DIY Ironing Board Cover

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Have you ever tried to find a stylish or even cute ironing board cover? I recently made some updates to my laundry room and I wanted a new cover that would look good in the room. And all I could find were florals and bland, boring neutrals. So, I decided I needed to make my own. This way I could pick fabulous fabric that I'd happily display in my laundry room.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

And really this is a pretty great novice sewing project. So, if you only sew straight lines and have never followed a pattern before, this is a great project for you to try.

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I chose a fun graphic black and white fabric for my new cover.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Things You'll Need

  • 2 yards of FUN fabric

  • 2 yards of 100% cotton quilt batting

  • White thread

  • Pins

  • Fabric scissors

  • Ruler

  • Sharpie marker or fabric pen

  • Sewing machine

  • 3 yards of nylon cording (found in the curtain notions section of the fabric store)

  • 1 plastic toggle

  • Bodkin

  • Ironing board

  • 1 yard of 1" sew-on velcro

This pattern and the easy-to follow-instructions are designed to work with any size ironing board. You will need your ironing board to cut the pattern for the cover.

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Step 1

Start by laying out the cotton batting on the floor. Lay the ironing board down on top of it and center it on the batting, leaving at least 2 inches all the way around the board.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 2

With a ruler and marker, mark 2 inches from the board every couple of inches all the way around the board. Just a dot will do.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 3

Play dot-to-dot and join all the dots together.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Tip

Invest in good fabric scissors and only use them to cut fabric. Nothing is worse then trying to cut fabric with dull scissors.

Step 4

Cut out the batting.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel
Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 5

Now lay out the fabric, good side down, and place the cut batting on top of the fabric. Make sure to leave 2 inches all the way around the batting. Pin the batting to the fabric.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 6

Mark every 2 inches all the way around the fabric, just like you did with the batting.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 7

Play dot-to-dot again!

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 8

Now cut out the fabric.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 9

Leave the batting pinned to the fabric and zigzag stitch all the way around the batting edge. Then remove all the pins.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 10

Place the fabric good side down again. Turn the fabric over 1 inch.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 11

Then fold it over another inch and pin it down. The turned edge should be just up against the batting. Pin all the way around the cover.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 12

The corners will be a little tricky. You will need to make little tucks to curve the corners. Just pin the tucks so that they lay flat.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel
Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 13

With the sewing machine, stitch all the way around the tube you have created. Stitch as close to the fold as possible. Leave a 3-inch opening at the end of the ironing board. Back stitch on either side of the opening to reinforce the opening.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 14

Using a bodkin (really just a big blunt plastic or metal needle, but super handy for threading), thread the nylon string all the way around the cover.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel
Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 15

Add a plastic toggle and tie off the end of the string.

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Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 16

Add two straps of velcro to the sides to ensure that the cover stays put and tight across the ironing board. Place one pair closer to the front of the board and the other near the end. It's important to put the cover on the board before pinning the velcro in place. You want to make sure that the velcro will not be in the way of the legs to the board. Once you have the velcro pinned in place, stitch on the velcro using the sewing machine. Sew back and forth at least four times to make sure it can handle the tension of being pulled across the board.

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel
Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

Step 17

Put the cover on your ironing board, pull the drawstring tight and velcro the straps.

Happy ironing!

Image Credit: Jeran McConnel
Image Credit: Jeran McConnel

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