Ask anyone who sews: a well-pressed seam can make a huge difference in making a garment look flawless. Pressing can also remove any minor mistakes while sewing. We have created a video and an informative 'how to' below on how to incorporate essential pressing tools to improve your pressing game.

We have curves all around our body, so why press on a flat ironing board?! Use a pressing ham to press open darts, bust, hip, waist, armhole and neckline seams. It helps open up the seam so it becomes a better representation of how the garment should lay when worn. How fun is it to call it a 'ham' as well? 

Most people think this tool is for pressing sleeves. It IS fantastic for sleeves but the primary use for a seam roll is in its name- to press a 'seam' open. A seam roll allows the iron to apply heat to the seam and not anywhere else on a garment. Think of isolated pressing. I have nicknamed this tool the sausage only because of the ham above. 

Of all the tools, a press cloth continues to surprise my clients, which surprises me due to its obvious usefulness.

• Protecting  the iron while fusing interfacing. Last thing you want is glue on your iron!
•  Protect delicate fabric from burning or heat marks.

In studio, we use silk organza press cloths. Silk organza has the ability to absorb a high amount of heat and has an even weave so will not imprint a pattern on your beautiful fabric of your latest design. DIY press cloth tutorial HERE. 

Created and written by Sheila Wong
Filmed and edited by Samantha Quon

Happy Sewing!
​Sheila Wong Studio Team

One of the first things you do before drafting a pattern or choosing a size in a commercial pattern is taking measurements. There are up to 40 plus specific body measurements you can extract prior to pattern drafting. In this post we will cover 3 essential measurements and how to accurately extract them. Hear me chat about these measurements in below YouTube video or scroll down for photo instructions.

Three essential horizontal measurements include the bust, natural waist and hips. They represent the largest and smallest horizontal measurements for fit. While measuring try to imagine the measuring tape parallel to the ground.

Measure all the way around the largest part of the bust placing your tape parallel to the ground. Have your model breathe in and out and record the largest measurement of the two.

You might be familiar with waist, but not 'natural' waist. This is not where your pants sit, rather, this is the smallest part of your torso. All designs are derived from the natural waist. Please be aware that for some people it sits higher to the bust and others it sits lower on the torso. To find your natural waist, bend to your left or right. Where you hinge is where you natural waist line sits. Measure all the way around at this line. Have your model breathe in and out and record the largest measurement of the two.

Face your model at their side, find the largest part of their bottom and measure all the way around ensuring your tape is sitting parallel to the ground.

​Created and written by Sheila Wong
Filmed and edited by Samantha Quon

Happy Sewing!
​Sheila Wong Studio Team