We all have a certain number of tools in our craftsroom. Some are used on a daily basis while others are used from time to time and some haven’t been used yet, either because we bought them “just in case” or we don’t know how to use them properly.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have been able to sew my first coat without some of these pressing tools.
Pressing ham and roll
These two are my #1 pressing tools. I use them every time I need to press my seams. The roll was perfect to press my coat sleeves’ seams open.
I bought both on Wawak back in 2016 (ham+roll). You can also find them in Europe rather easily.
You can also sew them, there are tutorials, but they need to be very firm and stitching them closed might be tricky.
Point presser and clapper
Just what you need for crisp collar points. Both are rather heavy and they give you perfect flat seam allowances.
You will just have to steam the seam at a distance then place the clapper on the seam and wait until it’s cool.
No more misbehaving seam allowances (point turner+ clapper). This point turner is heavy enough to serve as a clapper too.
Over the table ironing board
A $5 investment at Ikea’s! It’s right by my sewing machine and it has the right size for most of my pieces. No excuses for not pressing your seams…
Obviously, large pieces like a coat or a maxi dress will still need the large ironing board.
Pressing cloth
Mine is a piece of white cotton from an old bedsheet!
It has the perfect weight and thickness to prevent abuse on velevt or delicate fabrics. I also use it when applying fusible interfacing.
There exists ‘real’ pressing clothes in retail, but I’ve never used them.
Iron or steam iron station
Ironing and pressing may be two different things, but they have one thing in common: the iron!
(credit)
Mine is a very basic steam iron station. I do have a better one for ironing our clothes, but it’s downstairs. I got that extra one for my craftsroom, but it’s supposed to automatically regulate temp and steam…and it’s not really doing a great job. Nevermind, one day I’ll buy another one or I’ll upgrade the one doswnstairs and I’ll recycle the oldest one in my sewing rooms. I may also buy a hand-held steamer: Lidl has one that is not expensive. It might be handy for those little wrinkles that tend to appear just before shooting the pictures of the article!
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