I woncered if there is a tutorial for making a large ironing board or if some one can help with directions, Thanks

You will love yours!
I made one.

It's easy peasy
I took a piece of plywood, cut to the length I wanted and I rounded the corners so they weren't so pokey.

Lay your cotton material (I used stripes cause I had it in canvas and it was fun to look at) that is about 3-4" bigger than your board on each side.

Put 2 thicknesses of cotton batting on that,
Lay your board on that.
Take a staple gun and wrap around the fabric and staple... all the way on one side - then do the other side, stretching the material as you go.

Then do the short ends the same way - pulling, and stretching to get it tight.

I then took pieces of 1x2" boards, cut in to 4 pieces,
Lay your ironing board on top and mark where you should put your cut pieces of wood - I put one on each side of the length of it and one on each side of where the ironing board tapers... then nail them in place.

Bam! You got a kickin' ironing board that other quilters are jealous of! I know that my sewing group loves my ironing board!

I just made on last week out of an old piece of plywood that was just hanging around in the barn. I used 2 layers of batting and duck cloth on top. Hardest part I had was cutting the plywood! I made mine 24 x 60. Cost me NOTHING as I had all the materials needed!

Could you post pics of yours? Yarn or Fabric AND Melinda in Tulsa??

Thank you so much, I have the board, but didn't know how to layer the fabrics. Top with either duck cloth or cotton canvas?

I was wanting a large ironing board too! Since my DH and two DS's are all in construction, I might have a chance of getting their help! I LOVE this site!!!

I just did a google search on "big board ironing board" and came up with lots of hits. Some for sale, expensive, lots of "how I did it" stories with pictures. Some of the hits were from this site.

Try it! :thumbup:

Here are a few pics.
I assume you wanted to see the back side of mine...
I lowered the ironing board to the floor for the second one. just to be able to get a top view but I'm sure you all can get the idea of it.

For me, since space is an issue, I cut my plywood at 18"x48. I was able to get the half sheet of plywood from Home Depot and I gave the other half to a friend months ago. She never did make hers...

But.... it works for me. I like it a lot. If I had more room, I would have loved one bigger but I think it's just right. I also keep a table top one I got from Ikea for like $3 or so a few years back. That one sits by my cutting table while I'm in my craft room - I don't have room for my big ironing board in the craft room...

I wish I could post a picture but alas I have hid my camara from myself. It was very easy to make.

I cut a piece of plywood 24x60, (Measure your ironing board and the place you will have it set up for YOUR measurements that fit for you. I think others have made them 22x60.) I laid my ironing board on top and nailed 4 short pieces of 2x2 on all 4 sides of the ironing board so that it fit snug, but not tight. I turned it right side up and put 2 layers of batting on it and stretched and stapled it down with a staple gun, mitering the corners.

Then I put a piece of duck cloth on and stapled it down the same way. I think you could use any type of cotton for the covering. I just had duck cloth that I wasn't using so that is what I made the top cover from.

Believe me, the hardest part was using the circular saw out in the hot barn!!! And since I already had everything, it cost me nothing. This was not a new piece plywood. I had to sweep all the cobwebs, dust and dirtdobber's nests off of it before cutting it and bringing it in the house! Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info.

That's really neat! Thank you!

I just checked over in Tutorials and no one has posted a tutorial on this. Any chance you could post it over there? It would make it really easy to find later on.

Quilters can be so creative!

I already typed up the directions in my first post here... I could copy and paste it and put it up over there I suppose.. It's really easy peasy to make - and can be made in any size.

Maybe if someone makes one they can take pics along the way? I didn't think to take pictures of the process... but I think the directions I wrote up before might do the trick.

I'll put it up over there right now ;)

Thanks! I just showed DH your pics and he said he would help me!!!!! It will have to wait until we get back from our trip overseas though!

Somewhere on the board, a quilter was showing pictures of her beautiful huge basement sewing area. There she had an ironing table that had a shelf underneath for storage. I dream about having that ironing station, lol... or at least visiting it!

It may have been mine. I purchased an unfinished kitchen island on wheels from a local discount store. I then made myself an ironing surface from a sheet of plywood, cut for free at Lowes. I covered it with the silver heat proof fabric from Joanns plus a layer of batting and a white cotton sheet. It is just the right height, more than large enough and the drawer and shelves underneath are great.

I have two actually..that I made. One I never put away. it is actually a table. I got some telescoping legs from Ikea and put a melamine top on it I had cut at Home Depot. Underneath are those wire cubes with plastic bins in it. I have recovered it several times. You can use any nice light cotton (including muslin), cotton duck or that ironing board fabric. You will hear pros and cons on all those! (typical quilters...:-D )Here is the picture of the table one. (this has not been covered in the picture, but had cotton and now ironing board fabric. I don't really have a preference on the fabric..just LOVE a large ironing surface!)

Sharon Schamber has a free video on her webpage. I made one and love it (24" x 48"). I just placed it on top of a portable table and it's very sturdy. I think I will go back and make a smaller one to place to right of sewing machine.

www.sharonschambernetwork.com

This is one thing I have as a direct result of this forum!
My DH looked at the pictures, then made me one. It's not too heavy and best of all - the edges are parallel. No more narrow end where the fabric doesn't get pressed well.

Here's a link to some more discussion and pictures about making an ironing board topper.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-22654-1.htm

Stupid question I know, but, how thick is the plywood you used?

NOT a stupid question! I think you need to know how sturdy the legs you want to use are. I have use MDF but I picked one that was too flexible and was sorry. I have also used Melamine..but it gets wet from the moisture the iron picks out of the air. Pick one that will not flex in the dimensions you want. (I can just see it now...lots of quilters in the plywood aisle of the home improvement store..trying to flex the plywood! lolol)

I didn't measure mine as it was plywood I had on hand but I'm going to say it was either 1/2" or 5/8". 3/4" would be great but also heavier. HTH

I got the quilted fabric like you would use for hot pads.
not sure what they call it but I layed it on the board and stapled to the bottom.
Works great did my seveal years ago. I didn't want to pay big buck for something I knew i could make.

I'm pretty sure I used 3/4" plywood on mine. 1/2" is too flimsy imho.

Yay...I finished my large Pressing board. I followed Sharon Schamber's video on You Tube. It uses 5/8 width OSB board cut to the size you need, 100% cotton canvas and 100% cotton batting(warm and natural). Layered on my kitchen table, canvas first, batting second,sprayed with spray adhesive, then the board. stapled, put it on the top of a table I bought at WalMart, sprayed really much with water and will let it dry tonight to shrink any ridges out, and is ready to go tomorrow! Hardest part was lifting it onto the table. Thanks for everyone's advice, I appreciated it.

That really looks neat. Thanks. Hope yo can do a tute. Sue