Wish Upon a Quilt Blog

Today’s challenge is to assess your pressing station- Is it the right height? Does your cover need replacing? Do you need more starch or sizing? Check the sole plate of your iron, do you need an iron cleaner? Does the board need to be unburied from towering projects?

If you press standing up the board should be within 5 inches of the elbow. You want to be able to pick the iron up with the natural flexing of your arm. If you are sitting, make sure you aren’t straining your back when lifting the iron. Adjust the stand or table if the height is not right for you.

If your iron is getting older or your cover has seen better days, check out Bo-Nash Iron board cover. It increases the efficiency of your iron by reflecting 300% more heat back than other covers. Older irons tend to not get as hot as they used too so this helps improve their performance. It also means you don’t have to drain as much electricity to run your newer iron because you can run it at a lower temperature.

You should always have starch on hand to help stabilize your fabric piecing and make your quilts glide better while quilting. I like to keep Best Press around for my everyday pressing. (Not the clothing kind, that never happens at my house, the quilting kind.)

If there is adhesive or starch on the bottom of your iron’s sole plate you can remove it with the Bo-Nash Iron Clean.

I also like to keep lavender water in my pressing station. I use it in my iron and in a spray bottle to spritz already starched fabric to help reactivate the starch. I mix my own from a web recipe I found. This indulgence can make pressing a little private trip to the spa- just press the steam button a couple of times and let it wisk you away!

Don’t forget to keep working on that scrap pile plan.

What is your favorite pressing aid?

Lets focus on thread. Gather your thread and bobbins together. Wind up the loose tails. Sort according to type, purpose, and color. I like the Slimline boxes or matchbox storage containers for storing my spools. Baskets look nice with spools in them too. I like the Bobbin Saver and Bobbin Tree for storing my bobbins, they stay neatly wrapped when coral-ed.

Seeing your thread neatly organized like a designer box is a special treat. Speaking of thread how is your knowledge of thread? If it’s a mystery to you then you should check out Dancing with Thread by Ann Fahl and Threadwork Unraveled, both are great for demystifying thread. Also check out Aurifil’s descriptions and Superior’s Thread Reference, Thread Selection Chart, and Troubleshooting Guide.  You might want to print them out and add them to your tips binder. Another good thread reference can be found at American and Efrid, distributors of Mettler. What is your favorite type of thread to work with and why?

The second challenge is a fun one. Take a moment to clear your sewing table of everything but your sewing machine. Think about what you really need at hand when you are sitting and sewing. (Usually it’s pins, needles, thread nips, pin cushion, and seam ripper.) Go gather those things from the far regions of your sewing area, or home, and bring them back to your sewing table. Find a fun pencil cup or glass and pincushion while you’re gathering. Set your collection of tools up in a pleasing manner with in arms reach of your sewing station.

If you can’t find thread nips or your seam ripper then consider restocking these sweet tools from Wish.

If your pin cushion or pencil cup is looking a bit too plain check out the fun Pin Cushion Caddy pattern in Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner, Cupcakes by Lynne Koolish,  or Henrietta Turtle  and Effie and Ollie by Heather Bailey.

What did you find to keep your tools in reach? Let us know. We love hearing your ingenious ideas.