Last month I wrote about the importance of properly pressing quilt blocks rather than ironing. I am back to share more hot topics. Quilters do take pressing issues quite seriously. #pressingmatters was even one of the daily prompts in the popular March Instagram posting event: #igquiltfest. Quilters follow a month of posting prompts or guidelines and share relevant pictures and tips. Read below and then also search under these tags to see more product information and many wonderful quilts.

Wool Pressing Mats

In addition to favorite irons and pressing sprays, the two most mentioned items for precise piecing were wool pressing mats and wooden tailor’s clappers. Wool pressing mats are available in a variety of sizes. Small ones are handy in a pressing station next to your sewing machine. This is a terrific way to make sure you press each seam before sewing the next one. But most people recommend you set them up away from your machine so you get up and move regularly.

Larger mats can be placed on a standard ironing board. So why are they so wonderful? The wool conducts heat very well resulting in crisply pressed seams. It heats both sides of your fabric at the same time. Another excellent choice is to make your own big pressing station by covering a large board with a wool blanket and then covering the unit with a heavy fabric. This makes your whole surface a wool mat.

Tailor’s Clappers

Wooden tailor’s clappers are another old tool that has become trendy. They are simply heavy pieces of wood that are placed on top of seams after pressing to further flatten and set the seams. Quilters are raving about the magic they create in terms of precisely pressed seams. They are available in assorted sizes and with simple or elaborate woodworking details. You can get clappers with other decorative designs like flowers or bees. For a totally unique tool, you can have a custom clapper made with your company name, logo, or the name of your “sewing studio.”

Other Clever Iron Alternatives

In addition to irons that come in many price points and a variety of sizes and colors, there are myriad gadgets to help you press on. From wooden rollers to pressing sticks, woodworkers are busy creating many useful tools besides the tailor’s clappers. Often, these small tools are used at the sewing machine to do an initial press after sewing a seam. The tools are an alternative to using a fingernail to press open a seam; known as “finger pressing.”