I've never really got comfortable with the steam function on irons, so I don't use it. I keep a spray bottle around for stubborn creases, though I'm now trying to make sure that I don't let my fabric get too creased when I prewash it as that's the main problem. I don't use the spray bottle often.

The main thing for me is the size of the iron. Unless I'm pressing whole pieces of fabric to prepare them, or pressing a completed quilt top before basting, I don't use a standard sized iron. I use a little travel iron which sits on a tabletop ironing board on my sewing desk, so I can press without doing more than reaching a few inches further away. I find that the small size and light weight of the iron are much better for those little 1/4" seams, it's much easier to manoeuvre, whether it's straight seams or curved ones, or appliqué come to that. If I was using a big heavy standard iron for piecing, I suspect I'd end up with distortions and accidentally pressing in creases and such.

Spray starch - I've found that while it makes the fabrics easier to handle because they're stiffer, it also means that if the top gets folded up at any point (and sooner or later it will, especially around basting time) then I get creases settling in which are much harder to get out. This also happens with quilting frame creases. So now I'm pretty much keeping it for appliqué and for sewing small pieces on the bias, since I had no end of fun with some small triangles a while back.

I remember those sprinkle bottles! I was thinking of that not very long ago, wishing I had one. It was what my grandmother used and what I used when she taught me to iron! There was a little dent in ours on the metal 'sprinkle top'. I also learned to sew on a treadle machine. I wish I had both of them now! Never liked spray irons - and don't have one even now. Yes, spray bottles are great, use them all the time for a lot of things.















1

I don't steam. If I need to, I just spritz with water.

I don't steam. If I need to, I just spritz with water.

thnx for asking this ? JAK...
i never thought about the steam distorting the fabric...
guess i will try no steam on triangles...see if that helps any with my seam alignment :)

I agree with Jan. I always use steam...high heat...PRESS, not iron.

Ha Ha have you ever tried on a T-shirt or blouse that was kinda tight? Iron it with a little pushing/pulling pressure and your top will stretch out to fit.
Syl

This is what I do too. Sometimes I dry press before steaming so the seams are almost flat to begin with. And also remember allow the fabric to dry COMPLETELY before working with it again.

Back in the day------we used to iron everything.
My husband was in the Air Force so I had to iron his fatigues. What a job!
I would sprinkle them down, roll them up, and put them in a pillow case, then I put them in the frig over night. The cold and damp would take out all of the wrinkles.
The next day I would spray starch them, with my starch that I made from the dry box of starch and adding water. Faultless? Back then they also had a bottle of starch that they used just for collars and cuffs, very, very stiff that would last through 3 or 4 washings, I haven't seen any in a long time. Not much need for it now.
Syl

I love this idea. At my ASG meeting recently, someone shared an embellished sweatshirt. She told us to stretch and iron the ribbing with steam on the bottom. It looked great and natural.

Linda