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Most beginner quilters are familiar with pressing their quilting cottons with an iron but one tool they may not be as familiar with is a tailor’s clapper. Designed to give precise and crisp seams, this quilting tool is ideal for quilters who are ready to expand their knowledge and begin wading into the waters of gaining more quilting expertise. If you’ve spotted a tailor’s clapper at your local quilt shop but aren’t quite sure how to use it, keep reading as designer Marie Segares walks you through the basics of using this tool. Using her tailor’s clapper (provided by Riley Blake Designs), Marie discusses how this quilting tool creates precise seams, and provides quick step-by-step instructions for you to follow. Want to keep this article handy? Be sure to save it to your Favorites!
What is a Tailor’s Clapper?
A tailor’s clapper is a tool borrowed from the garment side of sewing. As the name suggests, it was originally used in tailoring to get crisp, professional results when pressing men’s clothing. Clappers are made from oak, maple, or other hardwoods. The original tailor’s versions have a pointed edge for adding permanent creases and working on collars and other tight spaces. Today, you can find specially made quilter’s clappers like the 8″ Riley Blake Designs version used in this tutorial. Quilter’s clappers are usually symmetrical with rounded or squared edges.
How Does a Tailor’s Clapper Work?
Just how does a clapper work? When pressing with an iron, you are limited in how long you can keep the iron held to the fabric before burning, distorting, or otherwise damaging the fabric. But with a clapper, you can keep heat and steam moisture pressed to the fabric for longer while applying a consistent pressure. The wood absorbs the steam moisture while the fabric cools, so the fabric remains in the pressed position permanently. You can use a clapper to press fabric that is overly wrinkled, to open pesky seams on quilt blocks, to wrangle fabrics like denim and wool into submission, to prevent jersey fabrics from curling, and even as part of your standard sewing routine. In the photo below, the left side was pressed with an iron, while the right side was pressed with a clapper. It is much smoother and the crease the fabric got in the dryer is gone.
How to Use a Tailor’s Clapper
- To start, you’ll need fabric, an iron, your clapper, and water to produce steam. I used 100% cotton quilting fabric with a spray bottle, but you can use any type of fabric you can press with a steam iron instead.
- Spray the fabric with water until it is damp, or apply steam from your iron.
- Press the fabric with your iron briefly as you typically would.
- When you remove the iron, immediately position the clapper over the fabric you just pressed. Hold the clapper in place for about 15-30 seconds, or until you feel the fabric cooling.
- As you’re using the clapper, hold it firmly in place. Don’t swish it side to side or rock it. You’ll also want to lift it straight up when you’re finished to keep your pressed area flat. This is especially important if you’re working with seams. Continue working across your fabric in segments that overlap.
Your clapper will still be damp after you finish.
If you allow your clapper to dry completely and then store in a dry area to prevent warping, it will be a tool you can use for decades.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this detailed quilting tutorial. What types of quilting tutorials would you like to read? We’d love to hear from you below in the comments!