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Mrs Bowden’s top tip – making a tailor’s ham

Mrs Bowden’s top tip – making a tailor’s ham

Mrs Bowden’s top tip – making a tailor’s ham

Having the right equipment when dressmaking will help produce better quality work and make the process more enjoyable. A Tailor’s Ham is such a useful item as it allows you to press curved seams and retain the shape you have created. It is an easy item to make and you can co-ordinate with your sewing area if you wish!!

Tailor's ham pattern

Tailor’s ham pattern

Hamster sawdust for filling

Hamster sawdust for filling

Recipe; an A4 piece of paper from which to make the pattern, 2 pieces of cotton A4 and 1 piece of pure wool fabric, again A4. Hamster sawdust, sewing machine and sewing kit.

Prepare the pattern by creating an oval shape which is wider at the bottom than the top. Mine measures 30 cms by 20 cms. Cut out 2 ovals in cotton and 1 in the wool fabric. The reason we use cotton and wool fabric is you can press at really hot temperatures on the cotton side and use the wool side which has more padding for delicate fabrics.

Tacking the cotton layers together.

Tacking the cotton layers together.

Layer the cotton fabric right side to wrong side and tack, zigzag or overlock the edges together to form one layer of fabric. I used the edge of the presser foot as a seam guide.

Trim and turn through

Trim and turn through

With right sides together, pin the cotton fabric to the wool and sew around the edge with a 1 cm seam allowance – leaving a gap of about 10 cms on one side. Trim and leave a little extra at the gap to allow you to neatly turn in to close.

Strategic tray usage!

Strategic tray usage!

 

Turn through and stuff (on a tray to catch the spare filling) with the sawdust until you have a VERY firm little cushion.

Whipstitch the gap closed

Whipstitch the gap closed

Tuck the seam allowances of the gap to the inside and whip stitch the opening together.

 

The finished ham

The finished ham

I used a piece of masking tape to clean off the excess sawdust and now it’s ready to use.

Ta dah!

In stitches,

Amanda x

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