Pressing workshop
 

I went to a pressing/ironing workshop today. I learned a lot of helpful tips. If you use steam always have the iron up to highest temp before turning the steam on. This stops a lot of the sputtering and spitting. Use a very firm surface with very thin padding to keep cut fabric from distorting. The Steady Betty pressing board is great for pressing quilt blocks. The demo was HST pressed with and without using the Steady Betty. The instructor had a very old one, not called Steady Betty then. Keep the iron on the fabric long enough for the heat to do the job, this makes the fabric very hot. Don't move it until it cools. Always use a clapper. The clapper instantly takes the heat from the fabric and keeps the memory of a flat seam in the fabric. There were all brands and types of irons used from new to old. Then we went to more dressmaking pressing using hams, pressing cloths and needle boards.

Thanks!

delma

What's a clapper? What's a Steady Betty? Apparently I have a few things to learn! Thanks in advance.

what an interesting class! thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the post. I was blessed to have a mom who was an expert seamstress and taught me all about pressing and how to use all sorts of pressing tools. I smiled when I read the line 'don't move it until it cools'. I hear my mom's voice saying that every time I press!

Interesting. I used to use a clapper when I did garment construction and it made a real difference but I never thought of using it when pressing quilt pieces. Thanks.

I'm with Nilla - what's a clapper (only one I know is "clap-on, clap-off")? Question: when setting a quilt seam, do you move the iron back and forth or hold it in place? steam or no steam?

Very interesting. I do worry about distorting the block. I, too do not know what a clapper is. ???

What a great class to have!
Your post seems to confirm what I have believed, and taught, all along.....it's not the steam that distorts, it's the presser.
Thanks for posting, BellaBoo. :)

Jan in VA

I Googled pressing clapper, so now I at least know what it is. Now, can you explain what the use is as related to quilting. If possible maybe even a picture or 2. I'm a visual learner so the pictures would really help. Thanks