Cutting/Pressing Table Tutorial

Every January I re-cover my workroom table.  This is the table I do all my measuring, cutting, pinning and pressing on.  This is my DO ALL table!  I can lay out large pieces of fabric on this table and align the selvage  with the edge and know that I am cutting across it straight.  I can cut on it with out breaking my back.  I pin directly into it to keep fabric still while I'm working with it, and I can press everything on it.  In fact I don't own an ironing board.   Because I'm a drapery and window treatment workroom I require a really LARGE table 60" wide x 140" long.  I couldn't live without this table.  Now I know most of you will never have a need for such a large workroom table, but I think something like this in a smaller scale could come in handy for most sewers and crafters.  It could be done on a piece of plywood or MDF to bring out when you need it and place it on top of your craft table.

Mine gets really dirty throughout the year and boy was it bad this year! 

See, pretty gross huh?  Embarrassing gross!  Oh, and you can write on it too.  I mark measuring and cutting lines on it and the occasional notes if I find myself without a scrap piece of paper, But I'm gonna try really hard not to do math or notes or scribbles on it this year.  I want it to look nice for my blog pictures.

Here's what the new one looks like.

What you'll need for this project is a piece of 1/2" MDF cut to the size you want to fit on top of your sewing/craft table, worktable padding that is high temperature and moisture resistant, 10oz Canvas, staple gun and staples.  Here's a source I found on line for the padding you'll need, the stuff you want is the Insul-Bright.   http://www.warmcompany.com/ibpage.html


Cut your MDF to your size.  Position your thermal padding on top of the MDF and trim the padding edges  flush with the edges of your wood.  Cover this with canvas and pull it taught over the corners to the underside and staple at all 4 corners.  Now work your way around all 4 sides pulling tight and stapling on the underside.  Trim off any excess canvas from the underside.  I use these extra scraps of canvas to make holsters for my scissors at every corner of my worktable.  I'll get to that in a bit.

So here's my freshly covered table.

I use fine point permanent markers in different colors to mark my lines on my workroom table.

I color code my lines.  For instance I draw lines every 10" down the whole length of my table with the Black marker.  This helps me measure out something quickly.  Then on the long edge of my table I use the orange marker to draw lines at 3" and 6" I use these lines when pressing up a double 3" hem for the bottom edge of drapery panel lining.  Purple is used to do 4" and 8" lines which are used to press double 4" hems on the bottom of drapery panels.  Then I add and additional orange line at 1 1/2" and this is used in conjunction with my 3" line to press double 1 1/2" side hems on panels.

You can mark lines for whatever you  do on a regular basis.

Now as I mentioned I use the canvas scraps to make holsters for my scissors at every corner of my cutting table so I don't find myself on one side of the table without a pair of scissors.  Just cut a strip 2 1/4 wide by approx 4" long, fold it in 3rds and glue with tacky glue.  Then staple it to the side edge of your table.

I also have a little canvas caddy that I staple to the side of my workroom table to hold small tools, but mine is in desperate need of a re-do so I didn't post a picture, but maybe I'll do a post on how to make one in the near future.

Happy measuring, cutting, pinning and pressing all in one place!

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