Where Do You Iron?

Since 1992, I have used my mother’s ironing board.

She bought it about 50 years ago and it was the Cadillac of ironing boards. It is heavy-duty and heavy. It was corded with an outlet on the board, and has a springy guide to hold the iron cord away from fabric. Over the years, the cord got cut off. I always tuck the springy guide under the board because it drives me crazy. Mostly, I get frustrated because it is not wide enough and the angled end means my fabric never seems to get fully ironed.

After a lot of research, I decided that I wanted an ironing station with storage. I looked at all of the Pinterest ironing stations and I even considered buying the Singer Ironing and Crafting Station, but at $350, I thought I could figure out something that was less expensive. I bought a 15-drawer rainbow drawer organizer, a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood that is 2 foot by 4 foot, Insulbrite, 100% cotton quilt batting, and silver ironing board cloth. All together I spent less than $120 (not counting what my husband spent for a new hammer stapler).

I brought it all home and left it in the living room, because work got crazy and I didn’t have time to put it together. Enter my husband, the hero! He put together the drawer unit, rounded and sanded the edges of the plywood so the corners would not wear through the fabric, and created these cool latches that hold the board onto the drawers, but can be easily turned to remove the board for storage (as if I will ever put my new ironing station away).

This weekend, we decided to work together to get the board upholstered. I started with a layer of Insulbrite to protect the board and reflect heat back up to the fabric. Then we put on 2 layers of 100% cotton batting.

My husband was using a hammer stapler to staple everything down. He didn’t want to catch my fingers, so on the corners, we used tape to hold the miter in place until he stapled it.

Finally, we stretched the fancy silver ironing board fabric on top.

Doesn’t it look great!

It is about 1 inch higher than a normal ironing board, but I am on the tall side, so I don’t mind. And it is 24 x 48 inches so I can iron the full width of a cut of fabric. I can get a sharp press on it. And check out all that lovely fabric storage. Fifteen color-coded drawers. I have already started moving my scraps from shoe boxes randomly placed around my room into this neat stand. There is even room for my power bar between the cart top and the board!

I am SO grateful that my husband put everything together and made my new ironing station happen. Happy ironing and pressing!