If you’ve been quilting for any amount of time, you know that pressing isn’t the same as ironing. Pressing is all about setting your seams, reducing bulk, and making sure your blocks lay flat — and that flatness translates directly into accuracy when piecing your quilt. A well-pressed quilt is easier to sew, easier to quilt, and just looks better when it’s finished.
That’s why having a dedicated space for pressing — right where you sew — makes so much sense. Instead of hopping up and down between your machine and your ironing board, you can press as you go without breaking your flow. Let's look at how my husband and I hacked the IKEA RÅSKOG cart for this very purpose.
The Design: Resourceful and Accessible
My pressing cart was born out of a little bit of creative problem-solving. I wanted something compact, efficient, and always within reach. If you have mobility challenges — or even if you just get tired of trekking back and forth — you’ll appreciate having everything you need right at your fingertips. Even if mobility isn’t a concern, this setup reduces fatigue and keeps your creative flow going strong.
The cart itself is small enough to tuck right next to my sewing table but big enough to hold all my pressing essentials in the bottom baskets. The real magic, though, is in the specially cut top, which perfectly fits my:
Wool Pressing Mat: The custom cut top of the cart is perfectly sized to accommodate my Wool Pressing Mat. It gives me a sturdy, heat-resistant surface with just the right amount of grip for pressing seams without distortion.
Clapper: If you haven’t discovered the joy of a tailor’s clapper yet, you’re missing out. Pressing and then using a clapper helps those seams stay flat and crisp like nothing else. This cart top has a dedicated spot for one, so it’s always handy. Mine is 2½" wide and from Modern American Vintage.
Mini Project Iron: For small piecing and quick presses, my Mini Chi Iron is awesome. (I actually prefer it to my Oliso Project Iron.) It heats up fast and gives me precise control — no more wrestling with a giant iron for tiny quilt blocks. It has auto shut-off too, when standing it's 30 min!
The middle basket of the cart holds my extra pressing tools like my hem ruler, starch sprays, extra clappers, and old bounce sheets to clean the iron when needed.
Bonus Utility!
You know the top basket, that hidden one? It is a great place for hiding snacks from pets or family. But it is also functional as storage for a work in progress or extra supplies!
In addition, I actually use the bottom basket for longarm supplies. When I'm longarming I pull the cart up beside my longarm machine and the supplies I need are on the bottom. Like my SewTites Magnum loading magnets, scissors and scrap batting for cleaning.
Want to Make Your Own?
If you’re feeling inspired to add a pressing cart to your own quilt studio, I can’t recommend it enough. The top of my cart is a IKEA NORRSJÖN Cutting Board. It's oak and 17¼" x16½" with nicely rounded corners. You could obviously cut your own piece of wood too if you want to get even more custom. We used the original cart lid as a template and traced it on the center of the back of the cutting board. My husband used a handheld router to route around the outline. It took him less than 30 minutes! If you have the tools available, or a friend willing to cut for you, I've created a file with the template for the routing for you. You can download it below.
If you want a closer look at mine — head over to my Instagram @snugandstitch, where I shared a video of the cart and behind-the-scenes glimpses of my quilting space. Happy pressing, friends! Let’s keep those seams flat and those blocks beautiful.
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