THANK you very much for the info I will ask my son to make me one.

I just went over to my son in laws scrap wood pile and picked up a piece of 2x4 and cleaned it. Cost zero. Doesn't have routed sides but works just the same.

My husband is a woodworker. Does anyone have plans, or a resource, for making a clapper? I know I can google it but he asked if someone has found specific instructions that they like that a woodworker would use.... Thanks in advance.

The one my DH made is 8"long, 2.5" wide on one end, tapering to about 2" on the other, and 1.5 or so " high. The ends are rounded. As someone mentioned earlier, you could basically grab a hunk of wood out of his scrap pileand use it, but you would want it sanded nicely. Think about what size blocks you normally make and adjust the length accordingly. Mine is a little short, so I will have him make another that is about 12" long.

I do know the wood has to be certain type of wood, solid hard wood, no slivers, not pine. My DH does woodworking and said it costs about the same to make one as to buy one unless you already have the wood as scrap.

I use a clapper on my garments but its also great on seams in quilts. A little heat/steam put the clapper on for a few seconds and you have a flat seam. I get mine from Angela Wolf, she has a big one and a mini one.

was the instructor Sally Collins? Or maybe the instructor used her methods. I love her although as much as I try I will never do precision piecing. I have a clapper and a wool pressing mat and when I use the method you described things are very flat. I have also started pressing most seams open.

Yes it was Sally Collins. She sewed very slow on the machine. So slow you could count each stitch. I use some of her techniques but to use them all makes my sewing too boring.