Pressing fabric is essential when working with textiles. You can skip this step and sew everything up, but the results won’t be the same if you’ve ironed your finished piece.
I recently started working on doll clothes for my soft toy cats. They’re tiny enough to work with a regular-sized iron, and bringing out the huge pressing board for little pieces makes no sense.
I decided to make a smaller board that could fit my desk, be big enough to work with Clover’s Mini Iron, and be small enough to deter my cats from napping.
This project is easy to make and ready in under 10 minutes. Ensure no children or pets (or your fingers) are nearby when using the stapler to avoid injuries.
Supplies for the pressing board
To make your board, you’ll need:
- 3/4″ thick wooden board in the size of your choice. Mine’s 11×11 inches.
- Cotton batting and fabric to wrap the board.
- Stapler and Rotary cutter.

Step 1
Place the cotton fabric and batting on a flat surface. Center the board.

Step 2
Fold the raw edges of the fabric over the batting on all four corners.

Step 3
Fold cotton and batting tightly over the board. Staple into place. Do the same on the opposite side. It’s okay to pull before using the stapler to avoid wrinkles.

Step 4
To avoid bulky corners, cut batting on each corner.

Step 5
Fold cotton and batting tightly on the remaining sides over the board, fold corners, and staple into place.

Say hello to your new portable pressing board!
One final note: avoid using steam with your board unless it has been previously varnished to prevent damage in the long run.
If you have any questions about this project, please drop me a line in the comments!
Stay weird!

