iron

July 15, 2022

Pressing Matters: Choosing the Right Iron

Next to your sewing machine, your iron may be the most important item in your sewing room. Look for features that fit your sewing needs.

Auto shut-off

Some sewers love it, others loathe it—that “feature” that turns your iron off when it’s not used for a certain period of time. Shut-off times vary up to 15 minutes of non-use. Although designed as a safety feature, there are many irons without this option if you find it an annoyance.

Warming Ways

Some irons have dials, others have digital read-outs to tell you actual ironing temps, but still others list only fabric/fiber names, like cotton, silk or wool to indicate a safe temperature setting. A few brands offer only dots or arrowheads to indicate temperature ranges. Choose a brand with an indicator that works best for what you want to know.

Bottoms Up

Rowenta DW8270 Pro Master 1750 Watt X-CEL Steam Iron with 400 Hole HD Profile Soleplate available on Amazon.

You may never have given it a thought, but if you research irons, you’ll find aluminum, stainless and ceramic soleplates available. Some also offer a non-stick coating—ideal if you do a lot of fusing.

Depending on the type of sewing you do, the number of steam holes in the soleplate may be important. You can get more than 400, like in the Rowenta DW8270 Pro Master 1750 Watt X-CEL Steam Iron with 400 Hole HD Profile Soleplate pictured to the right, all the way down to less than 50, depending on the brand and model. If you do a lot of tailoring, look for a higher number of steam holes with many near the iron’s point.

The soleplate shape is also a consideration as some irons are very pointed with a space for detail pressing, while others are more rounded for more general use.

Hefty, Hefty, Hefty

Most home irons fall in the 1- to 5-pound range for weight. For tailoring, heavier is better as more pressure is applied to shape the fabric during construction.

Steamy Situations

Sewists (and most quilters) love steam, and it comes in various forms. Some irons offer only a single steam setting, others offer adjustable steam–from bursts to continuous—depending on your needs. Irons should also offer a dry setting for those fabrics that can be damaged by water or for use with some fusible products. Some irons steam only in a horizontal position, while others can also steam in a vertical position.

If you like convenience, look for a removable water tank to take directly to the faucet for filling. A transparent tank lets you keep tabs on the amount of water in the iron and know when a refill is needed. Check the size of the water tank, as smaller capacity reservoirs require more frequent filling, especially if you’re using a lot of steam.

In addition to steam, some irons offer a misting or spray feature to allow for a bit of extra moisture in certain pressing situations—especially helpful for shaping fabrics and removing wrinkles.

Fill ‘er Up!

Note what type of water the iron requires. Many simply take tap water, but others require distilled water. There may be regional differences, depending on the water where you live. Using hard water can lead to a build-up of residue in the tank (or on your sewing project) and clogged steam vents, so check for a self-cleaning feature.

It’s a good idea to empty the water in your iron if you’re not going to be using it for a while to help prevent mineral build-up in the tank.

Plugging In

Think about where you’ll be ironing and check the cord length—they can be up to 12 feet long. Some irons offer a retractable cord for easier storage. Iron cord positions can be fixed or they can pivot for convenience of both left- and right-handed users. Cordless models are also available with a charging base, but keep in mind that the head has to be returned to the base frequently to reheat itself.

Sit-ups

Most irons sit vertically on their heel when not in use, but one brand {Oliso photo) has “legs” that raise it off the ironing surface when not in use, so there’s no need to set it upright. When you hold the handle, it lowers itself for use.

Liking it Hot

It’s important to let any iron fully heat up before using it. If you don’t, it may spit water onto your project. Some irons fully heat in 30 seconds, other take as long as 10 minutes. There may be a beeper or a light to indicate when the desired temperature is reached.

~Linda Griepentrog
Linda is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and two dogs, Yohnuh and Abby. Contact her at .

October 8, 2021

Pressing Tools—Clapper and Sleeve Board

It doesn’t matter whether you tailor fine wool jackets or make casual everyday wear, or if you’re a quilter—getting a good press is of the utmost importance for a professional-looking project. There are tools to help with that process. Let’s take a look at two tools that work for all sewers and quilters—a clapper and a sleeve board.

Clapper

What is it?

A clapper is basically a long block of wood with curved edges. The block may have indentations along the side for easier holding, but the bottom surface if totally flat. Clappers come in different sizes, depending on where they’ll be used.

It’s important that the clapper is made from hardwood with a heavy, closed grain so that it holds heat and steam in whatever you’re trying to press beneath it. Maple is a common wood used for clappers. All clappers should be unfinished wood, to avoid transferring any oils or finishes to the fabrics below.

What is it for?

Fashion sewers and quilters use a clapper to flatten and compress seams, creases and hems. It’s helpful for flattening edges, like tailored collars on jackets and cuffs. Some people use a clapper to create precise creases in pant legs. Quilters use clappers to help flatten seams, whether pressed open or to one side, and to make sharp seam edges in foundation piecing projects.

How does it work?

A clapper is used in conjunction with an iron, either steam or dry. If you’re using a dry iron, spray the area with water to moisten it before pressing and clappering.

Once the area is pressed with the iron and infused with steam, press the clapper down on top of the area to trap the moisture in the area until it cools. Apply pressure if you’re pressing a thick edge like a collar, lapel or cuff.

Sleeve Board

What is it?

A sleeve board is basically a small wooden ironing board, usually with padding on the upper surface. The wooden base usually isn’t padded, but provides an optional pressing surface should a harder surface be needed.

Some sleeve boards have metal grids under the upper padding and some have metal legs instead of being reversible flat surfaces.

What is it for?

The name doesn’t say it all, but it does note its original purpose—pressing sleeves, without getting extra creases where you don’t want them. But, it’s also handy for pressing pant legs and other tubular type sewing projects where you don’t want additional creases added to the area. For crafters, a sleeve board is handy for pressing wine bags or other narrow drawstring type bags where accessing seams can be challenging.

A sleeve board can also be used for any pressing task where a full-size ironing board might not be needed—like pressing doll clothes, or quilt blocks.

How does it work?

Sleeve board sizes vary depending on the manufacturer, and the size of the pressing surface obviously affects what can fit over it. But all sleeve boards have at least one end tapered so that it’s narrower than the opposite end attached to the base.

To use the sleeve board, simply slide the sewn tubular shape over the narrow end of the board and onto the padded pressing surface.
A sleeve can actually be pulled over the smaller curved end to lightly press the cap area during construction.
If you’re sewing with limited space, like at a retreat, a sleeve board can be used as your personal tabletop ironing board to save time waiting in line for the main ironing board.

September 3, 2021

FAQ’s: Cleaning an Iron | Home Décor Fabric | Rotary Cutters

What’s the best way to clean my iron?

If you’re using fusible sewing products like webs, interfacings and stabilizers, there’s always that errant portion that finds its way to the soleplate of the iron. If you don’t take care of it right away, the fusible goo can transfer to the next thing you’re pressing and then it comes a bigger challenge to get the black stuff off the fabric.

If your iron has a non-stick soleplate, fusible adhesive can often be simply wiped off using a soft rag or paper towel. But, if your iron doesn’t have that feature, enlist the assistance of an iron cleaner available in the notions department of your fabric store. Usually in a tube, these cleaners just smear onto the soleplate surface of a warm iron, interact with the adhesive, and are gently wiped off with a cloth. They may smoke a bit in the process, but no worries—that’s just the product doing its work. Be sure to read and follow the product instructions.

Prefer a DIY option? Mix two parts baking soda and one part water to form a paste and gently rub it onto the soleplate. Or, soak a cloth in white vinegar and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then wipe the soleplate.

It’s important never to use an abrasive pad or cleaner on your iron soleplate as those can scratch the metal surface.
No matter what cleaning option you choose, keep the product out of the steam holes on the soleplate. If you do get some in them, use a pipe cleaner or cotton swab to remove the excess.
For fusing, it’s best to use a press cloth to protect your iron from errant adhesive—saving you the effort of cleaning it.

Can I use home décor fabric for a garment?

Short answer—it depends! Many home décor fabrics can be used for garments, but some are better left on the bed or the chair. So, ask some questions about it before jumping into the switch.

Check the weight of the fabric—will it drape or hang appropriately for a garment? Some curtain and drapery fabrics are ideal, while upholstery fabrics tend to be too stiff and often have a heavier backing.
Are there finishes that affect the fabric’s hand? Sun- and stain-resistant finishes often make fabrics stiffer than might be appropriate for a garment, and chemicals can potentially cause an allergic reaction if in close contact with skin, so be sure to read the label carefully.
Check the care instructions, as many home décor fabrics are dry-clean only due to their added finishes.

If the fabric feels right to you for garment use, there are some advantages to home décor fabrics. Most are wider than traditional garment fabrics so you may not need as much. Many offer bold patterns to make eye-catching garment patterning, but be sure to account for pattern matching before you buy, as extra may be required to match large prints. If you’re working with a bold print, keep garment design lines simple to avoid breaking up the visual patterning.

Do I need a rotary cutter if I’m not a quilter?

Rotary cutters slice a very straight, clean edge which is ideal for many fabrics, both quilting cottons and garment fabrics. It also creates a smooth edge on fabrics like UltraSuede, cork, etc. that may have lapped seams. Rotary cutters come in several sizes, so the blade diameter can be tailored to the use. A protective cutting mat is required to protect the table surface.

Pro
One advantage of using a rotary cutter for garment sewing is that the fabric can stay flat on the cutting surface as you cut. That’s very helpful for slippery materials or fabrics that distort readily, like loose knits. Used with a medium to large blade and a ruler, rotary cutting for straight lines is faster than scissor cutting—think full skirt, long eveningwear seams, etc. Smaller diameter blades work well for cutting curved areas like armholes and necklines.

Con
One downside of rotary cutting garments is that you have to have the protective cutting mat under the area being cut, and this may necessitate constantly moving the mat (depending on the size) or the fabric.

So, is a rotary cutter necessary if you’re only sewing garments? No, but it’s definitely a nice option to have around, especially if you’re sewing on pesky fabrics that make scissor cutting more challenging.