Mobile Ironing board and craft mat case

I have been looking at buying one of these for a few months now to take to sewing class, as they come in handy when sewing a project that requires a lot of getting up and down using the iron, and I can also use it next to my sewing maching at home.

 These are also great for taking to sewing retreats. One this size is $60 or so at the sewing shop, so I thought I would use up some materials that I already had here, and make my own.  The only things I purchased were the craft mat for $20, and the ultrabright heat resistant wadding, approx $3.  It would have been a lot cheaper if I had been able to find the craft mat at one of the discount stores, but nobody seemed to have them. If I had been able to find one, then I probably would have only spent about $10 all up....  here is how it was made:

The materials I needed were:
craft mat, heat proof wadding, fabric, fastener and a sheet of foam board from Office works and some wadding.

I cut 2 pieces of foam board the same size as my craft mat, the one I am using is 18" x 24"

I then laid my 2 foam pieces on the wrong side of my fabric.  I cut my fabric to allow about 4 - 6 inches extra all the way around, with an inch gap in between the 2 sheets of foam board.

I then drew a line marking the gap in the middle of the 2 sheets of foam.

At this point I cut from the top of the fabric a slot to meet the top of the gap, to make it easier to fold, but worked out later that I didn't need to do that, I could have just folded the whole top and botton section over.

I then cut a piece of fabric to cover the inch gap between the 2 pieces of foam.  I folded the top and bottom raw edges over, and then pressed a hem at the top and bottom so that the top and bottom of this piece sat in line with the top of the foam board on either side. I then sewed this strip in place top and bottom and along each side where the foam board meets, wrong side together.  This piece covers the edges on show after the craft mat and ironing mat are glued in to place.

 I also cut a piece of fabric 2 1/2 " x 7", and folded this in half, right sides together, and sewed along the long edge and 1 of the ends.  I attached 1 side of my metal fastener, and turned this piece right side out, and put it aside.

I then folded over the top and bottom edges of my large piece of fabric, so that they were even with the piece that I sewed in, which is level with the top and bottom of the foam sheets. 

I then placed the foam board in 1 side of my case, so that it butts up against my sewn edge, underneath this piece of fabric,  and placed the other 3 sides of fabric over this, and stapled in to place firmly and neatly with my staple gun.

All sides of 1 side of my case are now stapled to my foam board.

 I then took the piece that I have attached my fastener to, and secured the raw edge to the foam board, 1/2 way up my case on the right hand side, with the fastener facing up , with my staple gun.

 I then took my other piece of foam, and cut my heatproof mat, approx 2 inches larger around all sides, and I also cut a piece of contrasting fabric the same size as my heatproof fabric.  I then layered them, first the fabric, wrong side up, then the heatproof fabric, then my foam board.  I then pulled the fabric and heatproof fabric tightly over the foam board, and stapled with my staple gun.

I then cut a piece of wadding to the same size as the foam board, and attached it to the back of this piece, covering all of the fabric and heatproof mat, to create an even surface, as this will be against the front of the outside of the case, so I wanted it to feel smooth and even, and not have any bumps from where I folded the heatproof mat and fabric over my foam board.

I then temporarily placed my craft mat and my ironing pad inside my case to estimate the thickness, to work out where the 2nd side of my fastener was to be placed, and then attached it in place to the front of the case.

 I then used hot glue, and glued the back side of my green craft mat, and glued it to the inside  right side of my case. I could also have used construction adhesive of craft glue for this. I then glued my ironing pad to the inside left side of my case.

That's it....all done.  I now have a great portable ironing board and craft/cutting mat to take to my sewing classes...I'm very happy with how it has come up.