New Ironing Board Cover

Well OK, so this isn't exactly exciting, but it's a rotten rainy and cold day and I just couldn't bear to do the ironing on such a gloomy cover.

Every so often I like to change my ironing board cover. I find that mine always get so mucky (because I'm messy, and I put my cups of tea on it, and I get fusible interfacing on it) that even putting them in the wash doesn't get all the muck and grot out. And it's so easy to replace them.

I don't buy my covers, because they are usually pretty grim (have you seen the ones with the bloke in the towel? As the board gets hot the towel disappears. Classy)

Anyway, here is the "before" shot. I know, it's a disgrace. It looks like that bit on the headboard when people have been smoking in bed.



And here's my lovely new one. We've been watching Life on Mars on DVD all week and I think I have gone back to 1973. But it's a lovely cheerful print and just what the doctor ordered.



So, first of all, make sure you choose 100% cotton fabric. If you have any polyester in there the heat of the iron will melt it. You'll need about 1 1/2 metres. You also need about 3 metres of thin cord (or you could re-use the one off the existing cover). If your foam underneath is ripped or scruffy, you should replace that as well. Last time I did my board I put upholstery wadding underneath.

First, untie the cord from underneath the existing cover (it is probably wrapped around a plastic toggle thing. If it is - goodo - you have half of your materials already). Pull all the string out, and stretch the cover out flat. Lay the old cover on top of your fabric and cut around it, leaving about 2cm seam allowance (or more if you prefer a bigger allowance, or are adding extra padding). (Yeuch, how grotty does that old one look?)



Now, if you wanted to do it properly, you would put a hem all around. But I'm lazy, so I just zig-zagged the raw edge. Also, I'm probably not going to throw this in the wash, so it doesn't really matter. Zia-zag or overlock stitch is enough to keep it from fraying. Then I folded the edge over 2cms and sewed about 1 cm from the edge to make a channel for the string. Make sure you leave enough space to pass a safety pin through. Start at the flat end and backstitch a few stitches to secure. When you get round to the same point, leave a gap of about 2cms (back stitching again) so you can slip your thread in and out. You don't need to be too precise, because it's all going to be underneath.



Next, assuming your cord is synthetic (most are) singe the end with a lighter, then attach a small safety pin. The reason we singe it is because they fray so easily and it's mightily annoying to get half way round and find you've become detached. When you have threaded your cord all the way through (hurray!), secure the cover over the board and tighten the cord as much as it will go, smoothing the surface and tucking under as necessary.



Now either tie off the ends, or use a piece of plastic with slits taken out of the sides (either make your own or use the toggle from the old cover) to secure the cord underneath.

Hurray, that only took about 20 minutes and look how snazzy we are!