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From: MaryW
Date: 09-03-2004, 02:14 PM (1 of 8)
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Please post here if you can help this lady, thanks. One of the most frustrating things about sewing is pressing seams open. I'm talking about, for instance, the curved seam where a collar and undercollar are sewn together or a curved jacket where the front edge and the facing are sewn together. Does anyone have a trick or a gadget that works for this task? Thanks, MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: MaryW
Date: 09-03-2004, 02:15 PM (2 of 8)
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I don't know about you gals, but I use a pressing ham for all sorts of things. An oven mitt comes in handy sometimes too for curves.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: stitchmd
Date: 09-03-2004, 03:31 PM (3 of 8)
| I also use a ham. Before I had one I used rolled/wadded towels. You can shape them any way you want but they're not as firm. |
User: stitchmd
Member since: 02-25-2003 Total posts: 226 |
From: sewingrandma
Date: 09-03-2004, 06:39 PM (4 of 8)
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I have a ham, a padded roll, dowels, and something I've had for about 30 years. It looks sort of like a mitt but it is padded about 3 inches thick. I use that quite a bit.
Brockie
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User: sewingrandma
Member since: 03-06-2003 Total posts: 432 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 09-04-2004, 12:53 PM (5 of 8)
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The day I finally broke down and purchased a ham is the day my sewing stopped looking "homemade" and started looking "Handmade" and professional..I just didn't believe it would make that much difference, but I learned that it made all the difference in the world..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: MarciaK
Date: 09-05-2004, 01:53 AM (6 of 8)
| On lapels I trim the seam allowance down to 1/4" or less (referred to as grading), and clip into the seam allowance on the curves or at the break in the lapel, taking care to not clip the stitches. Also, flat-stitching (under-stitching) helps to prevent the seam from rolling. On under collars, I also trim the seam, but press open, using a ham. |
User: MarciaK
Member since: 02-06-2004 Total posts: 32 
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From: Ann Chafin
Date: 09-05-2004, 11:52 AM (7 of 8)
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When you purchase a ham, be sure to get the original large size, not one of those wimpy little ones I've seen so many places lately. I think www.sewtrue.com has the original large ones that you really need. I'd say most of us agree that you need a tailor's ham for the kind of pressing you are needing to do. And even with the large ham, you are only able to press 2 - 3 inches at a time without moving it. It's just one of those areas that is difficult to press open, but it's so important that you do it! This is one of those times that I find myself spending more time with the steam iron than at the sewing machine. 
Sewin' in Wild, Wonderful, West Virgina.
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User: Ann Chafin
Member since: 07-01-2000 Total posts: 3 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 09-06-2004, 08:59 AM (8 of 8)
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A ham and a sleeve roll are musts and for tight corners like collars and other sharp angles I have a pointed piece of wood about 1/2 inch square and several inches long that I poke in and press the seam open on. Some people use a thing called a clapper that has a similar pointed stick on it and stands on its own so your fingers aren't so close to the steam when you hold it. Probably a good idea but if you take the danger out of sewing you lose the adventure, right? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
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