I change my ironing board cover when I get tired of the one on it. I find great novelty prints on sale that I love but have no use for using in a quilt so I use them for my ironing board covers. Life is too short to not have a pretty ironing board cover.

My mother always used worn out sheets or anything she had. I use towels &/or blankets with a sheet for a cover. You can buy a set of little springs with hooks on each end to hold the cover on your board. Pretty sure they are available at WalMart in the household section. That way you don't have to cut & sew anything.

I don't see the reason to use old worn items to make an ironing board cover, you end up with an old worn ironing board cover. ?

I have used an old cotton mattress cover, where the middle is worn out but sides are still in good condition. I had saved this mattress cover, thinking I could use it as batting for a smaller quilt or wall hanging. It turned out to be perfect to use as padding for my worn out ironing board cover. I doubled the padding, using the long sides of the old mattress cover. Now an impression of the grating from the metal ironing board won't even get pressed into fabric I'm ironing! To hold it taut, I used stretchy elastic ironing board cover & mattress pad clips. These are about $2-$3 for a set of 4, maybe you can find some the in the $1 store. I Hope this works for you. Oh, I washed mattress pad before I cut up. :P

I use left over cotton batting for the pad under my ironing board cover.

I always read that a solid hard surface was the best way to iron/press. If the steam or heat goes out the bottom of the board it's not a good ironing surface. The open grid boards are made that way to save on cost and make it lightweight.

The hooks misseva mentioned are available at JoAnn's too. Also, they have the kind of coated fabric that many ironing board covers are made of available by the yard.

I recently made 2 covers, one for my SIL and one for myself. I used the Instructables fabulous ironing board tute. I re-used the nylon binding that was on my original cover. Used 2 layers of cotton blend quilt batting. Cover made from cheeta print fabric I found on clearance at Walmart. I just love it! http://www.instructables.com/id/Fabu...g-board-Cover/

an old sheet or beach towel, then the ironing board cover.

It depends on if you are covering an IRONING board (which you use for clothes with buttons or zippers) or a PRESSING board (which you use for quilting)... there is a difference! For ironing, you need a padded surface and for pressing you need one that isn't as padded and is quite firm. I have one ironing board for clothing construction and 3-4 different sized pressing boards to use by my machines or to put on top of the ironing board. If you embroider, you want a padded board that you press the embroidery on (possibly even on top of a towel also) from the wrong side. (makes the stitching stand out more). I hope that helps you understand why different people use different things, according to their needs.

I have two ironing boards that I did this to and love them now. What they came with was too thin.

We had some carpeting laid in a few rooms and I saved the padding that was left over. Took it and cut it out to the size and shape of the ironing board. Laid it on top of the board and then covered it with flannel. Then made a cover out of cute fabric and stretched it over the two layers and gathered underneath with the drawstring I put around the cover. Looks great and nice and padded. Cheap and you don't waste any batting!

Hi: I use towels on my regular ironing board, but had not thought of a TV tray. I have some old wooden TV trays stored in the attic, so with all the ideas, I'll make one up for next to my sewing table. I hate getting up and down to use the ironing board. GiGi

Iron your clothes?!

was wondering the same thing so glad to see these posts

my hubby built me a 'big board' that fits over the usual ironing board, I covered it with cotton batting, terry cloth and then muslin........ then drew out some different size squares on it with marker. they help alot when pressing out blocks to a certain size!

I would go with the low loft cotton batting. I wouldn't think a towel would be firm enough. You want it to be firm to press seams for quilting.

I use 2 layers of cotton batting and it really holds up well. My husband made me a big board that fits over the top of my ironing board and I love it. They are well worth the effort of making and covering them.

I buy a quilted cotton mattress cover from the thrift store and use that thick top layer for the lining. I also use it for the inside of potholders, hot pads, etc. They are usually only a couple dollars for a twin or full size and go a long way in projects.

Use batting and insolate.

Less is better for pressing fabric and blocks. If your padding is to thick, the iron sinks down and it can distort the shape of the block. A few layers of warm and natural is just right :D:D:D

I've read of many people felting an old wool army blanket that belonged to a relative or was found at a thrift or army surplus store. Those are supposed to make great padding for ironing boards.

I used 2 layers of an old mattress pad, folded the edges to the back of the plywood big board my husband cut for me then stapled the edges in place with a staple gun. The pad has been then there for years. I just add a new top as needed.

I know, what's with that ?

Thanks everyone! I now have a plan of action from what you've posted. DH is out all day, so I'm going to tackle making a new cover today--hopefully (we'll see if my little one cooperates). Super excited to have a cover I actually enjoy looking at.

And, I love the idea of the pressing board made out of a wooden TV tray. I'm going to search a couple thrift stores to try to find a TV tray I can use.

Doesn't that destroy your quilting iron??

I have no experience with rebuilding the padding part but I love using a plain piece of braodcloth (so inexpensive usually at JoAnn's). It's folded double and I simply clamp it to the ironing board using those big binder type clips. Using a large quilting pin I kind of gather/pleat the shape of the pointed end, pinning underneath. The beauty of this is the ease of removing it when it's too full of starch etc and throwing it in the wash. The main downside is if you also iron a lot of shirts - which I avoid at all costs!!!- the clips can get in the way a bit.

I am sure mine is set to self destruct upon contact with anything other than quilting fabric. I saw that in the safety warnings and took it very much to heart. As a nurse in my previous life, I take safety most seriously!! :thumbup: :-D

Cotton batting works great and Hancock Fabrics (store) carried a ironing board fabric that is the metalic look of the purchased ones. I had my husband cut me a board large enough for placemats to be ironed on it. I then padded the board with cotton batting and covered it with muslin. It works great.

I use an old wool blanket that I bought at a garage sale.
works great.

My experience with a new fiberglass ironing board cover & pad makes me wonder about your theory on open grid boards. I bought this pricey product called "Miracle Cover" at a local quilt show. I ignored the product's instructions to 'remove existing covers and pads' and put their thin yellow foam pad and fiberglass-cloth cover on top of a cotton-based batting pad and canvas/broadcloth-type cover--the kind you can get at JoAnn's with a sewing grid on top.

The "miracle cover" claims to reflect heat and enable ironing of even stubbornly-wrinkled materials like linen on medium heat, ironing both sides of whatever you are ironing while saving energy, etc., etc. I don't care about the energy savings but I am interested in cutting down the effort and time it takes to iron wrinkles smooth.

Long story short, I was ironing my way through a substantial collection of new and recently washed/dried stash, using lots of steam in the process. At one point, I spilled a quart measuring cup of water on the fiberglass cover. The water mostly beaded up, but I took off the cover to make sure it hadn't leaked through to the pads below. What I found was a big mess--not from the spill--but from the days of ironing with lots of steam. By the fortuitous spill I stopped the moisture build up before everything mildewed, but the JoAnn cover was streaked and moist, with no indication of that on the surface.

My theory is that the open grid in the board is designed to release steam and aerate our pads so as to prevent moisture build up under our covers. By double padding with my new 'miracle' cover, the steam wasn't able to penetrate the second layer of pad and cover, and thus never made its way to the open grid to dissipate and dry out.

Has anyone else tried "Miracle Ironing Board Covers"? They make a travel version (18 x 24) and are available in a variety of
additional sizes. Could serve for those wanting iron portability next to their machines or on the road.