Question about starch
 

How do you stop spray starch from ruining your ironing board?

This might be considered a stupid question but please bare in mind that I've never used starch in my life before starting quilting. Since using spray starch the cover for my ironing board has become incredibly stiff and even torn in places due to the amount of starch thats accumulated on it over the past while. I realise that I will now have to buy a new one but how do I protect the new one from ending up like the current one?

Silly question I know!

I use a table top ironing board for quilting so that I don't have to worry about ruining my good ironing board. My friend made an ironing pad that folds up nice and small for storage. She bought the metallic stuff, layered it, and backed it. She uses this only for quilting projects.

I make a new cover when the old one gets dirty. Just use your old one as a pattern,or just trace around your board, then be sure to allow for the edge of board and casing for your string or elastic.

I put muslin or pretty cotton fabric around the board and pin in place using safety pins. I take it off and wash it when it gets grungy. If you do take the fitted cover off and wash, put it back on the board while it's wet. It will dry and fit the board tight with no wrinkles. And it's much easier to get on the board wet.

I have made a couple with a drawstring from old cover used for a pattern. Super easy to wash. Mine were made from old sheets with large thread count.

I have never ruined an ironing board cover using starch; been starching fabrics since the 60's....is on in board covers are washable, starch washes away. Into don't use so much starch that it saturates,soaks the board. When I notice anything on my cover I take it off & launder it. If it am using a lot of fusible stabilizer products and not using my applique pressing sheet I use a sheet of freezer paper pressed to my ironing board cover; sometimes that stays on for a long and, when it becomes dirty or has build up on it I can peel it off & toss it.

I keep several pieces if muslin to just throw over the board when starching. (I use an ironing mat on the table and haven't had to pin it). Wash when needed and us another.) Like Tartan's idea of freezer paper! Will try that.

I made a cover just turning under the edges of fabric and then used binder clips to attach to the ironing board. I wash mine about every two weeks.

I like these ideas. Now I have to put them to use! TFS

I usually put a scrap of fabric folded a few times on the board to absorb over spray and toss it in the wash when dirty.
peace