Welcome to another Sewing Myth Buster! In this column I am happy to give my professional advice to help fellow sewers elevate their sewing and to have more fun while learning to sew faster and better!

Portable Machines Make Sewing Easier
Today most home sewers sew on a portable sewing machine, the kind with a handle on top so you can store it in a closet and pull it out anytime you need. For those who do not have a specified room for sewing this is a good thing, right? Well, maybe not.

Hands-down, the perfect sewing scenario is to have a sewing cabinet that the machine sinks down in. The table surface around the machine should be "flush" with the bed of the sewing machine and it should be large enough to allow your sewing projects to lay completely flat as you sew them. Some tables even have an extension leaf that can be used for large projects like coats, capes, full length gowns and quilts. Here is a link to the cabinets I love!

If the space or finances for a cabinet are not available, another option is a portable table that provides the same benefits. Take a look here for a portable table or Here. Although these tables are a bit narrow in depth you can always butt them up to another table.

If a portable table does not fit your situation then an extension table is a "MUST"! An extension table is usually clear plexiglass and can be purchased for any make or model of sewing machine.

Here are just a couple of reasons you should only sew with an extended surface. When you sew on a machine that sits on top of a table there is precious little room for you to control the garment while trying to sew straight seams. You may not even realize how much extra work you are doing and how detrimental it is to accomplishing the best results. Let's talk about a large project, maybe a coat or a gown. As the garment proceeds through the machine it falls off the back and side, then the weight of the project begins to pull and cause stress as you work harder to keep the seams straight and the project under control. Now think about your arms and shoulders and how much less stress it will be to have everything on a flat surface. The side benefit here is you can sew longer without fatigue.

Even without using Islander Sewing techniques having a flat surface makes your sewing easier and better. Using Islander Sewing Systems (no pins) the extended surface is one of the keys to faster and better sewing! 

You can purchase an extension table for absolutely any sewing machine at: Islander Sewing.com