Pressing Cloth

Do you use a pressing cloth? If sew, is it a commercially or hand made pressing cloth?

I'll admit, I'm kind of a peasant when it comes to pressing. Understandable, since ironing is one of my least favourite activities.

I have never purchased a pressing cloth, ever. I've used a pressing cloth in the past but never something that I picked up at a store. Instead, a pressing cloth has always been a saved piece of fabric from a discarded old cotton shirt. Yes, what some would refer to as a rag. 

I've upgraded recently.  

You see I'm testing out Vogue 8916, the jacket pattern, for Mama R. I'm working on a wearable muslin in a floral velvet denim. Mama R isn't all that thrilled with the fabric, but she does like the pattern. Score, since I have a beautiful wool and silk blend for her actual jacket as long as this wearable muslin is to her liking fit wise. And I have become smitten with this muslin jacket and I do very much like the fabric. Sew, I have unintentionally scored myself a new jacket. I'm starting to get off topic...

Oh yes, pressing cloths. I was fearful about pressing this fabric using my old peasant ways just because I wouldn't be able to see through the cotton cloth and I didn't want to apply direct heat onto the velvety surface. Do I bite the bullet and purchase a commercially made pressing cloth?

I was torn. I basted the edges and it is at the stage that it could really use a good pressing.

What did I do? ...

Well, I cut into that silk organza that I picked up last weekend. Karen over at Did You Make That? was right when she sang the praises of silk organza pressing clothes. This piece of fabric can take the heat. And the best part, you can see through it.

Better yet, if you don't have any silk organza kicking around to make your own pressing cloth, Sunni over at a fashionable stitch can hook you up with one.

Happy Sewing!