Sunday, November 7, 2010

What are friends for?…

On the way home from Quilt Club I mentioned to my friend Dawn that I was looking for a wooden TV table.  Last year one of the Resort Quilters had turned one into the neatest little pressing station.  She had padded it and then topped that with a couple of layers of muslin and now had an ironing station that she put right beside her while sewing…so she could sew, iron, sew, iron and not get up!!  Eliminating the ONLY exercise that a quilter gets!! :o) 

Anyways, as I was dropping Dawn off she told me to wait while she whipped down into her basement…and hustled back carrying two wooden TV tables!  I told her that I would pad one for her while I was making up one for me!  Sounded like a win-win for both of us!P1100501

Before I could transform them, I stumbled over one of these while at Michael’s Arts and Craft Store…

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It’s an Omnigrid traveling cutting mat and pressing board!!  Look at the size!!  Eureka!!

Now open- it’s way too big….

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..but if you tuck the other side under..it’s PERFECT!!

P1100506  Here is the pressing station…I pushed it back an inch so you could see the table.

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Now a cutting station….

P1100504 Is THIS not perfect?  I may NEVER get up from my sewing station EVER again!  BUT BE WARNED!…this station will probably cause QUILTER’S A**!!  But that’s a chance I’m willing to take! :o)

As for Dawn’s table…I will return it ‘as is’ with a Michael’s 50% off coupon taped on top!!  After all..what are friends for?!

Have a sunny Sunday (fingers crossed!!) and Happy Quilting!!~P

20 comments:

  1. That is a smart idea, would save jumping up and down to the ironing board. But that is about the only exercise I get, lol.

    Debbie

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  2. I've made so many pressing stations out of tv trays. Heck I"ve made so many I"ve had to buy the trays. They made wonderful gifts for good friends. I have 2 and they go with me everywhere!

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  3. What a great idea! I have a low old oak double student table. I have two of the rectangular press pads(got one new for a buck at a yard sale!) that flip over and have a cutting mat on the other side. I love having this easy press station right next to my sewing machine. They also have square ones.

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  4. I love the idea of using it both for cutting and pressing Paulette. I have to get me those two items.

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  5. That's so cool! I already have Quilter's A**, and I'm sure this wouldn't help that problem, but it would sure make piecing go a little faster!

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  6. I have a friend who made me one with the top lined in batting and it is a pressing station. This is also a great idea!

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  7. This sounds great! I have thought of making a bag to carry my cutting mat, with one side of the bag padded for ironing to be used in class.

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  8. Another light bulb moment by Paulette! I have one of those in my kitchen closet just collecting dust. And I need to stop getting so much exercise walking to the ironing board. Guess what I am doing this afternoon?!

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  9. I have the cutting/pressing mats...now all I need is a TV tray. Wooo Hooo! Thanks for the great idea.

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  10. That's a great idea. I have one of those revolving mats and keep my iron there, esp. when I do paper piecing.
    Micki

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  11. I covered one of those for the workshops I go to but the cutting/pressing pad would be even better! blessings, marlene

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  12. Wow! for me, getting up from the chair feels good on my back...but that's a great idea!

    Now, I have a set of four of those tables that I've been trying to sell on CL! Wish someone would come along and buy them from me. =)

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  13. Now that is giving me an idea or two....well done Paulette you have the perfect set up.

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  14. This is a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Hi Paulette!
    I had hubby make me a platform to fit over the top of the same table. edge was 2x2's, covered with plywood. then I took batting and heat resistant fabric, like on an ironing board, and then "upholstered" the batting and fabric to the wooden platfor.
    when I go to retreats, I can take my ironing platform and the tv table and set it up beside me, no waiting around for my turn at the group iron to press!
    Glad you found a way to make it work for you!
    Take care, Leslie

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  16. I have one of those Omnigrid things and at work we have two of the TV trays. I wonder if anyone would notice me taking one home :) I've never used the pressing station because I didn't have a place to put it. I also have a little mini iron that I've never used. My butt is starting to spread anyways, so why fight it? Thanks for the great idea!

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  17. I use a wooden TV tray as well, I've just put one of those small size ironing boards on top of it. However, I can see how this pressing station would work better because it would cover the entire top of the table, not just the size of my small ironing board. I may have to go buy one of these!

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  18. I already use one of those wooden tray tables with a perfect size cutting board on it and have it next to my sewing table. Now I will have to go look for the pad - it would be so much easier than having to put the ironing board up and down all of the time! Thanks for the tip.

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