March 29, 2010

Like New Ironing Board

I think it is better than new!  The fabric used on most ironing boards is so cheap - flimsy, rough, and blah.  I've had my current ironing board for about a year, and I was happy for the first week, then the first hole appeared in the side!  I put the recovering effort on the to do list, and there it sat, until now :)  My delay has been part, lack of fabric/time, part calculating a plan.

What do you think!?  I'm pleased as punch!

Anticipating questions, I took a few pictures.  My desire with this cover is to remove it and wash it as needed.  I like to use a lot of starch, and tend to overdo it, so the original cover is sticky and stained.  (You may have noticed it in this tutorial) So I decided to make it reversible.  I also wanted it to be cushy so that I can easily sink my seams into the board as I press, so I used two layers of warm and natural.  I have to say it's working great so far!

Here's what you need:
- Length of fabric - 6" longer than your ironing board
- 1 or 2 pieces of batting, also 6" longer than board
- binding material to go all the way around
- 1/2" elastic, I used about 3 1/2 yards


Cut down the bold crease of your length of fabric.  Lay one face down on the floor, then add batting and second layer of fabric.


Add your ironing board, measure 3" all the way around.  Use a bowl to create curves, if needed.  Trim to size.
Prepare you casing fabric, fold and iron wrong sides together, like a binding.  Open, then iron 1/4" crease in one side.
To add casing to the cover, open the casing, sew raw edges matching all the way around.  Then turn over and sew the folded side along seam sewn previously.


Insert elastic, errr, wrestle the elastic through the casing, and pull tight!  Secure the elastic with a zig-zag stitch and enjoy!

The fabric used here is Blush - you can find some at Piece n Quilt or Fat Quarter Shop.

Did I leave something out?  Have questions?  I'll answer them in the comments for everyone.

I hope you are having a great Monday!
Amy
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28 comments:

25reasons said...

OK, I think you've given me the gentle push I needed to commit to doing this too. My ironing board cover doesn't have holes in it, but it does have burnt water marks all over it. Looks positively shameful when I photograph and of my projects on it. So, that's now on my to-do list. Even if it does take a couple months till I get to it. Thanks!

I Purr-Furr to Craft said...

what a wonderful cover! makes ironing a breeze too i think! well done, Love the idea of it being double sided too!

Terriaw said...

This looks awesome! I recently bought a new cover for my ironing board because the old one was so thin and just nasty. And I didn't feel like spending the time on a new one. But you make it look so easy that I should just do it!

ktquilts said...

Blush.....drool....Now you get to look at it often. I would have a problem with drooling on my ironing board. Great Ironing board cover!!

Blessings,

KT

Anonymous said...

Oooh, pretty! Mine little portable jobby just bit the dust. Went down the trash chute yesterday. Over the weekend I made me a portable ironing board (literally a board).

Tammy said...

THIS is why I love stopping here...you always have creative ideas I would have never thought of on my own! I have been despising my ironing board cover for a LONG time and I hate having to replace it because the fabric is always so poor and thin and uggggly. What makes it even harder is that I adore ironing but have to look at that ugly cover. And now you've given me a solution. Of course I have to actually DO it, but you've given me the spark I need!

Thanks!

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

Leslie said...

i really need to do this! you made this looks so easy.

Vicki said...

It looks great! I love the fabric you used.

Anna said...

How in the world have I never thought of this? My current cover has some shards of fusible web that accidentally got fused and it's been a headache ever since. Duh, now I can fix it.

Lee D said...

Is that an old IKEA board? I didn't get all fancy when I recovered mine after 20 yrs. I staple gunned the new fabric on it. :)

rusluvsme said...

That is great!! Thank you for posting the steps also, this could be something I may attempt on my own.

Natalia from Piece N Quilt said...

I love it Amy! Now I want to recover mine! Thanks for the link too!! You're awesome!

silversmith said...

sigh... i need to do this for both my full-sized and table top boards. my full-sized is an oversized poder ironing board and i cannot find replacement covers anywhere.

they've been on my list for a long time too and just need to do it. thanks for a quick tutorial!

Allie said...

It looks beautiful Amy! Great job!

Mary said...

Your cover looks awesome! I really need to do something like this - the cover on my ironing board is so cheap, I swear it nearly fell apart the first time I washed it! Thanks for the inspiration!

A Gal Who said...

Pretty enough to make me WANT to iron!!! Thanks!

Tracey Jacobsen said...

I so need to do this. :)

Looks great! And thanks for the info!

Trudi said...

Great cover Amy! Love the fabric! Did you use a large safety pin attached to your elestic to help with the wrestling? It really does make a difference :)

Tipper said...

Looks great! And my ironing board for sure needs one : )

Ramanda said...

You make it look SO easy! My poor ironing board is naked and in desperate need of a cover. Just gotta get some batting and it is on!

amylouwhosews said...

I love it! I recovered mine a year ago or so, and it was the best thing I could have done for the sad little thing. I like the idea of putting batting in too. Maybe I'll do that next time! I totally cheated and just sewed mine onto the existing casing of the old board! :)

Elizabeth said...

Excellent idea. I especially like the extra padding. Ironing boards are never cushy enough! Thanks for sharing!

Meghan said...

Great tutorial, Amy! I need to do this as soon as I figure out how to fix my ironing board (I seem to have tried to fold it down a little too quickly the other night).

CJ said...

It is beautiful in BLUSH but there is NO WAY I could use that much pretty (and expensive fabric) for an ironing board cover. A skirt? a quilt? a purse?? sure...but NO WAY for an ironing board cover...I will covet yours. ;)

Marcene Perry said...

Pretty fabric! You inspired me to make my own... and I did! It's not as cute as yours, it was just some fabric I had bought years ago and haven't used yet.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31263020&l=f9d5b4563b&id=1179775256

Thanks!

audreypawdrey said...

This is such a great idea! Love it. I need a new cover so badly; mine is stained brown and is just unattractive.

Dresden Quilter said...

It looks great and you are always so fantastic to take the time to make tutorials for us.

Pamela said...

Thanks - I needed a new cover for my ironing board also, so now I have a lovely cheery blue and yellow one! I struggle with using "nice" fabric for a utilitarian project like this, too, but looked through my closet and found a beautiful print that I had bought on clearance that I loved, but was having a hard time cutting into. Now I get to look at this lovely fabric every day (and I still have a good sized piece to use in a project if I can bear to cut into it!) Much better than sitting in the closet!