New ironing gadgets for sewing

I’m a huge fan of the iron when it comes to sewing. In fact I couldn’t sew without ironing! When I sew at home I always have the ironing board set up and use it almost like a standing workbench.

Ironing and pressing, I think, is one of the main things that will give you super duper neat and professional looking finish on your handmade garments so any new gadgets that make that process easier are a winner in my book!

This week I’ve got two new Prym things that we have road tested in the studio.

The first one is great if you are looking for a space saver. It’s this Prym Ironing Blanket. I totally love that it's called a “blanket’ - makes it sound so cosy!

What is it?

It’s a light and heat reflecting ironing underlay for ironing on all even surfaces. It is reversible too so you can use it on the sliver side or with the printed centimetre grid and angle markings facing up. It measures 90cm x 60cm and costs £25. (Find it in the shop here).

What are the benefits?

• As it has a special heat reflective surface that bounces the heat from the iron right back at you it’s ideal for getting nice crisp presses seams.
• It is lightweight so you could also stretch it round a tailor’s ham to get the heat reflective benefit when pressing darts. This would be especially useful on fabrics that are a bit trickier to press.
• It’s great if you don’t want to keep getting the ironing board out. You can have it on the table, or even floor next to you.
• Really handy for small, quick jobs if you don’t want to lug your whole ironing board get-up out. Or if you are travelling!
• As one side has a cm grid and angle markings you can use it to help get your hem even.

How easy is it to use?

Everything is pretty self explanatory with this one. You just take it out the packet and your ready to go! As with most Prym products there is a handy YouTube video to give you the jist as well.

We did find that it had a bit of a funky smell on its first use but that will likely fade over time and it’s not too offensive.

The next little tool to get scrutinised are these Prym Silicone Finger guards.

Over time I think I’ve developed asbestos when it comes to ironing and pressing but these little guys are great for avoiding burns on your fingertips.

What are they?

They are made from silicone and are like caps that you just slip on top of your fingers when you are pressing seams to hems. They cost £4.35 for a set of 3 (small, medium and large size in each pack) and you can find them in the shop in this link.

What are the benefits?

• No more fingertip burning!
• They also have a ridged surface on them so they help to grip the fabric as well. This is especially useful if you are using a slippery fabric or tend to have quite dry hands and find gripping the fabric difficult.
• I tired ironing right on top of one (when my finger wasn't in it you'll be pleased to know) just so I could see what happens. The iron didn't singe, melt or mark them at all - it was great!
• I find that even if you are careful and keep your fingers away from the iron when pressing, the fabric itself can become really hot to touch sometimes, so having the guards on is great as you can touch or pick up the fabric straight away.

How easy are they to use?

Really easy, just slip them out the packet, put them on and pump that steam button on the iron with no fear!

The picture on the packaging shows them on the first 3 fingers but as one of them is quite big I found it more useful to use on my thumb instead.

In the background of this picture is another really awesome ironing thing that I've started using too. It's a cover for your ironing board that has a grid printed on it. It's great! I'd highly recommend it. You can find it in the shop in this link. It costs £20.50 and can fit wider ironing boards up to 50cm wide - it has a draw string to pull it tight round the board.

What ironing gadgets do you use?