Pressing vs Ironing
Pressing and ironing are related but different techniques with different purposes. Ironing is moving the iron across fabric to remove wrinkles — a sliding motion. Pressing is lifting and placing the iron on specific areas to set seams, shape construction details, and permanently shape fabric — no sliding. Pressing during construction is what creates professional results; ironing at the end to remove wrinkles doesn't achieve the same effect.
The Workflow
The golden rule: press every seam before crossing it with another seam. This means: sew a seam, take the piece to the iron, press the seam open or to the side as required, return to the machine, sew the next seam. This is more interruption than most beginners want to tolerate, but it is the workflow that produces professional results. Once you've established the habit, it becomes automatic.
Equipment
A quality iron with reliable steam is the foundation. A clapper — a dense wooden tool that holds steam in the fabric after pressing — is the most useful secondary tool in pressing. Pressing hams (fabric-covered ham-shaped cushions) allow pressing curved seams without distortion. A seam roll (a cylindrical pad) allows pressing seam allowances open without creating press marks from the seam allowances through to the right side.
Fabric-Specific Guidance
Every fabric type has specific pressing requirements. Test on a scrap: too hot an iron damages synthetic fibres permanently; too little steam fails to set woven seams adequately; velvet requires pressing face-down over a needleboard or another piece of velvet to avoid crushing the pile. Keep a pressing cloth on hand for delicate fabrics and for protecting embellishments from direct heat.