clothes steamer
 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0171LU2E4?psc=1

So I'm sure I'm not the only one that finds pressing the backing or any large fabric tedious. Even with my 2' x 3' pressing board by the time I'm threw at one end of a top or extra wide fabric it's wrinkled at the beginning.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried a garment steamer? I have a clothes line for really large piece and the rails of my quilt frame would work nicely too.

The link above is one I'm considering.

Thanks for any help.

Geraldine

I have never tried one because I don't think it would work as well as an iron.

Steaming does help. Dry cleaners used to have a mannequin shaped device that steamed everything before the pressers finished it.

The little home steamers are made to use gravity. Unless you can keep quilt backing taut on frame and roll it, it probably wouldn't do too much good.

I had a steamer when kids were here. They hated to iron, and I wouldn't do it, so they used the steamer and either a coat hanger for the garment or one of the sewing mannequins. The weight of the garment at the hem helps smooth the garment.

I spray the backing liberally with wrinkle releaser and put in the dryer.

oh that does sound easy peasy

just read that I can make it myself with fabric softener and water in a spry bottle

thank you just saved myself 20$

I would go with this as long as no fragrance involved.

When I put my backing on the longarm, if there are wrinkles (even where the fabric was folded) I just spray with plain water in a bottle, tighten up the tension (including side to side) and let it dry, then roll to the next section and repeat until all the wrinkles are gone. It's amazing how well this works. Each section dries very quickly so it's much faster than ironing.

I turn over the plastic tablecloth liner from my dining room table that has a soft cotton backing to it. I use that to iron my backings with my Rowenta iron set on cotton with low steam. I have never melted any plastic, or damaged my beautiful wooden tabletop. I also steam my batting this way. Gently hold the steam iron a couple inches above the batting, and watch it poof up and become wrinkle free.

Regarding clothing steamers, I had the opportunity to use a professional grade one once and it was fabulous. Later I bought one for home use that had good reviews, but it was useless. I was hoping to use it on dress shirts, but no such luck. Buyer beware, I guess.

Steamers have the ability to do a better job than irons at getting wrinkles out, but it depends how much steam they release and how hot the steam is. To date, I have yet to find a portable steamer that does a respectable job on cotton, though I can't speak specifically about the Taotronics steamer. My brother & SIL have a Reliable Vivio 100GC Steamer & that thing is beyond amazing. Perfect, wrinkle-less fabric every time -- but its retail price is $150 (they got theirs on sale, but I think it was still at least $100).

Is there odorless fabric softener? I have asrhma

Liquid Downey Free is made without any fragrance or dyes. Nothing is completely odorless, but I am hypersensitive & it doesn't bother me.

Interesting. I hate having to iron fabric I've had in storage in order to get it unwrinkled enough to run through my Accuquilt Go! I already use Downy Free liquid fabric softener (along with All Free, as my dh has lots of allergies). Could I simply mix Down Free half-and-half with water, spray it on my fabrics, and toss in the dryer for a few minutes to eliminate the ironing? I know the original question was for quilt backing, but now I am wondering if I could save myself some work when cutting out pieces.......

Yes, this is exactly what I do and it works even with wide back just off the bolt and very wrinkly

The hardest crease I find to remove, is the fold down centre of fabric. Could these methods ie. spray and toss in drier.?
unfortunately can't try it as my drier is broken hence the question..