Pressing is one of the most important aspects of garment sewing. Proper pressing helps shape your garments and can give them a highly sought-after professional finish.
In “Better Pressing,” Threads #183 (February/March 2016), we offer a handy guide to pressing aids, from the most basic to the more advanced tools. In this video tutorial, we demonstrate ways to use one of those pressing aids–a tailor’s board–and explain its benefits.
Besides a steam iron, what are your go-to pressing tools? Do you use a tailor’s board or other specialty pressing aids?
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
Yes, I have a multi-use pressing board, however, I often use the hard cardboard tube from a roll of plastic wrap to press straight seems...especially if the fabric I'm using has a nap or is delicate....such as silk. These tubes come in various sizes, are free and store easily inside each other.
I don't have a tailor's board, but use a combination of a sleeve board and a tailor's ham instead for my pressing needs. Interesting video, though, as the board does seem to be an additional handy tool for detailed pressing.
There are 3 extremely long posts on 01/04 at ~5:58 pm that do not pertain to this website and that in fact include sales pitches for products that have nothing to do with sewing. Would the website administrators please remove these posts? If you do, feel free to remove this one as well so that we will be left with comments about sewing. Thank you. :)
Wow! There are some really irrelevant posts here, somebody must have hacked in or there's no moderator to eliminate this doody. I love my velva & needleboard for frequently used high nap fabrics. I also love a press mitt and a silicone press sheet that allows me to see through to how steamed on or in materials are behaving as I'm applying them. I have friends who say they'd love to sew, but as soon as they say they can't stand ironing I tell them to find another teacher, that ironing is the single best way to produce a well-made garment that few to no people recognize as hand made!
I use a point presser, clapper, tailor's ham, sleeve roll, and sleeve board. Also a variety of pressing cloths; cheese cloth, wool, cotten and non-stick sheets. Sometimes use the side of hexagonal pencil to press tiny seams or put the handle of unused wooden spoon into a tube to press prior to turning.
I enjoyed the video on the Tailor's board. Good information. when ironing, I tend to use either the tailor's ham or the sleeve ham. for napped fabrics, I use the needleboard and for more delicate, I will pull out a clean terry towel.
This is a bit of an overkill, I use anything around me.
Thank you for this post. I find using a pressing board very helpful and most of my needs are met by one tool.