BellaBoo

I reversed my regular ironing board. I use the wide end for the front. The wide end gives me a bigger square surface to press large pieces of fabrics. I bought one of the extras wide ironing boards on sale a decade ago, the top is very small thick gridded mesh so one layer of cotton batting with a muslin is all I use as a cover.

crkathleen

When hubby and I got a larger tv we took the top half of the old entertainment center apart and used one of the book shelves as my ironing board. It's roughly 35"x19". I usually drap a thin towel over it and place it on an end table next to my sewing area. :wink:
I can snap a few pictures if you would like to see.

amma

You have to be careful when cutting hollow core doors...they do have "hollow" portions...so you cannot just rip them down the middle or cut a foot off of the end without having to replace wood atleast around the cut edges :wink:

fabuchicki

I took a piece of plywood and put over it a piece of batting, some fusible interfacing and some artist's canvas. I keep it on a sturdy folding table and it works like a charm.

Olivia's Grammy

Emmy is my QCE, she weighs 12 lbs.Her favorite thing is to be on my lap. Her brother Reggie guards the quilts. He weighs 17 lbs. They are 4 1/2. Reggie is our foot warmer at night.

AtHomeSewing

Wood will will handle the amount of heat in pressing just fine. Heat is not a problem, unless you plan to leave your iron face laying on it! :D

I have a fairly large "multipurpose" table for which serves as a large pressing board. I made the pressing top out of an inexpensive, 1/4" melamine sheet (board). I covered it with one layer of Cotton batting (Warm & White) and Cotton canvas. I did NOT wash the canvas first. I pulled it tight as possible, stapled to the back with hubby's staple gun, and then misted it well with water bottle. As it dried, it shrunk slightly making a very tight, very hard press board. This is the same method that Sharon Schamber suggests for press boards except that I like the melamine-coated material for this purpose, it is hard and the melamine doesn't soak up any excess water.

The silver material is not necessary and too much batting makes it easy to distort blocks when pressing. Cotton canvas and a Hard Surface is the way best to go IMO.

Pictures of my press board top:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/athomesewing/3969491448/

LindaM

Completely awesome pressing board, 'athomesewing'!

What did you finish the edges with? If you pulled black canvas around to the back, stapled etc ... and how did you get the nice frame around the whole thing?

Thanks!

AtHomeSewing

Hi Linda,

My table actually has two tops, the other one is a cutting board. We made it so that that one could store underneath the other one. When I want to press large items, the press board is up. Most of the time the cutting mat is on top. The trim is made out of natural birch 1x2s to match the birch cabinet. Trim boards were attached at just the right height so that they are flush at the top when both pieces are there, doesn't matter which is on top. The pressing board has a very small 45° angle cut out of one corner (finger size) so that I can pull up on it to move it. The trim board ends were cut at a 45° angle to eliminate sharp corners.

Cutting Mat Top:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/athomesewing/3972406256/

LindaM

Genius! That is very clever. Just looked at the other photos you have there, wow - a dream studio! The drawer fronts are fabulous. Must be an inspiring place to create ... and looks like you had tons of fun putting it together.

AtHomeSewing

Thanks Linda! Yes, it was totally fun putting it together, I love being in there, it is my happy place!