removable ironing-board top (on a cabinet)

It's not that I iron clothes, but that I need to be able to press seams when I sew. And I have a bad back, so there's no way I'm going to go and get an ironing board every time I sew a seam.

My sewing machine is in the balcony along with some cabinet pieces that belong to my landlord. Two of them piled up make a great ironing-board height, so I decided to give one of them a temporary ironing-board top.

I took on old mattress protector for batting, an old thick cotton sheet for covering and with the help of Velcro strips I put my temporary ironing-board top together - and I love the result (I keep petting it when I pass it. I better stop that)! And it's totally removable (and washable. and does not jeopardize my deposit).

Here's how I made it.

Step 1 1. Measure the cabinet top.

Comments

[glassy_lassy]

This is just fabulous! Thank you! After many hardships i find myself without an ironing board.... you just gave me a reason to continue sewing! *Hugs*

[mirileh]

I'm very glad to hear that!

[grannyjones]

My mother-in-law always used a folded tablecloth spread on the carpet; and sat or kneeled while ironing. we miss her. . .

[archerj]

Why didn't I think of that?! In my tiny house I barely have room for the sewing machine, so the ironing board stays in the laundry room outside. Of course I never iron anything and there are some things waiting to be sewn. Thanks for this wonderful idea!

[mz anne thrope]

I read years ago to put a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil under your ironing board cover to reflect heat back up and therefore make the ironing go a little quicker. This looks like a great idea for convenience. If i do this i have NO excuse to not get my sewing out.

[mirileh]

you'd be surprised how easy it is to come up with new excuses (pile of things to sew aging in the background)...;-]

[yoyology]

Are you at all concerned about the content of the batting inside the mattress pad?  I'd be worried that I'd be melting something I couldn't see.

[mirileh]

Good point (I should have mentioned). The batting should be made of material that can take heat.

The mattress protector I used is made of cotton (doesn't melt. takes heat fairly well).

[mirileh]

I added a note to the instructable. thanx for pointing it out!

[scoochmaroo]

Smart thinking.  I'm using a doubled-up towel on a rolling  3-meter high table instead of an ironing board right now (even though I have one!).  I miss the huge pressing tables from working in costume shops.  And the gravity-feed irons :)

[kelseymh]

Gee, mister, are you tall?

with apologies to Tom "T-Bone" Stankis

[yoyology]

Three meters high?  You must be GIGANTIC!  :-)

[scoochmaroo]

I am. Not a lot of people know this, but I'm actually 17 feet tall. Or I meant to write 3 feet, and then thought I should write it in metric, since the author used metric. And then I screwed it up. Stupid American Imperial system.

[yoyology]

I, for one, welcome our 0.0257575758 furlong overlord.