Pressing Station, how to?
 

Hello, decided to make a larger pressing board to go over my ironing board for when I press my large lengths of fabrics and backings. My question is this, how many layers of cotton (I assume) batting do you put under the top cover (I'm using the silver stuff, whatever its called)? I assume you use only 100% cotton batting so I'll use some of the microwave Warn & Natural I have on hand. I have that silver fabric you use for ironing board as I picked it up years ago and never did anything with it. I'll pick up a 2 x 4 x 5/8" plywood board the next time I'm out and about. Just didn't know how many layers of batting to use so its not too swishy. What do the rest of you do?

Thanks for the advice.

I agree, I also prefer a firm pressing surface. I used 2 layers of batting and my cover is cotton duck, which IMHO, is much better than that slippery silver stuff.

I agree. I like the cotton ironing board cover. I have 2 pads under it, but they are pretty old and packed down well so they make a solid foundation to press on.

When I want to press larger pieces of fabric, I clear off one of tables and put an old wool blanket I got from an estate sale over it and press there.

I used just one layer of Warm and Natural -- the regular type with scrim. I might have been smart enough to place the scrim side down but I'm not sure. Covered that layer with inexpensive duck cloth from Walmart. Has worked fine for me for several years now. Biggest problem I have is that the duck cloth is now stained, plus it collects cat hair like a magnet. The top is still functional, but it looks terrible. Haven't decided whether to replace the duck cloth or just staple another layer over the old one. One nice thing about duck cloth is that you can mist it with water after you staple it on and it will tighten up. If I were ambitious, I would make a removeable cover for my board so I could wash it. Maybe some day......

Prism99: I have a board I made using duck on the outside cover. When it got too bad looking, I took a brush and Dawn and scrubbed a little, rinsed, took a bleach and water solution and applied to the duck and set outside in the sun. After an hour or two, checked it. It took all day and a couple rinses and applications, but it was white again.

That's pretty much what I did - just stapled another layer on top. Fortunately I don't have to worry about pet hair. :)

The nice thing about duck and how "sticky" it is - it works as well as a Steady Betty for keeping your block stationary while you press it.

Lots of good info here!

Lots a good tips here. I like the idea of the wool as I have an old army blankey upstairs that I know I'll never use. Might make use of it here instead of the silver stuff. I guess I could always put the silver stuff under the wool blanket too.

Thanks gang for the help.

I got the silver stuff and it already was quilted with the batting. Hubby had the wood cut. Stapled it together. $8.

I just used 1 layer of batting and cotton fabric on top, mine has been going strong for several years

This is what I did. You could even make two of them. Then you have a clean one to change to when you have to take the board somewhere and had forgoten to wash it.

My removable cover is fitted at one end and elasticized at the other end. I have also put some markings on it with a perma pen. It's handy to have inch markings from one end to the other. Not for accurate measurements but for knowing if you have enough or almost enough of what you are pressing.

I have also put an outline of a 12/5 in square. This helped me keep a bias edged square "honest" a few years ago, and I have used it since a few times.

Several years ago, DH and I made our version of the Big Board for a fraction of the cost. I used two layers of cotton batting (it's still there, and I use quilting fabric (what was I thinking type) as the outside cover. I replace it periodically when it gets yucky.

My board is 24" x 48" with skids on the bottom so I can lift it easily. I have made both and the silver fabric gave out after a couple years. Mine is plywood, insulbrite, cotton batting and cotton duck with two removable muslin covers for the board so when I starch I can wash one and have one ready. I sewed a casing around all four sides and used cotton yarn for gathering and tied it in on the sides. Mattress straps secure it across the board underneath to make them tight. The clips on the mattress straps are like the old fashioned garter belt clips with one at each end and elastic in between. My cutting board sits on top when in use.

I pretty much did the same thing as everyone else, however the first go around I used two layers of Warm and Natural and I found that to be too squishy. So I removed one layer and just had the silver stuff, Warm and Natural and a layer of thick Denim (which doesn't show the stains as much). Now I just love it.

By the way, what is scrim?

The idea of using a wool blanket is a great idea. You may want to shrink it before you use it, however, if it is an old blanket.

By the way, if you don't have insulbrite (the silver stuff) you can use a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil instead. Works just as well. In fact, I made a small ironing board to take to class over 20 years ago and it is still working well.

I guess I was just cheaper than the rest of you. Had an old mattress pad that I cut in half and stapled to my board. I cover that with muslin that I can take off and wash when it gets too nasty. have been using this for years and the muslin is getting thin in places. we marked the sides of the ironing board on the bottom of the plywood and screwed
stops in a few places around it, now it is easy to put in place and have it stay put until I want to remove it

I saw a pressing station, perhaps on this board, that was made out of a baby changing table. So the next baby changing table I saw I bought. It took me 3 years and moving it twice to get it done but now it is. An Amish woman came in and saw it and exclaimed..What are YOU doing with a baby changing table? I'm 70 years old. I had to explain it was an ironing station. The three drawers and filled with pre-cuts, and the tall cupboard has my larger accuquilt dies.

I read somewhere that if your pressing service is too padded, you can distort your blocks when you press them.

My husband made my large ironing extended board for ironing lengths of fabric. He put skids on the bottom then we stapled one layer of cotton batting and a piece of fabric, which is a poly blend I believe on it. I knew I wouldn't use the fabric for quilting as it wasn't very heavy. It works very well for this. My husband also made a board to go on the ironing board at the church where I go to quilt for charity. We enjoy using it there too. Made the same way.

This is true. Especially when you are using steam. You have be to really careful not to iron back and forth, just press then lift up your iron. I was reminded of this last week when I was helping a friend iron her blocks while she just sewed. She had one of those purchased cutting boards with the ironing pad on the other side. I think they must use foam under the ironing board, as it was really squishy. When I started pressing with steam, the first block got distorted a bit. I had a dickens of a time getting it back in shape. From then on I made sure to press and not iron and the rest were fine. This is why I like a firm board with only one layer of batting underneath.

Aren't husbands great. They are so useful.

I found a nice piece of striped canvas at Walmart and stapled it to the top of mine (with one layer of batting). Makes it easy to keep pieces I'm ironing straight.

Picked up a piece of plywood, ticking and 100% cotton batting today,.........marked my ironing board outline and tomorrow I'll put the brackets on and tack down the batting and fabric. Can't wait to try it out.

Thanks for all the great tips. My ironing board has such a thin layer of batting that at times my blocks will have the imprint of the metal grill from the ironing board.

When my friend and I made ours we used 2 layers of 100% cotton batting. The batting seemed so thin and we knew it would pack down with the pressing we decided it would be better to use the 2 layers. She had some cotton fabric she knew she wasn't going to use so we used it, also a double layer. Her DH suggested we use little finishing boards over the fabric on the back to reduce the stress on the staples. This was several years ago and it still looks good. I have decided if I do need to replace the cover I am going to make a removable cover.