I was pressing board challenged

…because I don't have room for one in my sewing grotto. I used to have an ironing board, the scissor-legged kind, but I gave it up for more storage room. You see, I'm ill. I have towered stashes of fabric, yarn, and beads. Then I acquired a treadmill that needed a niche, so into a corner it went. This space greed is probably a sickness from which I'll never recover, though I might have a sporting chance if I had a pressing surface on which to flatten the aforementioned fabric and sew it into fabulous creations.

Last year, I rearranged my sewing area and planned to use my UFO cart as the base for a new pressing surface.



(My stepfather-in-law made this for us when we lived in our first house. The kitchen had next to no counter space, and this cabinet was oft dusted with flour or mashed potato flakes.)

I wanted an ironing board that could be removed and that came up to the proper height for me according to the ergonomic guru my quilt guild hosted. I needed about three inches more in elevation.

So, I measured the top of the cabinet and gathered my supplies.

• 3/4-inch plywood cut to size by the saw master at the big box store.
• Scrap batting, enough to cover the board's surface in a double thickness. (I used a wool batting because it's what I had. If I'd had big enough pieces in cotton batting, I would have preferred that.  Polyester would melt, of course, and that's a big no-no.)
• Teflon fabric, enough to fold to the underside of the board on all sides.
• At least four, small bun feet meant to be screwed in.*
• At least four straight mounting plate kits.*
• Staple gun with 1/4-inch staples
• Electric drill with proper sized drill bit and Philips driver bit, or a really strong hand to work in the screws manually.

*I bought five because I thought I'd need more support in the middle of the board, but the 3/4" plywood is sturdy enough…as long as I don't set my entire fabric stash on top of it.

In keeping with all the tutorials I've read about upholstering a flat surface, I layered the teflon fabric (face down), the two thicknesses of wool batting, and the board on top. I wrapped the teflon fabric around the edges, working one edge and then it's opposite to stretch the fabric tight, and I stapled as I went.



Here's how I folded one corner.





Doesn't that look tidy? The board fits snug inside the lip around the cabinet. I could've stopped there, but it still needed more height. So on with the mounting plates and bun feet.





Voila!



I think one thing I'll add is some no-slip shelf liner cut to fit the bottom of the bun feet.

And, look! More storage space.




Linked up to

• The DIY Showoff
• Modern Craftswoman Monday at Tools Are for Women Too!
• Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative
• We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
• Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage