Space Saving Crafts: Make Your Own Ironing Pad

Ironing pads (or ironing mats) have many benefits over ironing boards. They're portable, easy to store, and can be used almost anywhere. A proper ironing pad, if well maintained, can be used safely for years and will prevent damage to the surface it's placed on for ironing.

Housewives aren't the only ones who can enjoy the benefits of an ironing pad, either. College students, people who live in apartments or small houses, quilters, and seamstresses can all find good uses for a durable ironing pad.

Though you can buy them, they tend to be thin and they can wear out quickly. However, if you make your own ironing pad, you can make it of durable materials and homemade goods can last quite a long time. You can also make one to your own size specifications and add other features like a loop for hanging.

This article gives instructions on how to make an ironing pad with a hanging loop and tie closure. If you'd like to save money (like I did), you can use marked down home décor fabric for the backing. I used a 50% off coupon to get the half-yard of ironing pad material necessary for the mat. It was available behind the cutting counter at my local JoAnn Fabric and Craft store. It's also available online.

The type of fabric I used (and recommend) was Therma-Flec (brand name) type quilted fabric. The top layer is metallic, and reflects the heat of the iron upwards, away from surfaces underneath the pad. It was quilted onto a heavy cotton batting for extra protection.

Supplies:

30" home décor fabric (100% cotton or as high natural fiber content as possible)
24" Therma-Flec or Iron Quick quilted fabric (or equivalent)
Cotton thread
Scissors
Sewing machine and denim or other heavy duty sewing needles

The basics:

You're going to use the home décor fabric to cover the back of the quilted pad fabric. It will come up over the sides to create a 1" border all the way around your ironing pad. This will secure the batting at the edges.. I suggest home décor fabric for added heat protection and I suggest cotton because it won't melt.

Home décor fabric is wider than regular fabric, which means you'll have extra fabric off one side. If the quilted ironing pad fabric is wider than 36 inches, cut it down to 24x36 inches. Cut your home décor fabric down to 30x42 inches and put the excess fabric to the side for now.

Place the quilted fabric face up over the home décor fabric (which is face down). Using long pins, fold down about an inch of fabric on each side (as you go) and bring the home décor fabric up around the edges of the quilted ironing pad fabric. You'll want about one inch of border around your ironing pad fabric. Pin the fabric in place around the edges, taking care to make sure there are no raw fabric edges in the corners. Sew all the way around the pad with the edges of the home décor fabric turned under and secured.

To secure the quilted fabric to the home décor fabric in the center (preventing bunching and slipping), sew a straight line through the center of your ironing pad the short way (like a book binding).

Your ironing pad is now ready to use.

You can use your brand new ironing pad to make bias tape from a 2.5 inch strip of the home décor fabric scrap you put to the side earlier.

To make bias tape (which isn't on the bias in this case), cut a strip 30 inches by 2.5 inches. Fold the strip in half down the length and press. Then open the fabric and fold each side to the center and press in place. This will hide your raw edges. Close up your new bias tape, which should now be 30 inches long by about ½ inch to ¾ inch wide. Sew all the way down the open edge. Use a zig zag stitch on the bottom end to prevent fraying.

Wait for your ironing pad to cool, and then roll it up. The cord you just made is going to be used to tie it closed. There will likely be excess cord. Cut it off the end you didn't secure with the zig zag stitch, then secure the other end with a zig zag stitch.

With your ironing pad still rolled up, mark halfway down the roll about 6 inches away from the edge of the ironing pad. This is where you'll be securing the tie to keep your pad closed.

Sew the center of the cord to the area you just marked. Now you can tie your pad closed.

If you like, you can use what's left of the cord to make a loop for hanging. Figure out how much of the cord you'll have to use for your loop (a few inches), finish the edges with a zig zag stitch, and then secure the loop at the top of the roll where you would like it to be (mine is opposite where the bow sits). Sew it in place along the seam you made when you put the backing on your quilted ironing pad.

Now you have an ironing pad just like mine. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

They also make great (and easy) gifts!