I made one of these with a full sheet of plywood and I LOVED how huge it was! My biggest tip was to not prewash the fabric. I used a soft cotton duck. Then once I got it all stapled on, I ironed it with a lot of steam and that shrank the fabric a bit and tightened everything up really nicely so my surface was super smooth.
That’s smart, I was just thinking how annoyed I’d be if I tried to make it and the fabric wasn’t tight. I don’t have space for something like this now but I want to do it eventually!
Thanks for the video!! My husband made me one of these a few months ago from an IKEA Kallax (4 cube) shelving unit with locking wheels. I love it so much, it's just the right height so it doesn't hurt my back. My favorite part was choosing the fabric to cover the sheet of wood. I wish I could show you, but I can't post a photo here.
Thank you for this idea. I really like it, but I am going to nail on some little lips under the board, so it does not slide around when I pull my dresser out to allow the quilt top or fabric to fall down on the back side of the board. I will need to make my board slightly larger than the top of my dresser and that will allow for the lips. . . and I think it will allow me to move the staples outside the dresser top surface, so no scratches. Thanks for the idea!!!
Hi Erica - Hope everyone is doing well. I made one of these 2 years ago and it is still in great shape. Mine is 18” X 24” and I used a gray printed canvas for the outer fabric. I love it. So handy and my cutting mat fits perfectly on top of it. Thanks for sharing your board. You have the perfect place for a board that size and it really looks good in your sewing room. Love the fabric you chose for the top. PS - How’s the knitting coming along? Have a great week! 🐾🦄
I like big cutting tables, and a 36 x 60 would be great for home dec/drapery cutting. If I can find a way to store it, I want an ironing board topper the same size to go on top of it.
Hello Erica. I am about to put an ironing board like you have on my Kallax. Did you find that the board moves or did you secure it some way to the Kallax? Thank…I realize this film was done some time ago, but I enjoy your videos no matter the age! Than you again,
Mine is heavy so doesn't move around at all. I do have a few scratches from the staples over the years. You might want to put one of those non-slip rubber rug mats under it.
Fantastic!!! Maybe not particle board. My mini board is that, the steam has made it crumbly after a few years. Imma make this this weekend, far better than the ironing board I was going to buy.
Cover the board with aluminum foil, prior to attaching the batting and fabric. It will protect the board from moisture, which in time, will ruin the wood.
Hi Erica, I made a smaller one the same way. I use it with my small iron for appliqués. Easy to sit at a table and use it. Love how yours turned out! Won’t you miss not being able to put your fabric down off the other side? As I see you have it against the wall. Your sewing room is beautiful. Are you in the works of a certain Quilt? Missed not seeing you all since Vlogmas. Take care
Ya, I was wondering that when it comes to ironing entire quilt tops. But my shelves pull out easily, so I can probably just pull them from the wall a bit :)
Erica Arndt oh that is good! You have a nice sunny sewing room. I can use one of the bedrooms to make a sewing room, but I use my kitchen table and my island for my cutting board. Lol, I like the light and I want to be where all the action is. Letting puppies in and out and look out my backyard. It works for me. Are you working on a quilt? I was going to do one that they put out a block every week, but I’m way behind. Still might make it. I do much better on my own time, then it doesn’t feel like work. Did you finally get snow ❄️? Getting warmer here in Florida take care 🌴🌺🦄
Hi Erica I hope you see this I know it’s an old video but I need the measurement for the Kellex unit I have one just like yours and I don’t know how much bigger I should make it to fit my wool mat that is 17 by 23 Hope you can help me
Thank you for your wonderful tutorials Erica! I'm making this as we speak and the fabric that I'd like to use is JUST too short! Can you think of any reason why I couldn't piece a center strip (or two side strips) to create a larger piece of fabric to use? Thanks again!!!
The only reason I prefer a whole piece of fabric is that you'll have a seam going down the center which may create a crease when ironing your fabric. But it might not be that big of a deal :)
Hi Erica, have to say this whenever I see your tutorials I just cant stop myself from admirering your stash collection of fabrics behind you, I just love love your chose of colours and prints.Sometimes its not easy for me to get certian fabrics, here in malta quilting is not very popular and finding the right fabrics is not that easy, I buy quite a bit on line but unfortunatly the ones I really like are from USA sites and the shipping from there is soooo expensive that most times its double the price of the product or more. Maybe if you know of some sites that i can get fabrics like you have with reasonable shipping cost to europe I would appriciate if you let me know. Till then I just have to look at your fa brics and admire from afar. Thks for reading my long message.
Hi Anna, I'm so sorry, I'm not sure about US shops that ship your way for less as I know the USPS just increased international shipping again! willowcottagequiltco.com has some great fabric and is in Canada so she might be a good option. And your best bet is probably Etsy, there are several international fabric shops on Etsy that might have better shipping to the UK :) Hope that helps!
Anna Pomorski, Hi Anna! Yo are so Blessed. I have had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country a few times via Cruise Ships. We love to Cruise and my dear Husband and I love the Transatlantic crossings the most! 😍. We have lovely memories of our times in Valletta and the surrounding country side that we spent two weeks there during a long extended holiday with 3 other couples whom we met several years ago on a couple of our cruises. We all have become dear friends even though we live far apart from each other!
The warm and white I picked up is 87.5% cotton, 12.5% polypropylene? Is there supposed to be polypropylene in batting? I thought I read somewhere that polypropylene can be flammable so it made me unsure if I should use it for this project. I don’t understand why there is polypropylene in batting to begin with. HELP!!
It's called 100% Cotton, but there is a small percentage of polypropylene in it as you said. It has been fine for me, and it's covered in fabric as well so as long as you don't try to light it on fire you should be fine ;o)
I know this video is from several years ago and I’m wondering if you have any issues with the steam causing mold since there isn’t any holes for airflow on the bottom?
Hi, it's not great for cutting as it's fairly bumpy, but it is great for protecting my desk! I got it at JoAnn's by their counters, it's like this one: www.joann.com/36x59-cutting-mat/2622033.html#q=mat&start=1 For cutting fabric, I suggest the OLFA Mat or the American Crafts Mat both linked in my favorite sewing supplies here: www.amazon.com/shop/ericaarndt
I am wondering if I could attach the batting and fabric to an older sturdy dresser painting the chest white and was thinking of stapling under ledge of dresser in laundry area
I wouldn't staple under the edge unless you don't care about the dresser much. Mainly because you will have to change out the ironing board cover periodically and I would hate to ruin a piece of furniture with tons of staple holes. That's why I put a board on top of my shelving unit. Just my opinion :)
I would cut the pieces so they are the shapeof the board but still have a few inches left all around. Here i wouldn't use a staple, but sew the two pieces together and make a hem, in which I'd lace a sting so that i can pull it in and tie it when it's on the board. Does that make any sense?
I would cut the fabric and batting to fit your ironing board and around the edges to the under side plus about 3” around. Then hem the edges leaving about a 1” hem so you can run a drawstring through it. Then put it on your ironing board and winch it up underneath using the drawstring. Then you can remove it to wash!
I think it would depend on if the mattress cover has plastic on the backside or not. Personally I would stick to cotton batting to protect the wood surface below.
Did you "attach" the ironing board to the Ikea unit. I want to put a big board on an ikea Kallex 2x2 and then put casters on the bottom to make it mobil. I just can't figure out how to attach it to the Kallex top.
There's a very thick piece of board on top of my shelving unit, so no, I don't have any issue with the heat going through all of that! If it did, I'd probably have a fire on my hands :)
Hi Teri, Yes, I bought it from Joann's it can be found rolled up by their cutting counter usually. It's not great for cutting on as it's kind of texured and I don't feel like I get great cuts from it. However it is great at protecting my desktop so that I don't ding it up with scissors etc. So I have it covering my desktop, and then I have this cutting mat that I actually cut fabric on: amzn.to/2EmzlKR
It's probably from humidity or getting wet. I'm honestly not sure how to get rid of the bowing, but if it is wood you might be able to sand it down a bit?
Don't use pure bamboo! 100% Bamboo has a tendency to smolder and smoke if you use the higher heat settings on an iron. If you can find a bamboo/cotton mix that's low in bamboo like 60 % cotton/40% bamboo it might work but do a stress test first. Bamboo smoke stinks to high heaven.
I made one of these with a full sheet of plywood and I LOVED how huge it was! My biggest tip was to not prewash the fabric. I used a soft cotton duck. Then once I got it all stapled on, I ironed it with a lot of steam and that shrank the fabric a bit and tightened everything up really nicely so my surface was super smooth.
That’s smart, I was just thinking how annoyed I’d be if I tried to make it and the fabric wasn’t tight. I don’t have space for something like this now but I want to do it eventually!
@@alexisthompson6310 Great idea! maybe you could even use a spray bottle with just water if it needs to be damper.
Pro tip: watch series on flixzone. Been using it for watching all kinds of movies lately.
@Travis Declan Yup, I have been watching on flixzone for years myself :D
@Travis Declan Yea, I've been watching on Flixzone for since december myself :D
Wooden TV tray?!?! Brilliant!!!! Finally my problem is solved! Thanks so much!!!
If you are worried about scratches from the staples just iron on some fusible fleece over the staples, or the whole backing to protect your surface.
Thanks for the video!! My husband made me one of these a few months ago from an IKEA Kallax (4 cube) shelving unit with locking wheels. I love it so much, it's just the right height so it doesn't hurt my back. My favorite part was choosing the fabric to cover the sheet of wood. I wish I could show you, but I can't post a photo here.
This was a very helpful video! Thank you! I’m making 2 - 2’x4’ ones for ease of portability in my space
I loved your tutorial! So easy compared to some others I have seen! Definitely going to make one! Thanks!
Thank you for this idea. I really like it, but I am going to nail on some little lips under the board, so it does not slide around when I pull my dresser out to allow the quilt top or fabric to fall down on the back side of the board. I will need to make my board slightly larger than the top of my dresser and that will allow for the lips. . . and I think it will allow me to move the staples outside the dresser top surface, so no scratches. Thanks for the idea!!!
Very good idea, which I will now copy!! Thanks!
I just made one today based on your instructions and it's perfect, thank you!
Hi Erica - Hope everyone is doing well. I made one of these 2 years ago and it is still in great shape. Mine is 18” X 24” and I used a gray printed canvas for the outer fabric. I love it. So handy and my cutting mat fits perfectly on top of it. Thanks for sharing your board. You have the perfect place for a board that size and it really looks good in your sewing room. Love the fabric you chose for the top.
PS - How’s the knitting coming along? Have a great week! 🐾🦄
Thanks! I'm working on knitting some socks now, so far so good :)
That's a great idea for an ironing board. You are great!
Thanks for the info! Really helped me with the project I am making for a friend.
This is awesome! Did you glue the board down once it was finished? Can you provide detail on that?
Nope, it just sits on top of my shelves. I can move it if needed, re-cover it, etc.
Thank you Erica, so helpful! Hope your family is doing well.
I like big cutting tables, and a 36 x 60 would be great for home dec/drapery cutting. If I can find a way to store it, I want an ironing board topper the same size to go on top of it.
This is amazing, thank you!
I love your measuring/cutting board. Where did you buy that. Good tutorial. Thank you
I have this one: bigmatrotarycuttingsurface.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
Hello Erica. I am about to put an ironing board like you have on my Kallax. Did you find that the board moves or did you secure it some way to the Kallax? Thank…I realize this film was done some time ago, but I enjoy your videos no matter the age! Than you again,
Mine is heavy so doesn't move around at all. I do have a few scratches from the staples over the years. You might want to put one of those non-slip rubber rug mats under it.
Just what I was looking for.🤩 I'm trying it
Very helpful! Thank you!💚
Fantastic!!!
Maybe not particle board. My mini board is that, the steam has made it crumbly after a few years.
Imma make this this weekend, far better than the ironing board I was going to buy.
Cover the board with aluminum foil, prior to attaching the batting and fabric. It will protect the board from moisture, which in time, will ruin the wood.
Hi Erica, I made a smaller one the same way. I use it with my small iron for appliqués. Easy to sit at a table and use it. Love how yours turned out! Won’t you miss not being able to put your fabric down off the other side? As I see you have it against the wall. Your sewing room is beautiful. Are you in the works of a certain Quilt? Missed not seeing you all since Vlogmas. Take care
Ya, I was wondering that when it comes to ironing entire quilt tops. But my shelves pull out easily, so I can probably just pull them from the wall a bit :)
Erica Arndt
oh that is good! You have a nice sunny sewing room. I can use one of the bedrooms to make a sewing room, but I use my kitchen table and my island for my cutting board. Lol, I like the light and I want to be where all the action is. Letting puppies in and out and look out my backyard. It works for me.
Are you working on a quilt? I was going to do one that they put out a block every week, but I’m way behind. Still might make it. I do much better on my own time, then it doesn’t feel like work. Did you finally get snow ❄️? Getting warmer here in Florida take care 🌴🌺🦄
Hi Erica I hope you see this I know it’s an old video but I need the measurement for the Kellex unit I have one just like yours and I don’t know how much bigger I should make it to fit my wool mat that is 17 by 23
Hope you can help me
Thoughts about lining it with cotton and insul bright? Would it make a crisper ironing?
Great ironing surface!
This would make an awesome little craft island or laundry room island if you have a large enough space.
Yes!
Thank you, Erica !!
Thank you for your wonderful tutorials Erica! I'm making this as we speak and the fabric that I'd like to use is JUST too short! Can you think of any reason why I couldn't piece a center strip (or two side strips) to create a larger piece of fabric to use? Thanks again!!!
The only reason I prefer a whole piece of fabric is that you'll have a seam going down the center which may create a crease when ironing your fabric. But it might not be that big of a deal :)
Thank you!
Does steam ironing affect the plywood? Would I need some sort of moisture barrier? I'm making one for my wife
So far so good ;)
Love it!!!!
Wouldn't wool batting be best for heat?
Yes, you can use wool as well! I am just using my leftovers from my quilts :)
Hi Erica, have to say this whenever I see your tutorials I just cant stop myself from admirering your stash collection of fabrics behind you, I just love love your chose of colours and prints.Sometimes its not easy for me to get certian fabrics, here in malta quilting is not very popular and finding the right fabrics is not that easy, I buy quite a bit on line but unfortunatly the ones I really like are from USA sites and the shipping from there is soooo expensive that most times its double the price of the product or more. Maybe if you know of some sites that i can get fabrics like you have with reasonable shipping cost to europe I would appriciate if you let me know. Till then I just have to look at your fa brics and admire from afar. Thks for reading my long message.
Hi Anna,
I'm so sorry, I'm not sure about US shops that ship your way for less as I know the USPS just increased international shipping again! willowcottagequiltco.com has some great fabric and is in Canada so she might be a good option. And your best bet is probably Etsy, there are several international fabric shops on Etsy that might have better shipping to the UK :) Hope that helps!
Erica Arndt thks for your promp reply. I will try the options you mentioned. Bdw I live in malta a tiny island just below sicily in the mediteranian
Anna Pomorski, Hi Anna! Yo are so Blessed. I have had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country a few times via Cruise Ships. We love to Cruise and my dear Husband and I love the Transatlantic crossings the most! 😍. We have lovely memories of our times in Valletta and the surrounding country side that we spent two weeks there during a long extended holiday with 3 other couples whom we met several years ago on a couple of our cruises. We all have become dear friends even though we live far apart from each other!
By the way all 4 of us women and one man Jon love to quilt and sew!
Fantastic! Thank you!
Thanks I'm about to make one 24x48
The warm and white I picked up is 87.5% cotton, 12.5% polypropylene? Is there supposed to be polypropylene in batting? I thought I read somewhere that polypropylene can be flammable so it made me unsure if I should use it for this project. I don’t understand why there is polypropylene in batting to begin with. HELP!!
It's called 100% Cotton, but there is a small percentage of polypropylene in it as you said. It has been fine for me, and it's covered in fabric as well so as long as you don't try to light it on fire you should be fine ;o)
@@erica_arndt lol 😂 ok, thank you for clearing that up!!
Wonderful!!
I know this video is from several years ago and I’m wondering if you have any issues with the steam causing mold since there isn’t any holes for airflow on the bottom?
I haven't noticed any issues.
Do you wash the fabric first?
Nope :o)
Love this idea! I think I'm going to do something similar in my sewing room makeover...
Great video, what type of cutting matt is that large one?
Hi, it's not great for cutting as it's fairly bumpy, but it is great for protecting my desk! I got it at JoAnn's by their counters, it's like this one: www.joann.com/36x59-cutting-mat/2622033.html#q=mat&start=1
For cutting fabric, I suggest the OLFA Mat or the American Crafts Mat both linked in my favorite sewing supplies here: www.amazon.com/shop/ericaarndt
I am wondering if I could attach the batting and fabric to an older sturdy dresser painting the chest white and was thinking of stapling under ledge of dresser in laundry area
I wouldn't staple under the edge unless you don't care about the dresser much. Mainly because you will have to change out the ironing board cover periodically and I would hate to ruin a piece of furniture with tons of staple holes. That's why I put a board on top of my shelving unit. Just my opinion :)
Erica, I have a question about the IKEA shelving unit the ironing board sits on. Is the shelving unit KALLEX?
Yes! I love them!
Do you have any hints for converting traditional ironing board? I’d like to be able to use the adjustable legs.
I would cut the pieces so they are the shapeof the board but still have a few inches left all around. Here i wouldn't use a staple, but sew the two pieces together and make a hem, in which I'd lace a sting so that i can pull it in and tie it when it's on the board. Does that make any sense?
I would cut the fabric and batting to fit your ironing board and around the edges to the under side plus about 3” around. Then hem the edges leaving about a 1” hem so you can run a drawstring through it. Then put it on your ironing board and winch it up underneath using the drawstring. Then you can remove it to wash!
Can we use the mattress protector as the bedding clothes.
I think it would depend on if the mattress cover has plastic on the backside or not. Personally I would stick to cotton batting to protect the wood surface below.
Did you "attach" the ironing board to the Ikea unit. I want to put a big board on an ikea Kallex 2x2 and then put casters on the bottom to make it mobil. I just can't figure out how to attach it to the Kallex top.
No, it just sits on top so I can take it on/off. It doesn't move around though so I don't see any need to attach it.
Hi! May I know how thick is the recommended plywood to be used for this project. Thanks
Mine was about 1" thick or so?
@@erica_arndt thank you 😊
Hi Erica, thank you for the great vid on DIY ironing board. would you know what is the thickness of the plywood you used for it? thanks
Oh how I wish i still drove and could get to home depot
Will the stream from the iron wrap the top of your shelf? What if you use aluminum foil then batting then cotton top?
There's a very thick piece of board on top of my shelving unit, so no, I don't have any issue with the heat going through all of that! If it did, I'd probably have a fire on my hands :)
Can I use acrylic cotton
he's a "borgi" = border collie + corgi mix
Can you share information about your large cutting mat in this video?
Hi Teri,
Yes, I bought it from Joann's it can be found rolled up by their cutting counter usually. It's not great for cutting on as it's kind of texured and I don't feel like I get great cuts from it. However it is great at protecting my desktop so that I don't ding it up with scissors etc. So I have it covering my desktop, and then I have this cutting mat that I actually cut fabric on: amzn.to/2EmzlKR
Erica Arndt good to know, thank you!!
Where did you get those cabinet? Are did you make them?
It's the Kallax shelf unit from Ikea: www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80275887/
Hi,
Just wondering how thick the board is pls?
It's just a piece of 3/4" thick wood
I inherited a pressing board from my sister, I noticed over the winter that it bowed up on the sides. Any suggestions for preventing this?
It's probably from humidity or getting wet. I'm honestly not sure how to get rid of the bowing, but if it is wood you might be able to sand it down a bit?
Did you try flipping it over and put some weight on it
I know I am really late to this video but hopefully someone can answer my question. Could I use 80/20 batting?
I don't see why not?
@@erica_arndt wow you’re quick! Thanks! 80/20 is cotton/polyester correct? I didn’t know if the polyester would affect it.
@@sherrymcnicholls4239 please use cotton batting only. Anything else could melt under the heat from your fabric.
I have a piece of plywood that has been painted. Can I use it?
I would probably sand it down first, sometimes paint can be flammable and also possibly toxic when heated like that.
Think it matters if I wash my 100% cotton fabric first?
No, I don't see why it would matter.
What about the wood warping
So far so good :)
What about the shape?....it sure helps to iron properly...
What about the shape? It works well for me, as a quilter I don't need a pointy end like you do for clothing :)
Don't use pure bamboo! 100% Bamboo has a tendency to smolder and smoke if you use the higher heat settings on an iron. If you can find a bamboo/cotton mix that's low in bamboo like 60 % cotton/40% bamboo it might work but do a stress test first. Bamboo smoke stinks to high heaven.