How to Make a Tailor’s Ham at Home (Easy DIY Tutorial)

A tailor’s ham is one of those small tools that makes a big difference in sewing. If you’ve ever struggled to press darts, princess seams or curved armholes without flattening them, this simple pressing tool will completely change the finish of your garments.

Today I’m sharing how to make a tailor’s ham at home using simple materials. It’s a beginner friendly DIY project and you can easily customise the size and shape to suit your needs.

This project took me around two hours from start to finish, and I use it all the time in my sewing room.

Why Use a Tailor’s Ham?

When you press curved seams on a flat ironing board, you risk flattening the shape you just created. Since our bodies are curved, our pressing tools should be curved too.

A tailor’s ham helps you:

• Press darts without leaving unwanted creases

• Shape princess seams beautifully

• Press armholes and curved seams properly

• Improve the overall finish of handmade garments

It’s especially useful when sewing fitted garments, coats, dresses and structured pieces.

Materials You’ll Need

• A round foam sphere

• A sturdy base (wood or thick cardboard)

• Insulation or thick interfacing

• Stretch fabric

• Tin foil

• Hot glue gun

• Elastic hair tie

• Needle and thread

• Rope for decoration (optional)

• Craft knife

Step 2: Protect the Foam

Cut a piece of tin foil large enough to cover the sphere. Wrap it around the foam and smooth it out with a spoon.

This step helps keep moisture away from the foam when using steam. I recommend doing two layers to ensure everything is well covered.

Step 3: Add the Insulation

Take your insulation or thick interfacing and place it over the sphere. To measure approximately how much you need, bring opposite corners into the centre and mark them. Repeat for the other corners and mid points.

Connect the markings to form a circle and cut it out. You’ll need two identical pieces.

Using contrasting thread, place one insulation piece over the sphere (facing down) and stitch all the way around the edge. Make a long stitch so you can pull on the thread afterwards. Tighten it to remove gathers and bulk, making the insulation sit firmly against the sphere.

Repeat with the second piece. This time, insert the sphere inside as you pull the thread tight. Secure the stitches so the sphere is fully covered and tightly wrapped.

Step 4: Cover with Fabric

Measure your stretch fabric by wrapping it around the sphere. Cut enough to fully cover it.

Place the fabric over the sphere and secure it temporarily at the bottom using a hair tie. This makes the process much faster than stitching immediately.

Smooth the fabric to remove any gathers. Then, using contrasting thread again, stitch around the base approximately 5 to 6 cm above the elastic. Pull the thread to tighten and create a smooth finish.

As you tighten, tuck the remaining fabric inside the hole.

Step 5: Attach the Base

Make sure your base is slightly larger than the stitch line so it won’t be visible once attached.

Apply hot glue all the way around the base. Use enough glue to ensure it sticks properly. You can also apply a small amount of glue to the fabric edge.

Press the base firmly onto the sphere and hold it in place until the glue dries. If needed, go around the edge again with more glue to eliminate any gaps between the base and the fabric.

Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to fully set.

Optional: Add Decorative Rope

To hide the glue line and any creases, you can glue rope around the top and base edges. This step is completely optional, but it gives a cleaner and more finished look.

Making your own tailor’s ham is a quick and practical sewing project. It’s simple, customisable, and incredibly useful for improving the finish of your garments.

You can experiment with different shapes and sizes depending on what you sew most often. This version is just a guideline to show you the technique.

If you try this DIY tailor’s ham, I’d love to see your version.

Happy sewing,
Karolina 🤍