Ironing Board Cover {Make One!}

Monday, August 14, 2017





How many of you are like me... your ironing board cover is gross and so you go to Walmart and then Target looking for just the right cute new cover?  And there is nothing there that is even remotely appealing?  (You know what is coming right?)  I thought, "What?  Why am I not making my own ironing board cover?  It can't be that hard!"  And I'm here to tell you it is EASY.  And I mean seriously easy.  So here is a tutorial for you so that you can make your own darling cover to match your sewing room.  Or your laundry room.  Or whatever room you iron in!  And believe me when I tell you that it makes ironing a lot more fun to have a cute board cover!

Lets get started!






This is what you will need:

1-3/4 yards of quality cotton fabric (for anyone wanting to know, I used the line called Coney Island by Fig Tree Quilts - just google it and you can find many places to purchase it.)

Quilt batting - you will need two pieces approximately 20 x 60 inches.

4-1/2 yards of double fold binding.  (I made my own with a contrasting fabric by cutting my fabric 2-1/2 inches wide by length of fabric.  You might need to cut a couple of these to end up with 4-1/2 yards.  Sew them together at the short ends, fold long edges together, press with an iron.  And you're ready to go!)

3 yards of 1/4 inch elastic




Cut your fabric in half lengthwise (so that it measures approximately 22 inches wide by 63 inches) and press well.  You can then set aside the other piece of fabric for another project.   Now remove all the old cover and padding from your ironing board and turn your board upside down on top of the fabric.  It works best to do this on the floor.





(In case you think I missed a step here... I made mine a little special by sewing two strips of four 5-inch contrasting square pieces together.  I then sewed them into the pre-cut piece right where I wanted them positioned.  You can do this too or you can skip this step. It is completely optional. Or you can get even fancier!)




With a small ruler and a washable ink pen, measure approximately 2.5 - 3 inches from the edge of the ironing board all the way around - drawing a line to connect your marks.  Then cut along that mark all the way around your board.  Set aside your fabric piece; draping it carefully so that it doesn't wrinkle.  You can't iron it now since your board is out of commission!  Smile!





Lay your ironing board on your quilt batting and cut around it in the same manner as you did the fabric.  However, you can just eye-ball this, no need to make it perfectly accurate.  I used two layers; one layer was exactly the size of the ironing board, the second layer was about 2 inches wider.  Turn your ironing board upright with the larger batting draped over the smaller.   




Take your pre-made or pre-purchased binding and sew it along the entire edge of the fabric.  It is best to pin this as you go.  Since you will be sewing around corners it really helps to just pin two or three pins ahead of your sewing.  Begin sewing about 3 or 4 inches from the end of the binding (leaving a tail).   Sew a 1/4 inch seam.




When you get back to where you started leave a tail that overlaps your beginning tail about 1/2 inch.  Then you will open these up and sew them right sides together.  Fold them back closed and sew them down.  




Finger press your binding down to the inside of the ironing board cover and sew an 1/8 inch top stitch all the way around.  I didn't bother to pin. 




After you have sewn the outside edge, you will now sew the inside edge, creating a channel to run your elastic through.  I only pinned the corners, as you'll want to take up that slack in the binding.  Don't worry if it doesn't look super neat; it will be hidden!




Be sure to stop an inch or so from where you started, so that you can slip your elastic in!




Attach your elastic end to a safety pin and make sure it can't easily come undone.  There is nothing more frustrating than a safety pin holding elastic that comes open about 3/4 of the way through!  (Learned this from experience!)  Carefully push the pin and pull your elastic all the way around.  Once you get your pin all the way to where you started, you will need to do some pulling to get the elastic to feed evenly through the whole binding channel.  Be extra careful not to lose the end, or you'll have to start all over!  (Learned that from experience too!)  You don't want the elastic to be super pulled and you also don't want it super lose.  At this point you can place it over your ironing board and do some pulling and releasing to get it just right.  It's not difficult, but it is a little time consuming to get it exactly the way you want it.  




Once you get it the tightness you want, take your two elastic ends and tie them together in a tight knot.  Then cut the ends, leaving a couple inches that you can just tuck under the cover.   I did not sew this opening closed.  For one thing it is hidden and for another you might want to tighten it some more later.  At least that is the thought that I had!  




And there you go.  Super easy.  




Super cute.  




Super happy creating!


9 comments:

  1. Thank you!!! Your tutorial is perfect!! And inspirational to spiff mine up a bit!! 😊 Dori you have such a beautiful space to sew!!

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  2. Thanks! This is the best ironing board tutorial I've seen :)

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  3. this is so darling!!! but my ironing board pretty much resides in the closet....at least it was there eons ago the last time i used it ;) maybe after next June I will have a bit more time to sew some fun items!!!

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  4. What a cheerful space you have! Is there nothing you can't sew? My stars, but you are so crafty! ;0D

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  5. The iron board blends just right with your colorful craftroom. The wall quilts are pretty and cheerful too.
    Have a wonderful day, Kathleen in Az

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  6. Thanks! I have been thinking of covering my ironing board since the cover has a big hole in it! But I was too lazy to figure it out myself. New Ironing board cover coming right up ;)

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  7. Looks beautiful! Bookmarking for when I need it in the future. =)

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  8. This is so cute! You did a great job and it looks like it took awhile to make when it really didn't. Thank you so much for sharing. I can't wait to get started on mine!

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