If possible, you could set your ironing board up next to the dining table....letting the ironed fabric lay on the table as you go.

when i need to press a large length of fabric i use the dining table to hold the "to be pressed" fabric and then i have a laundry basket under the ironing board and i put the "already ready pressed" into the basket much like that $100 fabric cradle except i use a $15 laundry basket.

I have to set the ironing board up by my diningroom camera and it still drives me crazy. I try to get the fabric out of the dryer before it is completely dry. That makes it a little easier. I just wash mine as needed.

Does everybody wash before quilting? I either wash everything if I have bold colors but don't if I have softer colors. I like the crispness of the fabric before washing, it is easier to handle and cut particularly. I also do a fair amount of embroidery, and things embroider much better if they are unwashed.

I just saw an episode of eleanor burns and she advised to iron strips hanging perpendicular to the ironing board and not longways. she said she gets less distortion that way. I guess it's based on the theory that we'll get into true ironing mode if the fabric goes lengthways, but you can only truely press if it goes perpendicular and you only have 6 inches of fabric. there.

I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but here goes. I don't wash anything, so I don't have to iron it! I like to feel of new fabric, so why wash it out and then put starch back on. The only time I wash before using is if it is old fabric and it is a dark red, black or green. So far I haven't had any problems.

I'm with you. I definitely wash red. Dark green if it is going in with much lighter colors. Never have worked with anything darker than a dark green.

Do you have an island, I have a big iron pad that I lay on my island and it really helps with those big pieces.

This is what I use, a large ironing pad on my cutting table- works great for tablecloths too!

I recently (as in, Saturday) became the proud owner of an old Ironrite mangle that I'm hoping will help solve this exact problem.