Hi, Readers. I have a question for you, but as you know, I’m not one to get to the point before a long, rambling preamble. So sit tight for a minute while I circumlocute.
As I’ve mentioned several times in the past, I’m sort of a minimalist when it comes to sewing tools and equipment. This isn’t because I don’t like nice sewing stuff or recognize its value in the sewing process. Rather it’s just the sense of frugality that I inherited from my mother, the fact that I’ve never had a dedicated sewing space in which to put stuff, and the fact that I’m generally able to get by on the hand-me-down tools and makeshift bits and bobs that make up my rather meagre collection with satisfactory results. I’ll splurge on fabrics and notions, but I get by with a motley collection of old, slightly bent pins, my mom’s old measuring tape (yes, I know they say that they stretch out over time, but after some 40 years, hers is still pretty accurate), and a small lumpy old ironing board, the kind that sits on a table. I can’t say I feel like my sewing experience or results are noticeably less satisfying. I have worked with nice tools and equipment in my sewing classes and I tell myself that someday when I have a sewing room, I’ll invest in great tools, but for now, I’m doing just fine with what I’ve got.
I own precisely two pieces of sewing equipment which I can say are objectively nice. First my Husqvarna Platinum 770 (some folks yesterday asked what kind of machine I was working on)- this was an eBay splurge after I “outgrew” the capabilities of my 50 Euro no-name machine that I purchased at a German supermarket. I’m no sewing machine expert, by the way. Why the 770? Because I had fallen for Tchad‘s Platinum 730 and when he suggested I look on eBay for a similar one, the 770 just happened to be there within my price range.
And the other nice thing I have is a pair of knife edge spring loaded Gingher shears – my total surprise birthday present from Dan, who managed to pick them out and buy them under my nose without my even noticing while I was wandering around a Jo-Ann. That’s right- if I am at the sewing store, I shut out the rest of the world. Dan got excited when he saw read the package that said the spring loading reduces fatigue while cutting because he knows that cutting is my least favorite part of sewing. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I sure do like cutting a lot more now that I’m using these lovely shears, and not a pair of scissors I got for $1 at a rummage sale.
[Actually, now that I think about it, I do also have that fancy Hamilton Beach Smart Lift iron that I won in the Pattern Review LBD contest, but I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve still been using my ancient old cheapo iron because the Hamilton Beach is a massive and heavy apparatus with an intimidating of plethora bells and whistles. I will take it out of the box and start using it soon though. That is what I keep telling myself.]
And now, after much ado, the Selfish Seamstress Gets to the Point. I have a question. And answer it quick because I’ve managed to find a teeny bit of time in the early evening to swing by the store to find buttons for my crafty McCall 5525 coat. The question is, while I’m there should I also buy a sleeve board?
I ask because they’re on sale for 50% off. I’ve never used one before, and I’ve been rolling up a t-shirt to act as a seam roll. To clarify, this is a seam roll, which may also be on sale but I’m not sure. Looks like it wouldn’t be too much of an investment in any case:
I have been feeling the need for something to help pressing sleeve seams, particularly where the sleeve meets the armscye. It’s one of the not-that-frequent occasions when I feel like having better equipment would actually have a noticeable effect on my finished results, rather than just simplifying the process. Does anyone out there use a sleeve board and if so, would you recommend it? Is there any reason to use a sleeve board instead of a seam roll or vice versa? Do you use each for different purposes and if so is there a good reason to have both? Pros and cons of each? Should I stick with my minimalism and pass on either? Your suggestions?
The Selfish Seamstress 
55 comments
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April 5, 2010 at 6:54 am
Jenn
I would buy the sleeve board. I picked up my sleeve board at a thrift shop for $2. And I cannot believe the difference it makes – especially when ironing, pinning, etc sleeves, trousers, and collars.
I do have a sleeve roll – because I found it at the same shop for the same price – however, I have only used it about 6 times in 3 years. It has come in handy for wool – which is probaby while I don’t use it much – I live in Southern Arizona – where wool is not possible all year round (can you imagine a lined wool skirt in 100+ weather? Yikes!).
April 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
Kayy
I have one. I use mine more for ironing finished garments than pressing during construction. During construction I tend to use my seam roll or wooden seam stick for the sleeve seam and ham for armscye and sleeve cap pressing. This may be why I didn’t think to mention the sleeve board when I blogged about pressing equipment.
When you say pressing where the sleeve seam meets the armscye, I’m not sure what you have in mind. If you are thinking of using the round end to press the armscye/sleeve cap seam, I find the ham more useful because you can squash it somewhat until it’s about the right shape.
April 5, 2010 at 6:58 am
Anonymous
Get the sleeve board! They’re so handy. I use them for forming sleeve caps on set in sleeves. The shape of the wide end is perfect for sliding the cap over and steaming out the puckers. Seam roll…meh. If you find yourself needing to crush a lot of seams open maybe, but I think a sleeve board is much more handy.
April 5, 2010 at 7:00 am
beangirl
I don’t have a sleeve board, so I can’t really say how handy they are. Handy. Get it?
Yikes. However, I can’t live without my seam roll. I find it to be really usefull (but I also make a lot of teeny tiny clothes for bitty little people— oh wait. So do you. Ha!)
I will say “Girl. Buy some decent flippin’ pins!” That and the nice shears are about all you REALLY need.
April 5, 2010 at 7:01 am
beangirl
That was totally not a commentary on the person who posted above me, btw. I didn’t even see that comment until mine posted.
April 5, 2010 at 7:07 am
all is on
I have a sleeveboard that I picked up at a half-off-notions sale at joann’s, but be aware it’s el cheapo: crappy cloth cover, super skimpy padding, thin wood base that isn’t all that sturdy. That said, I use mine all the time. And I still haven’t made myself a seam roll (OR a ham) but I will one day.
April 5, 2010 at 9:32 am
cidell
Oh, she’s right. MY sleeveboard / iron horse is from Joanns and does suck. I really need to buy a vintage one from evilbay or just make one. There is a great Japanese one that I would love to get my hands on too.
April 5, 2010 at 7:07 am
lin3arossa
I can’t help you on your issue but I’m suprised you don’t own a serger.
April 5, 2010 at 7:13 am
Myrna
I’m a minimalist as well. I use a sleeve board all the time. It’s fabulous for pressing crisply. I also have a seam roll and a ham. The ham gets used for darts. The seam roll almost never.
– Myrna
April 5, 2010 at 7:14 am
oonaballoona
i have no idea… but i’d love to know what you think if you go for it. also, i’ve seen doubled sided sleeveboards, basically a board on each end (rather than legs on the bottom, there’s another board). i wonder if that’s a perk?
April 5, 2010 at 7:21 am
kathleen
I put off buying one for years, but now that I have one I love using it. I have never regretted buying quality tools for my sewing
April 5, 2010 at 7:26 am
Byrdie
My mother in law, who sewed in home-ec classes 50 years ago and has never sewn since, insisted on buying me a seam roll. She said I just had to have one and it would make my pressing more professional. I thought to myself that she is just old fashioned but I let her buy one for me just to humor her. I would never tell her this but I think she was right- my pressing does come out a bit more professional and crisp looking. It definitely comes in handy for pressing odd spots like the arm seams. I have never used a sleeve board before.
April 5, 2010 at 7:38 am
Debbie Cook
Yes on sleeve board. No on a crappy one from Joann’s. And I agree with the previous poster – get some new pins. Those will be on sale too. :-)
April 5, 2010 at 7:45 am
Phoebe
Oh my goodness, I have neither of these things and have no idea how one even uses them, I feel like a crappy sewer now! I just use my big ironing board for pressing all my seams. It works fine, but what I am missing out on?
April 5, 2010 at 7:51 am
Anonymous
Get the sleeve board!
For a roll, I use a threesome of superrrtightly rolles magazines wraped with a towel.
April 5, 2010 at 7:51 am
Amy
I have been sewing clothes my whole life and I do not own a sleeve board. I use one at work and it is on my wish list. If they are on sale I say go for it. I would get a ham too if those are on sale too. Those are my two next equipment purchases.
i also have spring loaded scissors, they were my mom’s, and they are the best and they often scare people which is ok with me. :)
April 5, 2010 at 7:54 am
Marie-Christine
Sewing is like carpentry: one third good materials, one third good tools, and one third skills. Some people think the right gizmo will give them the skills, which isn’t true. So minimalism isn’t bad, in fact I think it’s much better than the opposite.
But sometimes the right tools are a great help. Not struggling with the execution can give you more design freedom. A sleeve roll isn’t an earth-shaking thing, but I like and use mine. A sleeve board lets you press a sleeve, a sleeve roll lets you press a sleeve without making seam allowance imprints. Moreover, you’re small, a sleeve board would be too large for most of your sleeves, while a sleeve roll would work. Ergo a sleeve roll is better.
April 5, 2010 at 8:02 am
amber
I’ll echo the others and say to get the seam board, throw in a pressing ham (if you don’t already have one) and for goodness sakes, get a new pack of glass head pins!! Please, do it for your readers. ;)
April 5, 2010 at 8:05 am
sewbissy
Yes, I say go for the sleeve board! I don’t have mine with me where I’m staying right now, and I’m missing the ease of using one terribly.
April 5, 2010 at 8:14 am
Holly Storm
I am also a frugal sewer. I made this coat last fall (LOVE IT!!!), and I used a seam roll for the sleeve seams, and a tailor’s ham for where the sleeve meets the armscye and it worked fine for me. It looks like a little ham in the same fabric as the above pictured seam roll. You should be able to find it in the store right by the seam roll. It also works great for ironing bust darts or anything else with that kind of curve. I use mine all the time!
April 5, 2010 at 8:17 am
peter
OK, as someone who owns both a sleeve roll and a ham, the ham is more useful for pressing the armscye area. I’ve never used a sleeve board.
And Elaine, PLEASE get yourself a full-size ironing board! You can charge it to me (uh..where did I put my VISA card again?).
It pains me to think you are ironing on a ratty old POS.
And would you also PLEASE buy yourself a rotary cutter, for Pete’s — yes, MY — sake. It makes cutting a breeze. You can take the entire top of a finger off in the time it used to take merely to clip a nail. Not that I ever have; be careful if you get one. But seriously, they are the greatest.
I think Debbie Cook is willing to foot the bill for that one; I can’t pay for everything.
April 5, 2010 at 8:17 am
Arizona
I would also buy the sleeve board. I found mine at a thrift shop (like a few others, it seems!!) for $2.50 and I love it. It doesn’t have a name brand on it; just a sticker that says Made in Germany.
April 5, 2010 at 8:51 am
Mandi
Yes, to both. And the pressing ham (a must for all darts). Once you have them you will realize that it wasn’t worth trying to get around not using them. Certain jobs are made so much easier and nicer using those tools.
As my DH and I acquired more $ for material goods I began to buy more and better notions and tools and it was always worth it. You will enjoy the process so much more if you aren’t fighting the project.
April 5, 2010 at 9:14 am
Julie
Seriously, buy some pins. I used my mother’s old pins for years until buying my own last year. What a difference! I also bought a sleeve board at the Joann’s sale. I’m still not convinced I’ll use it but it was $10 so not a huge loss. I used to agree that most sewing tools and accessories are rubbish but I’m starting to come around. Some tools save you tons of time. Some tools just make things easier to do. I honestly only use my ham. I have a seam roll but never used it.
April 5, 2010 at 9:21 am
stitchywitch
I use the seam roll you have a photo of – I got it for 50% off during a Joanns sale. I also have the matching ham. I use the ham more often, but I use the seam roll for pressing seams open during construction all the time. I like the two sides – the wool side gets noticeably less hot than the cotton side, which is great for wool. The dritz hams and seam roll are kind of small, at least that’s what I’ve read, but they work fine for me and definitely for you, since you are small. I think a sleeve board would probably be useful for pressing my husband’s shirts or something, but since I have a firm policy that he’s a grown ass man and can learn to press his own or be wrinkled, I don’t have one!
And use your good iron! It makes such a difference. I just switched from a POS cheap iron that spit everywhere to a nice digital black and decker, and the difference is amazing!
April 5, 2010 at 9:31 am
The Cupcake Goddess
I think I’m very much like you in this respect. Surprisingly, I have neither of these. I’ve never used either of these either. I do personally think that you can get by without having either, but I would opt for the sleeve roll personally only because I don’t really have the space to add yet another item like a sleeve board to my already cluttered and very small sewing space.
April 5, 2010 at 9:31 am
cidell
I’m ambivalent about the iron horse. But, I have to recommend a sleeve roll. I wrote a post a few years ago about different pressing hams. I love and use every single one of mine: http://missceliespants.com/2008/01/30/hams/ Many were bought on ebay. Of course, you can make them. Burda has instructions and one of the Big 4 companies has a pattern out for it too.
April 5, 2010 at 9:35 am
Susan Davis - Knitters Delight
We have one in the house, but it is full of cat hair from lack of use. I think it is a good item to have, but not one I have taken advantage of yet.
April 5, 2010 at 9:48 am
Auntie Allyn
I have neither a sleeve roll nor a sleeve board or a tailor’s ham. I keep thinking I should get one, but I really don’t need one (or two, or three) more things to keep track of near my ironing board. I’m an ironing fiend and seem to manage just fine with my plain old ironing board and iron. Talking about cutting implements, I am so in LOVE with my Kai dressmaker shears . . . I had a pair of Ginghers for many years, but these new Kai shears cut through fabric like buttah! Once you use them, you’ll never touch your Ginghers again! And while I believe there’s some merit to rotary-cutting your garments, I can’t seem to find a cutting board that’s big enough to lay out everything at one time. I’ve been cutting things out on the floor for 40+ years, and I can’t quite embrace the concept of NOT cutting out patterns while on my hands and knees!
April 5, 2010 at 9:51 am
a peppermint penguin
I have the 750! And nearly all the feet that go with it. Ok, maybe not nearly all, but a great many. I’m a bit of a gadget freak, so I have a ham, a sleeve roll and a sleeve board.
The roll is excellent for not leaving marks, but in order to press on top of it you have to sometimes squish the part of the garment underneath, or hold it awkwardly in one hand. So for those times I use the sleeve board.
Yes, get new good quality pins, you will be astounded at the difference.
You need a mat and rulers with a rotary cutter and the big ones can be pricey, so depends on whether you do a lot of straight cuts, if you do a lot of bound seams definitely, otherwise, you can probably go a long with those groovy scissors. And yes I do have an A1 cutting mat and 11 rulers.
Have fun with the shopping trip. Only thing better than shopping for fabric is shopping for all the other bits!
Cheers,
AJ
April 5, 2010 at 10:14 am
Meredith P
I will just echo YES to the sleeve board! Once I got one, I rarely use the seam roll. That said, I also agree do not get cheapo one. Get one that has plain cotton cover and wooden parts. I looked on the Google and found the type I mean at Target, Walmart and KMart! The thing needs to be able to withstand pressure and that cute little metal and cardboard thing will not last. While I agree with your minimalist creed, there are a few things that belong in the minimalist’s toolkit. Sleeve board, point presser/clapper combo (see http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Shopper_id=5258451312425258&Store_id=516&page_id=23&Item_ID=1159), press cloths to start. Some of these things will last you a lifetime.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sleeve-Board-19-x-4/12356318?sourceid=1500000000000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=12356318
April 5, 2010 at 10:16 am
Meredith P
Sorry that link for the point presser/clapper didn’t work very well. Go to Notions and look on page two. Again, wood. I think June Tailor makes it.
April 5, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Meredith P
I keep thinking of things to add: You definitely want to get the wooden, two sided one (by Dritz) because dear SS, you’ll want the “small” side for various applications. Not casting aspersions on your size or anything, just sayin’, the two sided one might come in handy.
April 5, 2010 at 10:20 am
lorrwill
I use my sleeve board a lot but mostly for my RTW shirts. It rocks for collars. It is a mini ironing board.
I need a sleeve roll since I am going to attempt shoulder pads and am not that talented with my tailor’s ham (and I don’t have a stand for it.) So the sleeve roll is like a sleeve shaped tailors ham.
While we are on the subject of sewing paraphernalia, I am also in the market for a point presser/clapper thingy.
April 5, 2010 at 10:45 am
Valerie Jachimowicz
I would get the sleeve board. At 50% off, it’s cheap enough to take a chance on (I can’t live without mine). I don’t think the Joann’s version is bad at all, but if you decide after a while that it is crappy, you can use what you saved buying this one and look for something vintage.
FWIW, the foam in my old one disintegrated after 25 years. I think the one I bought at Joann’s in the last year or two is a big improvement over the old one.
April 5, 2010 at 10:48 am
Bushra
Love my sleeve board–I use one like the one shown here http://www.sew4less.com/SleeveBoard.php and while it takes up a little extra space, I use the edges and curves as a makeshift seam roll, etc. I had the collapsible one before and there is nothing more annoying than having it flatten while in use. Well, maybe having the bobbin run out on your last seam is more annoying, but anyway, professional tools are way nicer than much of the junk at JoAnn’s.
April 5, 2010 at 10:49 am
Kelly D
I have never used a ham, or a sleeve roll. I have used a sleeve board, because my Mom has one, but wasn’t all that impressed. I just wrap my metal water bottle in a towel and use it as a press board. I don’t have space for much; I have a small metal ruler, a measuring tape, shears, pins and a 1930s Singer. The pins are ancient, as is the ruler; they were inherited from my Mom.
Since I do not personally have experience with either the ham or the seem roll, I can’t say for sure, but my mother was a professional seamstress for years, and she only owns the sleeve board. I would agree with others though: get something very nice, or you’ll regret it. I would spend the extra money on a nice sleeve board, and make my own ham if I were you. Since I”m not, I’m probably going to continue with my water bottle and towel routine.
April 5, 2010 at 10:52 am
Nikole
I think the roll is a better buy to the board because you can get so much more use out of the roll. You can use the roll to press collar seams, lapels, princess seams so they keep the curved shape and a presses properly. You can also do sleeve and pant seams on the roll
April 5, 2010 at 11:25 am
Anonymous
I love my sleeve board. I have a huge unweildy wood one purchased at a yard sale. I use it so much, if it falls apart I married my husband soley on the merit that he could make me a new one. (ok, well maybe he has a few thousand more great attributes, but he COULD make one in a heartbeat) It’s way bigger than those Ive seen sold in my fabric store.
I use it all the time! Get it without delay!
April 5, 2010 at 11:34 am
Kennis
I own a sleeve board and a seam roll, but honestly I find them interchangable most of the time. When I want to presss the seam of a sleeve or the armsync after the sleeve is attached to the armhole, I found a roll ham a sufficient. But I did try using a roll up t-shirt for iron, it’s just not the same as a real ham roll.
April 5, 2010 at 11:36 am
Kennis
Ah, but one thing I do want to get is a itsy bitsy iron (the kind that is attached to something like a hot iron for your hair). My enormous iron wouldn’t go into small places…
April 5, 2010 at 11:56 am
Cynth
I’m with Peter – I use my ham more than my sleeve roll, but both are incredibly useful. I took a sewing class with Fred Bloebaum once and she said,”Now that you’ve taken all that time to make a nice rounded shape (shoulder, darts, sleeve, whatever) why would you want to press it flat?”
I’m with everyone on the pins too – get yourself some sharp glass head pins. Japanese if you can find/afford them. Totally worth it.
I see the appeal of the spring-loaded Gingers, but my life has never been the same since I got my Kai scissors. Like buttah!
April 5, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Tasia
I don’t own either piece of equipment even though I’ve been sewing forever! I used my mom’s seam roll growing up, but never got around to buying my own. In school we had sleeve boards, so I used them because they were there, for basically the same purposes. However, I was working on wool fabric recently and was wishing I had a seam roll to get to the tricky parts like the sleeve seams. I end up pressing the sleeves flat, then steamed out the creases I created.
So, you don’t NEED either one, but they may help! I’m sure once I get around to buying a seam roll I’ll use it all the time.
I agree with everyone that you should go for quality. If you’re only buying it once, buy the best you can get!
April 5, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Cissie Wellons
I must be the opposite of a minimalist — what would that be, a “maximist”? But I have almost as many ironing tools as I do sewing do-dads. And I use them all — clapper, hams, sleeve board, seam rolls, pressing cloths, etc. For my $$, ironing/pressing is almost as important as stitching! So buy the sleeve board and the seam roll — and the rotary cutters and the pins and everything else that has been suggested!
April 5, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Clare
I made a ham following the example of Jo at Bridges on the Body (look for the Mighty Tailor’s Ham post if you’re interested – I’m no good at linking!). It cost me time plus about £1.50 for fine sawdust from a pet shop – the fabric I already owned. I’m planning on doing a seam roll in the same way, as I think I’ll use one of those more frequently. I’ve never used a sleeve board before but htey look handy!
April 5, 2010 at 12:53 pm
McCall 5525: What about buttons? « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] 5, 2010 in Uncategorized | Tags: McCall 5525 Well, gosh, you guys are all so helpful with your sleeve board/seam roll advice! Thanks! (BTW, thank you as well for your concern, and I realize I may have misled you into […]
April 5, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Gry
I am with you on the minimalist approach to sewing. I have a 25 m2 flat and have most of my sewing career lived on even smaller space. All those things are nice and they each improve the sewing experience a little. But you don’t really need it. A good scissor, a machine which can make a nice straight stich and a decent steam iron. In my experience you don’t even need a regular ironing board. For small things, like pins etc I buy quality, though. And I do dream about getting a good sewing room, but it mainly because I wish I had a better and bigger table to work at.
April 5, 2010 at 5:07 pm
jenniefear
I have to say I am a total minimalist also. I used to work in a design room with the first sample makers and these woman made beautiful garments with no extra fancy tools. They relied on their skills alone.
April 5, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Laura
Or you can do what I do…. Install all your sleeves flat and press them before you sew up the side seams and sleeve seams.
April 5, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Dana
I don’t own a sleeve board but I do own pretty much every other pressing tool. The ones I USE are my sleeve roll (great for rolling the collars around while they cool to set their shape) and the end of my ironing board – um, after reading Peter’s post I suppose I should indicate that it’s a full-size ironing board! Cast my vote for the sleeve roll.
April 6, 2010 at 2:25 am
senaSews
I really would recommend a sleeve board. I am minimalist, too (scissors, seams ripper, my sewing machine and me ;-) but i have a sleeve board and i love it!
April 6, 2010 at 8:15 am
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April 6, 2010 at 12:52 pm
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April 18, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Mimi
I have a sleeve board that was my great-grandmother’s and I wouldn’t part with it even though it doesn’t fold down like the new ones. It is a great item to have for your sleeves as well as other small items that need pressing. As for the seam roll…I don’t have one but want one and yes…they are pricey in the store. That is going to be one of my 50% off coupon purchases in the future at Jo-Ann’s.
May 6, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Kris
Get a folding sleeve board. Much easier to tuck away.