I've been reading recently about ironing quilt tops and backings.

Do you use your regular ironing board? A large 2 x 5 ironing board? or a Table size ironing board for this?

Pictures?

I made "big board" surfaces for all my ironing boards. They are available on the net for about $99 each but I made two which included the wood, padding and top fabric for about $35. I believe they are a must for quilting and sure easier in ironing clothes. There are instructions at various places on the web but I made them myself and I'm not too handy at wood working.

Waiting for hubby to go away this week end. Going to build my own. I have the "parts" just have to assemble. Going to put it on 2 cabinets so I have more storage.

on my wish list

I took a sewing class many years ago and the instructor said the best ironing board is to take 3/4" plywood board and on top of it layer 3 Army wool blankets cut to size and then top with a canvas or duck cloth type fabric. I did this for the top of a cabinet I have in my sewing room and it is the only ironing surface I use. It is great and it is multi-purpose. I use it for cutting and anything else you can imagine that I need a flat- surfaced work area for. When the top fabric is soiled, I just replace it and it is good to go again. I am attaching a photo.

I wish someone could tell me how to rotate my photos. I have not figured this out yet.

On my wish list too....I use the kichen table with towels, lol!

Bessie, if you right click on the picture, you should get a menu that gives you the option to rotate the picture clockwise or counter clockwise.

That is a terrific idea and looks perfect.

Thank you very much for this suggestion, but I have done the right click and selected rotate and it is still not happening. It may be the Vista program that is not allowing it. I have had other issues with photos on other programs. Will have to be sure I have vertical shots of what I want to post so I don't have this problem.

Bessie - I see you have THREE irons in the picture?

Do each of them do something different?

I have two Rowenta irons - one with the auto shut-off which I use basically when I am ironing clothes because I want it on. This feature annoyed me though when I am sewing quilts so I got a Rowenta that does not have the auto shut-off feature so it stays hot all the time.

The smaller iron is a dry iron with no steam feature. I use it mostly when I do embroidery transfers or when I want to fuse a stabilizer to fabric when I am making handbags. I find it works better than the Rowenta irons even if you have the steam feature off. Probably just a personal preference.

Thanks - that makes sense.

My big ironing board top is the best thing I have ever made! Don't put off making one for yourself!!!! It makes ironing the new fabric a piece of cake & gets you a nice large surface to iron those blocks & pieces on as you sew. I made 2 of them from 1 piece of 4x8 wood and now need to buy another ironing board so I can iron the 105' fabric end to end. Doubt that will fit in my sewing room but I can iron in a bigger room for that chore. I made my boards 20" by 5' and the wimpy WalMart ironing board holds it just fine...I was worried about that!

If you do a search here you'll find that some members have posted instructions on making these. :thumbup:

I bought a cabinet door from a thrift store and covered it with batting, insulbright and fabric. The size is 16 1/2 in. wide by 72 in. long. I plop it onto the ironing board or can put it on the table. I also made a smaller one for ironing smaller pieces.

I've been wanting to make one of these to put over my old ironing board. Thank you to the person who gave her 20" x 5' dimensions!

They are SO worth having!

I had a large table that did not match any other table in the house and we did not use so I put cotton ironing board padding on it and heavy cotton duck which I stapled down tightly all around the edge. on top I have a cutting mat which can be easily removed if I am using the iron surface. it is 3' X 5'. I absolutely love it. best use of an old table.

I did purchase a Big Board at a quilt show and love it. But I can see that you can easily make one. I also purchased the cutting board that is half the length.

It is great for both ironing and cutting as I can adjust the height of the ironing board. I love everyone's ideas here. I am looking for a cabinet to put in my sewing room that it can sit on and I would have storage underneath.

I still use my standard ironing board, but I have not been making anything larger than lap quilts. When my sewing room gets set up, it will have a big ironing surface of some kind in it :D:D:D

I have the 24" x 60" that I can use on my ironing board or remove it if I need to iron a shirt.

I was thinking I may "NEED" a BIGGER board for ironing a quilt top without moving it too much.

BIGGER like a Table (3x5 sounds/looks right) Thanks for showing picture. I even thought of something like a Ping Pong table...got a very old one of those I could remake into an ironing board.

Hmmm....another project in my head :(

I have a question. My brother made me one out of some wood that was left over from another project. I have some 80/20 batting, would that be ok to use do you think? Or should I bite the bullet go get some 100% cotton batting? I don't have wool blankets we are allergic to wool.

Right click on picture you sent.
Save to My Pictures as ironing board
Go to My pictures and right click on "ironing board"
Open with Paint
View, Rotate until you get it the way you want it
Save

Great board!

When I was on retreat in April, they had taken an old kitchen table, screwed a piece of wood under the opening for inserting the leaf so it would not open. They might have removed a section down the center of the table to reduce the width and secured both halves under the table with piece of wood and possibly glue. It was then covered with a piece of plywood covered with several layers of batting and a couple of layers of muslin. The plywood was screwed to the table top from under the table. The table was placed on bed risers. It worked great and was very stable. Another piece of plywood could be place on top and it would be a cutting/craft table and would keep the ironing surface clean when not being used for ironing.

post a picture when you get your ironing board done

I found a very firm non giving ironing surface is best for pressing quilt blocks. If the surface sinks in the fabric will conform to the shape of the surface no matter how slight. I use a a 14 x 14 3/4" plywood board, with one thin layer of cotton batting, covered in cotton duck canvas to use to press quilt blocks and pieces. It's easy to remove the staples and recover when needed.

I love seeing ideas for ironing boards!

Great ideas for making your own ironing board. Where do you get the wool blankets? Think Army Surplus would have those?

Where do you get cotton duck canvas? I've never heard of it. Also, I have a really, really nice, huge table that I use partly for cutting (with a mat on top, of course.) I want to make a pressing board on it as well. If I use what you are using, will this protect my table underneath? Or should I use something that "blocks" the steam from hitting the table? Right now, I just have a small pressing mat on it that I use, but the steam has already hit the table and taken some of the finish off. Thanks, Sarah in Northern CA

I bought a lot of the duck canvas at Walmart a long time ago when it was cheap. Most all I've seen have a fabric design or solid color. It's very stiff but flexible. Cotton ticking would be good too, any tightly woven fabric would be good.

I have got cotton duck at both Joann's and Hancocks. Sometimes it is called cotton canvas or duck cloth.

I wish someone could tell me how to rotate my photos. I have not figured this out yet.[/quote]

lmao!!!! Hey, we can tilt our head. Great surface.

Try this for rotating. When you look at your photos in the folder on your computer, try to find 'thumbnails' in the view screen. Then put your mouse on the picture, RIGHT click. You should get a drop-down menu with rotate clockwise or rotate counterclockwise. Click on the appropriate one. Voila! Image rotated. Of course, all this depends on how you downloaded your photo, how you store the image, what operating system your computer is on, yada, yada, yada. Hope that helps.

putting in on cabinets is a great idea....my dh travels for work at least once a week, and there is a salvage shop not far frm work....i think i have some shopping to do....my dd & ddil both quilt with me, and storage is becoming an issue...thanks so much for the idea!!!

I found great instructions on how to make a "Big Ironing Board" on www.quiltcampus.net
I think you then go into Library--Newsletter Articles. Then on you left will be the Big Ironing Board title that you can click on. This is a fabulous ironing board at a very reasonable price that you can make.

I use a regular ironing board, but ironing is now 100% easier and quicker with the Rowenta pressure iron and steamer I bought recently. When I used a regular iron, I really wished I had a much bigger board.

Here is your picture rotated.. Did it for you! :)

Missouri Star Quilt Co did a tutorial on making a 34" by 36" (approx) size ironing surface. The wood they suggested was 1/4" floor underlayment material because water does not effect it. It is also light and can be carried to a class or retreat. They took an old towel and doubled it to lay on the board and covered it (made it like a pillow case, can take it off and wash easily) in regular fabric. I am like BellaBoo, I like a firmer board. I have always been told that is best for applique, too. The floor underlayment material can be found at any lumber co., and you could make any size you want.

I love my new big board so much that I made a video about it! What a nice difference it makes when pressing yardage :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhFNl7TrFow