Welcome to the June edition of Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd #TTot22.
I will share some information on my new ironing station, which I love. It arrived not long before my ankle was broken, so I haven’t completely outfitted it for work, but I have plans! I am still limited by my broken ankle, BUT yesterday I oiled and stitched a tiny bit. I will maybe do a few HSTs tomorrow – pretty psyched by the thought of it!
I will do a summary of last month’s tips and tutorial in the July edition with the links from this month. That will be a juicy Tips/Tutes edition! I’m a little behind….but will get to it.
To say that I wanted this for a long time is an understatement. A few months ago, I purchased my ironing station from TNT boards in Lunenburg, MA. They have been at many quilt shows that I have attended and I always wanted one. To top it off, every spring fling retreat for years, I used the big board they made and always loved it.
This shows you the fabric cover I picked. It makes me happy every time I look at it. It is a nice canvas weight. I purchased a small board that I keep in my other sewing room. I often use it when I am doing a complicated block and want to save getting up and down with the pressing. That fabric has certainly lasted, so I really expect this to last also. Replacing it would be simple enough with a proper stapler.
What I love about this is that I can keep the fabric for a couple of projects on the bottom shelf for easy access. Will I outfit it with a fabric bin, as in the first picture, or something else? I might. For now, I want to work with it awhile before I make any decisions. I can see the bottom shelf being projects waiting to start or collecting spots for scraps. My sewing machine feet are in the black case, and it so nice not to be moving that every time I am in the room. The shelf configuration is a work in progress.
Here are the biggest advantages of this workstation:
1. Its on wheels. I am always moving my board a little to the left or right to get access to the drawers on the right OR the closet on the left or to get more light or room for the fabric.
2. There is storage underneath. I am not piling the current “excess project fabric” or “next project” on the floor (making #1 easier).
3. I can press the entire width of fabric!
4. It is sturdy.
5. It was shipped directly to me!
Now, could I have had my husband help me construct this, probably. Is it better this way to arrive and be assembled rather than created…you bet it is.
So, after years of living with the ironing board that came with the house, I now have a very upgraded station that works for me. If you decide to order one, please tell Tracy (Tracy@TNTQuiltBoards.com) I sent you. No affiliation, but I like folks to know where referrals come from.
Now it’s your turn to post, and the rules are simple – write up a tip or group of tips or a tutorial that is quilting or sewing-related and link that post below. The linky party is open from midnight on the 22nd, through midnight on May 31st. The post does not have to be new but should be one that hasn’t been linked to Tips and Tutorials in the past. If you don’t have a blog, please send it to me (kathleen@kathleenmcmusing.com) and I will post your tip or tutorial for you!
In case you didn’t know, if you have missed some past #TTot22, you can check them out in the tab at the top of my page or on my Pinterest board.
Coming Up on My Blog:
Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd – 7/22
That is a very nice and functional utility station! 🙂
And I am so happy that you are recovering from your injury! 🙂
Love your ironing station, Kathleen! It looks a lot like the one my husband built for me from wood and casters, but yours is probably easier to move because it’s lighter weight. YES to the joy of an ironing board that can fit a full width of fabric! The broken ankle is such rotten luck. I’m glad you’re moving around a bit better and able to do some sewing now.
Yay for the new ironing station! I’m sure you are going to enjoy that for years to come. I sewed some HSTs today, so now it’s your turn!
Super cool ironing station, good for you. You will soon think ‘how did I ever get by without this’. I love my big board that hubby made that sits on my regular ironing board.
Congrats on your new pressing station, Kathleen! I can definitely see the value in having it delivered “ready to use”. I’m still waiting for DH to add the height adjustment to my setup. I’ve been waiting since the end of last summer!! :o((
That’s an awesome ironing station! I have a smaller version that I made from a cart I found at Costco that also has hooks on the side opposite the handle. I use my Steady Betty on it and my wool pressing mat sometimes. It holds a lot of my embroidery hoops and projects. It’s not as wide as yours, but for my space it’s perfect to just wheel around beside my sewing machine and press as I go! I have a Singer Craft Station that has a big board on it, but no storage. I would love to have this bigger one too! Thanks for the link. I’m glad you are starting to ease your way back into stitching!
My first post disappeared when I edited my WordPress account! I love your ironing station! I have a smaller version that I made using a cart like this I found at Costco. My hubby and SIL cut the legs down (that was not easy) to make it a good height to sit beside my machine. It has the handle and two shelves and a hook rack for the side opposite the handle. I also have a Singer Crafting Station that has a big board on it, but no shelving underneath. It would be awesome to have that extra shelving!! Thanks for the link! I’m glad to see you are easing back into stitching and look forward to seeing what you do! Have a great weekend, Kathleen!
What a fantastic ironing station. Being able to press a full width of fabric at once is so nice. I’m also happy to hear you have been up and sewing a bit!
That is a nifty set-up Kathleen! I like the shelves – when you think about the scissor-style ironing board (which I have but rarely use) it’s such a waste of space. I’m so glad that you’ve made a little progress in the stitching department!