Travel ironing surface?
 

Alrighty....so ladies you helped me with an iron. Now silly me didn't even think of a traveling surface.

Any recommendations?

TIA!

Doesn't June Taylor make a mat with a pressing mat on the back.
if you are saving money then find a solid piece of wood cover with batting and then cotton fabric. Tack down or put elastic in a sleeve all round so they fit tight.

Ditto what Dotty said! What ever you do, don't try and iron on your cutting mat!

My husband cut a 15" square board. I covered it with batting and fabric. Works great.

I don't know what kind of travelling you're considering, but when I travel in our RV, I take a pressing board I made with 3/4" plywood, about 20"x24", covered with 2 layers of cotton batting and off white canvas/duck cloth. The layers are added then stapled to the back. It works really well either on my kitchen counter or a little folding table. And it stows easily.

When you ladies say "batting" could that mean the warm and natural that I use for inside my quilts? If so maybe 3 layers of that?

Covering the "batting"....can that be anything?

Thanks

I have the June Tailor cutting mat on one side and ironing surface on the other. It fits perfectly in the top of my suitcase and takes care of 2 needs in one. Not the best cutting mat, but it works fine and hasn't warped in over 10 years of traveling

My friend and I made the large ironing board to put on top of the regular ironing board, we used a double layer of 100% cotton batting (don't remember the brand) and we used a double layer of cotton fabric we had on hand. It has held up just fine for over 3 years. There is an ironing board cloth you can get - but we decided to just use what we had at home.

There is a Sharon Schamber video for making a small or large pressing surface similar to what is described by previous posters. I have the June Tailor cutting/pressing mat. Quilting Candy is right about the cutting mat on it not being very good, but the pressing mat part of it has been handy for using while sitting at the machine. I've also seen directions for turning a wooden folding TV tray table into a pressing surface, very handy when sewing in a group where there is not much elbow room.

I used Warm and Natural cotton batting. Two layers is enough I think. You don't want it so soft that it distorts your block when you press it. And you don't want polyester as it won't stand up to the heat of the iron. I just measured my makeshift ironing board and it's about 17" by 24" a leftover piece from making an extra large ironing surface for home. I'd stick with a cotton fabric that's colorfast or ironing board silver fabric you can get at Joanns to cover the batting.

Hi. I have a suggestion for you if you make your own pressing surface from wood, batting, and a cover. Before you add the batting and fabric, first put a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil covering the wood. Put it shinier side outward. This way, you will protect your wood from moisture if you use steam or sprayed water. Also, the shiny side of the foil will reflect a little more heat back to what you are pressing, making your setup a little more efficient.

I did that when I made my "big board" topper for my regular ironing board, and it works great.

Happy travels.
...dany

I have one of the June Tailor Cut n Press. It's awesome. I've had it for 15 or 20 years now and it's still good. I use it a lot when I'm doing paper piecing and am too lazy to walk to the ironing board for every press. I just put my old Black & Decker iron and the Cut n Press on the table next to the sewing machine so I can press each time. I don't remember it being that expensive and it's lasted so long, it's been worth every penny.

I also like that it has a grid on the pressing side as well as the cutting side.

Ditto to to what Dotty said. Simple to make your own.

I use this. Omnigrid 12-Inch-by-18-Inch Fold-Away Portable Cutting & Pressing Station. It's super nice and easy to tote.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/image/j...nHzgooojD/2Q==


[ATTACH=CONFIG]550838[/ATTACH]

In a pinch you can press seams on a folded towel.

a lot of great ideas here

I have the omnigrid onebyone posted.

I made my portable ironing surface with cotton duck. I stapled it on, then sprayed it with water and let it dry. It shrank nice and tight around the board. Duck is awesome because it has a nap and holds fabric still as you press/iron.

My personal feeling is you don't need 3 layers of batting. I find I get better results from a harder surface rather than a softer surface - unless you're pressing a lot of applique, in which case I prefer a fluffy towel underneath. YMMV.

Thanks ladies...

A couple of you have mentioned "Duck". What is "Duck" and where would I find it?

Duck is a heavy cotton fabric - almost like canvas. It can usually be found in JoAnn's or most other fabric stores. If you can't find 'duck' - any heavier fabric will do. I would prefer cotton if making something myself but I usually just use a folded towel on a small folding 'tv tray' type table.

If you are moteling I've never seen one that didn't have both iron and ironing boards. Most are in the room already, but smaller motels have them at the desk, all you have to do is ask.

If you make your own carry along board be very careful where you place them, I was in a class once where a home made iron surface ruined the surface beneath it. Practice on it at home:) and see if it gets hot or steamy on the underside.

Worth the money. I got one and love it.

Your avatar look so interesting! Can you please post a picture of it? And I also swear by the June Tailor mat!

Connecting Threads have the Omnigrid press mat for 40% every so often. There are different sizes of them. I bought all three sizes at different sales. I use the large and smallest ones the most.

In Walmart on day I saw an ironing mat that was like thick material with ironing surface on one side. It just folds up then you can lay it out wherever you want. I thought at the time it would be good for travel.

You could cover an old or new cutting board.

I have this one too. It's great to take to class. And when my DH retires and we get an RV to travel, It will go with us.

I still love my little ironing board with my miniature Conair steam iron.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]550931[/ATTACH]

I have an ironing mat, made like a huge potholder. Several layers of batting with a layer of that silver stuff that they put in potholders and a nice top and back fabric. It has minimal quilting so it folds up nicely and fits in a bag along with the travel iron. No board to deal with. Easy to transport to another room or another state.

I was going to make one, but then read what Bonnie Hunter suggested...it was way easier 😊. I bought a June Tailor cut and press thingie and sewed up the sides of a bath towel to make a "pillowcase" for it. The terry cloth protects the ironing surface and can be tossed in the washer/dryer when it gets grubby.

I have never used the cutting side...I stick my 12x18 mat in the sack, along with any rulers I might need, to tote along when necessary.

We live in our rv, so this is what I mostly use for an ironing surface. It fits nicely on a tv table and I keep it next to me when I'm sewing, but drag it along to the clubhouse or guild when needed.

Margaret

I have one of these as well. It has magnets in it and was designed to use on the top of a dryer. It wouldn't be that difficult to make one. I like it because it folds up (or rolls up) which is a plus over the fabric covered board.

I read a tip on here some time ago that someone used a fabric drop cloth that you find in the paint area of big box stores or they are at Harbor Freight I believe, to use as a cover for ironing surfaces. Less expensive than heavy fabric by the yard.

Grab an old wooden cutting board from a thrift store, cover. Ta-Da!

I have made the iron caddy pattern and even given a couple away to quilting friends. It holds your iron when traveling as well as serves as an iron surface. Very lightweight.

I love this! Koko where did you get the pattern?

I cover Insulbrite with fabric. I used some orphan blocks to pretty it. Folds or rolls.

Sandy

tessagin's link did not work for me but I found the pattern on the web:

http://thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com/...ron-caddy.html

The link only shows 3 photos. There isn't any information.

Thanks

I purchased it from my local quilt shop. When I google it I found the pattern here. Looked like it was free. http://tricountyquilters.weebly.com/..._caddytote.pdf

gingertd....see my post just above yours.

I made a 36" square -- the top is the silver ironing board material, the center has 1 layer of insulbrite and two layers of warm and natural, the back is a fabric and I sewed ties on one side so I could roll it up and take to class. For several years (until I had room for an ironing board) I just used some cotton that I had. When I moved it went to a friend who didn't have room for an ironing board and I bought myself the gridded pressing board.