I was in an applique class yesterday and there was mention of using a lap board. I didn't get a chance to ask questions, so I am asking you:

If you use a lap board, did you make it or buy it?
What size is it?
What is the covering on the surface?
Is there batting on the top surface?

The way I imagine the thing: It looks like a covered piece of plywood that's been tacked to a pillow. DH is chomping at the bit to make me one. My man likes to help and if I let him (without guidelines) I will have half a sheet of ply on my lap. lol

I don't have one, but was thinking the other day as I was doing some hand piecing that one would be nice. My girls all had one when they were little, they loved to draw and color and it was great for them.
I'm thinking one would be nice for me now. If I remember correctly the size was about 12" x 18". If I were to have my DH make mine I would want fabric on the solid surface as well to help hold onto the fabric that would be laying on it!

I had a craft board that I used a lot. It was long enough to rest on the arms of my chair. This way if I moved around, it stayed in place (as well as the items on it LOL)

It would be handy if it had a little lip around the sides to hold items on it.

I don't know about padding... but I would have liked one of those cupboard, non slip liners laying on it.

I have seen other boards, that had a nice padding on the bottom, and it sat in your lap.

I don't think I have ever seen one that was padded on the top... I am not sure what the benefit to that would be? Now you have ME curious :D:D:D

I use to have a lap desk- wonder how close they are - the lap desk was hard plastic on top and on the under side was like a bean bag- so that it formed around to what it was sitting on - had a lip on it so things would not slide off of it.

I just use a toss cushion and it helps to keep the block at the perfect distance for appliqueing..it makes it more comfortable to work and you can also jab your pins and needle into it in when changing thread,etc..I have been meaning to make something flat on the bottom but the cushion has worked fine...if I were using a lap pillow I would use the flat part on my lap and the rounded part to work on..just my preference...

i use a sandpaper board i made out of a clipboard. one side i hand painted with roses, it's smooth, the other fine grade sandpaper for cutting and marking 1/2"

My problem? My lap is slowly disappearing! I really must do more walking!

fHa! That got me to thinking! I think I still have the one the grandkids used while riding in the car. It is soft, pillow like on the bottom and has a smooth hard surface on the top. I think the bottom part is filled with beads, like a bean bag. The hard top will slide off so there is a little storage spacee for pencils, coloring book, etc. Now I have to go hunting!!

easy to put a lip on it, just use balsa wood and little finishing nails or sturdy pin on the edges, voila instant edge to keep things where they belong. Grandson did it for me, must give credit where it belongs.

Mine too - ROFL. I just told DH that he needed to router the appropriate lumpies into the front edge. He left the room shaking his head. lol

Thanks for the replies, everyone. DH actually had a good idea: he suggested that a cutting mat would be a good surface in case I need to cut something. Since I have a warped mat, that may be just the ticket. I am leaving the construction up to him. We will start at 12x18 and take it from there. I have a piece of upholstery fabric with cats on it that may be the perfect use in this project.

amma, I was originally thinking "fluffy" for the top so it doesn't hurt the arm when you lean on the rough edge.

I'm still LOL about this line! :lol: :lol:

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, DH surprised me with a hand-made gift. It was a box - a LARGE box with LARGE compartments. I said: "Oh thank you honey, you made me a storage bin for all of my painting supplies." His face fell and I was puzzled. "It's NOT for your painting supplies" he answered. Now I am at a loss because he surely didn't make it for a shoe polish kit. (I don't polish shoes)

Finally he tells me: "It's a shadow box for your knickknacks." It was impossible for me to hide my surprise (as in not a good one). My knickknacks would have been lost and swallowed in the box. It ended up being the storage bin for my paints and it worked great.

That is why I am very careful when asking DH to build something for me. The instructions must be specified.

I use a lap board when I am hand sewing sitting on the lounge, but I also use it for trimming my scraps while watching TV.

It is just a piece of MDF that I put my 12 x 18 cutting mat on. I don't find that I lean my arms on the rough edge but lean more on the flat top but don't very often actually lean on it at all.

A lap board, as Cheri M....(the woman who makes the award winning applique quilts that Linda Taylor LA quilts) showed, is a piece of foam insulation with the silver stuff on the outside. I know you can buy it at Home Depot/Lowe's for about 12.00 a 4x8 sheet. (She says not to use the pink kind.) Hers is about 20 x 20 or so. She then pins her items to the board to hold her applique pieces and background. You could cover it with muslin, if desired. She keeps pins all around the edges of hers, and uses it as is to work on placing her applique pieces. I have some extra of the insulation (I used it for my design wall and covered it with flannel, so I could pin to it also if desired). I was going to cover it with muslin for myself.

I'm thinking of mounting it (glue?) on some thin board, and even could make the other side an ironing surface for the mini-iron that I use for the applique pieces. Then I'd have the best of both worlds - just flip it over - and it wouldn't be too heavy. (I could also cut an old cutting mat to fit and lay it on top if desired.) Lots of uses :)

Anyway, just my thoughts...
Debbie in Austin

Awww yes, I can see that... maybe a nice stuffed edge along that side of the table :D:D:D

A lot of us already HAVE a nice stuffed edge there!

I have two. One has a lip around it, and my netbook mostly lives on that one. I chose it specifically because of what it says on it: 'I want it all, I want it now, and I want it covered in Chocolate!' (It measures 17in x 13in).

The other one is semi circular, but with a smaller semi circle cut out to leave room for my tummy - sort of like a three quarters moon, but with rounded corners. This one has a plastic top, and no lip on it, but it's great for lots of things, even for resting a quilt book on. (about 20in at the widest part)

The part that I most like about both of them is that they have sort of bean bag cushions on the back of them so that I can angle them for comfort. I think they are filled with polystyrene beads.

I've used my June Tailor Cushioned Quilter's Square 'n Blocker for years. It's always handy, holds pins, fits nicely across my lap or chair arms. It's the perfect size for all my "stuff". I can use the measurements if needed or even press small pieces using the Clover mini iron.

Speaking of mini-irons - I recently broke down and treated myself to one. WOW, don't know how I ever did all those little pieces without one before. Makes a world of difference.

I remember a lap board my grandfather made of masonite. It was probably 4' long and about 18" deep with a cutout on one side for your body. It was light-weight and versatile. I used to sit in front of him and play cribbage by the hour. I think something like that could work. (I'm sure the edges were sanded a bit, but otherwise very simple to make.)

I have an ironing table I made with a wooden tv table. I think I found the instructions here??? it has a layer of warm and white then a piece of canvas stapled to it. You spray that with water and let it dry so it shrinks to fit. I love it beside my machine as my room doesn't have enough space for my ironing board close to me. I use the same ironing table for applique. I pin the top of the block to the canvas with straight pins, keeps everything from moving and the bottom part is loose for hand stitching. Don't know if this helps but it works great for me.

I just use a book of the kids. Its an atlas of the world and is the perfect size for this.

I hadn't really thought of using one, but its a great idea Mad. Maybe your DH can make one for me too! :wink:

I use a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan for a lap board. Has a lip all around. I really do want to find a way to put something on the underside, because it is cold when I put it on my lap!

What comes to mind is the soft writing desks that stores sell. I think they have masonite boards inside. And a cushion type backing.

I use one of my large square rulers and throw pillows the highth that I need . nothing on top of the ruler except my work, I do all my hand applique like this.

I bought a lap desk at Hobby Lobby and then hot glued a small cutting mat to it. The size was a perfect fit. It has a clip to one side that is perfect for holding on to a ruler or marking pencil until I need them. I use it for cutting small things, hand piecing, applique, etc. It has a handled so it is really easy to carry with me when I am working on the go.

I have one; it's a thin kidney shaped finished wood.
Got it years ago from an expensive stationary shop catalogue.
Used it for a long time then forgot I had it.

Have been using a large cafeteria tray that I appropriated from my local hospital. Works just fine. Told my son, when I die to return it.

I purchased a board that fits on the arms of your recliner and is rounded so you stomach has room. It is about a foot wide. I have a small lamp that when I sit down I put on it and my applique or what ever Iam working on it. If I need to mark my patterns Ihave a 12 x 18 ironing and cutting board I use. For our car I bought a 3" by 14" piece of foam and used a piece of flannel to cover it, so my pieces doesn't slide and can stick pins in as needed.

You can put raw beans in the bottom pillow part. They are less expensive than beads. I like the idea of having the top a cutting mat. I use to have one that I purchased at a craft fair.

Well, DH went to town and trimmed a piece of 1/4" Plywood to 18x12. Then he glued the non-warped piece of my warped mat and routered the whole thing. Smoothed the edges - not a splinter in sight. I have not decided yet if I will actually make a pillow bottom for it or simply lay it on a pillow. (Tried that yesterday and it worked like a charm.)

The reason I may not add the pillow bottom is: It is soooo much easier to store as a board.

I use a lap desk too, got them at Staples. They are handy for eating in the livingroom too. :thumbup:

One of the first notions I bought years ago was the June Taylor rotary cutting board and on the flip side there is a pressing station. Has measurements on both sides, a handle for carrying and is perfict to place on your lap for all kinds of projects. Good investment.

I love my June Taylor lap board! We had to get one for the applique class I'm taking and I was too lazy to try to make one. They are expensive but well worth it. I bought a large one, later on bought a smaller square one to take places in my sewing bag.

They are great. I like to sew in bed before I go to sleep and it's ideal. The applique background can be pinned to it so it stays flat without crimping. You can use the rotary cutting surface as a hard surface for tracing. You can stick your needle into the padded surface if you want to take a break. Best of all, you can clip a small ott-lite or LED clip on craft light to the edge.

One of the best notions I ever bought!

I have a lap board, the kind with the bean bag bottom and plastic top. Love it for any kind of craft I'm working on and it stays put. Have a lap frame for working on small quilt projects and a lap frame for my cross stitch projects. Egads, I could live in my chair with a lap board for everything. Love that your husbands are interested enough to make things, mine protests when I take up a new project but he is always there with support and ideas to make it easier. Love that man!

when I want to work on my lap, either doing hand stitching or on my mini puter, what I use is the lift out tray from a silverwear box, then top it off with a fabric covered and batt piece of masonite. the box/tray holds every thing I need, real handy, the flannel top (like a lid) holds my pieces in place. and my work surface is at a perfect hieght.

Try looking up a June Tailor,Quilters Cut and Press II. Overall 20 x 13, one side a lined cutting mat the other a padded / lined pressing pad. one end has a cut out handle for carrying. I watched, waited and stalked sales and finally got one with a 50% off coupon before our Jo Anns went out of business. LOVE it, works great for your lap, classes and small projects. I have tried the lap desks and wasn't enough room other than you can keep your project in the desk portion for safe keeping.

My husband made one for me when I was taking a applique class. It is a 12" x 18" piece of finished plywood. I took a pillow and put it on the bottom side and took a piece of fabric large enough to staple to all sides of the plywood. It worked wonderful for me. I would not cover the plywood though, defeats the purpose.

I've seen them mostly kids items, but makes me think I would have to have a lap for it. hmmmmmmm just saying.lol

I have one I made. It's 12" x 16". I used several layers of batting and then a top layer of Warm and Natural. The final layer was a top grade of muslin. I pulled the muslin very tight over the batting and stapled it to a 1/4" piece of plywood. Then I glued a piece of cutting mat to the back. I use it for making battenburg lace and can stick pins into the batting.

Also have a bed breakfast tray that just fits over my lap and between the arms of my recliner. It has legs, a formica surface and a half inch lip to keep things from falling off. Great for beading. Can also use them with my electric wheelchair.