[KFCarter]

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Excellent thread!!
Thank you Barb (& Steve )!

Ditto.

You gotta love this site!

[longhuntr74]

Originally Posted by Barb T.

Here's a pressing ham at Joann fabrics:

http://www.joann.com/joann/search/se..._requestid=947

Doesn't say online only, so maybe the stores have them.

B Black and Son is my favorite source for canvas:

http://www.bblackandsons.com/sewing-...-68_80_92.html

Just be sure to get the heavy weight.

BTW - when are you going to come down for a vist from that place in the North Country (which I still think of as Camp Drum, because that's what it was called while I was growig up)? You should come down to the Great American Irish Festival this weekend at the Herkimer County Fair Grounds:

http://www.gaif.us/

Maybe I should ask you when you're gonna quit going on vacations to Iceland and such!!! LOL. I know you were there for work, but I gotta say that your overseas work locations are significantly nicer than mine!!!

Unfortunately, my wife has planned a party for Saturday...is the festival just Saturday or both Saturday and Sunday? I'm hoping I don't have to go to work on Sunday. If not this weekend, I'll plan a trip in the next month or so...I'll hit you on email for your contact info so I can coordinate it with you! Thanks for the answers to my questions...you're so helpful...as always!!!

[fluter]

Originally Posted by Barb T.

Here's a pressing ham at Joann fabrics...
Doesn't say online only, so maybe the stores have them.

My local one did. For a good time, take a pressing ham to the register, and see whether the clerk knows what it is.

Black also has pressing supplies

The clapper is supposed to apply pressure and speed cooling. Sydnie's flat-irons do the same thing: there's plenty of thermal mass there. In fact did we not discuss using a brick covered with heavy duty aluminum foil? Then the clapper supposedly pulls out the humidity, too, thus speeding cooling.

I press on a table, which also is my sewing table. To press the pleats, I let the fell drape off the end. A steam iron, spray bottle, and pressing cloth works for me. However Barb is right about the moisture in the kilt afterward.

Thanks to Barb and Steve for a look at the professional rigs.

[Dixiecat]

In fact did we not discuss using a brick covered with heavy duty aluminum foil?

Bricks are good, but I don't like the aluminum foil idea unless you cover that with a thick wool. It would get hot and wet if you didn't.

My pressing tools consist of a sleeve roll made from a thick dowel rolled in wool and covered with muslin, June Tailor clapper, hardwood clapper, tailors ham and a 2x10 wool tube filled with buckshot. And of course my Rowenta steam generator iron:
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/p...zprd_08577603a

[sutherland]

Hi all, very interesting pressing tips. I would like to add if anyone is having problems locating a pressing ham, if you have scaps of cloth/fabric , must be natural fibres, and a piece of strong canvas you can make a pressing ham that will last a lifetime.
Cut canvas x2 roughly in the shape of a ham, size is up to you, maybe 14"-16", sew together and leave opening.Turn to right side and stuff with scraps untill full, close opening.Now the fun bit, with a very hot iron and plenty of water handy, start to press and shape the ham to the way you want it, keeping one side as flat as possible the other nicely curved and rounded and the ham solid. Use plenty of steam to shrink and shape.Result a free ham that will last and last. Hope this may help out for those on a budget. Regards to all.