This is one of those things I’ve intended to make for years.  You’d think having to walk around a hotel room fanning a hot curling iron once or twice would do it, but no. 

Actually, I’m glad I didn’t because it wouldn’t have been nearly as useful as this one.  Not only will it hold a curling iron AND a flat-iron (it’s not me…my hair has moods), but it folds out to be a heat-resistant mat to lay them on.  If you’re anything like my daughter and I, sometimes there isn’t enough room in the bathroom to plug everything in, so something ends up on a table or dresser that shouldn’t necessarily be exposed to that much heat.  I mean, we’ve never done that and any hotel that says so is just lying.

Here’s what you’ll need to make one of these:

One 17 x 13″ piece of cotton fabric (for the outside – make it pretty)

Three 17 x 13″ pieces of ironing board fabric (it’s silver and labeled as such at the fabric store)

One 17 x 13″ piece of batting (I like the thin cotton kind)

One 17 x 13″ piece of fusible web

24″ of ribbon, cord or a tube made from 1 1/2″ wide of cotton fabric

Two 3/4 x 1″ pieces of Velcro

 Iron the fusible web to the back of the cotton fabric.  Remove the paper and iron that to the batting.

 Fold two of the ironing board fabric pieces in half lengthwise, with right sides together, and press the fold.

 Find the center of the remaining ironing board fabric piece.  Stitch hooked side of Velcro 1/4″ from each side of the center toward the long sides.

 Stitch the remaining pieces of Velcro through one layer of each of the folded pieces, 1/4″ from folded edge.  Topstitch near the fold.

 Lay the outside piece with the cotton fabric side up.

 On top of that, lay the two folded pieces with the Velcro sides up.

 Lay remaining ironing board fabric piece on top, with Velcro down.  Do this carefully, as the Velcro will stick to the other pieces below.

 Pin all the layers together.  Stitch around with a 1/2″ seam, leaving a 3″ opening for turning.  Clip corners and trim seam.  Turn and press.  Topstitch around outside edge.

 Stitch ribbon or cord in the center on the outside, turning the appropriate direction to tie.

 Slip the irons into the pockets and close with Velcro.

 Fold in half, bring tie around to open side and tie closed.

 To use as a mat, simply take out the irons and lay flat.  The tabletop at a Holiday Inn somewhere will thank you.