Building a Sewing Table - Part II

So once M finished building the drawers, we moved the pieces inside where I started the finishing process. I thought maybe I would do another milk paint technique, but after the first coat of stain, changed my mind and decided to try something new. I actually liked the mottled look and thought I could make it work to my advantage.

Overall the finishing steps are as follows:
1. One coat of stain, allowed to soak almost completely in before wiping. Allow to dry 24 hours.
2. Distress with a hammer those areas that would receive normal wear and tear.
3. One coat of Mocha latex glaze applied thinly with a brush, leaving extra in the grooves. Allow to dry at least 48 hours to a week.
4. Sand lightly with 180 or 220 grit sandpaper.
5. One coat of Amber Shellac.
6. Sand lightly again.
7. One coat of Asphalt antiquing gel applied with a damp cloth in a circular motion.
8. One more coat of Amber Shellac.

So I started finishing the drawers while he continued to build the top.



Then the next step was to put it all together. First, add the faux drawer in the center between the base cabinets. This will support the top and hide the machine. Another support piece is added to the back. Then the top is secured on with screws, which will allow the piece to come apart again if we ever need to move it out of the room. The table top is 32 x 60" with a drop leaf extension that is 18 x 60". It's big. And we have some pretty narrow doors in this old house.



After that, he crawled under and added some slide out things (the technical name eludes me) to support the drop leaf and the shelf to hold up the sewing machine. Then it was time to test everything out to make sure it all fit and functioned. We only needed one minor adjustment, not bad for a couple of amateurs.



So I spent this weekend putting the final coats of finish on it. And I'm thrilled with it. It seemed like the finishing process was going to take forever, but it was worth it. I like the fact that it blends in well with the antiques in the room.



And I love the drop leaf in the back as well as the breadboards. That will really come in handy when doing machine quilting. It's on wheels, so I can just roll it out from the wall to get access to the drop leaf.

Since taking this picture I've already filled up all the drawers. It will be nice to have all my notions so handy.



But what I love the most, is that it fits me! I tried using commercial tables and they were all way too tall. I'm short, only 5' 1", so having a sewing table just my size is awesome! I love it, even though everyone made fun of it and wanted to know if we were building a child's desk.