DIY Cutting Table From a Secondhand Dresser

We have less than a year left in our current home until the Army moves us onward, and one of the things I’m already mourning is my giant sewing room. I’ve sewn in all kinds of spaces over the years, including a corner of the living room, a dingy basement and a tiny hallway. But our current house has a large bonus room in the daylight basement and I’ve had it all to myself for two years.

I will survive the loss of space, but knowing that my amazing, but huge cutting table will likely not fit in whatever sewing space I have in our next house is the saddest part! We DIYed this cutting table for the sewing studio out of a second-hand dresser and I just have to share it with you because it’s been an amazing solution to the typical sewing room storage mess/problems.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that while I am not paid to promote certain items, I will earn a small commission should you purchase items through these links. For more info, see my disclosure policy.

This table came about almost accidentally. My husband’s dresser fell apart during our last move and he needed a new one. He found one on the for-sale page in our area, huge and hand built out of solid wood. It was part of a set, however, so he had to buy both. I already have a dresser I like and this one was way too big for our room anyway, but I knew right away it would be perfect for my sewing room!

I painted it a pretty dark blue color and bought new drawer pulls at Hobby Lobby (these ones). Casey put it on castors both to make it taller and easier to move. Then he replaced the dresser’s top with a 4x8 piece of pre-finished plywood from Home Depot. I wanted it larger than the original top so that it overhangs on both sides and on the back, almost like a kitchen island would.

The best part about this cutting table is that it stores my entire fabric stash, patterns and notions. I do not like a visually busy home in general and that’s just as true in my sewing room. I prefer everything to be put away and enclosed. Also, a tidy home tip for you: when you limit your storage space for certain items, it encourages you to use what you have, buy less in general and just be more mindful of how much you’re accumulating. This is true for every area of the home! I’ve had a couple of very small kitchens, my current one included, and they have been my most organized kitchens because everything needs to have a home. There’s simply no space for extras, so I think long and hard before adding something new to the mix.

This is my fabric stash, housed on one side of my cutting table (the other side holds one drawer of fleece and felt):

The center section has a door that opens and three sliding drawers that pull out. This is where I keep certain notions, other craft supplies like embroidery floss and beads, my button box and a bin of laces and trims.

The top left drawer holds all my patterns. This is all of them and when it's overfull, I go through and get rid of some. I talk more about the concept of having less of a fabric and pattern stash in this post.

This concept will work with any size dresser. The key to a great cutting table is to give it enough height and a large top. It’s a budget friendly idea too, as you can obtain an inexpensive secondhand dresser pretty easily these days. The 4x8 prefab top we put on mine was $50. Another option to use an old flat door or find a tabletop for a good price that will work. Frugality requires creativity! We’re often surprised by how we can repurpose items we already have on hand.

Someday soon I’ll show you the other side of my sewing room (the side with the sewing machines!) I’d love to see your sewing space too! Link me in the comments :)

Cheers!