Sewing Machine Table

The more I see of the table, the more I like it. Especially the curved drawers with trim.

-- Jack - Mission Viejo, Calif

Beautiful piece. Wonderful selection of wood. Great craftsmanship. Well done Blake, your mom must be proud!

-- David, O.C., California

Zowie! Look at that happy Mom…
This is outstanding work, Blake.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Blake this looks fantastic, especially for a first attempt at a piece of furniture.

The only thing is the table top, the wood is unusual and looks fantastic, but it is a shame you could not have book matched the boards. It would have taken the piece to whole new level.

Hindsight of others is a wonderful thing!

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

Stunning work Blake. I can feel the love that went into it, both for your mom and for the work. Great figure in that wood.

-- http://dustynewt.webs.com/

Your mom looks very happy! Great job Blake!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Blake, that’s a beauty, and your mom looks happy. To look at it, you can’t even tell your forgot the drawers. I like the finish.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Blake. Man you are awesome. Not only did you design and construct a beutiful piece of useful furniture, you made MOM very happy. Tough combination. What’s even better now is that you can tell your siblings that your are her ”Favorite Son”. By the way, the Petunia blossom is almost as pretty as your Happy Mom’s smile! Has there ever been a better commission for anyone’s work?

-- Smile. Life can be FUN!

Well done and great photography by the way, the pictures really show it off. I didn’t know birch could look so nice.

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

I agree, I didn’t know birch could look so nice. I always thought it was scrap wood.
Fine job Blake.
Dave

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

Beautiful work Blake! I love the beading around the draws..looks like you planned it that way! The material selection is top notch..those curls sing! This is great work especially if you figure in that its your first furniture project, with first time trying most of the operations.

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

Gorgeous work Blake. I like your choice of hardware. The grain is beautiful. I have enjoyed your blogs along the way.

-- Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.

Love the timber. Well done.

-- Bob

Great job, Blake. I have enjoyed watching this one develop.

Your mother is obviously happy with the present.

Well done.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Blake,

Great job and great way to show your love for your mom. All of us know we would prefer a “homemade” birthday card (filled wil spelling errors, backward lettering, and imperfect coloring) from our little children than an over-priced Hallmark classic anyday. Your mom got a perfect “homemade” table that will speak to her of your love every time she sits to pursue what is probably her favorite pasttime.

You have blessed and honored your mother.

-- Sola Gratia, John

Nothing but the best for Mom. Great workmanship Blake that piece should age just wonderfully. thanks for posting Blkcherry

Very nice! When is your wifes birthday? What are you making her? Love your blogs.

-- Ron Central, CA

Fantastic job! I’m sure your mother will treasure it.

Beautiful! This is a fine piece of furniture. A great gift for your Mom. The circle of life, from son to mother and from one craft comes another. Kudos!

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

I’m overwhelmed, Blake. Every project you post seems to be better than your last. This is a truly marvelous piece! I can’t imagine what will top this. (Not to put any pressure on you…<g>)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Well executed Blake! Your mom’s smile proves it…..Way to go.
Jim

-- A duck that brags on his own pond, soon swims alone.

Blake – all the credo’s that have come before me are well deserved – it’s beautiful

-- Phil in British Columbia

That is just gorgeous !

-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/

Beautiful job, Blake!!

Your Mom will treasure this forever. Don’t be surprised when her friends start calling you to make them furniture!

Lew

Outstanding Job Blake!

-- Chris

Blake. A beautiful table and a great gift.

Great recovery on the construction problems.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Blake, All I can say is you must be an OUTSTANDING new and used tool salesman cause you ought to be making furniture for a living….

Excellent piece of craftsmanship….

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

Well Done nice & clean- I like the table top profile with the curved approns and drawer fronts =Very nice

-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,

Tony I thought the same thing with regards a book match but I think more than anything the light is tricking us. In the pic with Blakes Mom the curl looks very nicely matched, less so in the pic of just the top. I love this piece, I especially like the way the sapwood follows the curve of the front. Really well done Blake and your blog was great.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Came out great Blake. I can’t get over how you saved the drawers. Very ambitious for a first furniture project.

What’s next? .... Hmmm….Matching chair?

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

Blake,

This is just Awesome! The finish really brings out that beautiful figure. The design and scale are perfect as well as the execution and craftmanship. Your blog captured every step of the process. That last picture says it all. Great commission and great piece of furniture man!

-- Brian, Folsom, CA

Hmmm, as posted above the flower is breathtaking and your work is a equally perfect expression of natural beauty. The beading on the drawers, works so well….and the expression on your mother’s face is so wonderful…......as craftsman we sometimes struggle with the how to’s of a project in our busy mind’s, but when the “why” is so clear in our heart, each step makes more sense and comes so naturally. It truly is a well worn path that we as craftsman follow….I think the world is a little different today, the horizon’s alittle broader. Well done Blake, you did a good thing and thank you for sharing.

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.

Nice work, on the sewing table Blake. Your mom is going to enjoy it.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Beautiful!

Wow, that is awsome

-- Glenn, New Mexico

that is one GORGEOUS table and one very happy seamstress!!

Well done. (lots of brownie points for this one, huh?)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

wow…blake…spectacular…i really like the drawer pulls (?handles?)...and the drawer edge is a nice touch…not to mention the rest…is just fantastic!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

Blake,

This is an astoundingly beautiful piece. I think the bead around the drawers is better than none at all anyway.
It was a great solution to a stressful situation that really adds to the overall design.

The beauty is this; it is the essence of simplicity and perfect balance in design that maximizes the natural beauty of the wood. It is a perfect marriage of form and function in it’s simple elegance.

I encounter “firsts” all the time in projects. It is simply a matter of understanding that you already know the principles of woodworking, which one will you use as a solution to the challenges that you encounter?

You are already there brother LJ. Know what I mean?

Also, I really enjoyed the details of the progress and the lists of firsts. It was a lot of fun following this project.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Sweet!

always,
J.C.

-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein

Blake … you’ve got skills ! nice

-- ..... art for lifes sake

Blake,

That is one beautiful piece of furniture. Outstanding work.

-- John

nice been watching this project come together and it came out great! i really like the drawers and the birch’s figure is amazing! thanks for the post

Blake, I hadn’t seen your blog series until seeing your project post. What a fantastic table! You did an incredible job, in every way, design, wood choice, contruction, etc.! I had to go back and look at the entire blog series.

I really like the birch. I used it to build a wall of bookcases a few years back, I really liked working with it, but it didn’t have nearly grain you have in this sewing table. I’m sure your mom absolutely loves it.

Oh, and great blog series too. I enjoyed going through them. Thanks for posting them and the project.

-- Martin, Kansas

I can’t believe how nice that thing turned out. Simply beautiful.

I really like the drawer fronts, and the way the sapwood curves along the arch of the apron. Amazing eye for detail.

Kick ass job!!

-- Jarrod, Eagle Nest, NM http://anthologyfinefurniture.wordpress.com

...first piece of furniture…Blake you are going on my buddies list just so I can cross you off…I’m going to go hide in a corner and pout!
Actually that is AWSOME!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Nice piece Blake, beautiful. Your mother is worth every minute you put into it. Enjoy and rejoice that she is still with you and you are able to do for her. That bond be not broken. She will always cherish you and the gift.

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Amazing! Love the sap curve like the others as well as the use of the sap wood on the front and back edges. Can’t say too much that hasn’t been said. This has been a really fun project/blog to follow. I think that piece deserves hand turned or carved wooden knobs/pulls on those drawers! Can’t wait to see what you get into next!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I’ve had fun watching this table come to life. You really did a nice job Blake, you should be very proud.

I’m with Dorje—- what’s next?? :-)

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

Great looking sewing cabinet. Love the wood grain. Looks like Mom is very happy with her cabinet. Thanks for posting.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

Very very nice.

One of the best projects I have seen on LJ’s! And it has a detailed blog to boot! Great job, your moms smile says it all.

Thanks for the post and blog, that is soo cool. Absolutely beautiful. I like the way you used the natural grain, sapwood, growth structure to enhance your project. You have created something very special, thanks for sharing it with us.

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever... - Keats

It’s all been said above, but it bears repeating – wonderful job!

Kerry

-- Alberta, Canada

A thing of beauty. Great work.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Wow! That is incredible.

Mart

Great job Blake! The design, craftsmanship and finish all look fantastic. The “unplanned” beading around the drawers add a nice decorative touch to the front, which might have looked a bit too flat otherwise. Love it!
And thanks for the detailed blog, it was quite an adventure that we all enjoyed following.
Nick

-- Nick, Fremont, CA.

wow, that’s beautiful. that top is just stunning.

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

Wow, thanks so much for all the comments everyone!!! Marcel T, That’s quite a compliment! I had a great time building this project and it really got my confidence up for full-sized furniture in the future. Already the orders are coming in from family and friends, it will be hard to keep up. What do you think I should tackle next?

Thanks to everyone who followed my blog on the process. I will try to do that with future projects. I got so much great input along the way, so it was beneficial to everyone, it seems.

-- Dust collectors suck.

Are you kidding me? It’s GORGEOUS!

”Already the orders are coming in from family and friends, it will be hard to keep up. What do you think I should tackle next?”

What are the options?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

My sister wants a bed and a whole bedroom of furniture (we’ll see about that) and also a leaf box. My wife wants a huge jewelry cabinet of some kind and a table just like this one without the drop… but there is no space in our tiny studio for more furniture. My boss wants a humidor, and I never got around to making that travel humidor for my friend.

-- Dust collectors suck.

Blake,

Want more tools??? Start with the wife’s projects!!!! ;>)

Lew

Beautiful piece.

-- jeanmarc manosque france

If you have space for the jewelry cabinet on top of a dresser or something – I’d go for that…

You should do the humidor for your friend too…

Or – do what strikes your fancy!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Blake, The sewing machine table turned out looking real good. Sure it is well appreciated. Good luck and can’t wait to see work on other furniture pieces.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

Once again, I just have to say how much I love this project. I even blogged about it!
http://averagejanecrafter.blogspot.com/2008/06/handcrafted-for-crafty.html

:)
Great work!
Rachel

-- Average Jane Crafter, 'Cause crafting is just ... fun, averagejanecrafter.com

Blake

Beeee Yutiful …...oh yes …very nice job. And great looking wood …wow ….!!!!!!!!!!

-- Mike in Bonney Lake " If you are real real real good your whole life, You 'll be buried in a curly maple coffin when you die."

SUPERB! The wood is beautiful. Great craftsmanship & design.
Seamstress everywhere are gasping.

-- ''Carry on my wayward son''

Just found this jewel. Great job Blake!

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

I like that you designed this yourself. I know how much harder it is to design and build something rather than following a plan. Good job.

-- Dan, San Diego, CA

Hi Blake;

I missed this before. You did a great job in both designing and building this piece.

The wood is fantastic!

I bet your mom loves it.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Hey Blake, I followed the blog, but missed the posting of the finished piece….. wow, you knocked it out of the park! The design is stunningly simple. perfect form with just enough detail to highlight but not overwhelm it! I bet your mom is stoked, you should be too. great addition to your woodworking portfolio!

-- Fritz Oakland, Ca http://www.muegenburg.com (dedicated to my other hobby)

This is a tremendous piece of work. The figure on the top is beautiful.

-- Michael A. Brailsford