Sunday, August 12, 2018

Why You Should Iron While Sewing

If I were asked to choose which part of sewing is the most important to creating a successful project, I don't think I could choose between cutting, sewing, and ironing, because they're all key parts. I would even add that preshrinking the fabric is pretty vital with some fabrics, but that's another story for another day.

Iron When Sewing
Why You Need to Iron When Sewing image by Laure Justice


The Importance of Ironing When Sewing


It's fairly common for people who are new to sewing to underestimate the importance of ironing when sewing. I know, for me, I spent a lot of time on projects that just came out... well... lousy.

It was always disappointing, and such a waste of time and fabric. My lesson in this came fairly early in my sewing 'career' - though I have on occasion forgotten and was always quickly reminded by wrinkles and puckered seams.


Always check the care information on the fabric, or test in a small spot if you don't have the information handy, before pressing your fabric with a hot iron. 


If you don't want to prewash your fabric, you can press it with a steam iron or damp pressing cloth to successfully preshrink it.

Why Preshrinking Is So Important


If you're making clothes or anything to a specific size but you don't preshrink the fabric, when you end up laundering the completed item, it could shrink and all your work could be lost because it won't maintain its size.

If you're making things to sell, you may not want to launder the fabric in order to maintain its crispness and unwashed, new feeling - and that's a great time to use your iron to prepare the fabric.

The dampness of the steam or damp pressing cloth provides enough moisture to let the iron's heat shrink the fabric fibers.

Video Showing How Much Difference Pressing Fabric Makes

This video shows the difference when your fabric is un-ironed and after it's been ironed. (I'll be back with another video to show how to press seams when you're sewing.)




Thank you for visiting Stitching it Right. Comments are always welcomed both here and on Facebook, and if you're interested, it would mean so much to me if you would like and subscribe to my Sewing Lessons From Stitching it Right Video Channel on YouTube.

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