roselady

I have just bought all the materials to make this one. I had been looking at the "Steady Betty", but even at half off at Joann's they are expensive, so I am giving this a try.

Az Quilter

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

jitkaau

I use a silver cover purchased at the local supermarket. It is the best I have had.

stitchofclass2

Just a thought (JAT). I use my ironing board backwards. So the iron sits on the narrow spot and I press on the wide spot. It works well for me.

TexasSunshine

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.

JustJill

This reminds me of something I just saw in the most recent Fingerhut catalog that came to the house. They sell an ironing table much like the one you've described. As I recall it's wooden, on wheels, with 2 fold-down sides and 3 wicker baskets in the middle for storage. I can't vouch for how it works, but I am giving some thought to purchasing one. It looks like the perfect solution for someone like me, whose sewing room is about the size of a postage stamp. :)

heronlady

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.

jgangloff

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.

beksclen

Where can I find the cotton twill or fabric Sharon used? Does Joann's have it? How about Hancocks? Joanns is over an hour away and Hancocks an hour for me. I have no source locally. Crossville TN

JusticeClan

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.