Pressing/Ironing, Ironing Boards and Covers!!
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: central California
Posts: 636
Originally Posted by sharoney
Originally Posted by Prism99
Sharon Schamber recommends a hard ironing surface. She has a Youtube video on how to make this type of ironing board (would work for a large board as well as the small one she demonstrates). Here is a link to her video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGbXou_u4c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGbXou_u4c
#22
I made an ironing table out of a piece of plywood cut to about 30 x 55. I find that this size works great for me. It's wide enough to lay a 45" piece of material across it and still have room to set my iron and starch at the end. I have this board positioned in the room so that I can stand and Iron on either side of it and let the pressed yardage drape off the other side.
I just recovered it with a fresh piece of the silver ironing board cover material over one layer of warm and natural. The first time I covered it, I used upholstery staples to fasten on the material, but since figured out that if I just duct tape it on, removal is much easier next time I need to replace it. It seems to hold quite securely. One end of this board is fastened to shelf brackets on the wall, the rest of it is supported by a chest of drawers used to store patterns, interfacing, and other sewing supplies.
Here's a tip I came up with out of necessity:
When I have blocks to square up, or pieced sections of a quilt to starch and press into shape, I use large ruler and a Sharpie permanent marker to draw lines directly on the ironing surface to use as guidelines when pressing. This worked particularly well when I was helping my daughter with a french braid. The individual braids had stretched out of shape a little, so I marked parallel guidelines on the ironing board and used them as guides to starch and press the braids uniformly. When I first tried this, I was a little worried about whether the marker would transfer to my material when ironing/steaming over it, so I used a piece of scrap and tested it first. I haven't had any problems with it, but I ALWAYS test it when I put new lines on the board just to be safe!
I also have one of those small, traditionally shaped "tabletop" ironing boards with the 3" folding legs on it that I set on top of this board to use when I am garment sewing and need to slide a leg or sleeve over it to press.
I LOVE my ironing table and never want to go back to a regular ironing board!
After seeing something similar when attending a class, I also made a small portable pressing table out wooden TV tray by padding and covering the top in the same manner. This little table is really handy if I am sewing something that I feel the need to press the seams on as I go. I set it up within reach when I am sitting at my machine and I don't have to get up and down 100 times when piecing intricate blocks! When I don't need it, it just folds up and tucks away under my regular ironing table.
Hope this info give you some ideas that you can use. :)
Wendy
I just recovered it with a fresh piece of the silver ironing board cover material over one layer of warm and natural. The first time I covered it, I used upholstery staples to fasten on the material, but since figured out that if I just duct tape it on, removal is much easier next time I need to replace it. It seems to hold quite securely. One end of this board is fastened to shelf brackets on the wall, the rest of it is supported by a chest of drawers used to store patterns, interfacing, and other sewing supplies.
Here's a tip I came up with out of necessity:
When I have blocks to square up, or pieced sections of a quilt to starch and press into shape, I use large ruler and a Sharpie permanent marker to draw lines directly on the ironing surface to use as guidelines when pressing. This worked particularly well when I was helping my daughter with a french braid. The individual braids had stretched out of shape a little, so I marked parallel guidelines on the ironing board and used them as guides to starch and press the braids uniformly. When I first tried this, I was a little worried about whether the marker would transfer to my material when ironing/steaming over it, so I used a piece of scrap and tested it first. I haven't had any problems with it, but I ALWAYS test it when I put new lines on the board just to be safe!
I also have one of those small, traditionally shaped "tabletop" ironing boards with the 3" folding legs on it that I set on top of this board to use when I am garment sewing and need to slide a leg or sleeve over it to press.
I LOVE my ironing table and never want to go back to a regular ironing board!
After seeing something similar when attending a class, I also made a small portable pressing table out wooden TV tray by padding and covering the top in the same manner. This little table is really handy if I am sewing something that I feel the need to press the seams on as I go. I set it up within reach when I am sitting at my machine and I don't have to get up and down 100 times when piecing intricate blocks! When I don't need it, it just folds up and tucks away under my regular ironing table.
Hope this info give you some ideas that you can use. :)
Wendy
#25
DH made me a large ironing board. It's 24X48. He had a scrap of plywood, put thick batting, then old sheet and that silver fabric. He put about 4 inch feet on the bottom and I put it on top of my large cutting table(2-6 ft tables together)and I still have plenty of room to do cutting and such. My cutting tables are set up on risers so when I iron it is at a very comfortable height.
#26
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Crawfordville, Florida
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by Deborahlees
I made my ironing board for my sewing studio out of a used, no longer wanted kitchen utility cabinet. you know the kind that sits in the middle of the room for you to chop on. well the top has two fold up sides that give me a nice square table to iron on, and when not needed fold down, and the bonus is I have a drawer and 3 wire baskets to put 'stuff' in like a pressing cloth, a pair of scissors and I hang my start bottles on the wire baskets. on the wood top, I put a piece of heavy aluminum foil and then a piece of the ironing board cover with padding attached that I purchased from my local Joanns. cut to size and hemed. I love my little table that is also on wheels and moves around the room as needed. But the cover is from Joanns, sold by the yard....so you can get whatever size you need and has the padding already quilted on.
#27
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 74
I bought a 2'x4' table in the camping dept of K-Mart. Legs are adjustable to three heights, but the best part is it folds up to 2' square and about 4" thick, even has a handle on it. DH cut a plywood board to fit the top and I covered it with batting and the silvery ironing fabric. The entire set-up can be stored in a closet when company comes, and the table can be taken on picnics, etc. I iron everything on this table--haven't used my traditional ironing board for years (but still have it). I can put the table (without the ironing top on it) next to my sewing desk for more support when quilting anything large.
#28
You might try turning your ironing board around so the larger end is to the left (if you're right handed). You have a little more room when ironing yardage. When I use starch for small pieces, I throw a piece of muslin over the board. It's much easier to launder than an ironing board cover.
#30
I just purchased a new "silvery type" ironing board cover from Joanns and I love it. I've always used this type. It doesn't scorch like the others do (cotton) and seems to help with the pressing process. The originals (way back when) had TEFLON in them, but I don't think that is used now.
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