Pressing seams open...what a PAIN
09-10-2013, 06:49 AM
#31
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,940
I have been setting the seam with the steam iron, then flipping over and pressing seam to one side, then opening up the seam completely and pressing. I keep burning my fingers with the steam, but without the steam, the seam doesn't want to stay open. Suggestions anyone?
09-10-2013, 07:30 AM
#32
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Texas
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A strip stick can be helpful: http://thestripstick.com/buy_products . Love mine!
09-10-2013, 08:31 AM
#33
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,254
I have a "finger pressing" tool that a friend, from this board, gave to me. It is a wooden sitck with beveled edge, I lay the project down and finger press the seam open and then use the iron. This has saved me many injured fingers and gives me a nice flat seam every time.
09-10-2013, 09:48 AM
#34
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: East Arkansas
Posts: 2,534
You can make your own pressing stick - just take a wooden clothespin apart & use one half of it. You can make a pressing ham out of a rolled up magazine covered with padding & material - sort of like a rolled up ironing board.
09-10-2013, 11:07 AM
#36
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Location: Utah
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09-10-2013, 06:37 PM
#37
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
Last year I made a Jacob's ladder with hundreds of 4 patches. I had sewed them together and then sat on the sofa and finger pressed the furled seams of the whole pile while I watched (sometimes listened to) TV.. When one pile started to tip over, I started a new pile. The next morning I wasn't sure I would find the seams still in place, but they were perfect. Then it was easy to iron them all.
I have also found that finger pressing lots of seams open while just sitting on the sofa makes it much easier to iron later. Also think of the time saved. It's easier to get the seams open with two hands than with one hand on the iron waiting for the other one to do it alone. And I spend a lot less time with the iron heating. Save the earth!
I have also found that finger pressing lots of seams open while just sitting on the sofa makes it much easier to iron later. Also think of the time saved. It's easier to get the seams open with two hands than with one hand on the iron waiting for the other one to do it alone. And I spend a lot less time with the iron heating. Save the earth!
09-10-2013, 07:41 PM
#38
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 151
A sleeve ham is great, and you can also make something similar yourself. Make a tube of fabric, roll up a magazine and insert it in the tube... you have your own, personal "round thingy" to press your opened seams!
09-10-2013, 07:59 PM
#39
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: The Colony, TX
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A strip stick can be helpful: http://thestripstick.com/buy_products . Love mine!
09-11-2013, 03:23 AM
#40
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Thornton, Colorado
Posts: 1,023
A few years ago, I took a class in Strips'n'Curves. The instructor showed us how to lift the seam slightly and press the seam open. As you continue to press the seam open, keep lifting the seam up a bit from the ironing board and keep on pressing ahead. There was no setting of the seam. Then carefully turn over to the other side to press the seam. Works like a charm.
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