but we'll see. I wonder if I could replace the kitchen island with a sewing table...hummmmmm

Hey...try anything...all he can say is NO!!!!!! hehehehe Thanks for the compliments...and yes, I am starting classes in September!!! My goal is to teach teenagers to sew and quilt. I didn't learn until I was 38. I don't want other kids to not know how to do it. I am in heaven out there and never want to go back into the house. It is peaceful and calming and so functional. I am thankful for my husband and his willingness to fulfill my dream!!!
Susie

I learned to sew at 38 as well :) Taking private lessons with a lovely lady who helped me make my DH a bunch of silk pillows and a crazy quilt. She's an amazing person :) and had many first timers who were well over my age.

Her studio was in the basement, and much smaller than yours, and yet she'd have 4 women in there at a time and occasionaly a man would take a lesson as well. I learned curtains with a wonderful guy trying to suprise his future wife with a redecoration of their wedding home.

She did instill one bad thing in my little mind. I just couldn't go home to the manual brother machine I purchased at wally world for a couple hundred dollars. She had all bernina's, all computerized and she also had babylock sergers. Now I can't live without the best machine I can afford. Six years ago I didn't sew a seam and now I think it would be nice to upgrade my 3500 machine LOL what a machine snob!!! That's loretta's fault entirely :) But she also gave me a hobby I love, and that I've used to raise thousands of dollars for charity, so take that as a small hint to not forget the old people like you and me when you're giving lessons :) (And put the old people on really cheesy machines) LOL my husband asked me to add that.

OMG!I really laughed when I read your post igloochic...how funny. Considering I am 40 now and have only been sewing for 2 years.... My Mom installed the same thing in me. She is the one who finally taught me to sew. She had a Pfaff and said if I was going to sew, I needed a good machine. I didn't like the Pfaff I got, so I upgraded from that one ($1600) to my Husqvarna ($6000) that also does embroidery!!! So, I am a machine snob as well. I swear by mine and wouldn't have it any other way. My serger is a Janome and my back up machine is a commercial Singer (only for emergencies!!!!). So, I am looking forward to lessons. I know not everyone can afford the best, but buy the best you can afford!!! LOL Thanks for sharing!!!
Susie

I sew professionally. All my machinery is industrial grade and the heads are set in standard "benches". I have my favorite/most used machines set in a line and have used 3/4" fibreboard to span the distances between them and give me more supported areas for "runs". Affordable, effective, and a nice way to extend the benches for heavier work you don't wish to haul up and over the machine bed.

Here are a couple of shots I was able to find quickly.

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These are really old. But I presently have, from left to right, the following machines: US Blindstitch, Juki 562, Juki 9010 (replaces the Singer 31-15 in the shot), and a Willcox&Gibbs 500 series overlock. I have several other machines that aren't in the shots above. I have a work table that is 4'x8' and will be larger when the garage is finished and I may have the second floor of it for my workroom. I've found my work has gone from alterations to drapery work and that requires "tabling".

But I LOVE alteration work!

LOL Susie, I looked at that darned Huskavarna for SOOO Long! I almost purchased it when I upgraded last, but talked myself into staying with Babylock because...well because I hate to admit it, but if I have something...I HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE STUFF TOO!!!

The Babylock feet (I have a whole shoe collection according to my DH) didn't fit the Huskavarna so I went for the Esante instead. And now I'm thinking...dang I should have gotten a colored screen instead of this black and white LOL

Oh well, it gives me something to splurge on next year after I've "worn this one out" heh heh

chelone, that's a lovely space you have to work in! My closet isn't going to be quite the same now after seeing these rooms.

I have a combination of stone and ceramic countertops throughout the house, but I have stark white laminate on the sewing table in the laundry room. What I really want to do is build a cover for the pool table, padded on the bottom to protect the table, that I can use as a cutting table. DH and the boys are not really enthusiastic about this idea. Wonder why. . .

I purchased a remnent piece of counter top with back splash and got some folding table legs. I love it, cause when I'm sewing, everything doesn't end up on floor because of backsplash., I

We just finished moving my sewing room from a spare bedroom to the basement. We built my sewing tables out of mdf & stair balisters cut down to size. I painted it all with 3 coats of semi-gloss paint. One table we made last year and the other two (to form a u-shape) we just finished. My borther made my cutting table 10-15 years ago and it is laminate on a 4'x6' piece of plywood with molding (SP?) on the edges that is sanded smooth and polyurethaned natural.

Here is a link that might be useful: Patricia Sewing

I have a hollow door(6'8"X 30") I purchased many years ago - primed & painted & laid across 30" filing cabinets & shelving units - I used little stick-on silicone bumpers on top of the cabinets/shelves to keep it from sliding around.

we are remodeling my sewing room and I intend to replace the existing Formica type counter with a better looking one. Wilsonart makes some lovely laminate countertops that look like marble or granite. If I were you that is what I would do. You get the quiet that you want and most people will take it for granite etc, which should please your husband.

I just ordered a counter top for my machines that will be 22" by 102" with drilled out holes in the back against the wall and drilled out holes between my machines for the foot pedal cords. It will be mounted on simple/sturdy 20" brackets. That way I can have it placed at the right height for me. Since I traded in my cabinet model old Singer for portables, putting them on a standard table or desk just didn't work for me -- hard on the back, eyes and neck! The brackets will be lag bolted into studs every 16" so it should be sturdy. The formica top was very reasonable IMO -- it just seems to be taking forever!