I'm trying to use it but I think I did something wrong. I need help with it. May have to re do this with bond. Looks like everything is backwards. I think I may have left the paper pattern on too long too. Any advise can help me.

I bought a package of it in the light.. I think its harder to use....I got heat and bond light..a lot cheaper. It seems easier to use. These are my first experiences with fusible.

I thought maybe it was just me having a hard time with it. I gues not. I'm going back to heat and bond. I'm putting together Rachel's Flower Garden. I have all 12 BOM's now but all the cutting out of stems and leaves and all is very tiring.
Hope it turns out good some day soon. This is the first BOM I'm on now so it will be a while. Thanks for your response.

Hi,

Steam a seam is more expensive than other bonding stuff. I like it for applique because it is removeable. It is double sided sticky tape but it is not permanent until you iron it. I have some great patterns from a talented lady that goes under the name Zebra patterns. She uses steam a seam to create beautiful floral wallhangings.
I have had problems with fusing because I don't always get the pattern tranfered right. It usually works out unless you are doing lettering. Those have to be going in the right direction.
Good luck with the project.

I'm just making flowers with it. I made the mistake of not removing the paper soon enough after I ironed it down. Some of the sticky stuff came off the fabric easy so I still have the fabric to bond but the green stems didn't work that easy and so I'm gonna have to use a different green. I'm just cutting out the blossoms right now since I already bonded them. Too bad it doesn't work better. I ordered 2 yards of the stuff on e-bay today before I tried using what I already have. Oh well someday I might figure it out.

Thanks,

Sometimes, if it's old, it can cause problems. Try giving it another touch with a hot iron, and it may work yet. I've had luck with it as long as my iron was hot enough.

My iron is good and hot but I left the paper patterns on over night. Now i can't get them off without tearing the fabric. I should have read the instructions better. Sometimes I screw things up because I try to hurry. I suppose that was the problem with this. I wanted to have this quilt done for a show next month. Not sure I'll make it at this rate.

I think mine must have been very old...I had to pin it till after it was ironed :roll: heat bond was 1.99 at joanns and then I used a coupon...bought 3 yards

This stuff might be a year old. They talked me into buying it when I got the 12th BOM. I don't have any idea how much I paid. I don't have enough now of the medium pink so have to find something else to use on it too. GEEZ

Ohh...I got some in an ebay win one time but haven't used it...Gee...I've had it for a few years now...I guess I should just throw it out?

Steam a Seam confuses me :? I use Wonder Under.

I know I'll never use it again. I don't think I've ever hear of wonder under. I'll have to look that one up.

Thanks

It sure sounds like wonder under is some good stuff. It would probably work for this too.

Thanks.

I LOVE it! Especially the 1/4 tape. It is fantastic for putting in zippers too!

You have to remove one side of the paper then press and trace your design backwards sometimes, depending on what you are doing.

I prefer steam a seam, it's the wonder under I have trouble with!

Haven't ever used this. Use wonder under. Is it the same thing?

I have used Steam-a-Seam and really liked it -- no problems at all. One thing I liked about it is that the appliques were softer than with Wonder Under.

For those who are unfamiliar with it, SAS is a double-sided fusible that is re-positionable (sort of like Post-It notes). It doesn't create a permanent fuse until you iron it down.

Regarding the problem with the applique being backwards, here is one thought I have. With a two-sided fusible like this, there are two sides to the paper. I'm wondering if you traced on one side and then fused the *other* side to the fabric. With a one-sided fusible, there is only one side you can trace on and one side you fuse to the fabric. Not sure, but that's my guess.

I have heard that all of the fusibles can dry out over time, but it's possible to re-hydrate them. Don't know the details of how others have done this, but I would probably pile the individual sheets in a plastic bins and place a damp sponge in there, then seal with a cover and let sit for a week or so.

One tip I can share in removing the paper, is to use a pin in the centre and scrape it, this avoids you damaging the edge of the fabric trying to get it started :D

I use steam a seam alot and have had the odd time the paper is bonded too well, you probably ironed it too much, you only need to bond for about 15 seconds or so :D

If your pattern isn't symmetrical the easiest way is to flip your pattern over and use a dark felt pen to go over the pattern on the reverse, then trace from this side, you can hold up against the window to do this easily :D

With Steam a seam, you have to check which side of the paper has the glue on and make sure you trace on the 'top' piece, I sometimes remove the lower paper and 'stick' the glue side to the pattern if it is very intricate or big as it helps you accurately trace the design, just be careful when removing from pattern that you peel off the layer of glue with the top paper :roll:

Before I knew any better, I would use steam a seam to help hold my binding down before sewing it for the final stitching. I don't do that anymore.
The wonder under likes to stick to me, my iron, ironing board.. so I don't use it anymore.

yes I use it all the time! I like it!

Oh I am sorry you are having trouble with the steam a seam II. I have used it and I kind of like some things about it being that one side is sticky and it stay's put until you press. I think it depends on where you bought it whether it is "fresh" or not, and that seems to make a big difference in the performance factor of the product.

I bought some at a quilt store (three sheet pack)and it worked great. So, when I saw some at a fabric discount warehouse, I bought it by the yard. Boy, I hate the last batch and am going to just toss the won't stick or paper won't come off stuff right out. Who needs all that extra hassle?

I am thinking that the first set was enclosed in plastic and kept the sticky from drying out. the other being by the yard and exposed, is just ruined.

Hmmmm, I never use anything but steam a seam... You might try spritzing the paper backing with a little water then try to get it off... I have left the second piece of paper on mine for a looong time without problems. You don't have to leave the hot iron very long to adhere, could you have left it to long and it really setup? I'm just owndering out loud so to speak/type....

I have to stop and think when I need to reverse a pattern so it's facing the correct way up. That sometimes is a pain.

It will gunk up a iron fast if not careful with placing something over it. I use paper sacks if I have nothing else handy. I finally bought a pressing paper just for this.

Sure hope you get it to work for you. I just love the stuff.

I already gave up on using it for now I'm just using heat and bond. My friend told me my iron must have been too hot. I suppose when I go see her this week I'll take some along and get some hands on for use the next time. I only had 5 sheets and I have 12 different projects on this BOM so I would have to buy more now that I've ruined most of it. I did order 2 yards on e-bay but sounds like it might be dried out when I get it. I don't think I'll do another project like this one. Way too much cutting out of tiny pieces. Just cutting stem and leaves right now. ekk

I got heat bond lite and its softer than steam a seam lite....I guess what is most important is what works the best for each of us. Thats why there are several brands :D

I cut the bottom out of a big paper grocery sack and slip it over my ironing board when using any fusible.

I've used lots of steam-a-seam and have always had good luck with it. Especially like the fact that you can reposition a piece if needed , it will stay until you are ready to iron it down. I started using it in 2002 when I could buy it by the yard and now I can only find it in packaged sheets. When the paper side is off, there's really no right side.

I use both Steam-A-Seam (regular and lite) and Wonder Under and love both. It all depends on which I have on hand and when the last sale at Joann's was, which is when I usually stock up. Steam-A-Seam can be a bit trickier. If you don't use the right amount of heat and steam for the right amount of time, it may not adhere as well. For projects that will be used and laundered frequently, I stitch the appliques down with a blind hem stitch.

They sell it by the yard on e-bay. I just bought 2 yards before I knew I would have difficulty with it. I'm gonna try it again but got some good advise here and from my friend.

I just bought some by-the-yard at hancocks-paducah.com.

What a brilliant idea bellaboo! I will have to do that when get the new ironing board cover to replace the one I just fused stuff to! LOL

Well ladies I went to see my friend and she helped me use this steam a seam stuff. I did a star and it turned out great. Now I'm ready to tackle my poinsettia. Hope it works as good as it did this morning.

I've used steam a seam but found that if I used too much heat it would not stick where I needed it to stick. You need to be careful with the heat temperature. Heat and Bond does hold, but if you are sewing over it, my machine skips stitches and the needle gets gummed up. Its mostly for projects that don't need to be stitched. My favorite is wonder under, but if it is old it tends to separate from the backing paper which makes it harder to work with, but it does still stick. 505 is a spray that sticks things down just enough to work with, and doesn't leave the project stiff after sewing like the fusibles.

I finally got it to work. You can follow the link to see the 1st part of the quilt.

I'm working on the second one now.


http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/17222.page

Gee, I am surprized with all the negative comments about steam a seam. I use seam a seam II all the time and haven't had any problems with it. The trick with it is that the iron has to be hot and on the steam setting, then you LIGHTLY iron over the steam a seam. I have left the paper on for days and probably weeks after ironing and did not have a problem removing the paper. The trick is LIGHTLY ironing. Give it a try everyone, I think you will all be a lot happier.

I have tried to use steam a seam and much prefer heat and bond lite When doing applique I just put the heat and bond around the edges of the shape to be fused as this makes it not so stiff and easier to quilt I dont mund the narrow steam a seam but the other to expensive Good Luck :D

Hello from Montana
I use Steam A Seam all of the time. Took several applique classes and one teacher recommended Wonder Under, another something else, but a veteran quilter said to use Steam a Seam. I love it because you can reposition it before ironing it down. I don't use anything else. You have to remember which side of the paper you are tearing off (if that makes sense.

Hi there
I use Steam- a -seam quite a bit and find that the age of the webbing is a major factor. If it is starting to part company with the paper backing it is a bit nuisance and in fact is old stock. Use a DRY iron to fuse it to the material and trace the pattern in reverse to get it the right way round for your patchwork.
Quiltykiwi :D

Here is the link to the poinsettia block of my Rachel's Flower Garden quilt. I am disappointed with the look of this one. I may add another flower some day. I did use the seam-a-steam2 on this one. Thanks for helping me figure it out.



http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/17262.page

It sure is interesting to read everyone's opinions. I much prefer Steam a Seam, even though I have to buy it in small packages. I LOVE being able to move it around until I am sure about where I want the pieces before pressing them into place. The other stuff won't stick on a temporary basis. I have used both Heat and Bond and Wonder Under, but I still prefer S a S. I guess maybe I have never left the paper on overnight. I think I have always continued to work until everything is fused and all of the paper is off. I am so sorry to hear that you are having problems.

Wendy

No more problems now. Everyone helped me out and my friend did give me a hands on working with it.

LOL Guess this subject has been beaten to death. Glad you got the help you needed.