Like you Polly I like to get up close! I have a fairly "roomy" desk and the
machine sits on top to the side. When I need to use Jammin' Janome I whip
her top off and pull her close (talkin' dirty all the while, tellin' her how
I'll oil her up and clean her out.... but that's another story!), usually
about 6-8" away from the desk's edge. Close.

--
Sharon from Melbourne Australia (Queen of Down Under)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/craft.html (takes a while to load)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shazrules/my_photos (same as website but
quicker)

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
ink.net...
So that we're all singing from the same page, the measurement I took was
from the needle to the front edge of the table. My sweet old Singer is
mounted in a 'real' cabinet and it is permanently set at 10 and 1/4". The
Berninas (I can move them) are only 6 1/4" from the edge. I like to get
up
close and personal with the SM. Not so close that I get banged in the eye
with the uptake lever - but pretty close. 'Somehow' you probably will
have
to decide what's best for your own eyesight and comfort. I don't know how
much countertop you can have to the sides of the SM but do try to have at
least 12" to the right and as much as you can get to the left; 12' would
be
really cool. Polly

"Jane asked My husband is making me a sewing table, just a piece of
countertop with a hole cut out, in which to set the sewing machine. The
problem I have with my present cabinet is that I can't sit directly in
front of the needle, but have to "lean to the left" to sew. I also find
that the needle is too far away, 10.5 inches from the edge of the table.
With this new table I will be able to sit directly in front of the
machine, but I don't know how far from the edge it should be.
Tables such as the ones made by Horn appear to have the machine
closer
to the edge. Can anyone tell me what works best for you? I was thinking
4-6 inches from the edge of the table to the needle.
Opinions?

TIA,
Jane