Quilting pattern transfer

What kind of quilting do you plan to do? -- straight lines or free otion? -- by hand or by machine? If you're going to do a specific shape (say a flower shape in the center of a solid block - or a chain of links around a border), I always use good ole Press-N-Seal! I find tracing the design on the P'n'S and then positioning it exactly where I want it sure saves me time and frustration. If you've never tried it, give a holler and we'll talk you through the process.

I'm a fan too, Sally, and would love to know if there's a European version. Although DD1 brought me practically a lifetime supply on her last visit. But if I could find it here, might even use it in the kitchen now and then! Roberta in D

"Sally Sw>> What kind of quilting do you plan to do? -- straight lines or free

Never tried it, wouldn't be a cheap thrill! But I use the fine point permanent pigma pens to mark Press 'n Seal for quilting. Let the ink dry really well before using. And a silver permanent pen shows up better on some colors. Might work on the soluble too -you'll just have to do a test run! Roberta in D

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When I find the cake-maker I will broadcast the result. Just hope it wasn't something she brought back from a visit to the USA!

Hi again Jerry! (added to my other reply) - The nice thing about Press'n'Seal is that you can

1 - Trace the design you want to quilt from a book or other printed pattern - or 2 - Using a marker, use the template and "draw" the pattern right on the P'n'S.

---and---

1. Because you can see through it, it's easier to put in place.
2. When doing a long design - as cables on border areas - it's easy to start at the corners and when you get to the center of a side, you can overlap (or cut off) the designs so that they'll match-up... (plus nothing is brushed off like powder - or left on the fabric to have to wash out.) I'll echo Roberta's comment on using a pigma pen and letting the design dry WELL! - as well as her mention of using different colors that will contrast with the color of fabric you're quilting.

I've never used washable pens on the P'n'S, but, hey, give it a try.... (on a scrap) Let us know how it works. Your mention of "practice, practice, practice" is a winner - - plus putting on some good music to get a rhythym going. To free-motion quilt, most of us use a "darning foot" - one that has a "hook" (or bar) that goes over the screw that holds the needle in and a foot that has a clear plastic round shape. Then when the needle is up, so is the foot, helping you to manuever the quilt. Also lower your machine's feed dogs. [Practice on leftover scraps of fabric and batting.] When I first learned how to "do" (or at least try) it, the instructor had us try and write our name with quilting.... not tooooo easy the first time 'round.

ME-Judy

Similar problem in Oz.......didn't know there was such a product until this thread so had a quick look on the Woolworths and Coles online shopping list and it's not listed......bah.....but have found a shop online in Melbourne called USA Foods that appear to stock it. Would like to give it a try. I remember when freezer paper was first "discovered" by quilters, we couldn't buy it in the supermarkets........still can't but at least we can through the quilting shops, now. It took years before we even had Gladwrap!

Wendy in Nsw

Not that I know. I think the wet ink would dissolve the stabilizer.

How about freezer paper? Write with any maker on the paper side, and adhere the paper to the quilt top with your iron with the shiney side facing the fabric. I haven't tried it myself for quilting so you should test it first to see if it will tear away from the stitching line without tearing the stitches. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Julia in MN

I use it for a stabilizer under the background for machine stitched applique. It works great for that, and I've had no problems removing it. The difference might be in the stitch length, which is why I advised a test first.

I have far more trouble tearing plastic wrap. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Yes I had to go and look it up too, Ruth

I remember when I was a kid, Dad use to get the "Saturday Evening Post" (US publication) and the adverts of Gladwrap always facinated me....there'd be a picture of a bowl of tinned apricots, covered in this unknown stuff called Clingwrap or some name and the bowl would be turned upside down! That was in the 50's. I thought it was just magic. We didn't get Clingwrap for years after that over here in Oz.....probably be that way with Press-n-Seal

Wendy in Nsw

Think cling wrap with super Post-it-Note glue on one side. Marketed for use with food, but I think quilters found a better use for it.

Debra in VA See my quilts at

"recarlos" wrote:

Thanks for link, Jeanne! At the site, go to 1000 uses, then click on Arts and Crafts.

So far I've found this:

piece. Lay on top of quilt. Machine quilt through the wrap and the quilt. Remove the wrap.

I wonder if it is better to use the two pieces, as suggested here, which would be thicker, but less likely to mess up the design, or if one piece would be better as it would be thinner application. Opinions?

PAT in VA/USA

nzlstar* wrote:

piece. Lay on top of quilt. Machine quilt through the wrap and the quilt. Remove the wrap.

I've only tried it with one layer and Crayola washable markers. I had to move my arms around a lot while drawing and quilting and some colour was transferred to me. It washed off easily -!- but I think I will try this 2-layer method next time.

-- Jo in Scotland

A word of caution, if you plan to use two layers (can't think why that was suggested, though?). However - and this is going to sound *very* odd - P.N.S has a tearing 'grain'. In one direction it tears easily and cleanly, in the other it 'argues' a bit. If you were to use two and the grain directions were not precisely the same, you would have to remove the P.N.S layers separately. At least that is what I imagine. I've only ever used one. Since I discovered about the easy/harder directions, I whip off as much as I can in the 'easy' direction first; and then go at the rest. I use a tiny, sharp pair of scissors as my aid - a small nick to start you off helps a lot. As the pieces get smaller, I use the hook part of a seam ripper; and, finally tweezers for the last little bits. It is still quicker, for me, than trying to mark the quilt - a stage I am allergic to >g< . In message , Pat in Virginia writes

Hmmm -might have to try it! Although with the permanent markers, I haven't really had any trouble with color transfer. Another thing to consider, the P&S has a definite grain, tears better in one direction. So one might want to make sure the pieces were in the same direction before layering so as not to be driven nuts later. Roberta in D

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