Friday, January 17, 2020

Much needed change

HI!  I'm so happy I finally got this accomplished!  It's not difficult at all, but it's just that other things had deadlines, and then I couldn't find the fabric I had.

I have quite a few ironing boards here.  I've mentioned that I moved back to my parents' house 4 years ago (today, actually) and Mom has 2 or 3, I had one from when I used the apartment before I moved, and I had 2 in my former home.  One of those is still stored in the garage.  It's a vintage, so I do plan to keep it, and will probably put it in the room Vanna, my Handiquilter Amara will be moved to, in a few weeks.  Since Mom's now in a nursing home, I can move to the first floor, instead of the basement apartment.  So, I have to clean out her stuff to make room for mine, and then clean out my stuff to fit the new space, lol.  I feel like I'm packing and moving 4 times.  Anyway, back to the project.

A number of years ago, BJ's Wholesale Club had this Polder ironing board.  It's wider than the 14" average, at 17", and there's a back section that has a silicone iron rest, as well as space for starch/spray, and even a place to put hangars (but whoever irons clothes?) The base is sturdier, and there's even a shelf under the front to keep wider things off the floor.  This has been in storage for 4 years.  I used the older, more rusted and lower one that I moved from the PA studio to this one.  I really wanted to use this one, but the other had a better cover.  I had made a pretty one for that a few years ago, with some bargain home dec printed canvas. 


I recently brought the Polder upstairs, and searched for the same fabric, but didn't find it.  I also searched for the Pellon Insul-Fleece I thought I had, and didn't find that, either.  So I went to JoAnn's and found this pretty blue floral, which was on sale, and got the Pellon, too.  I grabbed a 3 yard pack of 1/4" elastic, too.  Since the board is wider than average, no one sells pretty covers for this size.  Bed Bath and Beyond had only the silvery fabric one, but the smaller ones had great colors.  JoAnn's doesn't sell one this size, either. 

Here's the before! 
This is the original fabric, which is just a thin cotton, and it was nasty!  Stained and gross!  

So, I got 1 3/4 yards of the pretty fabric, and the fleece, and here's what I did.  I cut the fabric about 58" long, and 24" wide (measure your board and add about 5" to each).  Then take a large piece of paper, and trace the shape of the pointy  part.  Fold the cut fabric in half, lengthwise, and use the traced paper for a guide to cut about 2-3" away from the curved shape. Round off the bottom corners, too.  If your original cover is not too gross, you could use this as a pattern, too.  Some online blogs say to place the whole board upside down on paper and trace, but that requires being able to have space, and get around it on the floor.  Since you really only need to "estimate" the shape of the curves, I think just tracing it is easier, and causes way less grunting trying to get off the floor, lol. 

I used my serger to finish the edge, all around.  Then I folded up about an inch along the edge (I fold as I go, but did use Wonder Clips to hold the curved top).  Start near the bottom center, but remember to leave about 2" open.  Sew close to the serged edge, to make a casing.  I used Aurifil 50wt in light blue, to match.  Press it (if you still have the old ironing board cover).  Insert the elastic in the casing with a safety pin.  Put a large pin in the end of the elastic, and push the pin through the casing, letting the elastic slide in.  Once you're back through the opening, make sure you pin into the tail piece of elastic, and the cover, so you can set it down.  

Put the fleece on the board, and add one or 2 layers of cotton batting.  I had scraps that were easily 52 by 17" so I layered them, lined the one straight edge along the edge of the board, and trimmed around the bottom curves, any extra along the other side, and around the curve at the top.  Then, carefully put the new cover over this.  Since this table has the extra iron rest, I needed to get the tail of the elastic, the pin with the front, and the extra cover fabric, into the space between the arms that hold the iron rest.  Hold the pin close to the hole, and pull the tail of the elastic until you're happy with how the cover fits.  Make sure the fleece/batting layers don't shift off the top of the board, and adjust the gathers as needed.  Then tie a knot or bow in the elastic, cut off the extra tail, and admire your work, and pretty new cover!  

I know this one will make me smile when I need to press my quilts.  I also love the wool iron mat I got from Quilt in a Day.  It's larger than some, and will hold a completed 12" block, and makes it nice and flat.  Putting this on the new cover will help keep it cleaner, longer.  I don't use the wool mat when pressing a whole top, but I do know the extra 2" is going to make it faster!  Less moving the top because I can press a bigger area!  Oh, total cost? Under $20 and about an hour's time.  


So, does anyone need an ironing board?  I think if it was spray painted (there's some rust) and if you could find new feet caps, (or just wrap with fun colored tape) it's a good board, but not as pretty as this one, lol  And it needs a cover.  I think I'll check with our local thrift shop to see if they'll take it.  

Thanks for visiting!  Stop back on Monday for my day on the Winter Blues Blog Hop.  I'll have something else blue to share, and there will be fun inspiration from others. 



1 comment:

Kathleen said...

A fresh new ironing cover is a thing of beauty!