Suzanne57

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

lab fairy

Sounds like a version of a tailor's seam clapper. Wooden pressing sticks are also useful for narrow seams. Both of these items have been around the garment sewing industry for a long time.

earthwalker

I raided my husband's shed and used his rubber mallet (for laying paving). Just needed a quick clean up and it was good to go.

applique

I always steam the seam first then pound gently. It does help before quilting; I hate those termite hills!

quiltmom04

Oh, now! :) What would we do if we couldn't buy things we didn't ABSOLUTELY need? I'll bet you have a cell phone. We lived many, many years with ONE CORDED phone in the kitchen,without having to be in consant touch with everyone we know! We even had to get out of the car to open the garage ourselves instead of with the garage door opener. Do we NEED those things??? No, but they sure are nice to have! Same with sewing stuff.

JAGSD

When I first read this I thought "okay.......... But, when I think about it.. though I have never done this it does sound interesting in reference to paperpiecing stars and all their intersecting points I run into. I too have a wooden leathercraft hammer, and think I will also go raid my husbands shop and check out his rubber mallet and try them both. I do not use steam for paperpiecing it quite often will make the ink run so the hammer might help when there are many intersecting points.
Thanks for posting.

44quiltlady

I took my first quilt class from the inventor of this, however; she used a regular hammer at that time. What was not mentioned is you must use steam to flatten those pesty intersections and pound into submission! P.S. No, I don't use the idea, actually I forgot all about it!

Lyncat

I've used it when sewing things out of wool or denim to flatten the seams. I think I learned that trick in high school home ec when we tailored a coat.

EdieClay

I love it ... just mad I didn't think of it first! Would also help get rid of frustrations when seams didn't match exactly as I wanted them to!

Rachel

I borrowed one from a friend, who paid $15 for hers. (its called "The Wacker". You steam the seam, then pound, it really does work, but I agree, go to the hardware store.