#iron board for sewing

[anielskaaniela]

How to Make Your Own Ironing Board with Things You Already Have at Home

In this post you will learn how to make your own ironing board. Do you love sewing and quilting but hate ironing? Do you find your regular ironing board too bulky, too wobbly, or too boring? Do you wish you could have a custom-made ironing board that suits your needs and style? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this tutorial is for you! In this post, I will show you how to…

[deramin2]

For Juneteenth I want to tell you about Sarah Boone: inventor of the modern ironing board, and the second Black women to receive a US patent.

Sarah was born into slavery in Craven County, North Carolina in 1832. Legally barred from education, her grandfather secretly taught her instead. In 1847 she married freedman James Boone, and was herself freed for unknown reasons. They moved to New Haven, Connecticut before the civil war, and had 8 children together.

James worked as a brick mason, and Sarah worked as a seamstress and dressmaker. While other inventors of the 19th century had been slowly improving the design of ironing boards, Sarah found them inadequate for the job, so she set about making something better.

She wrote in her very detailed patent,

"The purpose of the invention is to produce a cheap, simple, convenient and highly effective device, particularly adapted to be used in ironing the sleeves and bodies of ladies’ garments."

Her ironing board was narrow, curved, symmetrical, and tapered so that the narrowest parts of a garment could fit around it flatly without ceasing while easily turning the garment for each side. It was padded so the fabric would drape more gently, also reducing ceasing. It had collapsible legs that started towards the center of the board so that there was plenty of room for clothes to fit around it while also being mobile and easy to store. It was easy and cheap to manufacture so that it would be accessible for anyone to buy. Especially important when Black people were (are) both poorer and more harshly judged for their appearance.

She submitted she her patient in July of 1891, and obtained United States patent number 473,563 in April of 1892. 132 years later we are still using Sarah Boone's design with very few changes.

She died in 1904 at the age of 72 and is buried in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

So next time you iron something, admire how well thought out and purpose built Sarah's design is. Black excellence and freedom made that possible. If she'd remained in slavery she would never have been able to design it or patent it.

I'm thinking about her story today and mourning the generations of Black innovation we never got because because of slavery. All that brilliance held back by such an evil and dehumanizing institution. All the Black innovation held back today due to the legacy of slavery and ongoing racism. The inmates who are still legally enslaved in this country and not given a chance to thrive and create. I'm thinking about how reparations could help other descendents of slavery have the money to work on their ideas. (Or just live other fulfilling lives because no one should have to be exceptional to be respected.)

I'm also thinking about how vital Sarah's ironing board has been to activist organizing. They're cheap, flat, long, fit in small crowded rooms, and historically everyone had one. The humble ironing board was vital to the Civil Rights movement, union organizing, and the queer rights movement among others. Ironing boards are an unsung hero of Black liberation.

Ironing boards are so simple that we never think about the care that went into their design or the woman behind them. But we should. And now you know the story.

[pastels-and-lace]

Sewing would take almost no time if it was only sewing. 99% of it is cutting and ironing.

[pulim-v]

Going insane over Housewife Radio again

[muirneach]

hobbies georg

[bevanne46]

Learn how to make an easy Ironing Board on Wheels. The only thing they didn't do that I would do is to put the Ironing Board itself on a board with hinges so you can still use the top bin without losing storage space. https://ikeahackers.net/2019/09/ironing-board-on-wheels-diy.html#comment-385023

[eppujensen]

Hm, I might have to make myself a small countertop ironing board like Damjana's! Tutorial at Apple Green Cottage.

[transvisions]

I need to stop beeing impulsive goddamn

[anielskaaniela]

What is decatising and Why Do You Need It?

In this post you learn what is decatising and tips and tricks on how to do it at home. Do you want to improve the appearance, texture, and durability of your fabrics? Do you want to prevent shrinkage, creasing, and distortion of your fabrics? Do you want to learn how to do it for different types of fabrics? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to learn about…

[starsbegantofall]

I made a new ironing board cover for my ironing table from a strawberry cotton print from Joann's. The fabric is not great for clothes, so I was struck by genius to make a new ironing board cover since it was about the same texture. My old one is actually a stack of 3 storebought ones that got thinner and thinner over time and are also like 5 inches too long, not sure why my ironing board is shorter than usual. I cut out the backing from the newest one and then added another layer of quilt batting to make a cushier replacement. This was not perfect by any means, had to make some adjustments afterward, but it works slightly better now and is also cute to look at while I iron, which I don't love to do lol.

Anyway, I'm in the middle of reorganizing my closet, trying to do yet another purge. I don't believe in capsule or seasonal wardrobes, I keep all my clothes in mostly one place like an insane hoarder (my winter jackets/coats and costumes are in other closets thankfully). Because I think life is short and you should go out with guns a blazing and wearing whatever you want your ghost to be wearing for eternity. A basic white blouse for both work and evening is not it, wear the crazy stuff first while you're still young and able to walk around. Don't listen to wardrobe experts who have sensible advice for your body type and budget and space concerns, listen to me and the ghost inside of you who has to wear the clothes you wore when you died forever and ever.

Still, I don't want to burden my family (if I have any...) after I die and making them go through all my stuff, so I am at least trying to clean out stuff I can't fit into anymore because that's simple to get rid of or resell. The older you get, the harder it is to lose weight, I have been actively trying for 3 years and have only gotten fatter. Now I take that money and buy new stuff... Perfect plan, can't possibly go wrong.

[instapride]

Laundry Multiuse in Seattle Image of a mid-sized farmhouse utility room with a l-shaped medium tone wood floor, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, and green walls.

[t-shirtshare]

4clothes

#laundry

If you’re looking to streamline your laundry routine, investing in the right tools can make all the difference. The portable mini board and micro steam iron are perfect for small spaces, while a drying rack can be a lifesaver when it comes to air drying delicates. And if you enjoy sewing, a sewing machine can save you tons of time hemming and repairing clothes. Overall, taking the time to…

[badassindistress]

Chemise Sewalong January 2025

Step Zero: Materials

Here's a list of materials in advance to give people the time to find fabric. We’ll do some measurements so we know how much fabric we need and get the preliminaries out of the way.

What you are definitely going to need:

Fabric

Thread

Needles

Fabric scissors

Pins

A measuring tape

A ruler or flat edge to draw straight lines

What will make this project a lot easier:

Tailor’s chalk or other method to mark lines on your fabric

A safety pin, loop turner, lacing needle or other method to get a thread through a channel

An iron and ironing board  - I would say this is a necessity but not everyone has one and you can make a chemise without, it will just be harder and won’t look as crisp.

A thimble - in the long run it will make you sew quicker and be better for your hands

A sewing machine (I am intending to handsew this because not everyone has a sewing machine, but if you do have access to one and want to be done quickly, do the long seams on a sewing machine and glory in the speed of modern technology)

A cutting mat, quilting ruler and rotary cutter – This thing is all squares and triangles and quilters have got squares and triangles figured out

If you’re used to inches, keep a converter handy because my brain is used to centimeters

How much fabric do I need?

A lot. The chemise panels use the full width of the fabric. Decide if you want your chemise to knee length, to the floor or something in between. Then decide if you want full length sleeves or half sleeves.

I’m making long poofy sleeves but a kneelength skirt.

The calculation: my neck to knee is 120cm, my full arm length is 60cm shoulder to wrist (including 5cm extra for poof), so the length of fabric needed is 120+120+60=3 meters exactly.

What kind of fabric?

For the type of fabric I’d recommend cotton or linen for the historic feeling, but go with whatever brings you joy and isn’t stretchy. It needs to be light enough you can gather it up without it getting bulky and not terribly prone to fraying so you won’t go insane while sewing

Go with what is available and sparks joy as long as it’s a light fabric that gathers down nicely. (Thin sheets or table cloths can definitely be used for this). I’m going to use a fuchsia silk I’ve been saving for the airiest dress in existence.

tl:dr – procure 3 to 4 meters (145/150cm wide) of non-stretchy fabric of a lightness and colour that you would like to wear. Wash it, iron it and congratulate yourself on being super productive.

[bevanne46]

No space for an ironing board? Put an Ironing Cover (found on Temu or Amazon) on your Washing Machine or Dryer.

[stardustandash]

Hi! I just saw your quilted butterflies photo, and I was wondering if you would willing to share how to make them, or link to a tutorial? They're gorgeous and I'd love to try, but i don't know the right search terms to find those, i think.

Oh absolutely! Everyone needs an easy craft to do right now. This will be a photo tutorial, so if you need a video the search terms are "origami butterfly bookmark". The instructions will be pretty similar.

*If you are using a sewing machine a single butterfly should take between 15-30mins, and if hand stitching my guess is ~1hr

Tools: -2 Scrap fabrics or 2x fat quarters, one for the main/outer fabric, one for the inner contrast -I recommend quilting cotton, though any easily ironable, non-stretch fabric will work -ruler and marking tools -scissors OR rotary cutter and mat -Pins (if desired) -Thread in a matching OR contrast colour - depending on preference -Iron and Ironing board - You can use a piece of cotton folded into a thin pad in a pinch as long as it's flat!

Step 1: Cut out two rectangles. You can make the butterflies as big or small as you'd like, as long as it's in keeping with the 2:3 ratio. For me, I like to use 4" x 6" rectangles. Use your marking tools to mark out the rectangle on the back/wrong side of the fabric, then cut them out!

Step 2: Put the rectangles on top of each other, with right/patterned sides facing each other. Make sure all your corners and edges line up. Pin in place if using pins. (in this example one of my fabrics has the pattern on both sides of the fabric)

Step 3: Sewing! Mark a 2" gap on one of the short edges. If using hand needle mark out 1/4" distance from the edges. Sew. If using a machine, line up the edge with the 1/4" inch mark and sew. (Image is completed stitching, not placement on machine)

Step 4: Trim the corners without cutting into the stitching line, then flip the fabric inside out through the 2" gap you left. Make sure to stick your finger or something blunt but pokey -like a chopstick- into the corners to make sure they are nice and crisp!

Step 5: Press all your frustrations out by pressing that fabric! Get it nice and flat and crisp! Make sure you've folded in the edges of the 2" gap to match the seam allowance of the already-sewn edges before you press. Then, if hand sewing, slipstitch the gap closed. If using a machine, set your fabric at a 1/8" distance and sew around the edges, effectively closing the gap and giving you a lovely topstitch detail.

Step 6: Let's start folding! First move we're going to make is folding it in half, bringing the short edges together. Keep in mind, whichever fabric is on the outside will be the main fabric of your butterfly, and what is on the inside will be the contrast! Press hard! Then, make sure the edges you just brought together are facing you for the next step.

Step 7: Take the top fabric of the right open edge and bring it to the left side of the open edge. It will tent up in the corner, use this and press that tent down until you have what looks like a triangle of the outside fabric on top of two rectangles of the contrast fabric. Press! (I forgot to take pics of the whole process with the first one, don't mind the fabric switch).

Step 7.5: Flip your butterfly and repeat step 7 on the other side until you have a strange looking triangle like this.

Step 8: Take the inner corners of the contrast fabric and fold it up towards the outer fabric. The bigger this fold, the more contrast fabric you will see in the final butterfly. Press.

Step 9: Take the tip of one of the corners you just pressed up and bring it back to it's original position. Do not press. Gently press down on the tip of the corner, letting the fabric unfold. The butterfly wing should unfold, with the contrast fabric showing in the centre. Adjust until you have as much contrast showing as you'd like, then press hard. Repeat on the other side.

Congratulations!! You now have a butterfly!! You can make a garland, stick them on hairclips, or simply put them on your windowsill to keep you company! If you want to ensure that your butterfly doesn't unfold, you can add a small hand stitch in the centre of the two triangles that make up the "body" of the butterfly right along where the topstitching is.

Hopefully this was clear to follow, but if you have any questions, let me know!

[kendyzzlewp]

you can do it with a broken heart

summary: jackson broke up with you for no reason, so now you try to survive residency while working at the same place. but you’re a real though bitch, you can handle your shit

tags: fem!reader, jackson avery, angsty, ttpd

tw: mentions of su!c!de

—-

“You seem… okay.”

You looked at Meredith who was staring at you with a concerned expression. You shrugged, spitting the toothpaste from your mouth into the sink.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” You asked, grabbing a towel and wiping your face from any minty residue.

Meredith narrowed her eyes on you. “Well,” she said, entering the bathroom fully. “Avery dumped you.”

Your heart sank at the mention of him. You shook your head, forcing a smile. “So? It’s not the end of the world. He’s literally just a guy and I dumped him.”

Alex entered the bathroom, pushing past you to get to the sink. You locked eyes in the mirror and he shook his head.

“Pretty boy was not just a guy,” he grumbled, grabbing his razor. “He was like your person or twin or whatever it was you called him.”

Meredith hummed in agreement, sitting on the toilet with her eyes fixed on you. “He wasn’t just a guy, he was your guy.”

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. Your stomach twisting like a wet rag at the topic of conversation. It had been two weeks since Jackson decided to end things after months and months of the stupid will they, won’t they dance. It wasn’t even a viable reason, he needed to focus on plastics and you needed to focus on cardio. It wasn’t you, it was him. After the boards things were going to be different.

Blah blah blah.

“I’m fine,” you said in a failed attempt to convince both of them and maybe even yourself.

Because you were the complete opposite of fine. You were completely ruined. They were right. Jackson wasn’t just a guy, he was the love of your life. Your best friend and one random fight escalated to the point where you turned back to strangers.

Derek popped his head in the bathroom, catching your eye with a sympathetic smile. “Hey,” he said softly. “You okay?”

“I’m fine!” you exclaimed, pushing past him to get to your room. “Perfectly, fine.”

——

“You gotta fake it, till you make it,” Arizona said as she masterfully dissected a burst appendix. “Break ups suck. The important thing is though that you win, you have higher ground.”

You had the faking part down, now making it? That’s a whole different story.

“I’m fine,” you repeated, your eyes on the cavity in front of you. That seemed to be your new phrase lately, it had variations but fine was becoming your old faithful.

For some reason, you decided to look up at the gallery. Your eyes meet green ones. So green yet so blue at the same time. Like a watercolor painting of a beach paradise. You swallowed the lump that blocked your throat. Knowing the intercom was turned on by the red light, you decided to prove it once and for all.

“I actually have a date,” you lied, your eyes darting back to Arizona’s hand as she finished sewing up the kid.

She looked up at the gallery with wide eyes before landing her eyes on you. “A date? With who?”

“Um…” you racked your brain trying to come up with a convincing answer, your eyes briefly meeting Jackson’s. “A lawyer…yeah.”

Arizona dropped the subject when the monitor started beeping wildly, the attention shifting towards the patient. You look up at the gallery again. He was gone.

You’re fine.

—

“He said he’d loved me all his life,” you sobbed one into your arm one night at Joe’s. Lexie rubbed your back sympathetically. “He lied.”

She sighed, passing you another napkin. “You are going to be just fine,” she said, taking your drink away. “No more tequila for you though.”

You shook your head, wiping the tears from your cheeks. “I’m fine,” you said, forcing a smile. “I can handle this, this is nothing.”

——

“It’s kind of ironic,” Alex said one day, watching you repair an aortic aneurysm in the gallery. “She wants to fix hearts for a living but can’t get her own shit together.”

Cristina mumbled an agreement, her eyes focused on the surgery. April shook her head, feeling sad for her friend.

Meredith shrugged. “She says she’s fine,” she said, taking a bite of her apple. “If that was me, I would’ve drowned myself in the bathtub by now.”

Cristina raised an eyebrow, turning back to look at her. “That was you and you did almost drowned.”

“She’s on the verge of a mental breakdown,” Lexie said, her eyes focused on a medical journal. “It’s a matter of time.”

“Avery is a dumbass,” Alex stated, earning a chorus of agreement from the rest of the residents.

All of them were blissfully unaware that Jackson was standing at the entrance of the library. His eyes focused on you as you performed your magic. The way you laughed as you bantered with Altman. His heart sank.

He really was a dumbass for letting you go.

__

You sat in the gallery with the rest of the group, your eyes focused on the surgery below. You mentally took notes. You hadn’t slept in days, food would not stay down no matter how much you tried.

The anxiety ate away at you constantly. The emptiness follows you everywhere you go. The hospital became your home as you dreaded going to bed alone.

Jackson entered the gallery, causing the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. You still couldn’t be in the same room as him, no matter how cool you tried to play it. With a curt nod, you stood up.

As the tension mounted within you, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over, causing you to sway slightly in your place at the gallery. Cristina, noticing your unsteadiness, reached out a hand to steady you.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked, concern etched in her voice.

You forced a smile, nodding weakly. "Yeah, just a little tired," you replied, though the lie tasted bitter on your tongue.

Lexie glanced up, furrowing her brow at your demeanor. "Are you sure?" she remarked, her voice tinged with worry.

Before you could respond, Meredith interjected, concern evident in her eyes as she set her half-eaten apple aside. "Maybe you should take a break, get some fresh air," she suggested, her tone gentle yet firm.

“I just need to leave,” you whispered, hurrying out of the cramped room.

You’re fine.

—

“Hey.”

You looked up from your study notes. Jackson stood in front of you, shifting from one leg to the other. His hand gripping the strap of his backpack tightly.

Your heart was pounding. “Yeah?” You cautiously asked, closing your notebook.

“I just wanted to check in on you,” he admitted, taking a step closer. “You looked rough in the gallery earlier.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, a mixture of emotions swirling within you. Anger, hurt, longing—each fighting for dominance as you struggled to maintain your composure.

"I'm fine," you replied, the words coming out more sharply than you intended. "Just a rough day."

Jackson's expression softened, his eyes searching yours for a hint of the turmoil raging within. "You know you can talk to me, right?" he said softly, his voice filled with genuine concern. “I know you. I know you haven’t been eating or sleeping. Meredith told me you barely go home nowadays.”

A bitter laugh escaped your lips, surprising even yourself. "Talk?" you scoffed, the words dripping with sarcasm. "About what, exactly? How you broke my heart?"

His eyes widened, a pained expression crossing his features. "I never meant to hurt you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was doing what was best for both of us."

"Best for both of us?" you repeated, incredulous. "How is dumping me, without a single good explanation, the best for me?"

Tears welled up in your eyes, threatening to spill over. You blinked them back, refusing to let him see your pain. "You don't get to waltz back into my life and act like everything's okay," you said, your voice trembling with emotion. "I'm not your consolation prize, Jackson."

He reached out a hand, as if to touch you, but you flinched away, the pain of his betrayal still too fresh. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I never meant to hurt you. I just... I thought it would be easier this way."

"Easier for who?" you shot back, your anger simmering just below the surface. "Not for me, that's for sure."

With a heavy sigh, Jackson took a step back, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. I'll leave you alone," he said, his voice filled with resignation. "But just know that I'm here if you ever need me."

As he turned to walk away, you felt a pang of regret, a part of you longing for the comfort of his presence. But you pushed it aside, steeling yourself against the pain. You had survived his absence once; you could do it again.

You’re good. You can do it with a broken heart.