Ladies (and gentlemen too)

I have a couple projects going in my brain and I thought I would just holler them out. That way if people liked the idea, they could do it too; or if I do something totally wrong, as I do daily, there could be some insight.

1. I am making an ironing board. I can't tell my quilt club about it as I am making one for them as a gift. We really need room for storage where we meet at currently and the board we have is very old and rusty. It's also a pain in the you-know-where to put up and down. Also takes up a lot of unneeded room. When I lived in Omaha, a wonderful member of the club up there made one and I've been curious ever since.

I took 2 pieces of wood (which I cut myself!!) and cut them to the size I wanted. approx 37 1/2 x 24 x 1. I was worried about amputating my own leg or something when cutting the wood. I am totally inexperienced with power tools and I was worried my husband (who is insanely busy) would frown if I used his tools. He has the sense to stay away from my quilting supplies so I should be just as nice right?? My sister in law came over and showed me how and where to make the cuts at. She is an excellent woodworker and makes the most beautiful things. So wood is cut. I went to Hancock's to get the material as Walmart didn't have it. What's new there** They have it normally, but not that day so I'll go back and get it on Tues. You have to ask for ironing board material. A lot of quilters make neat pot holders and hot pads out of this "teflon" type material. Sew on three sides right sides together. I will use a wide seam approx 1/2 or 3/4 inch. Flip right side out and then slide over wood like a pillow case. I'm excited.

2. I will use the sew and flip to create a "foundation pieced" top as a gift. I have garbage bag upon garbage bag of apholstery material. It is all separated into types and ready for the washing machine. Then dry, press and cut. I'll use 4 and 6 inch widths. I'm tossing the idea around about putting some white pieces in the top and having the recipients family members sign them. Wouldn't that be neat?

Okay...my desire to spill my guts is full. What do all of you think??

Melissa

Wow! You are ambitious but it sounds wonderful. I may just borrow your ironing board idea, for the cover.
Thanks!

AWWW!! you are one clever girl. You will do OK as a quilter because you get an idea and are able to put it into action.

I have used unbleached muslin to make ironing board ccvers. No one told me I had to use the teflon or whatever is in the bought covers. So I traced the top of my board, and cut out 2 pieces from the pattern, then added a cotton batting in the center and did a bit of stitching and came up with a quilted top for the board.. I cut a strip 4 inches wide to run around the cover to make a caseing for a draw-string, then serged it into place and left an opening for the drawstring.

For the drawstring, I cut strips on the straight of the grain to avoid stretching. Then I hit on the idea to make a section of the draw-string out of elastic and add the fabric draw-string to either end of the elastic to run along the sides of the board. I can pull it up snug and tie it tight. You can make the elastic piece as long as you like, then add the stips you cut for draw-string.

I set a cup of coffee on the board one day, bumped the board and spilled the coffee. I took it off and washed it and it came out clean. Someone told me to use Peroxide to remove scorth stains. So the scorch marks from pressing small pieces like half triangle squares came out. I now use an old pillow case laid over the board to prevent scorching.

Hope this idea may help someone. I enjoyed making it. June

Hi all,
Some great ideas! Thanks. I have been running some ideas around in my head to make a small portable ironing area type thing to just have on my sewing table for the endless little pieces you want to hit with the iron real quick and get back to your piecing. I am getting of an age that the less jumping up & down to the board for each little thing the more energy I have left to actually be piecing, rather than all that up and down. Was not thinking of a piece of wood, just a little padded press cloth kind of piece with the thermal backing, found some already padded and quilted on sale at Joanns & had picked it up, for something, someday but now think, though it will add a little more weight, mounting it on a piece of wood will give it more stability, can staple it onto the wood back, like upholstering. They do make the board covers with the grid printed on in the middle to keep your block lined up/sized while pressing but think if you do it carefully you can draw your own on, perhaps using a piece of muslin and permanent marker for the outer top piece. Anyway, thanks for the ideas. It all comes together when we all share doesn't it? Betty 8)

In resonse to Betty,

That is a really good idea. I'm not sure about the grid part though, because I don't use one; but whatever works for you. I had a dear quilting friend that started to have knee problems the older she got. She said she had to give up sewing because she couldn't get up and down so much to press. So I bought her one of those travel ironing boards and a Clover Mini Iron. She's still going!! She bought a smaller house iron and switches between the two for her small board.

Have a great weekend.

Melissa

Hi Melissa,
You know, all you have to do is get that thought process warmed up & it just flows, doesn't it? I don't have a travel ironing board but you reminded me I have a small board I have not used in some time......somewhere in the garage...lol. Anyway it made me think again that maybe that could do the trick.I had disregarded it once as it would just be too big & awkward & in the way. I have already got a fold up ironing board that I put on the back of the door, regular size. I bet I could take the little one, mount it on the wall at a workable height in a convenient place, over the sewing table. I could put a little piece of wood wide enough to stabilize it under the pointed end, on a hinge so it could be pulled down when the board is pulled down, then fold the whole shebang up flat on the wall when I don't need it. I am an old sew-er but a new quilter & it is great to toss thoughts & ideas around with others. If you don't exactly use what they have in mind it can sometimes jog an idea loose of something you can use for your own situation. I have not yet used the grid either but when I first had heard of it it sounded like a helpful way to not end up having your piece get out of shape when pressing or ironing it. Anything that can help when your new and dumb and trying to teach yourself the skills you need! You have a great weekend also. Betty 8)

You reminded me, Betty, I have a really bad back. I don't do the walking, standing thing very well anymore. (I'm to afraid to get the surgery because of all the folks that have been in wheelchairs after, including my uncle) ANYWAY, I have a multi-level ironing board, regular size, I just lower it to comfortable place for my desk chair on wheels that I use to roll from sewing machine to ironing board to desk. It works wonderfully for me, but I like the idea of having a smaller one that opens from the back of the door. Then I could get around more, maybe.

All of you are so talented. I'm a novice quilter on big quilts, I've made so many baby quilts that my mind said I could do a large quilt if I put my mind into it, so I've been working on larger ones for about 3 years now. It is the most relaxing thing I've done in a long time.

Thanks for sharing all your ideas everyone, I so appreciate learning on the 'net, I just can't get out easily for classes in the stores/schools. You make my day!!

Hi Mimi,
I have been in the process of stealing space....by the (inches)! in my master bedroom for my sewing area. I picked up the hang-on-the-back-of-the-door ironing board at my local Hospice thrift store for pennies & it enabled me to take down my regular ironing board & boy, did I gain a lot of inches there! lol The sewing table top one idea started out I would make a "pad" kind of thing, integrating the thermal cloth into it to minimize the heat harming anything. I may still do it, but I think I can also hang that mini-board on the wall where it can just be pushed back up against the wall when not in use. Pretty soon I will be trying to figure out what I can hang on the ceiling! I am satisfied with gaining just an inch here & an inch there cause I have now claimed 1 whole window wall-it is nice to be able to glance outside once in awhile to de-fry your brain for a break- & a half of another wall, so I am getting there. As for the "rolling" chair they are great...you have probably found, as I have, that pushing oneself (backwards) is much easier than trying to pull yourself around in the chair, especially on carpet. I don't have any back problems, thank goodness, but I can tire more easily now & then it stops being fun. I am really really new at this but I try to listen to the voices of experience for tips and hints because they have found a lot by trial and error themselves that I can profit from and avoid. Have a great day Mimi. Betty 8)

Betty,
I noticed you mentioned about the rolling chair and carpet. You may know this but there are office chair floor pads found at office supply stores (i.e Office Depot,Office Max,Staples,etc.). They have a type for carpet (it has little gripper teeth to grip the carpet) and one for bare floors. It works wonderful for moving on carpet. :)

Hi Sis,
Yes, I have one at work. The info was mostly for anyone who doesn't happen to have one. Thanks so much for mentioning it though. Betty 8)