DIY Sewing and Cutting Table – with storage cubbies underneath!
Build a DIY sewing and cutting table yourself with easy to find parts. Ever since I posted the reveal of my new sewing studio, people have been commenting and emailing me asking about my sewing and cutting table with cubbies underneath.
I didn’t design this table (it was already built when I bought it), but I sure love it! And the previous owner told me how she built it, so I’m happy to share. 🙂
As you may have noticed, the bottom part is made of 2 IKEA Kallax units. I love the cubbies because I can stack fabric in there, or use baskets to hold notions, batting, yarn, or other messy items.
We left enough room in between the Kallax cubbies to hold stacked plastic bins.
There is also enough vertical space there for this little dresser and some bolts of interfacing (I love interfacing). I also love how the table top is big enough for 2 large cutting mats – just on one side!
How to Build a DIY Sewing and Cutting Table
The table top was constructed from 2 inexpensive interior doors, painted white and secured together with brackets.
The Kallax units are about 30 1/2” tall x 58” long (when laid like this), and the doors are about 1 1/4” thick, so this table is about 32” tall – a perfect working height for me (I’m 5’4”). The top of the table measures 80” x 56”.
If you don’t live near an Ikea, you could build a similar cutting table with this 8 Cube Organizer Shelf from Target. The dimensions are very close.
To keep the table from sliding around on top of the shelving units, I cut four pieces of non-slip shelf liner (about 8” x 10” each) and placed them under the table near the corners. Believe me, it doesn’t move at all.
Good luck building your own sewing and cutting table! I’m going to pin this to my Sewing Studio Makeover Pinterest board. It’s filled with sewing studio inspiration from all over the web – so check it out!
Happy sewing,
p.s. You might also like my list of the 7 Best Sewing Scissors (3 pairs you can’t sew without and 4 more you will also love).
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂
Love it! How do the doors not slide around on top of the kallax units? I’m so impressed by the amount of storage in your new room.
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for reminding me. To keep the table from sliding around on top of the shelving units, I cut four pieces of non-slip shelf liner (about 8” x 10” each) and placed them under the table near the corners. See the photo I just added above.
xoxo,
Caroline
We are in the process of creating a 4′ x 8′ cutting table for my sewing room. We are using unfinished bookcases that will be stained and polyurethaned. Two 4′ x 15" x 36" will form the sides and two 15" x 15" x 36" will be the ends. This will be topped with a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood that will have molding around the edges and will be polyurathaned as well. Much like yours it allows ample room for storage and the open center area will store bins of our seasonal clothing.
Great ideas. Sounds like a super table! 🙂
I was pretty sure they were interior doors. I think this is the sweetest cutting table and it works perfectly for your space. Are the stacked plastic bins the ones with lids?
Yes – just generic bins with lids. Different types, even. 🙂
Ahhhh I need to get some non-slip shelf liners for my table. Love your new cutting table Go big or go home ;0)
I love this, and aim to have one in my new flat. I hadn’t thought to use doors for the top, good idea.
This is almost exactly how I’m building mine. I’m using two of these 12 cube shelves https://www.target.com/p/closetmaid-cubeicals-12-cube-organizer-shelf-white/-/A-13908813
Excellent idea, thanks
This is awsome.
Barb Quinn/quinnbarbara@bellsouth.net
I have some old oak cabinets that family member gave me when remodeling, I am going to try something similar with a sheet of thick plywood on top after screwing the cabinets back to back. going to use as cutting table, etc. for the storage underneath. Love yours.
Sounds like a great idea! Good luck! xoxo
Since you’ve had this table for a while, can I ask if the top has held up? If you had hollow core doors have the tops cracked at all when you apply pressure to cut fabric?
Great question! The table is doing great. I load it up with lots of stuff and don’t think about how hard I am pushing when I cut. No problems at all.
I have four sets of two drawer size filing cabinets under my cutting table with a door on top of them. The great thing about the filing cabinets is that they are two small drawers with only one standard file drawer under. Lots of storage for patterns and lots of different quilting things needed not only at the cutting table but for quilting period. There is a shelf under the door with space for those large items such as large square cutting rulers.
I wonder if that would work under my big board. I will have to look into that.
Thank you for so many great ideas with instructions! Really like your blog
I just built one. It is incredible. So much space. So much storage. I used two IKEA cabinets for the base and IKEA now sells baskets that come divided into two drawers so its easy for me to put my projects in and keep them organized.