Ironing Station for Quilting-Ironing Board Size & Height

Hi there, it's Heidi from The Whimsical Workshop! I'm back to talk more about your pressing station for quilting and how to get your ironing board set up properly.

First consider if you will be keeping the ironing area up permanently or if you have to take it down after each use. If you are going to use it permanently, consider using cabinets with an ironing top instead of the traditional ironing board. This will give you extra storage and can be customized to your desired height.

You will be spending a lot of time at your pressing station so it's important to make sure it works for your body. If it's too short and you're bent over, it could lead to back pain. Too tall and you're in for shoulder and neck pain.

You will need a surface to press on.  First consider the size of the pressing area. I use a big board for my ironing surface since the rectangle size works best for quilting. If you do not have the space a regular ironing board works too.

 You will be standing at the ironing board for long periods of time so consider getting a gel mat to stand on. It can make the time spent at the ironing board easier on you feet, legs and back. These can be found in most kitchen supply departments or here is a link to one on Amazon.

Make sure you have excellent lighting at your pressing area. I use a Daylight Slimlight at the ironing board. The powerful LED lights make it much easier to press darker fabrics or smaller pieces. I love these lights so much that we have them all over the studio!












Next you need to decide on the your pressing surface. I love the newer wool mats for pressing. When you press on a wool pressing mat, the wool holds the heat and then radiates it back up through your seams. This creates flat blocks quickly and easily. My favorite one is the from The Gypsy Quilter and is available in multiple sizes. I recommend Wool Pressing Mat 21-5/8in Wide x 58-5/8in Long x 3/8in Thick from The Gypsy Quilter to cover your entire pressing area. If you travel and quilt, I also recommend the Wool Pressing Mat 14-1/3in Wide x 18-7/8in Long x 1/2in Thick from The Gypsy Quilter
This one fits on a standard tray table.





For more tips on setting up your ironing area, make sure to check out our video on YouTube here.

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