Great idea! I've been drroling over those large ones in the catalogs. When I figure out where I could store it, I'll have to pester my DH to make me one! Thanks for sharing!

nice job

That sounds marvelous.

And quite in tune with what an older lady told me many
years ago who worked in a dry cleaners'. She said that they
used two heavy wool blankets as a base, on top of a piece of
metal, then a tight cotton top. This would hold the heat and
moisture in and do a marvelous job of ironing, much better
than the (at that time) available pull-on covers.

Works nicely for me, but it's about time to make it new, it's
about 40 years old now and looking kinda grungy. But it still
works!!

It looks fabulous!! Great job!!

Wow, that is so cool. What a help.

Having the same problem, but having no man around to make anything, I went to a second-hand store and bought a butcher block type dining table (average dining size). Then put fire-retardant batting on the top and covered that with the boring silver ironing board cover fabric I picked up at Joann's. Stapled all down and have a large board. I put my cutting board on top of this when I cut and it helps hold the fabric excess then too.

I "store" mine in my guest room closet along with my regular ironing board. On a day to day basis.... the ironing board is set up for use with the "big board" on..... I made mine the same size as the commercial one just in case I ever want to purchase a premade cover.

[quote=rivka]After listening to me kvetch about how annoying it is to iron 44 inch wide fabric on a regular ironing board (because of the tapering end), my husband made me an ironing board top. It's so awesome and big, I love it!]

Great that you have someone who will do things like this for you. I bought a 5' folding table at Office Depot when they had a sale and covered it with a mattress protective cover and a special ironing cover (got it at a quilt show). It is great. Sometimes would like it longer, but....

I also have a 6' folding table that I use for my cutting board....LOVE IT. I took 2" plastic plumbing pipe and cut it into 9" sections to "lift the table" so it would be high enough. My ironing table is not quilte as tall.

Thank you for the great instructions.
I sent a link to your post to my DH and he went right out to his workshop, found a chunk of wood and made me an ironing board top. Then he helped me staple down batting and I just happened to have some heavy-duty fabric for the top. Since he used an offcut from something, mine isn't as big as yours, but I told him I was willing to start out a little smaller and see if was too annoying.
I LOVE IT!!
A quilting friend came by with her DH soon after we finished and he had a good look at it. Now she's going to get one, too.
See what one little post has done?

Today I bought a wooden tv tray and covered it the same way. Now I can sit it next to my sewing machine and I have a small travel iron so that I can iron blocks as I sew. Then I just fold it up and put it away. I can also easily carry it to classes. I am going to make a carrying case for it out of painters drop cloth.