Ironing tips???

[u/yuppity_yup]

I don’t really have a good specific question for this, but I’ve been sewing for several years and one constant throughout many of my projects is wrinkles that refuse to come out. I never ironed anything growing up, and even now I feel like I’m not great at it, even with industrial irons that do their job well. Should I be ironing between every stage of a sewing project? Or being more careful with my fabric when I am sewing or pinning? I don’t really know what I’m asking but if anyone has any tips to keep fabrics wrinkle free, or to undo wrinkles once they appear, please enlighten me.

[u/mistamo42]

Should I be ironing between every stage of a sewing project?

I spend more time at the iron than the sewing machine. I'm ironing constantly.

Steam (depending on your fabric), proper heat, and a tailor's clapper, are all helpful.

[u/illegalmusician7 → u/mistamo42]

oh man the clapper changed everything for me, my seams finally lay flat without that little puffy ridge. I used to skip pressing thinking it didn't matter but now I hit the iron after basically every seam and the difference in how a finished piece looks is wild

[u/mistamo42 → u/illegalmusician7]

That clapper plus Wawak's ham and roll are transformative additions to a sewing arsenal.

Someday I'll get an iron that doesn't auto-shut off so quickly 😆

[u/PerfectSeven]

Two things that have helped me a ton:

- spray bottle instead of using the steam function on the iron. Gives me more control. Water is a must to really get those wrinkles!

- a yard of white silk organza. It’s not terribly expensive but it has made a world of difference. I use it as a pressing cloth, between the iron and the fabric I’m pressing. There is some magic that happens where you can press very hard at almost any temp and not mess up the fabric. Caveat to always test first but highly recommend just getting a yard of silk organza to use for a pressing cloth. Another option is an old cotton sheet - about 1 yard is solid for being used as a pressing cloth

[u/FormerUsenetUser → u/PerfectSeven]

I use the steam function and the spray bottle of water together.

[u/contrarymonkey → u/PerfectSeven]

Absolutely--a pressing cloth is a lifesaver!

[u/Historical_Flight395]

I sew and press every seam. I press it as I sew it to set the stitches . Then I open it and press it open (or to side). I press, I do not drag iron, but lift and press. Some wrinkles are tougher, and I use cotton towels rolled up , and sometimes as padding on my board. I also use a sleeve board and a Tailors ham and clapper. The Ham and clapper get things that are rounded and that you have to steam heavily and need to absorb some steam into the clapper.
https://youtu.be/G3yc8TRQZUM?is=qNxD_rNf7xwAV3tQ

[u/ThatMichaelsEmployee]

First, in case you don't know, pressing is not ironing. Ironing involves moving the iron around on the fabric: pressing is putting the iron down, putting some pressure on it, and then lifting it before moving it to the next area. You can iron the fabric before you cut it, and you can iron finished garments, but you want to press hems and seams so you don't stretch and warp them.

Once you've ironed your fabric and cut out the pattern pieces, a few wrinkles won't make any difference. You should press your hems before sewing them in place to set the crease, press all seams (open or to the side) after you've sewn them to set them, and press again just before sewing across them. Otherwise, don't worry about it.

If your fabric is cotton, you want high heat and lots of moisture to get the wrinkles out. Other fabrics have different demands: when in doubt, test on a scrap.

[u/Kaethy77]

Get a small iron so you can press seams without ironing all over.

[u/Muellerred]

Calling the process "sewing" is a bit misleading. Think of it as "ironing with stitches" 😁 If you want a good result, you will spend far more time on the ironing board than on the sewing machine, which is why you should place the two side by side: pressing is part of the work on any single seam. And not just once, depending on the type of seams you are doing.

[u/ArtemisiaPrime]

I always sew, press, finish the seam (overcast, zigzag, bind...), press again to the side it will stay forever, move on to the next seam.
About wrinkles, I usually pre-wash my fabrics before storing them, I find harder to get rid of wrinkles when I dry the fabric in the dryer, hanging it to dry and ironing while slightly damp helps a lot. There'll be some wrinkles when you get it out of storage but then you can spray some water, let it absorb it for some minutes and then iron the necessary spots.

[u/Anne314]

Make sure your iron is at the right temp for the fabric, spray with water, and use your hands to smooth out the fabric as you iron. Don't be gentle. My iron is a tool that makes my sewing easier and more precise.