which is more important?
 

a large ironing board or a cutting station?

I'm redoing my sewing room and don't have room for both, since DH is making me a ginormous sewing table. He made me a large ironing board in the past (24 x 68), but now I've gotten some cabinets from the start of the remodel (one with three drawers and one with two shelves) and we have a large piece of granite that can go on top (34 x 58). If I keep the cutting station, I could make a pad (like a fitted-sheet, type thing) for when I'm doing big ironing jobs, or I could just set up my ironing board briefly. But if I keep the ironing board, I could just use the free end of my sewing table for cutting, though it will be lower.

If you had your druthers, what would you choose?

Big cutting table wins my vote. I usually don't have enormous pieces of fabric to press.

i prefer the large cutting station, which is what i have. to iron, i have a small table top board which i set on one end of the cutting station. if i have to iron yardage, i have a large ironing board in a storage closet.

Well, first of all, your sewing room redo sounds wonderful!

It it was me, I'd opt for a large cutting table and put an ironing surface on top of it when needed. You can make a portable ironing surface by covering a piece of OSB or plywood with with a layer of batting and then muslin. That way you can set it on top of your cutting table when needed.

I would rather have the large cutting table. I have a small ironing board that I can put on my cutting table. It works fine.

Go for the cutting station, add a Martelli cutting mat! You can iron on it! Doesn't hurt it, warp, etc. Best of both worlds! Keep you ironing board in a closet or out of the way and if you have a big ironing job, pull it out.
http://www.martellicatalog.com/mm5/m...egory_Code=MAT

my vote is for cutting

I have a large cutting station, much of which gets covered with fabrics, books, patterns, and other junk. We made the cutting station by purchasing two bookcases at about $17 each (on sale) from Staples and laying a solid core 36" door on top. It's not nailed down, just resting on top of flannel pieces that protect the bookcase tops, but it stays steady, is at exactly the right height for cutting, and is easily moved if that becomes necessary. Plus the bookcase shelves are useful, and I can store other things under the table. I also have an ironing board in that room (large normal size purchased at Costco years ago). I do iron large pieces of fabric quite frequently, and I make do with that board. I would not give up the size of the cutting station, but I do wish I would set fewer things on it, because I'm always clearing things off to cut fabric or batting.

To me cutting station is more important.