DIY Ironing Board Cover for a Big Board

My beautiful big ironing board cover has been scorched and is dirty. I love the bicycle pattern on this fabric, but I need to fix it.

This large ironing board is excellent for quilting and makes it easier to iron large quilts. Unfortunately, the current fabric is stapled to the board, so I cannot remove the old ironing board cover.

So, it is time to make a new ironing board cover. I will leave the old cover in place and create a new cover to place over the top.

This quick and easy project will fit any rectangular ironing board. It features a cord casing and cording that can be adjusted for a perfect fit. This cover can be sewn in about one hour.

Do you have a traditional ironing board and need a new cover? Check out our other tutorial on how to make an ironing board cover for any shape ironing board. 

Click the link below to view a full video tutorial on YouTube. Keep reading this blog post for a FREE pattern and photo step-by-step tutorial on making your own ironing board cover. If you'd prefer a printable version of this tutorial, visit our Etsy shop through the link below.

What type of fabric is best for ironing boards? 

I recommend using a 100% cotton fabric for your new ironing board cover.  Cotton duck canvas is also a good choice as it’s heavier cotton.  Cotton won't melt or burn as easily as other fabrics.

Have fun browsing in the fabric store! There are many choices, from whimsical to practical, and you can show your personality with the fabric selection.

Wash and dry the fabric as you will once the cover is made.  This will pre-shrink the fabric and remove any extra finishing that was applied to the fabric.

I loved the bicycle fabric on my old cover but could not find it online.  So, I've selected a fabric with smaller bicycle motifs.

What Padding is best for my ironing board?

My board already has padding, so I won’t need to replace it.  If you need to replace the padding on your board, quilter’s cotton batting or old bath towels will work wonderfully.

Cut the padding fabric large enough to fit the ironing board and wrap to the sides.

One bath towel may not be large enough to cover the entire ironing board. To make something that fits, figure out how to lay the towels with as few seams as possible. 

Place the seams away from the center of the board where you will be ironing the most.

Cut off the sides and ends of the towel.  Cut off the decorative band, leaving just the fluffy towel fabric. Lay the towels side by side, overlapping the edges about 1/4".

Thread your machine with cotton thread and sew a zig-zag stitch across the seam.  This will create a flat seam and join the two pieces together. If you need more instructions on this joining method, please click the link to visit our easy tutorial on How to Join Batting Pieces together.

Measure the Board and Calculate the Yardage Needed

Before visiting the fabric store, measure your ironing board to determine your needed yardage.  Purchase yardage at least the length of your board + 10 inches. 

I used a ¼” cord for the cording.  The cording doesn't need to be exactly 1/4" and can be a little larger or smaller.  It must be less than 1/2" to fit through the casing.

Calculate the length of the cord.  Take the ironing board length plus width and multiply it by 2.  Then add 20”. 

Length of Cording = ((Length + Width) * 2) + 20

This will give you a long enough cord to go around the entire board with extra for tying the bow.

What You Need to Sew a New Ironing Board Cover

• 100% Cotton Fabric or Cotton Duck Canvas
• ¼” Cording
• Thread
• 1 Safety Pin
• Masking Tape
• Small Ruler
• Rotary Cutter, Mat, and Ruler (or Ruler and Scissors)
• Sewing Machine
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Straight pins

Instructions to make this Ironing Board Cover

Step 1: Cut the Fabric

The ironing board cover will wrap around the edge of the ironing board, and a casing will be created from the fabric to hold the cording. 

Calculate the size of the fabric to cut:

(Thickness of the board + 2” extra to wrap underneath + 1.5” for the casing) then multiply that number by 2.

Add the amount calculated to the width and length of your board.

So, for my board that is 1” thick, I would calculate:

(1” + 2” + 1.5”) * 2 = 9”

My board is 24” x 66”, so I’ll add 9” to each dimension to get my fabric cut size of 33” x 75”.

Cut the fabric to size with a rotary cutter, mat board, ruler, or scissors.

Step 2: Round the Corners

Fold the fabric into quarters with all four corners together.

Take a round object like a small plate, old CD, or DVD and place it in the corner with the raw edges (not the folded corner). 

Use a pen, pencil, or tailor's chalk to mark along the curve.

Use scissors to cut along the marked line. The curved edges will help you tighten the cover on the board.

Step 3: Make the cord Casing

Place the fabric on the ironing board with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. Start near the corner of the long side, fold the fabric over one-half inch, and iron it flat.

Next, fold over another ½” and iron to make a half inch hem.  If you prefer, pin it in place.

Since the cover is so large, I worked in sections, folding the fabric over twice ½” each time and ironing it. Then, I moved to the next section.

You can also iron the first fold all the way around before folding it a second time.

When ironing the corners, ease in the fabric as best as you can. I ended up with a few puckers on the corners, but they won’t show as they will be underneath the board and facing it, so I didn’t stress about it.

Fold the corner fabric over twice.

I recommend at least pinning the corners to hold the fabric in place.

Step 4: Sew the cord Casing

At your sewing machine, set it up for a straight stitch at the normal length.  Thread the top and bobbin with thread matching your fabric color.

If you have a blind hem foot like mine, this can be helpful when sewing a seam like this one.  Place the foot on the machine and move the needle to the right side of the guide.

Sew with the guide on the blind hem foot just along the edge of the fold. This will help you stitch a straight line right near the edge of the fold.

Start sewing in the middle of the short end.  Top stitch close to the inner folded edge of the fabric and backtack at the beginning and end. 

Stitch slowly around the corners.

Stop sewing before reaching the beginning point.  Leave about a ½” opening.  This will make the casing for the cord and leave an opening.

As you can see, my corner has some tucks in it. It will work as long as you can get the cord through and the casing.

Step 5: Add Cording

Cut a length of cording needed to get around the entire board. 

Calculate the length of the cord using the width and length of the board:

(Width + Length) x 2 and then add 20"

The extra 20” gives you enough extra to tie a bow.

Elastic could be used instead of cording, but the elastic can be hard to adjust and pull tight.

Place a piece of masking tape around the end of the cording and then add a safety pin on the cord just past the tape. Without the tape on the end, I found that the cord can unravel as you push it through the casing, and the pin can come off the end. The taped end and the pin help you work the cord through the casing.

Insert the end of the cord with the tape and pin into the casing through the opening on the short side. Use the pin to work the cord through and around the entire outside of the ironing board cover until you return to the starting point.

Hold the back of the pin with one hand. Then, push the fabric over the pin towards the back. Hold the front of the pin and fabric and pull the fabric across the pin. With each push and pull, the cording will slowly feed into the casing. It's a slow process of pushing and pulling, but eventually, you will make it around the entire casing.

Make sure the end of the cording does not go into the casing!  The cord is pretty long, but you may want to pin the end of the cord to the fabric so it won't slip into the casing by mistake.

Work through the cord so the two ends hanging out are about even.  Tie a small knot at the end of each cord to keep it from unraveling.

Step 6: Place the cover on the ironing Board

The new cover is ready to be placed on the ironing board. If you need a cushion, lay it on top of the board before adding the cover.

Lay the cover flat on the board and wrap the edge of the cover around to the bottom of the board.  Pull the cord ends to tighten the cover and move the excess fabric to the bottom of the board for a snug fit. It will take some pulling, smoothing, and adjusting to get the cover centered and tight all the way around.

Once it is tight, the last step is to tie a bow in the long ends of the cord and tuck the bow underneath the fabric and out of the way.

To remove the cover, untie the cord and take the cover off. 

Washing the Ironing Board Cover

If you plan to wash the cover, retie the cord or safety pin the two ends together before putting it in the washing machine.  This should keep the cord from getting caught and pulled out of the casing during washing.

My ironing board cover is ready to use!  I am excited to use a new, clean cover!

Other Sewing Projects to Make:

• Ironing Board Cover - Cover any shaped ironing board with this tutorial.
• Iron Quick Tip - What type of water and how to keep it handy for refilling.
• How to sew a Curtain Valance
• How to sew a Garden Apron