Useful Tools–The Tailoring Board

With this post I am beginning an ongoing series that introduces you to unusual sewing tools that you might find very useful in your sewing future.

This odd-shaped piece of wood can actually be one of the most valued tools in your sewing room.

It’s called a tailoring board and you use it to iron really hard to reach pointy seams.

Say you want to try one of my super easy pillow cover tutorials here, here, and here.

You will want to press open the seams but, once the pieces are sewn together, you cannot get the pillow cover on your ironing board.

Well, now you can if you have a tailor’s board.
 

Once you’ve conquered pillow-making, you may want to try something more challenging, such as a collared shirt.

That is when the tailor’s board really becomes a life saver.

Below, I’ve stitched up a practice collar to show you how it works.
 

In order to get really nice pointed corners, you will need to press open the seams.

But, there is no way you can open this collar up on an ironing board.

That’s not good; but this is.  See how nicely the collar fits over the tailor’s board.

It is perfectly made for this situation.

I think that this tool is at its best when used on the two collar side seams.

I can’t think of any other way to press open these tricky little beggars.

Check out this perfect little collar.  No magic here, just a simple wooden tool.



If you want to step up your garment sewing a notch, then this is a great tool to add to your sewing supplies.

The flat bottom is actually called {and I’m not kidding, either} a clapper.  I will post about that another day.

So, where do you get a tailoring board?  Ideally, the best ones are passed down from a family member or found at an estate sale. 

Occasionally, you can get a great deal on Ebay.  That would be my first stop.

Periodically, Amazon carries tailoring boards.  I purchased mine through an Amazon seller and paid a decent price.

Nancy’s Notions carries a super deluxe tailoring board with a removable pad, but it’s a little pricey.  I’d put this on my Christmas list.

Or, you can get someone really handy to make you one.  I’m sure there are directions for this somewhere out there on woodworking blogs.