Crazy Accuracy Freak Girl has broken out of her cage and is on the loose. I do try to keep her locked up, but she’s a wily one. If 1/16″ or 1/32″ of space that shouldn’t be there between two patchwork pieces that are supposed to match doesn’t bother you, that’s okay–then this post was not meant for you! You quilt your way, and I’ll quilt mine. 😉 However, if you are like Crazy Accuracy Freak Girl and you want to know the really nitty gritty details about how to make patchwork pieces fit together better, and maybe even perfectly on the first try (or you just want to have a good laugh at a quilter gone mad with the need to control literally everything) read on. Continue reading →
When Paula talked about her homemade Big Board topper, I told ITMan that he might have to help me make one. BUT, I did have some reservations about the whole thing, since my old German wooden board is kind of tiny and I was worried that the whole thing would be unstable, not to mention that I could probably wait for a really long time before ITMan would get to it in the first place.
Anyway, I scrapped the idea when we moved. The owner left her board here for us to use if we wanted it, and it was a really wonderful specimen from Leifheit that had an attached iron rest and even a power socket on the board itself. I went on the hunt for an even bigger, better model, and found the perfect thing. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and far and away the most stylish ironing board I’ve ever owned: the Leifheit Dressfix Plus.
Here she is in all her plaid covered glory, next to the old board:
Notice that instead of a standard shape, it tapers asymetrically so that there is a longer straight edge, perfect for pressing yardage or quilt tops. There’s also a movable iron rest with an attached power socket and cord minder. The iron plugs into the rest, and the rest plugs into the wall, which leaves more cord length available to travel with ease over the wide open spaces of the board.
To add to the list of lovely features, this baby is a mile high. I’m tall, and I was always bending over the other board to get up close and personal with intricate pressing tasks. The new board saves my back because it’s about eight inches taller than the old one! At the highest setting it’s right at low waist level for me, which is perfect.
Seemingly well made, it should last quite a while, if not forever. I told ITMan that when he (predictably) asked “And how much was that thing?!?” It’s all in the name of comfort and functionality, my dear.
