I hope you enjoyed this one, leave me a comment and tell me what was your biggest take away? And, who's on the 'Press as you go' band wagon with me??

In my opinion, there are TWO biggest steps to making your sewing look professional, and they are pressing and understitching. I’m always surprised at how few people understitch, and it makes SUCH a difference

I can't take my eyes off that dress. It's mesmerizing and terrifically flattering.

Back in the late 60’s when I was taking Home Ec in high school, our teacher preached pressing as you go, and she made sure we did! Ha! We tailored coats of imported wool, and she taught us line and inter line with horse hair. I went to a very small high school, but our teacher was the best around! Once our garments were complete we took them to a cleaners and had them professionally pressed which was another added step that really made our garments look very professional!

I dont know the first thing about sewing, but I just love Evelyn and adore her passion for the work that brings her joy. This was a great video!

and about pressing, it's always better to underpress it, and keeping the temperature of your iron lower than you think it's needed.

In recent months, I have come to appreciate how helpful a presscloth (or a clean white dish towel) can be when working with delicate fabrics. You wouldn't think a single thin layer of material would make much of a difference, but it really helps protect your fabric during the pressing process.

This!! And in the cosplay community we have this joke that the difference between novice and journeyman is ironing your seams

My mother told me that the iron is the most important part of sewing.  More important than the sewing machine,  as you can hand sew. Press every seam before moving on. Learned this in the 70's. Love your videos!

The difference between ironing and pressing 3:34
Press as you go 4:43
Press seams in the correct directions 6:38
Use pressing hams 10:04

Another tip is to iron your pattern pieces also. I make a big differnts in cutting out your pattern. Also iron your fabric good also. My sewing teacher taught us iron, iron, iron everything when you sew.

Ironing: removes wrinkles

Pressing: adds wrinkles on purpose

I was so spoiled for nearly 20 years by my 2nd wife.  She was a high-end seamstress for NM Bridal, working on Vera Wang etc.  She spoiled me by altering all my clothes to perfection.  Even now (nearly 8 years apart) whenever she's in the USA, she will stay with me and alter/fix any of my store bought clothes.  One of my favorite stories of her work was the day a high-spending customer flew in from NYC to Dallas to purchase some evening gowns and slacks.  While we were enjoying a lovely TexMex dinner, her boss called because this customer was enraged because she believed her gowns and slacks were untouched.  My lovely wife asked "Did the customer try on the clothes?  Her boss replied 'no'."  A few minutes later the customer called from her boss's phone to apologize saying "I apologize, it's just that the clothes didn't look altered."  My ex's reply was perfect... "Isn't that the goal?"

I have not been sewing for around thirty years, but watching your beautifuly designed Youtube channel is a real treat. You are adorable, I love your look and you are an excellent teacher. If I had the time, I would go back to sewing for the sole pleasure of transforming finds from the thrift store into pretty retro-inspired outfits, as you do. Thank you for your videos and I wish you the best succes with your online school!

When I was 9 years old through 12, my Mom always sent me to Singer Sewing Center during the summer. We used to joke around and call it sewing camp. I would go once a week every week all summer and had sewing classes. I had to choose a pattern, fabric and everything else that was needed to make an outfit. So each year I learned to make something new. The most important thing that was taught at the beginning of each year was the difference between ironing and pressing. It makes such a HUGE difference.   Also, Evelyn, the dress you are wearing in this video is absolutely beautiful, I want it. Thank you for all your videos, I just love them.

You are a doll. A lot of the vintage sewing channels are holier than thou and make me feel like i can't even sew unless I'm hand sewing using silk thread and 250 year old silver needles make in London and a perfectly fitted antique thimble.

I’ve always heard “sew a seam, press a seam”

I have worked for 6 years as a professional seamstress in two different university theatrical costume shops, as well as a decade or more of self-taught sewing at home before that. I also now have a small crafty business that involves a lot of sewing. I am particularly known for my alteration and fitting work. Press as you go is most definitely the Make it or break it step in most sewing that I've done, especially tailoring and alterations. In fact, at this point I find that I have trouble even being able to make sense of a garment or what my next step might be until I have pressed my previous step. Trying to work with seems that are not pressed open or crisply turned facings is so impossibly difficult. You think you are gonna save yourself time and energy by skipping the pressing step but you won't. You will overwhelmingly spend more time fighting to get the next step right if you have not pressed in between.

In the costume shop that I worked in the longest we used to sit or stand at our ironing station to pin our seams before we took them to the sewing machine. We used to all joke about how when you're sewing only 15% of the time are you actually at the sewing machine, the other 85% of the time you're at the ironing board.

Your blouse is made perfect . The lines on the front really are lined up makes all the difference.

I got my tailor's ham at an estate sale, and later got the sleeve roll at a thrift store. They don't match, but who cares. I only regret that I struggled for so long without them.