Quilt in a Day Forums

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!

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.

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

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....

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!

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?

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