Sewing machine cabinetry

**View My TQS Profile** · by **jojojo** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:10 pm

I'm interested to see what cabinet/table you are sewing on and storing with. Did you buy it from a shop or internet? Anyone with a Koala? Bernina's sewing cabinet?
Thanks,
jo

**View My TQS Profile** · by **Seesaw** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:16 pm

I have a Horn of America and I love it. Excellent quality and they come in so many configurations. Carolyn in Kerrville, TX

**View My TQS Profile** · by **Seesaw** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:18 pm

I have a Horn of America and I love it. Excellent quality and they come in so many configurations. I purchased it at my local quilt shop. They brought it to the house and came in and set it up. My LQS is the best. Creations in Kerrville, TX Carolyn in Kerrville, TX

**View My TQS Profile** · by **cjtinkle** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:22 pm

I have an old Koala cabinet that my 630 is in, it's excellent and I really love it. It's about 11 years old now.

I have the new Horn cabinet for the 830, personally I think it stinks. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Have you "Tinkled" today?

**View My TQS Profile** · by **HAPPYCAMPBELL** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:05 am

I have a horn my DH got it for me for Christmas it is the large quilter table and I love it Happy

**View My TQS Profile** · by **kplaposata** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:31 am

I have a Koala unit for my sewing machine, and also a Koala cutting table and like them both. Good quality.

**View My TQS Profile** · by **quiltdavis** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:12 pm

cjtinkle wrote:I have an old Koala cabinet that my 630 is in, it's excellent and I really love it. It's about 11 years old now.

I have the new Horn cabinet for the 830, personally I think it stinks. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Have you "Tinkled" today?

What don't you like about the new Horn for the 830?

**View My TQS Profile** · by **mknavy90** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:36 pm

I have a Koala quilting cabinet. I very much like that the machine sits lower than the table top and sews at a level that is in essence flush with the table. But I banged my knee ALL THE TIME

when I used the cabinet....... It now serves as my table for my large ironing surface.

I currently have my sewing machine sitting on a Sam Club folding table and use a large Bernina "quilter's table" so I have a larger surface to sew on. This is an improvement from the Koala cabinet, as it gives my legs more space, but the sewing machine sits so high that it is not a good ergonomic height for my neck and back. :shock:

So next time around, I am going to find an inexpensive large sturdy kitchen table... get someone with a table saw to help me cut a hole in it and build a shelf underneath for the sewing machine to sit on. (Hopefully the third time will be a charm!) :wink:

MK

**View My TQS Profile** · by **EditorAnne** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:41 pm

quiltdavis wrote:
cjtinkle wrote:I have an old Koala cabinet that my 630 is in, it's excellent and I really love it. It's about 11 years old now.

I have the new Horn cabinet for the 830, personally I think it stinks. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Have you "Tinkled" today?

What don't you like about the new Horn for the 830?

I'm dying to know why you don't like the Horn cabinet for the 830, too, Tinkle. And how much did you pay for that cabinet, BTW?

Anne in Vancouver, Canada

**View My TQS Profile** · by **Rorimer** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:53 am

I have the Koala Quiltmate III and I love it. DH, who makes beautiful furniture, said he would make me a sewing cabinet. I took him to look at the Koala and he said to buy it. It's very well made and I really like that the machine bed is flush with the top of the cabinet.

This cabinet worked very well with my Elna and now with my Bernina.

I've not had a problem with banging my knee. MK, are you tall, is that the reason you banged your knee?

JoAnne

**View My TQS Profile** · by **mknavy90** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:48 am

Rorimer wrote:
I've not had a problem with banging my knee. MK, are you tall, is that the reason you banged your knee?

JoAnne

I am not very tall, but must be uncoordinated!!! I think I was sliding my chair back and forth between the sewing area and the work space and would hit something inbetween. There is a book shelf on the left hand side of the quilt mate under the table area and I would run into it.....

**View My TQS Profile** · by **cjtinkle** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:27 am

I paid $11k for cabinet and machine, $2600 trade on my 730... or if you prefer, $12k for cabinet and machine, $3600 trade on my 730 so we keep to the "rules".

What I don't like about it... it has absolutely no storage anywhere. My Koala cabinet has trays, bins, thread holders, all sorts of neat places to keep things.

The Horn cabinet has a single drawer, but if you opt to use the extension leaf, you lose the drawer! That's my next peeve... the extension leaf. Talk about rickety. Heaven forbid you leave it set up and someone were to lean on it or set something heavy on it, the drawer would likely just break off. So I don't use this feature. At least that gives me the drawer back.

But mostly, what I dislike is that Horn chose to put the new "heavy weight" lift mechanism in the center of the lift, rather than on each end of it. This makes it very prone to vibration, you can push down on either end of the lift and there is a fair amount of give.

I cannot use my machine at high speed on this table, it shakes my entire house. I can't even begin to embroider at high speed, it shakes the embroidery module loose from the machine.

I love the 830. Love, love love it! But that Horn cabinet.... :?:

Have you "Tinkled" today?

**View My TQS Profile** · by **magnus** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:55 am

I have a Sylvia Sewing Cabinet and am very pleased with it. I ordered it through a store when I lived in Ottawa and it was shipped from out west here in Canada.
I t has good storage and i ended up getting two acrylic sections to fit my two different berninas...so I can use either machine.
cheers
Jeanine

**View My TQS Profile** · by **jojojo** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:16 am

Thanks so much for your replies. First, am I violating "rules"? I know I could have checked something originally saying I wouldn't do this and that - but I have NO recollection of them. Can someone point me in the right directions so I can be ed-u-ma-cated again:)

I'm now on a fixed income and any deal that saves me even a dollar is good!

Yes, I've been Tinkled today:0 I'm more of a lurker so I love to read blogs.

I appreciate everyones candor about cabinets and deals. I was worried about the "banging the knee" problem - I have a total knee - not like you all don't but mine is fake:) and all titanium with no fat or muscle padding. I should go back to my LQS and really check it out. I wonder if you had a cabinet 6 inches higher?? I'm a habitual leg crosser - hmmm - more homework.

Thanks again - I truly appreciate your comments.

Happy Quilting,
jo

**View My TQS Profile** · by **fiberwoman** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:28 pm

I also experienced the knee-banging frustration; thought it was just me. :oops:

This was about 25 years ago, and I think it was a Koala rather than Horn. It was very cheaply made at that time. They could very well be better now. Anyway, what I noticed was that where the machine set in was so far to the left that when you attempted to sit in front of the needle area of the machine to sew, you had to be so far to that left side that your leg/knee couldn't help but hit the side panel/wall of the cabinet. Make sense? I recommend sitting down at several cabinets - with a machine in place - and see if this could be a problem for you. I now have an awesome set up, made by Nortwest Sewing in Seattle and Everett. If you're fortunate to have a DH who is a woodworker, give him an assignment to make one......If mama is happy....... :lol:

Jan

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