How to Make an Ironing Pad

A DIY ironing pad for a dryer top is the perfect small-space or sewing room solution!

Learn how to make an ironing pad

I got the idea to make a magnetic ironing pad when I was researching small-space bathroom solutions. I found a few lovely ones online. But guess what? I already had the insulating fabric, the cushioned fabric, and some super strong magnets in my stash, and I’m super cheap, so I decided to make my own. 🙂

I only spent $4 on some new fabric so that it would look cute. Plus, as with most DIYs, it’s rewarding to make something on your own! A magnetic ironing pad is a great solution for small-space dwellers. Ironing boards are generally pretty big and awkward to store. So here’s how I made one for myself.

Supplies I used…

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• Insul-Bright fabric—buy it here or by the yard at your local fabric store, this is the stuff you put inside of things like pot holders!
• Fleece fabric—I used a piece of suede/fleece fabric that I had in my fabric cabinet. If I didn’t have that, I would have purchased a quilted fabric (like this). This pieces goes on the bottom of your pad, so it really doesn’t matter what color it is—just that it has some cushion!
• Decorative fabric—this is optional but adds a nice touch. You could easily do the quilted fabric on the top and bottom. I just used a regular thin cotton fabric for the top of mine so it would look cute.
• 6 heavy duty magnets (these are where it’s at…SO strong)
• Sewing machine or needle and thred, glue, measuring tape, scissors

Step 1: Measure and cut fabric

I am putting mine on top of my dryer. So my first step was to measure the top of our dryer—length and width. Make sure to also factor in a seam allowance, then cut your pieces of fabric: one Insul-Bright, one fleece, and one decorative.

Step 2: Add magnets (optional)

If you want your ironing pad to stay in place on a metal surface like a dryer, you can glue magnets onto the pad at the end of the tutorial. You could also glue them onto the Insul-Bright fabric that will be sandwiched between two other pieces of fabric.

This way, the magnets will still do their job, but they will be hidden. It will also prevent any scratching like the kind of magnets I used might do.

Step 3: See three sides together

Sew the three pieces together on three sides. Before you sew your three pieces together, make sure they are laid on top of one another in the order illustrated in the graphic below.

Make sure to leave an opening on one of the short edges. You will use the opening to flip your ironing pad right-side out so that the fleece and decorative fabrics are sandwiching the Insul-Bright (and the magnets, if you’re using them).

Step 4: Flip and finish sewing

Flip the mat right-side out through opening, then fold the opening in and sew shut. Here’s a pic below! And the second pic is the pad on my dryer. The magnets are strong enough to hold it in place even through the cushioned fabric. 

I’ll leave this out all the time so that I can also use it as an area to fold laundry, although Henry and Blanche will probably turn it into a cat bed as soon as they discover it.

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