Woohoo, one thing ticked off my list! After at least 8 months of procrastination, during which time my old ironing board cover looked worse and worse, until I was beginning to forget the original colour, I finally got round to it. This is one of those things that I knew wouldn’t take long, but it’s hardly exciting or sexy is it?
I had the fabric bought from Ikea specifically for this purpose, fun, but not so good that I wouldn’t ever want to ruin it, because, let’s face it, ironing board covers are destined to get stained and manky eventually. I got some more foam from my local foam shop, since the original layer was very thin and a bit pathetic, and decided to layer the whole lot up on top of what was already there. Lazy? Me? Never…
In the end it took less than the length of a Graham Norton show to finish, it was that quick! So here’s how you can redo your ironing board, excusing the really ‘technical’ measurements…:
You will need:
- Home decor weight fabric that can stand high iron temps (it nothing printed on that would react at high temps) this should be at least 3″ bigger than your board on all sides
- Thin foam suitable for ironing boards
- Fabric scissors
- Frixxion pen
- Ruler/measuring tape
- Twill tape about 1″ wide long enough to go all the way round your board with a bit to spare
- Thin cord long enough to go all the way round your board with a bit to spare
- Sewing machine with matching thread
To make the cover:
- Place your foam down onto your floor, or cutting surface if that happens to be bigger than your ironing board top (I had to go the floor route)
- Place the board face down on top of the foam, then cut all the way round it flush to the top.
- Place your fabric face down onto the floor, and the board on top of that again, leaving at least 3″ all the way round
- Take your pen and ruler and draw half way round the board 3″ out, from the centre of the tip of the board to the centre at the blun end. For the curves just freehand it a bit, it doesn’t need to be precise.
- Fold your fabric in half right sides together along the halfway line, then cut out your cover top following your pen line.
- Now take your twill tape (note it needs to be woven to be able to bend with the curves easily) and pin it right sides together with your cover, with the edges matching, leaving a 1″ gap at the blunt end of the board. I folded over the ends about half and inch to stop them fraying too – not that at this step you should fold the end so you can still see it rather than tucked inside.
- Using a zig-zag stitch, sew all the way round the edge of the cover so that you have a nice neat edge. You could probably also do this on an overlocker but I couldn’t be bothered to drag mine out thought I should work this out for those of you with just a regular machine.
- Now fold the tape over to the inside and press in place, then pin down and zig-zag stitch all the way round the inside edge of the tape so that you create a channel for the cord to run through.
- Use a safety pin or threader thingummy jig (which I have) and thread the cord all the way through the channel, making sure that at this stage it’s nice and loose.
- Place your foam on top of your board, then put the cover on top and pull the cord tight, tying a bow when it’s nice and taught (because you want to be able to remove this again, potentially to wash it, don’t tie a knot!)
Finish #1 from both the January and Q1 finish-alongs!
Good golly, is that enormous disc your supply of twill tape? I'm jaaaalous!
That's a very snazzy ironing board cover! Thanks for the great tutorial…..added to my list!
Well I think a new ironing board cover is quite exciting, but that maybe says a lot about my life! 😉
Mine is getting very grotty, quite fancy a snazzy new one myself
The best ironing board cover ever! The fabric is so fabulous!!
This could almost make me enjoy ironing. Actually on second thoughts it is good but not that good!!
I think it would be easiest if you just came and did mine for me. Talked me through the process, sort of maybe.
When you've finished at Susan's you could pop over here. It looks great, and now you have one less WIP, yay.
I really need a new cover, I've ruined ours with starch and threads and it looks so horrid, and you've made it sound very easy!!!
Although, you've had your first finish and I've not even blogged my list for this quarter, so I just need a few more hours in the week to fit it in……
My cover is revolting so I may have to work on damaging it quicker so I can justify recovering it! Juliex
And when you're finished at Susan's you can pop round to mine. And do the ironing while you're here – just to test out the new cover….
Seriously though its brilliant.
When I recovered my pressing board I was so hesitant to use any spray or fusibles since it looked so pristine. Thankfully I quickly got over that. 😉 But even with lots of abuse, I have been pleasantly surprised to find the Ikea fabric I used has really held up well. Here's to many pressings on your newly covered board!
I still want to make an ironing board cover. Thanks for the tute
I am way too lazy and mucky – but good effort!!
Perfect! My current cover is pretty manky – will be using your most excellent tutorial when I need to unmankify :o)
I did mine with Echino last year and it is time for a redo. I put some of that insulated batting that you use for oven mits inside of mine too. I love the tree fabric, I need to go to IKEA soon.
Looks so good Katy! It might even make ironing fun! Maybe.. Depending on what you're ironing, right? It's funny, I was just over at another site reading about ironing board covers, and here's yours too.. being that mine has actual holes in it, maybe the universe is trying to give me some hints. 😉 Way to go, it's gorgeous!
Fab finish! Love the fabric you chose.
Manky… hehehe…
This is so fun! I'd love to iron on that ; )
Congratulations on your first finish!!! That is awesome! And thank you for the tutorial! My ironing board got crayon all over it when a friend and her son were doing some creative art work…so the cover is…ruined.
It looks good but I couldn't make my own knowing that it would get all manky and take more time, money and effort that getting one for less than a fiver from the supermarket. 🙂
I love your fabric for this, sexy for sure. 🙂
you're right you know, its a make most of us could probably do with getting round to…. well done you!
A finish and a tute? You're spoiling us 😉 I love your ironing board cover and as mine is in dire need of recovering, I may have to whip one up…one day!
My ironing board could do with a new cover. I have always made my own since I have an odd shaped ironing board and although I like the shape I can never find ready made covers. Love the fabric you chose.
That is one handsome ironing board! I have recently invested in a second ironing board. I know have one in my workroom and one in the room where I do my ironing. I decided that:
a) I'm too lazy to walk from one room to another every few minutes
b) I'm too lazy to keep putting the ironing board away and getting it out again
3) My projects were taking too long with all the walking back and forth
4) Maybe I need to get a life!
Hugs
Sue
Now you're ironing in style! Great fabric choice!
I Love Love Love that Fabric. I need to spend more time in the fabric dept. of Ikea. Lovely little project.
What a great finish! Everyone should have such a cute ironing board!
I love that the Expedit gets the trees… kind of appropriate as they came from the same place LOL
What an attractive cover! And I learned a new word. Manky. Are you a Brit? =)
wonderful! Way to go. I just keep looking at our cover and thinking, "This is not great." Then I get it out a couple days later and think, "That's really sad." Then I put it away again. Next time I take it out I'll think, "You're still sad and water stained but somewhere out there your sister board is looking snazzy so just live vicariously, m'kay?".
It looks too smart for work I think…. I have one of those table top ones and it needs a bit of padding … You have inspired me..
Very, very stylish addition to your sewing environment! Looks wonderful!
What a lovely project. I am inspired. Many moons ago, I took my built in ironing board off the wall and put it in my sewing room to either make a cover or to collect dust. Thank you for the instructions for the cover. I can now dust mine off and make a cover.