Help, Press N Seal, what did I do wrong?

[Bransmom]

I've read that some people have used Press N Seal to quilt. So I got myself a piece and made myself a sandwich to practice on. I want to learn to free motion so I drew it on the press and seal and went to town. Stayed put and worked pretty well. Then I went to remove the press and seal and ended up picking out lots of pieces ... lots and lots.

Did I use this incorrectly or did I miss a step? First I tried it with invisible thread (can't get the tension right so quit that and went back to regular thread).

Any tips on the Press N Seal or setting tension for the invisible thread will be BIG TIME appreciated.

Thanks!

[HomespunMary]

I don't think there is a way to entirely avoid having to pick out bits and pieces of the Press n Seal, but presumably you can minimize the problem by aiming for fairly short stitches.

Here's a few pics of how I used it a few weeks ago:

http://homespunmary.blogspot.com/2008/1 ... adget.html

In my view, the reason for using the Press n Seal is that sometimes there is no better way to mark certain quilting designs, either because of the specific design or because of the fabric colors. However, for most designs/colors a marking pen would probably be a better solution. The air erasable pen (if you're quilting it the same day that you're marking it) or a water soluble pen (which stays on until you spray it with water) are both great!

As for invisible thread, you normally have to lower the top tension quite a bit when using it. It differs a lot between machines, so there is no "one way" to do it, but just keep loosening the tension until you're happy with the stitches.

[live2quilttwo]

Is this the plastic wrap you use to cover food, ect? Do you just press it onto your quilt and draw your design? How clever.

Ruth

[happymrs]

PressN'Seal does stick nicely to your fabric, & I love machine quilting with it this way! Now, I have heard not to make your stitches too big or too close together, as it is harder to remove that way. It does depend on the individual machine too. I have a Janome MC3000 & it works great on it! Just experiment & see how you like it, using your own machine. I like it because...I can just draw my meandering design all over it, then follow the line! I usually start in the center, & wind my way around it & out to the edges, but I don't end up with circles, I just keep kind of moving that way, so I end up toward the edges at the end. Never have much trouble removing it, so I must be doing something right. Also, I test a pen, or marker, I am using on it first, but have never had one bleed through, or have my thread pick up the color as I am machine quilting it. If you are afraid of that happening, try stitching right beside the line, not directly on top of it. I love this product for machine quilting, if they ever stop making it, I will have to stock up, lol.. Just experiment with it, & see how it works for you & your machine, then decide if you like it or not...(I have also traced on it, using templates, or it's thin enough, you can lay it over a design in a book, trace it, then lay it on your fabric..)

Nancy....

[Bransmom]

Thanks ladies for all your info. I'll give it another whirl.

Yowzers ... guess I've been changing the wrong tension. My Elna has a dual feed system and that's the tension I've been changing. Never thought about the fact that I'm not using the feed dogs if I'm free motioning. See what I learned today!

Thanks!

[ollie1shoe]

im kinda dense sometimes so o.k. i will just ask is this press and seal the same as you use to wrap things in the kitchin are do you buy it in quilt store or grocery store?

[Cathy32078]

Glenda you are not dense. But yep it is the same as we buy in the grocery store & use in the kitchen. I haven't tired it for quilting but have read that it does work.

Hugs & Love