Those who made IRONING BOARD COVERS I have a ????????
 

DH and i made and cover for my ironing board so I have a larger ironing surface. I am thinking I did not use the right materials. Heres what I did:

1/4 inch plywood~I dont think this is the problem
Poly batting pieced
Cotton Backing that I had left over from a quilt I made.

I don't feel like I have enough "cushion", I know I don't need a lot but I feel there is just not enough. Also, the backing material I used doesn't feel heavy enough.

What type of backing did you use??
What type of material did you use for the ironing surface?


Thanks everyone for your help.

That is pretty much what mine is made out of as well. Whenever my cover gets really stained and I feel like I need a new one, I just put another layer of fabric on it. Over time it will build up and get cushy. If you want it cushy now, you could always use two layers of batting.

I have an antique ironing board made by my great-grandfather. I couldn't find a cover for it. Now I can make one! Thanks Ladies! You're GRRRRRRRREAT!

I made mine just like you did but I didn't use poly as I didn't think it would handle the heat well enough. I just used lots of warm and natural and got myself a nice sewing themed cotton fabric and stapled it on. I use it so much I have had to take it off and replace an area of the fabric as I didn't want the wornout area to be a different height.

If the cost of cotton batting is prohibitive, go to your local Goodwill and purchase a large flat sheet or two. Cut the hems and any seams off, fold it until it's the size you want, baste it together and trim it off. Then if you want more "cush" you can put cotton batting over it. The poly will melt.

i don't know about using poly batting- since poly melts when it gets hot---i used warm & natural on mine which seems to be the same (padding/cushion) as my store bought cover. i also purchased (ironing board cover fabric) from joannes, (the silver stuff) which has kind of a teflon coating which helps the iron glide and works very well. i have a friend who went to a thrift shop and purchased a couple inexpensive flannel sheets- folded them to size and used them for her (batting) she says its the best ironing board cover she's ever had- she also used the silver- ironing board cover fabric- i've seen a heavier (grid marked canvas) fabric available too.- seems to me a pieced top would interfere with good smooth pressing...but i've never tried it.

I can offer a sugestion on the surface fabric, find a heavier weight 1/4" gingham. Make sure the fabric is square on the ironing board top, it will save your eyes when creasing a fold or any other ironing that needs to be a certain width and square.

I did the same with warm and natural and silver ironing board cover fabric from Joannes. I didn't put anything else over that and mine works fine.

I used 7/16" OSB plywood, one layer of all-cotton batting and heavy canvas as the cover. I ground the sharp points off the corners with my mouse sander and I soaked the canvas and let it dry after I had it stapled to the board, to shrink it up tight.

I LOVE the hard surface, with just the slightest bit of give. It really seems to to help get sharp folds to have so little batting under the canvas.

Next time, I will cover the top of the wood with aluminum foil - it will deflect more heat back to the item I'm ironing and it will prevent the steam/moisture from penetrating the wood.

I will also make a pillowcase-type cover for it of cotton percale, so I that I can take it off and wash it. The canvas is becoming really starchy and dirty after two or three years of use.

Here is a helpful video:http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=zhFNl7TrFow

Here is another: http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=4LGbXou_u4c

Pink - I read that an ironing board shouldn't have too much "cush" (can't think of a better word). With respect to a standard ironing board, you want it thick enough so that the metal shapes (circles or wire mesh) don't get imprinted on your fabric.

I used muslin to cover warm and natural batting. I had a piece left over from the quilting I did on a ladies quilt top and it fit just perfectly.

if you are ironing clothing, you may want more cushion...i always use an old blanket, folded several times..but the ironing board in my sewing room is for pressing and that requires a harder surface...you need more than one layer of cotton, however, and the poly doesn't count, it's flat by now... and down piece anything you use for the padding, the creases and overlaps will show and keep you from getting a good 'finish'... i like denim as my last layer...cotton absorbs the moisture from the steam, and it's sturdy so it lasts a long time.

Not too long ago there was a thread on this board about using a canvas drip cloth they had at Lowes or Home Depot to use as a cover for the ironing boards they had , it was quite inexpensive and worked well.

I had purchased an ironing board cover with the silver fabric on it. I don't like a cotton top - get's too dirty, soaks up too much water/steam/starch. My silver fabric top had a thin layer of foam on the back that was sticky backed - so it was easy to stick it to my board, wrap the edges around, staple them for good measure, and presto-bango I was done and I can just wipe a damp cloth over the top and it's clean.

The thin layer of foam is THIN, less than 1/4 (perhaps 1/8) and it has just a little give to it, which I like. I don't want a "soft" board for the fabric to "dip" into - I want my fabric to lay as flat as possible. Too much batting/foam and your fabric will sink into the batting. The surface should be flat and for the most part hard.

The only thing I would add is a layer of heavy tin foil before you put on the batting and a heavy fabric cover.

I love my large ironing board but didn't want it have to wash the cover. So... I cut up a bed sheet top, slightly larger than my board and then serged it all around. Actually I got 4 pieces from one queen top. I just use a few pins on the edge, slightly underneath, to secure it and then just change for washing. Works great for me!

For cushion, I used 2 layers of batting.

My DH used 1/2 inch plywood for my 24 inch by 60 inch board. It still bends a little. I think 1/4 inch is not quite strong enough, just my opinion. You will love the extra room you get using this board. Be sure to put rails on the bottom so is stays securely on you actual ironing board and doesn't slide around.

I started mine out with putting heavy tin foil down first. Then a layer of cotton batting then some cotton fabric I didn't really care for. Pulled it really tight and stapled to the back side. It now has another layer of fabric I didn't care for but needed a new cover. I don't like it mushy. I will keep putting fabric over it until I feel it's getting too soft. Then I might take some layers off and start again.

I used 1/2" plywood (24' x 60")
One layer of Warm and Natural cotton batting
One layer of Thinsulbrite
Covered with one layer of decorator fabric

Take it apart and take the poly out. It'll melt. If you use a lot of steam or starch I would add a layer of foil or the board will warp before long. I would use one layer of Warm and Natural batting and a cotton canvas or cotton duck cover. In a class I took with a national quilt teacher she told us the teflon covers allow too much slipping when you press and let your pieces distort too much. You want a cover with some grip.

I did almost what another on here stated, but I used a 12" square, about 1/4' thick plywood. Cut one layer of w&n the size of the board, one layer larger to fold over so that no splinters would come thru (did sand edges a little). Stapled on back. Cut 2 pieces of canvas a couple inches larger, made a strip to use as loop to hang, pinned all as close as possible to board and serged edges. With help, I guess you could do that to any size needed. Anyway, when all was done, I took the board outside on a very hot day and got the canvas wet. It shrank to tighten. I open my desk drawer, place just inside and iron on it when I am piecing. When it starts looking nasty, (spit from iron, spills, etc) I take it outside and hang on nail and wash with Dawn and then hose it down. If that doesn't work, I use bleach or lemon juice and let the sun do it's thing. As long as it is a hot day and you do it fairly early so the wood drys fast if it gets wet, there is no warpage. Washed a June Taylor Square and Block that way also. Looks good as new!

I used plywood, covered that with muslin, covered that with insulbrite, and final top is quilted padded fabric. Seems to be just right. Hope this helps.

Actually - you probably have too much cushion. A firmer surface is better for pressing sharp seams.

My big board is 1/4 or 3/8 inch plywood
1 layer wool army blanket - for padding
1 layer duck cloth (actually a painting drop cloth from Lowe's) - for pressing.

Cheers, K

LOVE the aluminum foil tip!!

We found an OLD wooden ironing board at an auction and got it for $1!!! My honey made me a 25"X60" top for it and we covered it with a double layer of cotton blend (80/20; 20% poly) and then a laer of insulbrite. I had some 100% cotton yardage that I didnt really like so I used it for the top. It looks great and works fantastic!!

Thank everyone for all your help. I can tell the poly batting has already melted b/c it doesnt feel like its there. The tin foil idea is great, didnt even think about the warping from steam and spray starch.

I will be rebuilding the board tomorrow!!! You all are AWESOME!!!:thumbup:

I used plywood, layered old ugly beach towels... then a layer of W&N batting.... then a layer of Insulbrite.... covered with cheapo muslin, stapled it down and made a Duck Canvas removable/washable cover with drawstrings So i can toss it in the wash when the layers of over-spray starch gets to crunchy.. lol..

Works great for me..

I make mine as well whenI can't find a pattern I like already made up...they are always too big. My ironing board was purchased by my mom at goodwill in about 1939 or 1940. It's wood and it's narrow and I love it. A few years ago, I took it all the way down to the wood. I'd never done that before. I always left a muslin covering on it. I found n old wool blanket that had been cut into a couple of pieces and tacked on the underside of the board and then covered with muslin. When I recovered it, I used about 4 layers of cotton batting and then a new layer of muslin. I found a really cute cover at JoAnns a few years ago and bought two...has spools and needles and scissors and sewing notions on a creamy background...of course it's way too big for my board, but I just fold it under and then use my staple gun to secure it ( with 1/4" staples)...makes it easy to change out, just take a screwdriver to pop out the staples. Guess I need to take a pic of my antique ironing board and post it sometime. Good luck!

DH made an 18" square topper for my antique ironing board out of 1/4 " plywood. I had him put two runners down the under side that fit on the top of the old board to keep the topper from slipping from side to side. I needed this for applique' blocks. Covered in two layers of cotton batting and then a layer or two of muslin...Works like a champ!

DH made me a 24X48 ironing board that sits on top of my large cutting table. It is made with plywood and covered with some batting and the silver fabric I bought at Hancocks. I love it and can iron the full width of fabric at one time.

I layer, board, insulbrite, cotton batting, pre washed heavy muslin, and stapel it down tight. if your board is to cushie (is that a real word? LOL) it will not work as well.

Good idea, here I thought I should remove the old cover, duh...I just cover it. Thanks

I use 3/4" plywood then layers of flannelette ... a piece of fabric that I didn't like.
Pulled it around and stapled it to the back
Then the top was a fun piece of cotton that I knew I'd enjoy looking at as I pressed!

Fons and Porter recommend a really hard surface to press on. You get flatter seams with less cushioning. Makes sense to me.

I used terry cloth on mine for 'cushion' then covered it with sturdy cotton fabric

I used left over cotton batting and muslin for the cover. When it gets dirty, I just add another muslin top over it. Sometimes, I will add batting too if it seems too flat.

Poly batting is the problem, I used the cheap cotton batt from Joanns, then either use a double layer of muslin or Joanns sells the metalic material in either quilted or smooth (the price on this has skyrocketed). Most important of all is to stretch it tight and staple. You can make the top removable similar to iorning boards with a draw string but you really need to get the underlayers stapled firm.

My husband and I made the large ironing boards as a small business to sell to quilters in our area. I stapled (electric stapler) two layers of Warm & Natural to the board and then stapled Jo-Ann's drill fabric as a cover. Don't wash it as it is hard to remove wrinkles. I lay an extra piece of drill over the board in the area with the most use (pressing blocks) to prevent scorching. I've heard that the silicone cover/silver coated fabric makes the ironing area too hot.

I used insulbrite as one of the padding layers. Works fine. I put a layer of Warm and Natural over that and it isn't too puffy. Just right for me. I also used some fabric that I would never use in a quilt, so it didn't cost much. I love it.
Sue