Ironing board with a sleeve board—is it worth it?

Dear users, dear authors,
is it worth buying an ironing board with a sleeve board?

I don’t just have one sleeve board—I have two: a slightly smaller, narrower one and a larger, wider one. I consider them indispensable and can’t do without them. Especially when you’re sewing a blazer or coat, you really need a sleeve board. It’s also helpful for blouses and shirts, because all these garments simply look better without creases, and with a coat
or blazer, a crease like that is a total no-go!

Best regards, Inge

Dear Josefa,

I recently looked into the topic of ironing boards and sleeve boards in detail. I don’t own an ironing board. I have a work table that’s big enough for me to cut out my fabrics and iron them on.

I didn’t even think about getting a sleeve board until I wanted to iron the seams (like a shoulder seam) on a freshly sewn kids’ T-shirt. When you use a steam iron to iron curved seams, you automatically end up ironing the fabric underneath as well if you don’t use a sleeve board. So while you’d ironed out the wrinkles on top, you’d created some in the layer below. Very annoying.

On a sleeve board, you can, for example, thread a sleeve or a pant leg onto it and iron only what’s lying on the board. That’s the advantage.

That’s why I bought the smallest sleeve board available. But even that didn’t meet my needs because it’s designed for adults. Its dimensions are only suitable for straight seams or adult-sized clothing. It doesn’t work for children’s clothing or even doll clothes.

Out of necessity, my brother built me one in the size I wanted. I padded it and covered it with fabric. Now I use it every time I sew. It’s also quick to set up and put away. Here’s what it looks like. Attentive blog readers have probably already spotted it and could make one themselves.

Best regards, Ina

I don’t have a sleeve board, but I don’t really miss it since I don’t have much to iron in that area. But I find an ironing board super practical, since otherwise I’d have to iron on the living room table and would have to keep moving everything back and forth. When the weather’s nice, I sometimes set up the ironing board on the balcony.

A sleeve board like that is handy.

I don’t have one, so I always use a sheet as a substitute—I roll it up and slip it into the sleeve. It’s a bit of a hassle, but for the two or three times I need it, it works just fine.