I have to admit that one of my least favorite household chores is ironing. I would wash a pile of dirty dishes before I would volunteer to iron a dress shirt, and my aversion to ironing isn’t made any better by the fact that I’m in desperate need of a cute ironing board cover.
It’s been so hard for me to find one I like that I decided it was time to make my own. The funny thing about it is that I was putting it off for so long, but it really was one of the easiest sewing DIYs I’ve ever attempted—no really!
Supplies: Cotton fabric, ironing board, fabric scissors, elastic (mine is 1/4 wide), straight pins, safety pin.
1. Remove the existing cover on your ironing board. Lay your fabric right side down on the floor and lay your ironing board upside down on top of your fabric. Use your scissors to cut the fabric around the ironing board about 3 inches from the board edge.
2. Fold a 1 inch hem all the way around the fabric edge and secure with straight pins. Sew around the edge leaving a 1/2 inch seam allowance, but leave a 1 inch opening so you can insert your elastic into the hem.
3. Attach a large safety pin to the beginning of your elastic and use this to thread your elastic all the way around your hem and out the other end (just feel for the safety pin in the hem and push it forward from the outside).
4. Once you’ve gone all the way around with your elastic, pull the elastic sides tight and make a knot with the two strands. Trim your extra elastic. You want the elastic to be tight enough to keep the cover taut, but loose enough to remove the cover for washing, etc.
So how easy was that?? Answer: so easy. Not only do I have a new ironing board cover in a fraction of the time I thought it would take, I may actually now be excited to iron something. Whoa. Things are getting pretty crazy around here. xo. Laura
is it going to be okay if the edges aren’t exactly 3″ all the way around? I’m covering a table top like this and the sides come about 3.5″ away from the selvedge. I was going to cut 3″ around the top and leave the sides alone. I don’t want to waist my ironing board fabric because I need it for something else, so I just wanted to know if it will make a difference before I trim.
Sorry for all the questions. I’m new to sewing and I’ve screwed up a couple projects by making a judgement call like this. Thanks.
Ooooo great idea! Now I can make one for the hideous ironing board we have in university halls right now!
I was curious about the heat-resistant padding that would go underneath the fabric…I know you could use the original one but mine is so flattened that the holes in the ironing board actually create marks on my clothes. This is definitely perfect timing for me to find this cause I’ll be doing one…just wondering if there was a padding you recommended.
Ok, I´m confessing: I don´t have an iron board. When I iron, do I use my bed as a surface.
I don’t agree with Ania at all. People looking at these blogs are at all different levels of experience. I would not have even thought to make my own ironing board cover. I have a small table top board and it is hard to find a new cover. If I do find one, it usually costs more than I paid for the board! Thanks Janet
That is a really good idea. I have never had a cover that fits right. One thing that was not mentioned is that you need a good thick pad under that lovely cover or ironing will be a more miserable job than it has to be. I too hate ironing!!
I just recovered my Ironing board about 2 week ago didn’t think to turn the board upside down though actually cut a pattern out of newspaper.The hint to turn upside down would have helped me.
Did you pad the ironing board or cover?
Yep, I definitely need to do this as I use my ironing board all the time! My present ironing board cover is a shocking hideous avacado green. In my defense, it was free.
-Rebecca
mn2nz.wordpress.cm
Nice idea! There just aren’t any decent covers out there! 🙂 Really liking your additions to the blog Laura 🙂
This is such a great idea!! And, I have something very random to say hahahah the scissors is so chic. I love the fold on the handle hehe hahahahahh :p
DreamerDreamBigger
Thank you SO much for sharing this one! We have one ironing board cover that’s really old. I think I’ll make three or something and have them go through washes consecutively as well. Thanks again <3 I don’t mind ironing much. Mostly because I watch or listen to something at the same time, and my yeah… I get paid lol.
It was my birthday yesterday! Check out my birthday post? http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/01/my-birthday.html
great idea and super cute fabric! I’ve had this on my “to-do” list for a while and you just inspired me to finally do it!
http://crissybell.blogspot.com
I need a new ironing board cover so badly, definitely going to go make this right now! Thanks for the easy tutorial!
How much fabric did you use?
OoooOooh, I love that fabric too! And, of course, I love the idea. Everyone needs a bit more fun while ironing, right? What a chore! Great work, now, off to…recover my ironing board!
Uhhh, I hate ironing but I would be more inclined to do it if I had a cute cover like this one!
http://delectabledarlings.com/
I’d love to cutomize my ironing board! The fabric you chose it perfect! x
http://moiraparton.blogspot.co.uk/
I would say it’s probably worth pre-washing your fabric, to get out any extra dye, and then test out ironing a bit of white cloth on it before you start sewing with it, you don’t want to be halfway through ironing a white dress shirt and find that the colours are bleeding from the ironing board cover onto your shirt!
Love this project- who knew Ironing board covers could be fun?
http://owlduchess.wordpress.com/
Owl Duchess: Feminism and Crafts in one blog!