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Pressing experiment
Cat n Bull   Advanced NC USA Member since 2/17/06 Posts: 1921	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 4/11/12 1:48 PM I know we have discussed this recently, but I wanted to share the results of my pressing experiment. I had noticed distorted shapes when pressing, and the overwhelming consensus is that steam is the reason fabric distorts. Then I saw Sharon Schamber's tutorial on pressing boards, and she said pressing on a too-soft surface causes distortion. Hmmm..... So I had hubby cut me a piece of plywood. I had every intention of covering it and making a proper pressing board, but I lost interest and just stuck it under the ironing board cover. I used Mary Ellen's Best Press on everything. Mary Ellen is my new Best Friend! LOVE that stuff! What a difference it makes! I was making pinwheels, lots of half square triangles, and I used Jenny from the Missouri Star Quilt Company's method, so each triangle had a bias edge. I started with hot dry iron on the board. I was VERY happy with the way the shape held. Not so happy with how the seams were staying flat. Then I used steam. PERFECT shapes AND flat seams. I went back and re-pressed every square that was dry pressed. Helped to get rid of the center lump, helped when I went to square them up when finished, made sewing time much easier by having nice flat seams to work with. Turns out it WAS the pressing surface that made all the difference. And did I mention that I just LOVE Best Press?! -- Edited on 4/11/12 1:52 PM -- ------ Cathryn
TessKwiltz   Intermediate TX USA Member since 9/21/07 Posts: 1315	Login to reply to this post In reply to Cat n Bull << 1 member likes this. Date: 4/11/12 2:42 PM Quote: Cat n Bull And did I mention that I just LOVE Best Press?! Me too! And I gotta make me one of them hard pressing boards, too. Mine's not too bad, but it's too small. Edited for typos -- Edited on 4/11/12 2:42 PM -- ------ Tess On threadpainting flowers: "How many colors are in a flower? ... How many do you have?" - Ellen Anne Eddy
SouthernStitch   Advanced LA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 8182	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 4/11/12 2:45 PM Cat thanks so much for this! I've almost ordered the Steady Betty several times. I bet that would do a good job too, but the plywood sounds cheaper! ------ Bernina 730E, 530, and 350PE Singer 221 FW, 403a When life gives you green velvet curtains, make a green velvet dress.
Cat n Bull   Advanced NC USA Member since 2/17/06 Posts: 1921	Login to reply to this post In reply to TessKwiltz << Like this post Date: 4/11/12 3:07 PM Quote: TessKwiltz [quote] And I gotta make me one of them hard pressing boards, too. Mine's not too bad, but it's too small. Edited for typos -- Edited on 4/11/12 2:42 PM -- I just told hubby I want a piece of wood that will fit over the entire ironing board. My ironing board is directly behind my chair when I sew, so I really don't need a small portable pressing surface. The piece he cut me WAS going to be one, but then I realized it would actually take up room I don't have to spare. ------ Cathryn
Cat n Bull   Advanced NC USA Member since 2/17/06 Posts: 1921	Login to reply to this post In reply to SouthernStitch << Like this post Date: 4/11/12 3:10 PM Quote: SouthernStitch Cat thanks so much for this! I've almost ordered the Steady Betty several times. I bet that would do a good job too, but the plywood sounds cheaper! You're welcome! The wood is cheap, and easy to deal with. My ironing board cover is pretty thin, so it is working out for me! ------ Cathryn
Learn To Sew   Intermediate WA USA Member since 4/12/05 Posts: 7992	Login to reply to this post In reply to Cat n Bull << Like this post Date: 4/11/12 6:44 PM What I want is an ironing station that is made of quality wood, has wheels for moving, has shelves for storage and can be an ironing board or not. The Local Quilt Shop (LQS) has one that was custom made for them. It think it is 5 feet wide, 18 inches deep and about a normal ironing board height. I love it. It is stable and does not move on carpeting. My ironing board is on carpeting and if I bump into the board, the board will move around. With a hot iron on it, I do not like that. Now, where can I find something like this? I myself like steam when pressing. The LQS classes use a dry iron. I do not think it does as good a job of pressing as mine with steam. I think the steam makes such a difference. I have not tried the Mary Ellen products, but they sell them. ------ Quilting is relaxing to me. I love to play with fabrics, patterns and colors. Bernina 630 machine only Pfaff 2036 Babylock Molly Bernina 1200DA serger Unique Sewing Cabinet 450L
Cat n Bull   Advanced NC USA Member since 2/17/06 Posts: 1921	Login to reply to this post In reply to Learn To Sew << Like this post Date: 4/11/12 9:27 PM Quote: Learn To Sew What I want is an ironing station that is made of quality wood, has wheels for moving, has shelves for storage and can be an ironing board or not. The Local Quilt Shop (LQS) has one that was custom made for them. It think it is 5 feet wide, 18 inches deep and about a normal ironing board height. I love it. It is stable and does not move on carpeting. My ironing board is on carpeting and if I bump into the board, the board will move around. With a hot iron on it, I do not like that. Now, where can I find something like this? I myself like steam when pressing. The LQS classes use a dry iron. I do not think it does as good a job of pressing as mine with steam. I think the steam makes such a difference. I have not tried the Mary Ellen products, but they sell them. I have no idea where to find a pressing station like that! My ironing board is up against a wall, it can't go anywhere. I am in a small bonus room (no closet), 10 x 10, and my table takes up most of it. I also have a kind of desk in there, it is high, like countertop height. I was just thinking today of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my house, and which one I want as my sewing room when the yungins move out. I would LOVE more space! ------ Cathryn
Warbler   Advanced VT USA Member since 4/15/07 Posts: 2580	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 4/11/12 9:39 PM This is such a great topic because it is based on quasi scientific method! I have been going around this very issue with the last two quilts I made. I made a Sharon Schambers iron board that is too big for me to use near my machine but I think I am going to pull it out again and give your experiment a test. I love Best Press too... (but my sprayer has been leaking and I am not so happy about the puddle of dried starch I found on my notions cabinet) ------ Janome MC6600 Bernina 240 Juki MO735 Singer 201-2 Singer 221-1 Singer 15-91
Maia B   Advanced Beginner IL USA Member since 10/27/10 Posts: 3401	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 4/13/12 1:25 AM I'd rather spend on the Steady Betty than make a board out of plywood if the SB will work as well. I've pretty much mastered SEWING perfect 1/4" seams, but precision in cutting remains deficient for me. When I stopped using steam to press, the wavy or bowed bias edges disappeared, but I concede that the blocks aren't as flat as I'd like. ------ 🌸 Plenty of machines, mostly Berninas 🌸
Sonoma33   Intermediate CA USA Member since 5/10/09 Posts: 1655	Login to reply to this post In reply to Cat n Bull << Like this post Date: 4/13/12 1:38 AM This is AWESOME! I adore best press. I want to stock it by the gallons. I had been trying to dry press--and I hate it! I can never get things to lay/flatten as well. I shall now try a new pressing surface--and actually I need a new iron while I'm at it! ------ Berninas 830LE ♥ Artista 630PQE ♥ 930 Record ♥ Juki TL2010Q ♥ Pfaffs Creative Performance ♥ Passport 2.0 ♥ Singers 221 ♥ 301 ♥ 500a ♥ Kenmore 1040 ♥ Elna 'Grasshopper' ♥ Tacsew T500 ♥ Babylock Evolution

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