Home EC Class: Project 6

Ironing Board Cover

Lessons learned:
   using old cover (or board) to create a cover for the new
   edge-finishing options
   elasticizing an edge
   calculating fabric required

close-up of my fabric...love it!  :)

This project came at just the right time.  Some of you know that my husband and I are getting ready for a baby due the end of October so we're having to change what used to be the guest room into what will be the nursery, and in the process, keep the full-size bed that was in the guest room so we'll still have a place to house guests who come to visit (the baby or the beach.  Or both. :).

To do that, my handy husband is building a murphy bed to encase the bed which will go in our other bedroom which is currently known as the "craft/computer/catchall room".  But not only is he building the murphy bed cabinet itself, he's adding shelving, etc. on either side to create a "wall" structure.  It's absolutely amazing (and nearly done, hooray!).  Anyway, one of the features he's building is a fold-out ironing board for me.

I have a full size ironing board right now that we store in the laundry room.  I hate ironing in the first place and it's so difficult to get out.  And it has this really ugly gray cover on it.  :)  This new fold-out ironing board will be so nice because it will be easily accessible and it has a beautiful, though not perfect, cover on it!  That I made!

I chose this fabric because it matches some other countertops in the room itself and when everything is complete, I'll post photos of it all and you can see for yourself.  I'm so excited about how this is all turning out.  :)

The cover was a good challenge -- we took the board that Jeff built and laid it on some thin kraft paper to make the pattern.  We went out about 3 inches from the board itself to allow for overhang, etc. and drew around and then cut it out.  Voila -- my first pattern!  :) Then I pinned the pattern to my fabric and cut.

As I said, the cover isn't perfect and I do need ironing board clips (like everyone else in the class has said) to create a more tight effect, but it's functional for now.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.