How to Make A Custom Pressing Board
Whether you want a big, sturdy pressing board you can store and set up easily or you want to turn a dresser or side board into a cool piece of sewing room furniture, some simple supplies can help you make a large pressing space that makes creating those crisp, flat seams a little sweeter!
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I did a super fun, easy, and gorgeous project this weekend, and I thought I'd share with you. I made a pressing board for my sewing room, and it was as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Video
Supplies
piece of 3/4 inch plywood to fit on top of chosen furniture
two layers of 100% cotton batting 5” larger all around than board
piece of fabric (all cotton and preferably single piece) 5” larger all around than board
staple gun
hammer
scissors
rubber feet
Assembly Instructions
1) Select furniture: if you love thrifting, go look for something cheap that you can freshen up with a coat of spray paint. Even cheaper? Raid your guest room or dining room for a long dresser or side board that you don't actually use (why do we put dressers in guest rooms anyway?! NONE of us really want guests that stay long enough to need actual drawers!). You want something with a top about 1.5 x 4 feet.
2) Gather supplies: 1 precut piece of nice plywood thats 1.5x4 feet and 3/4 " thick (about $15 at your friendly neighborhood big box home improvement store. Free if your husband has a stash of his own in the garage), rubber nail-in feet ($3 at the same store), staple gun (back to your Husband's stash), enough batting to wrap the top of the plywood in a double layer, and a cut of cotton home dec or linen blend fabric to finish off the top of the board.
3) Assemble: Lay the two pieces of batting on top of each other (smooth out all the wrinkles!) then lay the board on top. Pulling the batting snug, staple the batting into the back of the board down the long sides (about 1/2 inches from the edge), then "wrap" the short ends like a gift and staple in place (trim excess batting away. If needed, use a hammer to make sure the staples are flat in the batting. Repeat the wrapping and stapling process with the fabric. Hammer in the rubber feet in each corner where the wood is still bare (to keep the board from sliding while you press). Flip right side up and VOILA!
I'm so excited to be able to press a fat quarter without shuffling it all around and have more room in general for pressing. Plus, I think the dresser adds a nice touch (and more storage) to my sewing room!
