New Ironing Station Cover

 It's time to recover the ironing station in my studio.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with the cover other than I'm tired of looking at it. Over the last year or so I would occasionally lay another piece of fabric over it but would not staple it in place. 

Since it's still in good shape and only needs to be washed to remove the starch I decided to carefully remove the staples.

And then this happened at about staple #10.

Plan B...rip the darn thing off the board, if it survives I'll wash it.  If it doesn't, so be it.  Yes I'm pouting and stomping like a two year old.  We'll just chalk it up to old lady hormones.

As I took my pain out on the fabric I exposed more layers of fabric I didn't know existed.

It's hard telling how many are actually on here.  Mr. Podunk and I made this 10 yrs ago.  Since then it has been covered too many times to count.  I also know there's at least one more layer of aluminum foil besides the one you see here. The white fabric I'm holding is glued to the foil.

To help stabilize the foil and keep me from tearing it when I turn this board over I add painters tape to the edge.  One more layer for me to forget when I change this cover the next time. 

Now that it's flipped right sides up I can remove the offending fabric.  My goodness will you look how stiff it is from starch.

I auditioned several different fabrics before deciding I like this print the best, it's a Bonnie and Camille fabric.  My inside quilty gal started screaming "Don't use it for an ironing board cover!"  But the gal who's finger is still hurting is the boss today.  It's just fabric and it makes me happy.  

The fabric was quickly clamped in place, I need to work fast before quilty gal starts screaming again.

Quilty Gal has some very valid points about this fabric but I really don't want to rehash them for hours on end.  I just want to get this done and return to sewing. 

Remember when you were a kid and your mom warned you of making decisions when you are upset.  This is one of those moments she was talking about.  It would have been much easier to trim the fabric on the cutting table before adding it to the ironing board.  Well here I am, feeling a little more aggravated.  I was ready to remove the new fabric and cut it at the cutting table when Lea Anne MacGyver pops in and says "RIP IT".   I love that MacGyver, she's a handy gal to have around when I make bad decisions.  So with a quick snip and a couple of yanks on the fabric.....

....we have a perfectly trimmed fabric.  TADA!

The excess fabric on the top couldn't be ripped but it didn't take long to use a pair of scissors to remove it.

The first edge is always the easiest edge to staple into place.

The rest of them are a little harder.  Pulling the fabric snug while stapling is quite the chore.  It's only a chore because this stapler requires a lot of hand strength.  Do they make a girl stapler?  You know something a little easier to use?  Maybe in red or pink?  I see an Amazon shopping trip in my near future. 

Now I've seen quilters get all in a fuss over tacking down the corners.  Seriously?  This isn't a Christmas gift.  It's an ironing board.  Once flipped right side up no one will know that it's not perfect.

Keeping it simple...I grab the point of the corner and tug it snug.

Bam, Bam, bam and we have one corner done.  As easy as pie!  No fuss, no muss! 

 I love the new look of my ironing station.  Light and airy.

  

I loved it so much I decided to recover my smaller ironing boards.  The one on top is used when making turned edge applique.  The pink one rarely gets used but it comes in handy when I'm too lazy to get up out of my chair and walk around the table to press something.  This makes me so happy!  I'm recharged and ready to get back to sewing!  Whoohoo!

My word of the year MOOVE.  Getting things done, moving them along or moving me.  It basically means activity for me and my projects.  Today's MOOVE was recovering the ironing table that was driving me nuts.

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~ Getting Romantic ~

As soon as I saw this new line of fabric I fell in love.  This is First Romance by Kristyne Czepuryk of Pretty by Hand, made for Moda.  Isn't it just the sweetest?   Now comes the hard part...cutting away the plastic and removing the ribbon.

It took a little time I finally did it...And OH MY GOODNESS!  My knees went weak and my heart began to flutter.  Two hours later I came to my senses and chose a few little lovelies for my next quilt.  Before this line was released for sale I started designing quilts just for this bundle.  About 20 quilts were designed but only four made the cut.  And from that four I plan to make at  two.  Both are quick and easy quilts with large blocks.

So the process began.  Below is my fat quarters drying after being starched.  The starching process is very simple.... a Rubbermaid kitchen container with liquid starch.  I refold the fabric to fit the container, lay all my fat quarters in the container and pour the starch mixture in.  After the fabric absorbs the starch I carefully squeeze out the excess.  Then hang on my frame with a fan and space heater blowing on them.  When almost dry(about 45 minutes later) I start pressing each piece.  The pressing(not ironing) while still damp helps to preshrink the fabric.  

A few hours later I'm well on my way to having a quilt top made.  

I couldn't help myself....I added a little Lakehouse Drygoods(green) to the mix.

Hope to see you in a few days with a completed quilt!

~  Lea Anne ~

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Simply Sweet Table topper and Marti Michell inset triangle ruler review

Last week I made a quilt top using Moda's L'Amour Charm pack.  If you missed it you can read about it here.  Believe it or not I made a lap quilt and had enough scrap 2.5" charms leftover for a small project.  This was a great opportunity for me to try out my new Marti Michell Diagonal Set Triangle Ruler and write a free small quick pattern to share with you.  Don't worry, if you don't have this ruler, the instruction for my Simply Sweet Table topper has directions with or without the ruler.  The link to the pattern will be at the end of this post.

Before starting the ruler review I'd also like to let you know that my background fabric is also quilt border scraps from the Amour de Cerise quilt.  

As most of you know when making a quilt set on point those set in side and corner triangles can be quite tricky.  In the past we needed to cut a huge square  and then cut on the diagonal twice.  Most of the time our standard 6 x 24 ruler was to short and the measurements were odd.

Not anymore!  This ruler is great.  No more counting those 8th's and 16th's marks for that huge awkward square.  Just line up the bottom of your fabric on any line on your cutting mat.  Then on the ruler find the FINISHED size(in quilt) of your block and line it up with the bottom of your fabric.  For this project my finished block will be 6 inches. Carefully line up a straight ruler at the top of the inset ruler using the markings on the cutting mat.

Slide the set in ruler out of the way and cut.  So simple!

To cut your side set in triangles  place the ruler back on the strip and cut.

Making the corner triangles is just as easy.  From the same strip of fabric line up your ruler on the block size you need at the bottom and then line up the edge with the vertical line that is off center.

Trim away the corners on all pieces, it makes piecing them so much easier.

Look how lovely they line up!  No wings to clip and its perfectly centered.  I love this ruler!  It's not one that I'll use everyday but it's one that when I need it I'm glad I have it.  Well worth the money spent.  The best thing is I can use smaller pieces of scraps instead of needing yardage.

The free pattern for my Simply Sweet table topper can be found here.  The instruction are with and without this ruler.  Enjoy!

~ Lea Anne ~

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