The Best Pressing Tools for Sewing
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It is often said that 80% of sewing is measuring and pressing and 20% is actually sewing.
That is very accurate and something that I didn’t want to do when I first started sewing. I loved the sewing part but I wanted to rush through to get to the finished product and not take the time to press seams in between each task. I’ve since learned my lesson!
This being said you may not even realize how many pressing tools are out there to help you during the sewing process. In this post, you will get a deep dive into all the best pressing tools for sewing.
Why are Pressing Tools Important?
Pressing makes such a difference in your finished product. It can be the difference between a professional-looking garment and a homemade-looking garment.
You can press in many different ways, and you need to understand how your fabric will react under heat or even if you need to use heat at all. You can press with minimal heat or no heat.
Pressing tools are super important as they are used to help shape your garment correctly, and to help relax the stitching so your seams lay flat. Some sewing procedures rely on good pressing techniques or they simply won’t turn out.
Once you understand the importance of pressing you will level up your sewing game!
My Favorite Pressing Tools for Sewing
The Iron
Of course, the top of the list will be the iron. The iron is probably the most important pressing tool you need to have in your sewing room. You will probably dig out your iron just about every time you sit down to sew.
It is important to iron each seam as you sew them. You will use your iron for pressing hems, for pressing collars to create beautiful sharp edges and many many more things! I will leave a link for the iron I have below but you can also consider getting a cordless iron for convenience as well.
The Iron Shoe
Did you know you can also get an iron shoe for your iron? An iron shoe is an accessory for your iron that fits right over the iron plate. Iron shoes can be made from a variety of materials such as fibreglass.
They are a useful accessory for your iron to prevent your fabric from getting scorched and shiny. An iron shoe also protects your iron from getting sticky build-up from things like interfacing. It also allows you to iron more delicate fabrics at a higher temperature setting.
Click here to shop iron shoes!
The Pressing Mat
Having a pressing mat is super convenient for quick pressing when you’re sewing. Especially if you are working with smaller projects that don’t require an ironing board. A pressing mat is often made of wool and is a portable ironing surface.
You can keep a pressing mat right by your sewing machine to save time walking back and forth to the ironing board. I highly recommend having one!
Click here to shop pressing mats!
The Steamer
Much like the iron, the steamer is a must have tool for pressing. Technically, you don’t actually press with a steamer but it’s used in a similar way to the iron.
I prefer a steamer for a quick way to get out wrinkles on suits and formal wear. A steamer uses steam to help the fabric relax instead of pressing the hot metal to your garment. It’s better for delicate fabrics and has a much lower chance of scorching your fabric.
Click here to shop my steamer!
The Tailor’s Ham
A tailor’s ham (also known as a dressmaker’s ham) is not as commonly talked about as tools like the iron and steamer. What is a tailor’s ham, you may ask? A tailor’s ham is a ham-shaped pillow that is used for pressing curved seams of clothing such as sleeves, darts, waistbands etc.
If you are ironing seams that are curved it’s hard to iron correctly on a flat surface. The tailor’s ham allows you to place the curved seam on a curved surface to get a better press and ultimately allow the garment to look better in the end.
Click here to shop my tailor’s ham!
The Tailor’s Clapper
A tailor’s clapper is another great tool that you may not have heard of. A tailor’s clapper is a wooden tool that is used with an iron as well. The way it works is to iron your seam and then you would use the wooden clapper to press and hold on the seam immediately after removing the iron from the fabric. You can also tap the fabric or “clap” as the name suggests.
A clapper pushes the heat from the iron into the fabric to give it a better press. It is handy for fabrics that you may not want to hold a hot iron to for a long period. So instead of holding a hot iron on the fabric you can iron quickly and then use the clapper to trap the heat in and give your fabric a better press but also prevent scorching.
Click here to shop the clapper!
The Seam Roller
The seam roller is a little hand tool that is used to press seams open as you sew. Some are made of wood and some from plastic.
The seam roller works by pressing the little wheel to the seam and rolling it back and forth. The pressure helps press the seam open without using heat. It is convenient when you don’t want to have to go to your iron for each seam or if your fabric is delicate.
Click here to shop the seam roller!
A Pressing Cloth
A pressing cloth is a must-have if you’re going to be doing any amount of ironing. A pressing cloth is a handkerchief-sized piece of cloth that is used to lay on top of the fabric you are ironing creating a barrier between the iron and the item you are ironing.
Pressing clothes can be made from cotton or any similar type of scrap fabric you have lying around the house. The pressing cloth also prevents scorching and shininess from your iron.
Your Fingers or Finger-pressing Tools
Did you know one of the most convenient pressing tools for sewing is your fingers? Crazy, right? Yes, you can use just your fingers to press open a seam. This will depend on the type of fabric you’re working with. Some will press open more easily than others without using heat.
There are also finger-pressing tools that are used in much the same way as your finger. But, instead of using your finger, finger pressing tools are wooden or plastic tools that you can use to press the seams of your fabric open by rubbing them along the fabric.
Click here to shop finger-pressing tools!
There are so many great tools and hacks for pressing! I’m sure there are more that I’ve never heard of so let me know in the comments what your favorite tools for pressing are and why!
If you’re interested in learning about all the different types of edge finishes in sewing, check out this post!
What a comprehensive guide to pressing tools for sewing! As someone who’s passionate about sewing, I couldn’t agree more on the importance of these tools for achieving professional-looking results. I especially love using the iron, pressing mat, and tailor’s ham in my projects—they make such a difference in achieving crisp seams and perfectly finished garments. Thanks for sharing your favorites and reminding us of the importance of pressing in the sewing process!
I”m so glad you found this post informative 🙂
I had no idea that there were so many pressing options! I have an iron that I use for my (very basic!) sewing projects. I did have to laugh a bit though at the 80/20 comment. I agree!! So little time spent in the actual “sewing” part of sewing 🙂
Yes, it’s crazy but so true… how much time you spend in the pre-sewing determines your outcome!
Great information for someone just starting to learn! Thanks for sharing.