Monday, June 2, 2008

Recovering an ironing board

I bought this new (for me) ironing board at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago for $2.It needs a new cover. One of the things that annoys me with purchased iron board covers is that they are thin, and small, and always slip off while I am working on the board. So I make my own cover.
First of all - replace the padding that was supplied with the board
Then I add two layers of an old woolen blanket to add further padding, and the wool makes it really secure with the heat of the iron. I cut the size of the blanket so that there is about 20 cms (8 inches hanging over the edge of the board.
Then using safety pins, I secure the blanket onto the board - folding the ends in carefully
On top of this, I place a piece of recycled fabric. I used a piece of cotton damask - which was a tablecloth which had a wear hole in it. I use this because the fabric is nice and thick, and strong (at the end of the tablecloth where there is less wear) and it is cotton - the fabric that takes the highest heat setting on the iron. I prefer white ironing board covers so that the dyes from the cover don't run any risk of colouring delicate fabrics.
I place the cotton cover onto the board - right side facing down. It overhangs the pointy end of the board by about 40 cm - 16 inches
Fold back this end of the fabric under the ironging board
And pin the shape of the fabric together reflecting the shape of point of the board. Don't pin it too tight - just firm
Do this on both sides of the point
and sew where the pins are. The material will NOT fold back even on each other to make the final seam towards the bottom of the board on the side.
Trim back the extra fabric - but go right over to the edge just above where the folded over fabric ends.
Zig Zag all the edges of the fabric
Fold the pointy end through to the right side
and slip over the pointy end of the board. Carefully arrange the fabric over the board smoothly. At the bottom end of the board, fold over the edges of the cover, and safety pin into place - use hospital corners to make the corners neat.

At the pointy end, fold over the edges of the fabric, and safety pin it up under the folded over piece.
There you have a new ironing board cover - very generous and well secured so it won't move when you are using it. It is also easy to remove, with all of the safety pins, and wash when the inevitable stains show on the white cover.

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