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5 Best Fabric Cutting Table for Sewing (2024 update)
If sewing is your hobby, you know that cutting is one of the most difficult and crucial steps in producing beautiful clothing. Cutting cloth could be a terrifying job if you do not have the right tools and a fabric cutting table is an indispensable tool you’ll require if you want polished creations. As the name suggests, these tables are designed specifically for cutting cloth with accuracy and precision. The majority of them offer other advantages as well, such as a storage drawer for storing sewing supplies.
A fabric cutting table can mean the difference between an aggravating and tedious crafts and sewing and an enjoyable one. Let’s look at our top picks for the best cutting table for sewing:
Our Top Picks For The Best Fabric Cutting Table For Sewing
- Best Overall: Sew Ready Foldable Hobby and Cutting Grid Table (jump to review)
- Best Premium: Arrow K8405 Wallaby Kangaroo Sewing, Cutting Table (jump to review)
- Best Budget: Sew Ready Mobile Fabric Cutting Table (jump to review)
- Best Compact: Sullivans 38431 Adjustable Height Foldable Table (jump to review)
- Best for Storage: MELLCOM Height Adjustable Craft Table with Storage Shelves (jump to review)
Detailed Reviews Of The Best Fabric Cutting Table
Best Overall: Sew Ready Foldable Hobby and Cutting Grid Table
Upgrade your sewing experience with the Sew Ready Foldable Hobby and Cutting Grid Table. This excellent cutting table is designed for convenience for sewists of all skill levels. Easily adjust the height to your preference, reducing back strain during cutting and quilting tasks. The folding feature and casters make storage a breeze, creating extra space in your sewing studio. The included radial lines, angles, centimeters, and inches on the sewing grid simplify measurements. Crafted with a sturdy metal frame, this 58.75" W x 36.5" D white table comes with silver storage drawers for organized tool storage.
- Helpful guides and grids
- Dual casters that are both movable and safe
- Hard to assemble
Best Premium: Arrow K8405 Wallaby Kangaroo Sewing, Cutting Table
Redefine your sewing space with this efficient and spacious crafting cabinet. Ideal for enhancing cloth cutting efficiency, this versatile table serves as a practical serger storage workstation, ensuring your sewing machine is always within reach. Its sturdy construction, easy assembly, and portability make it a top choice. Featuring two drawers and additional storage with two small and one large door bin, it keeps your workspace organized. Designed for specific machine inserts, the flush work surface enhances efficiency, and the large lift opening accommodates up to 55 pounds of large sewing machines. The wooden panel provides additional workspace over the sewing area.
- There is plenty of storage for your sewing accessories
- The sewing table is very comfortable to use
- Looks beautiful
- Expensive
Best Budget: Sew Ready Mobile Fabric Cutting Table
Effortlessly enhance your cutting precision with this handy mobile cutting table. Crafted with a thick MDF top and a powder-coated aluminum frame, this table ensures durability. Perfect for sewers aiming for precise cuts on various materials, it accommodates standing work with a height exceeding thirty-six inches, preventing strain on your legs and back. Easily relocate the table using its six rotating wheels, with four featuring a locking mechanism for stability during use. The intelligently designed bottom shelf spans the entire depth, providing ample space for your die-cutting machine and sewing essentials.
- There is plenty of sewing accessories storage
- Affordable
- Some users may find it hard to assemble
Best Compact: Sullivans 38431 Adjustable Height Foldable Table
The Sullivans 38431 cutting table lets you effortlessly tackle diverse sewing tasks. This table is perfect for fabric cutting, pattern layout, paper crafts, quilting, and more. Its expansive surface accommodates large projects when panels are extended, while its simple and secure design enables fabric cutting 90% faster than traditional methods. Ideal for various crafts and projects, the adjustable table ranges from 29 inches to 38 inches in height. Conveniently foldable to 35-4/5x17-1/2 inches, this 35-4/5x59 inch table is a must-have for efficient and comfortable crafting.
- Easy to fold and is compact
- Excellent metal frame offers more resistance
- Not stylish and the design is rough
Best for Storage: MELLCOM Height Adjustable Craft Table with Storage Shelves
This craft table excels in functionality and adaptability, whether you are cutting fabric, designing patterns, or serving as a multi-functional workspace. Easily extend or retract this fabric cutting table, providing generous dimensions for cutting multiple large pattern pieces. Crafted from sturdy materials, it offers a stable work surface with three variable sizes—perfect for any creative endeavor. Maneuver with ease on lockable casters, and store cutting and pinning tools conveniently on the two shelves. Effortlessly fold to a compact 11" W for storage, making it an ideal space-saving solution.
- Easy to extend or retract
- Offers three variable-sized surfaces
- Limited information on the specific material used for construction
How To Choose The Best Cutting Table For Sewing?
With so many options available in the market, it can be challenging to select the best cutting table for easy fabric cutting.
Below, we discuss a few characteristics that you need to take into account in order to choose the ideal one for your requirements:
Size of the Table
Typically, a home sewing room is the smallest bedroom in the house, an attic or a corner in the laundry room. If you have the luxury of living in a large house or apartment to have a separate sewing room, you may still find yourself with not enough space for a large cutting table.
The ideal cutting table is about three feet wide, four feet high and at least six feet long. It also has storage shelves and drawers underneath to hold sewing and ironing supplies, fabric and all of your other sewing room essentials. The only problem with owning an ideal cutting table is it is so big that it simply won’t fit in most home sewing areas. If you are like most home sewers you have been at it for a very long time. Even if you have not been sewing long at all, you are probably cutting your patterns out on a kitchen or dining room table.
Pick the Proper Height
It is difficult to determine the ideal height of a cutting table since it varies from person to person. So purchasing a table with the feature of adjustable height is the best option.
‘Counter Height’ is the ideal height for cutting fabric i.e. stand at your kitchen counter and you can get a idea of the best height for a cutting table.
Weight of the Table
The weight and the material of construction significantly impacts a sewing cutting table’s durability. A lighter table is simpler and easier to transport, however, it can be more vulnerable to lateral movement and vibrations. The recommended table is a high-gauge heavy-duty steel cutting table because it offers a long-lasting and stable working surface.
Materials used for Construction
This is really crucial. If you intend to perform a lot of sewing work at your table, a steady, smooth surface that can withstand some punishment is a must. Each sort of material has distinctive characteristics that set them apart from each other. To reduce water damage and protect against corrosion, many cutting table’s surfaces have protective coatings.
Options for Sewing Tables and My Experience
If you do have a sewing room that is large enough to accommodate the ideal cutting table, count your blessings. If, on the other hand, your sewing area fits the description of a typical home sewing space, consider one of the many folding cutting tables instead. For an investment of about $100-$200 you can find a cutting table with leaves that drop down on both sides. When you are ready to lay out your fabric, simply open the leaves and you have a full size cutting table to work on.
If you are making smaller items, like a sleeveless blouse, clothes for a small child, a hat or a small purse, you might be able to get away with opening just one leaf. Simply drop the leaves when the job is done and you have a smaller table, until you are ready to put it to work again. If you have extremely limited space and cannot even spare space for a drop leaf cutting table, do not discount the notion of having a cutting table altogether.
Collapsible, hide away cutting tables are also available, including cutting tables made of corrugated cardboard that can be neatly tucked away in a closet or on a shelf. The corrugated cardboard cutting table is not only lightweight, portable and easy to store, it is also economical.
You cannot expect it to last long, especially if you are using it on a consistent basis, but a cutting board made of cardboard is an economical quick fix when budget and space are major considerations. When folded up, it takes up less space than a full size ironing board. At one time, we lived in a tiny apartment. Our sewing machines were set up in the bedroom on two small desks. We used one of these corrugated cardboard cutting tables and a table top ironing board. When it was time to cut, we set the cutting table up in the living room and put the ironing board on the dining room table.
This was during a time when we were making practically everything we wore, so we were sewing at least two days every week. We didn’t set up the cutting table that often, however. Our system always involved cutting at least five or six pieces at a time and then sewing until those projects were finished and starting over again.
We estimate that our corrugated cardboard cutting table was set up and taken down at least twice a month. The material was much sturdier than a box made for packing fragile dishes or equipment, but cardboard just the same; and it did eventually show signs of wear and stress from all that use. In the five years we lived in that apartment, wore out two cardboard cutting tables.
When not set up for use, they take up about the same amount of space as a folding card table or one of those folding utility tables that tuck away nicely in a closet. In all honesty, the only reason we did not get one of these tables when we were in that tiny apartment was the closets were already filled to capacity.
These tables are available for approximately $200 and can often be found for less. Today, we have a drop leaf cutting table that is mounted on casters. When it is not in use, we simply drop the leaves and roll it out of the way.
The top is made of pressed wood, covered in white laminate. It has black metal legs and black wheels. With the leaves in the down position, my cutting table looks a little bit like a contemporary accent table until you notice the wheels on the bottom. A table like this costs approximately $140-$150. A more expensive version of this same table includes drawers for storing your sewing supplies and fabric. This seemingly minor addition, however, drives the selling price up to more than $300.
Summary: The Best Fabric Cutting Table For Sewing is
- Best Overall: Sew Ready Foldable Hobby and Cutting Grid Table (jump to review)
- Best Premium: Arrow K8405 Wallaby Kangaroo Sewing, Cutting Table (jump to review)
- Best Budget: Sew Ready Mobile Fabric Cutting Table (jump to review)
- Best Compact: Sullivans 38431 Adjustable Height Foldable Table (jump to review)
- Best for Storage: MELLCOM Height Adjustable Craft Table with Storage Shelves (jump to review)
Regardless of how long you have been sewing, the size of your sewing area or how often you sew, we strongly suggest that you add a cutting table to your inventory. Not only will it make a big difference in your comfort level while cutting out your fabric, it will also make a significant difference in the way you feel years from now.
The type of cutting table you get depends entirely upon you, your budget and your space. It took us a very long time to go ahead and get our own cutting table. If we knew then what we know now, we would never have put it off as long as we did. Very few sewing instructors even mention the significance of using a cutting table. The merits of using a cutting table should have the same level of importance as sewing machine maintenance and care. If you feel you need the input and advice of an expert before making a final decision as which cutting table to purchase, visit your local sewing machine dealer or reach out to us in the comments section. Don’t buy a cutting table that is too large for your space. A beautiful cutting table that enables you to store all of your sewing supplies in one place is no good if you don’t have space to move around and be comfortable in your sewing area.
If you are an advanced sewist, have a look at our best sewing machines, best sewing books and best sewing magazines posts and if you are looking to get a mechanical, heavy duty, quilting or industrial sewing machine, have a look at some of our great articles. If you are a beginner sewist, review our best sewing books for beginners, best sewing machines for beginners and best sewing machines under $200 to get started.
For brand related articles, check Best Bernette | Best Bernina | Best Brother | Best Husqvarna Viking | Best Janome | Best Juki | Best Singer |
For best accessories, check Best Chairs | Best tables | Best tracing paper | Best machine oils | Best scissors and shears | Best presser feet | Best needles | Best sewing kits |
Happy Stitching.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you are an advanced sewist, have a look at our best sewing machines, best sewing books and best sewing magazines posts and if you are looking to get a mechanical, heavy duty, quilting or industrial sewing machine, have a look at some of our great articles. If you are a beginner sewist, review our best sewing books for beginners, best sewing machines for beginners and best sewing machines under $200 to get started.
For brand related articles, check Best Bernette | Best Bernina | Best Brother | Best Husqvarna Viking | Best Janome | Best Juki | Best Singer |
For best accessories, check Best Chairs | Best tables | Best tracing paper | Best machine oils | Best scissors and shears | Best presser feet | Best needles | Best sewing kits |
Happy Stitching.
Good Morning! Just found your website and love it! Your musings on cutting tables made me laugh. I’ve been sewing since I was old enough to hold a needle. I HATE HOT HUMID WEATHER, so I used to hide out in the basement of our house ‘listening to’ old movies and sewing my winter wardrobe. In our first house we had a huge old pool table that we used as a cutting table. Then I had an old dining room table that my mom and I used to use for laying out patterns, although to low as you stated, it worked perfectly! I’m still laying out my patterns on my dining room table, no other place with enough room. Most of my resent sewing has been designing and constructing duvet covers and throws. One a king sized monster made from elaborate extra wide fabric had to be laid out on the living room floor, after I moved all the furniture out the way! Of course our cat, Isis, thought it was invitation to play. So here I am trying to match the front with the back, crawling around on my hands and knees!
My first sewing machine was a heavy solid metal, USA made monster from the early 60’s complete with embroider cams. Wish I’d never gotten rid of it. I moved up to a Viking Designer One and have had nothing but trouble with it! Sigh, wish I new where my old one was …
Love your site and look forward to more of your postings.
Cam Morris
Ms Morris, sorry to hear that your Viking Designer One is so annoying. I recommend taking it to the dealer and explaining your difficulties. If the results are unsatisfactory after a couple of attempts, see another Viking dealer. Sometimes a visit to another dealer (with a repair person on site) helps because they may have the experience to relate to what you are dealing with. I’m not a dealer; only a very satisfies Viking owner. I purchased my first one 39 years ago (top of the line with fancy stitch cams) and used it to sew every thing from wedding gowns to repairing boy scout tents. Yes, it still runs well. About eight years ago, I decided to upgrade and found a Bernina embroidery machine on sale. Bad idea. Oh the machine is fine but it took my brain a while to adjust to electronic machines. Thinking I’d made a mistake, off I went to my Viking dealer and purchased a used Quilt Designer. Loved it! And it, along with classes, helped me transition to the electronic sewing machine world. Eventually, it was traded in for the Viking Diamond–another big leap. I took the classes for it and am still learning. I have since learned to love my Bernina so I’m in heaven when I sew. I can get one machine going with embroidery and sew on the other. I keep my old Viking for when a friend wishes to join me and doesn’t want to bring her own along.
Thanks to all for the ideas about a cutting table. I have the small house as referenced above and no basement or garage for storage. I’ll start measuring some corners for a good place to put a folding table.
Dear Kitty: This is so very funny, my experience almost the same as yours. I started on old machine with ‘cams’ and wish I’d never given it away! I did take my machine to a different dealer. One with an in-house technician that the owner of a local quilting store recommended and I couldn’t be happier now that’s fixed. Turns out some warranty repairs were never preformed and that was the source of all my problems. I’m still ‘upset’ with Viking. I lost the memory stick with the code to work my soft wear package and now find out it can’t be replaced. Not a happy camper. I was thinking about replacing the Designer one and found out they are making the machines in China now and they are mostly plastic. If I ever upgrade it will to a Bernina. At least they aren’t made in China and are still metal.
I recently moved to AZ and had to seriously downsize my sewing/craft room. I took my cutting table with me-dropleaf with casters-that has 2 open storage areas beneath. I used to store the cutting mat rolled in one area, but I could never get it to lie flat when I took it out to use it unless I let it sit for a few weeks. Since I don’t have the space in my new home I had to solve the problem. I permanently mounted the mat to the table top-then cut at the seam between the leaves. Voila! The mat is always on the table, mounted with lots of hot glue, and I can open one or two leaves as needed to use it. I love this solution! My first attemt using double sided duck tape was a sad failure. The AZ heat and the curve of the plastic mat pulled the mat away from the table-and wouldn’t stay adhered. So far-the hot glue is working fine. I didn’t want to use a spray adhesive-too many fumes and difficult to place on the first try. Hot glue is more forgiving.
Gotta tell yall about a yard sale that was ready to close up . I was “just in time” They saw dummy written on my forehead as I went in . I saw the neatest cabinet machine . Didn’t care what brand , that sucker was old. Looked it over He put it in the car , I left with the word “Sucker” on my BUTT and they loaded up and left. I got home with my prize. My honey unloaded it and busted out laughing . Boy , did he get “the look” then I saw it . NO MOTOR. NO wonder that robber was in such a hurry to close up . For $45.00 if I could have found him he would have eaten that wonderful machine. From now on I don’t care how much in a hurry they are I look very carefully. What a dummy.
Can you please tell me the name of the cutting table in the first
photo? I have never seen one like that. Thank you for you wonderful article.
Hello, Nancy –
Thank you for visiting Sewing Insight.
When I wrote this piece three years ago, this table was available through several different online sources. Now, however, it seems as though it is no longer available. I did an extensive online search and could not find it at any of those sources. You might get lucky and find a cutting table like this at an estate sale, a re-sale store like Salvation Army or Goodwill, or perhaps a dealer that offers vintage sewing machines and accessories for sale.
Hey Nancy. The name of the table is “SEI Laminate Wheeled Sewing Table”. You can purchase one from amazon. Here’s the address – https://amzn.to/3EHT9WY
Try TraceysTables.com. I have not purchased nor seen this model in person, but it’s on my list to purchase. Perhaps it might work for you……….
Hi Nancy
Barbara here from Australia ,we did have many discussions a few years back
The Baraque Foldaway Cutting Table is still available in Australia .The US distributor was not able to continue due to ill health in the family ,so I am still looking for someone to take over from her .I still get enquiries for the tables but the freight for buying one off is prohibitive .If you can canvass your net work maybe we can get them happening again in the US
Regards Barbara
Someone is making the foldaway cardboard cutting in the USA right now. Hot off the press! I just purchased mine from Amazon. The website is called That-Table.com. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas. It is actually sturdier than the one by the Sew Fit company from years ago. It comes with the 40 inch legs and the inch markings are darker and bigger. I am sure you will love it just as much as the other one Just got mine May 17,2016. Love, love, love it!!!
I don’t know if maybe I don’t see enough, or what, but I have a cardboard cutting surface like the one you say you went throuh two of. I’ve had it for several years, and I inherited it from my husbands grandmother, who I know used it for decades. Maybe the old ones were more sturdy?
My aunt had a nice big folding table with casters like that black and white one, and it was so handy on Thanksgiving. It was the same height as her kitchen peninsula, and covered with a festive table cloth, it made a handy place to set the cooling pies.
I found this cutting table that everyone might find very convenient to have and use. Go to this website to view it http://www.that-table.com. It seems to be very good for laying out fabric and cutting pattern pieces.
Ingenious. I am considering this since cutting on my dining room table is really taking its toll on my back. Thank you!
Here in the UK I have for sale 3 x Very Large Textile cutting tables 1) 35ft x 7ft 2)35ft x 5ft and 3)20ft x 4ft. Sturdy wooden tables with rubber covered top fitted with a 400 inch tape.
Also a 6 reel sewing machine, Factory Clearance, only sensible offers replied to, buyer must dismantle and remove.
Hello Vernelle,
My granddaughter wanted to learn how to sew, so after 30 years of not sewing I returned. I was having extreme back pain trying to cut out my fabric that I would have to sit down after cutting out one piece. I thought I had to abandon the notion of sewing. However, after reading your article on tables I realized my table was too low. I had purchased a 6′ utility table that folds up. I decided to buy bed risers for the table legs and it worked perfectly.
Also, I enjoy reading your sewing machine reviews. After reading your review on the Janome MC6500 I wanted one but didn’t want to spend that much money. I ran across the Singer S18 Studio a clone of the Janome MC6500 at a little less than $600 so that’s what I purchased. I love the machine and it operates smoothly, quietly and has beautiful stitches. There are 3 machines in the Studio series: S10, S16 and S18. Have you ran across these machines?
Thanks,
4′ high? 3′ wide? Should it be 3′ high and 4′ wide. I’m 5’2″ and couldn’t use a table 4′ high.
I have one of your sewing tables and love it. It`s the `drop leaf cutting table mounted on casters`, but in the process of moving it one time I had to remove the wheels and lost one of them and have no idea where to buy another wheel. Any way you could help me in finding one would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
I thank you for your article on cutting tables. It was very was informative. I am looking for a sturdy folding adjustable height cutting table with locking wheels. Can you recommend any such tables costing approximately $150.00?
This short article has truly helped me solve my issue.
What a existence saver! I appeared through a lot of posts online, like https://www.facebook.com/essayprocom/reviews/, but they do not have quite the same level.
Your ability to research a subject and take it to be able to the folks is such a great skill!
What brand is the All White more expensive version of the Drop Leaf (for $300 with storage drawers) table you have pictured above? Do you know where I can purchase it? Could you provide a link if available, please?
Thank you kindly!
Crys