Cutting Out

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

So -- I really and truly am going to try to make something.  It's only taken 3+ years of reading this thread, but I'm ready to try.

Obviously, I don't have a sewing room, and we don't have a separate kitchen and dining room.  Our table is a 60 inch round glass table.  I don't think I'll have enough room to lay out material and pattern to cut things out.  The floor is out, because we have 4 dogs, and no matter how much I vacuum and sweep, there is always some dog hair around, and I don't want the material to pick it up.

Where are some of the places that you use when you are going to lay the pattern on the material and then cut it out?  Thanks in advance for your input. 

[LaurenLee]

Boy did that make me laugh.. I have three hairy dogs, and I sew all the time. 
There is only one answer... go to someone's house that has NO dogs (or cats)!   Seriously.. I take my fabric, pattern, pins and a scissors, and go spend an afternoon with my Mom... I have to promise to vacuum afterwards, cuz it makes a mess with little threads, etc. on her white carpet, but it's the only thing to do!!!!

Lauren

[Anna Iram]

Renee, I have a cardboard cutting board purchsed from JoAnns. They're pretty inexpensive and work well laid out on the bed if you don't have a table large enough.

http://tinyurl.com/6tovcq

[operafantomet]

I often use the floor... It's true! It's flat, big and solid. 

[Lady L]

I use the dining room table. Sir R made a table for me, but it's downstairs and I have moved my sewing upstairs, since my oldest son moved out.

Maybe you could make one or have one made for you? Mine is a large (4 x 8') wooden panel with foldable legs. You can buy the metal foldable legs at Menards. They are then attached (screwed) into the wood top. My son made a smaller table for me, for upstairs. He used a melamine top, which is really nice, because it is smooth, white and easy to clean. It is a melamine surface already laminated to the wood, sort of like a countertop. I think it comes in 4 x 8' sheets. Now I *could* fold that up, but I always have my work on it, so I don't. Pretty easy set up. If the legs aren't high enough for cutting, you can adjust that by setting them up on blocks. The plain wooden one I put one of the cardboard cutting boards on, so the fabric wouldn't snag.

[gem]

Well, you've chosen a project with lots of big pieces of fabric for your first go.  A hat would have fit fine on your kitchen table. LOL 

What about a basement floor?  A loft?  A sheet (or vinyl tablecloth) laid out on the floor so the fabric doesn't hit the carpet itself (this is how Milord's mum does it)?  The largest bed in your house (don't cut your bedspread!)?  A bed isn't exactly ideal b/c the squooshiness of the mattress will make distortion more likely, but it will work in a pinch.

[redkimba]

We have a couple libraries here that have a conference room with those big folding tables.  You can check with your local library to see if they have the same thing. 

I thought about using those the next time I have to pin a quilt together.  It would be much easier than using the floor (again).

Kimberly

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Lady Renne is trekking up to see me after Christmas. We can use my dining room table as well.

Bring it with you, Renee!!!

[gem]

We have a couple libraries here that have a conference room with those big folding tables.  You can check with your local library to see if they have the same thing. 

This is not a bad idea.  You might also check around at local fabric and quilting stores.  I just discovered that the shop I want to buy my new machine at sells "studio time," where you can come in and use their tables, equipment, and machines (!) for $5/hour (in 3-hour blocks).  I had never heard of anything like this before, so maybe it's uncommon... but you never know!

[gypsylakat]

Gem- I thought that sounded like a spectacular Idea, until I rememberd that my sewing gets done the same time my homework gets done. 4am the day before. lol. creativity never strikes me early.

Along the lines of the cardboard things... what about getting 2 of those 3 fold science boards for science faires (about 2-3 bucks at Michal's)

[Willemyne]

Do you have carpet? You can probably then pin a wide flat sheet to it and then lay your fabric on that to avoid the dog hair. Just be careful to make sure you have good tension and avoid picking up the sheet with your scissors. Also a tarp or anything you can smooth flat.

I cut on the carpet for huge pieces and a flat table for smaller pieces. Yesterday I cut a full circle skirt on the floor because I couldn't fit the fabric on the table. But my regular straight and gently gored panel skirts are done on the table, as are bodice and sleeve pieces.

[mollymishap]

I usually cut on the floor too.  I used one of my 50% off coupons from Joann's a BUNCH of years back to buy a humongous cutting mat--it's something like 36 X 60, and I've made a cutting table out of an old hollow-core door to put in on, but I've only used it once.  It was nice, just that space is at a premium in my house, and my nice cutting table is being used...as a storage table of sorts...but the floor, that's all open space! 

...and it should be said that also keep a squirty bottle with water in it to remind my cats to behave...at least while I'm looking...

[Kate XXXXXX]

Renee, I have a cardboard cutting board purchsed from JoAnns. They're pretty inexpensive and work well laid out on the bed if you don't have a table large enough.

http://tinyurl.com/6tovcq

That used to work well for me before I got my cutting table set-up that I have now.  Just take the duvet and pillows off the bed first and give yourself a good area to work on.  A knee pad of some sort also helps.  On a double bed, use two cardboard mats...

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I remember making a fleece blanket where you tie the knots on my living room floor.  I still have the sliced rug but do try to hide it as best as I can!

I like the idea of cutting boards, so I will look for them and put either on top of the bed or on the floor.  I am constantly amazed at the knowledge and skills of forum members, and I always know where I can go for answers.  Thank you, and keep your suggestions coming.   

[Pascal]

I have a dedicated sewing room and set up several large surface areas where I can  cut things -- including a large table reserved only for cutting ... but I don't use any of them!

I ended up using a 2' by 4' foot polystyrene-type table upon which I put a 24" by 36" cutting mat (or thereabouts).  I use the rotary cutter exclusively and just shift the pattern and fabric as needed so that the "active" part is on the cutting mat.  Bought the table at Home Depot for about $30.00.  This ended out being the easiest and most convenient method.

[RumbaRue]

I have one of those metal folding tables about 6 foot long, all I have to do is set it up when I need it, fold it up and put it away when I don't.
I picked it up on sale for $20.00 at Long's Drugstores. Check your ads in the
Sunday papers and such, you're bound to find them at a decent price.

I actually have two of them, but one is used for the back area of our group's tent at events.

[Adriana Rose]

I use my coffee table... hey its a big table... even though my back is killing me afterwards it works

or I go to my sisters house she has alot of room and she only has a cat.. But I have the added help of my 3 year old nephew and my 17 month old. They make even the biggest dog look like a pomerain

I use my nephew as a fabric weight, I park him in the middle of the fabric, give him my measuring tape and tell him to be Handy Manny ( it works) then Little Bit sits with him. Great on the bigger stuff not so swell on the little stuff, but that stuff I can do at home.

[gem]

... a humongous cutting mat--it's something like 36 X 60, and I've made a cutting table out of an old hollow-core door to put in on, but I've only used it once.  It was nice, just that space is at a premium in my house, and my nice cutting table is being used...as a storage table of sorts...but the floor, that's all open space!

I've noticed that my floor is clean more often than my sewing table, so I'll put my cutting mat on the floor and work there... but I store the cutting mat upright behind the sofa when I need to use the kitchen/sewing table for, you know, meals & such.  It's pretty handy to just slide it out of there and plop it on the floor.