Strip stick
 

Our guild demonstrated the use of the strip stick. I had never heard of it. You press open your seems on it. If you have arthritis it is well worth the investment. Perfectly pressed open seams, no burned fingers!

You just have to be careful with what batting you chose so that the batting does not beard thru the open seams.

If you like that you can make your own - what you need is half round and just cover it in a layer of scrap batting and some fabric. Around our area - home depot didn't have the half round (just quarter round) but we did find it at Lowes. I got a long length, cut it and made them for my friends for Christmas. If you are doing something with open seams it is wonderful. They said (yes I bought one at the QS first!!) that you could also use it if pressing seams to the side. I haven't tried that yet.

I made one a while back and forgot I have it. Just need to find it. All I did was get half round and used what was left of my scorched ironing board cover. Stapled it to the back/flat side. Cost me the price of the wood and Dh took the rest. Maybe $1.00. I have a small pointed butter spatula I use to press seams open. Popsicle stick works fine to hold fabric to press.

I have one and love it

The bare wood works just as well without any padding. An instructor showed us her pressing stick just inserted in a small sleeve and the open end slip stitched, about 7 - 8 inches long. I use one short stick covered like that for individual blocks, and a long one that is not covered for pressing a whole quilt top.

What is a half round?

half round moulding

Here are some images - it is a piece of material usually put at the bottom of floor molding but can be used other places too, best of my knowledge.

I have a pressing ham from the days when it was affordable to make my own clothes.
Same results

I was always going to make a strip stick, but in the meantime decided to use the edge of my ironing board. It works. You are holding the iron on a slant, but you can iron a seam open without messing up another seam nearby.