Pressing Matters

Today I have a nice little idea for you that is so simple yet so great. This is all about the humble pressing cloth. I have come to realize that using a pressing cloth can make a big difference in the success of some of my projects. It is especially useful for applying iron-on interfacings or stabilizers or batting, so I can get enough heat to create the fused bond but not melt anything to the bottom of my iron! I generally have used a chunk of muslin, since that is usually plentiful and cheap and works.

Not very long ago, Debbie told me that she was ordering a bolt of white organdy fabric because it makes the perfect pressing cloth. I experienced a moment of thinking "What will she think of next??" and maybe even "What makes her pressing cloth so special?". But she is the boss, so if she wants a bolt of organdy then she can have a bolt of organdy! Who knows, maybe we will start making bridal couture!

So the bolt of organdy arrived, and I was leaving for a retreat, so I decided I wanted to try out this organdy press cloth idea with some others. You know, put it to the test. See if it's really worth chucking out the muslin I've been using (which is brown enough to earn a replacement anyway). I thought it was kind of stiff, and Debbie told me to just serge off the raw edges and run it through the wash once. Which I didn't totally do (the serging part was skipped) but I did pack it up for my trip. Well, it was a hit! We used that pressing cloth in a variety of ways and found that it is, indeed, superior to the muslin we were used to. Who knew!? It's thin enough that you can see what it underneath it and do a more accurate job of placement and pressing. And it just seems - well, sort of like a little luxury on the ironing board! We do get pleasure in the little things, don't we?

So, to make this long story short, get thee down to Bear Patch and try out some organdy press cloths! Because we do have a whole bolt of it! It is only $6.99/yard, so it is a sweet little idea that is inexpensive, useful and thoughtful for the other people you know who use an ironing board more than twice a year!