Pressing sheet
 

What do you use as a pressing sheet?

I am starting a Toni Whitney (Mistral) pattern, and it suggests a pressing sheet. But the 27 x 30 sheet is about $50. Any recommendations on substitutions?

I bought my first pressing sheet at Joanns with a coupon. Of course on a day I needed it it was hiding somewhere and I looks for days and couldn't find it ( maybe some sewing room organizing or cleaning is in order, LOL). I went to Hobby Lobby and bought another once again with coupon. I don't think either one cost more than 20.00. But I do think they are only about 17 x 20. Also, someone here posted recently about being able to use parchment paper to do the same thing as a pressing sheet. Maybe that would be an option for you. BTW, have many Whitney patterns, especially the animal ones, love them and they do work up pretty easily. Good luck.

The best thing I have ever found for a press cloth is a piece of plain white COTTON organdy fabric. The trick is to find some. There are a couple of vendors online that carry it. Serge, hem, or trim the edges with pinking shears. Then wash the new fabric to remove the starch. You will end up with a thin fabric you can see through. I will not stick to your iron.
My mother taught me this about 60 yrs ago and it still works great. Also, anything bigger than the surface of your ironing surface is overkill so 17x30 would be big enough. You could get two out of a yard of organdy.

Thank you peacebypiece great info!!!!!

what a great idea, peacebypiece!

That's great for a pressing *cloth* but it's totally not going to work for a fusible applique pressing sheet.

A cheap applique pressing sheet.

http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewi...2/product.html

i have Scissor Queen's pressing sheet and it works well. you can see through it too which works great for placement.

Parchment paper.

Scissor Queen is right; you need a true applique pressing sheet, the larger the better. Bear Threads makes good ones. They can be had for much less than retail, but you have to search the internet for them. It's hard to find the large size, but totally worth it.

I use one called the applique pressing sheet. I also think they have one called the goddess sheet. You can buy either online. Joanns you can buy a teflon pressing sheet

I make my own that works great. I press two pieces of freezer paper wax sides together. I can't tell a difference from the expensive pressing sheets I've used. A guild member pressed freezer paper to thin white cotton and uses that for a pressing sheet. It's reversible for whatever she needs pressed, fusible to delicate applique.

Parchment paper here. Large box last for ever.

You may have been the one who mentioned this in a prior thread and now that is all I ever use. Thanks, it works great!

I read somewhere about cutting up old sheets and using those for pressing sheets/cloths. Anyone agree?

Hmm I've always used plain 100 % cotton muslin. Maybe I've missed something here. What are the advantages of thin pressing cloths? I'm always ready to learn something new.

Iron on interfacing gunk will not stick to the parchment paper as it will to cloth. Keeps iron and ironing board gunk free. A sheet underneath and one on top shinny side up on bottom one and shinny side down on top one. Hope you get what I mean.

My teflon applique pressing sheet was the biggest waste of money ever.

Now I always use the release paper from Wonder Under. It lasts pretty well forever- can be used many many times.

Earleen- Thanks for clearing this up for me. I always havae parchment paper in the kitchen. Is that okay to use for pressing?

If you are looking for something to cover applique when pressing then applique pressing sheet (basically a plastic - like sheet) or parchment work great.

If you are looking for a pressing cloth (that is a cloth that you use to cover a fabric that would be marked if hit by an iron -- like wool -- if or you need to hit something with steam, then a white dish towel works great, usually a bit damp.

Absolutely. Parchment (not wax) paper is all I use. It's the same stuff they use to back fusible web.

I have not had any problem with it and it releases great.

Thanks for all the ideas folks. I got a big roll of parchment paper and I also got an oven sheet (one of those sheets you put in the bottom of the oven to make spills easier to clean.

I also have a large 30 in sq wood cutting square with I use as an ironing surface now since my ironing board was not big enough for mistral. This board appears to have been an old style cutting mat, it has grid markings on it. But since it is pressed board with holes in it (so it cools faster) it works great for ironing.

Note: I also got an ironing mat with silicone iron rest at shopko for $10, but it is too puffy. I dont like it.