TOOLS FOR SEWING Part 3 Pressing and Mannequin
PRESSING tools
1. Iron. They can be domestic use irons and industrial use irons. Choose the one with the steam option but remember that industrial irons are more careful with fabric actually. Learn how to use your iron safely. Use pressing cloth with fabric which can get chine marks from an iron.
2. Ironing board, ironing mat. You probably have your domestic ironing board. Another option is to get ironing board for your table so you can iron bigger squares of fabric. Ironing boards consisting of a wooden frame with holes are recommended if you often iron with steam. Ironing mats are made of felt and absorb moisture easily. They both are covered in cotton cloth.
3. Pressing ham. That's a funny name which traveled around the world. It is named similarly in Russian and in Japanese languages, for example, as a ham.
Pressing hams are used for ironing the seams. They have pieces of wood inside that absorb moisture. Pressing hams are available in different sizes and shapes. It is a good idea to make it with wool fabric on one side. HOW TO MAKE A PRESSING HAM AT HOME, please read THIS POST or read the how I made it myself too
Some more information about pressing ham is from the book of Anette Fisher "Sewing for fashion designers": The Tailor’s Ham is a small, firmly padded, oval cushion, with a cotton fabric on one side and wool on the other. The cotton side can be used for pressing most fabrics; the wool side is only for woollen materials. It is used for shaping collars, lapels, darts and sleeve cups, and to shrink
fullness and press rounded areas.
4. Sleeve pressing ham. This is the tool in shape of an arm is used for pressing sleeves and trouser legs.
5. Pressing cushion or sleeve table is not obligatory cause you can use pressing ham, but if you can afford you can use it for highly stretchable and difficult to iron fabrics, ironing tubular skirts and trouser legs and the stitching of the jacket. They also have different sizes.
6. Pressing board. Look at the photo. You can buy it, but also you can make it yourself. I am going to make such tools myself, so stay tuned to see how I will make it.
7. Handy mat or pressing mitt is used for ironing/pressing garment on the dress form.
Let's skip some super-professional tools which we will not use at home, only if you decide to become a professional tailor, like crossarm, needle board and vacuum iron, and talk about some other things we really need.
8. Spraying device is used for large areas.
9. Water brush and bowl. You may ask why, but sometimes we need to moisture only some parts of garment, like seams to press well and don't need to do it with the whole garment. Be careful not to make marks of water on tome fabrics. The brush needs to have natural hair and a simple bowl with flat bottom to be stable.
10. Pressing cloth. I mentioned it before, we need it to protect the surface of fabric from very hot iron. Choose very like cotton fabric for your pressing cloth.
You can buy pressing cloth or use any cotton fabric you like. My mum used gauze as a pressing cloth all her life. I also buy a big square of gauze and use it like this.
DRESS FORMS or Mannequins
1. Dress forms are models of the human body available in everything from torso to trouser form, for women, men and children. When you choose your mannequin measure your bust circumference and the BACK from armpit to armpit. remember! Some dress forms can have the same bust circumference as you, but they will not fit you because of the back width! If their back width is bigger you can not design and fit clothes on it. Choose the smaller size of the form and add some forms to it, because YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD, BUT NEVER SUBTRACT ! I would recommend you to choose smaller dress form and transform it to fit perfectly your body.
2. Twill tape is used for inserting basic construction lines on the dress form (if you don't have them already on it factory-made). Moving basted seam lines and changing the shape of a neckline when performing three-dimensional cutting. Available in 0.15 cm and 0.3 cm width.
3. Mirror. Full-length mirror for checking basting or balance of a garment.
4. Magnet for retrieving dropped needles and pins.
In Part 1 you can read about Measuring tools, pattern manipulating tools, marking tools, and in Part 2 is about Sewing tools.
Don't miss!
There are a lot of tools for sewing and tailoring. I'm trying to choose those which we really need in everyday sewing. If you want to sew more professionally, to become a tailor, I am sure you will find great books and professional recommendations. I wish all the best in your achievements!
