freezer paper
 

Hello............I know someone out there has the answer to this. I sent my DH to the grocery store for freezer paper. I have not used it before but decided to try working with this. He came home with "Reynolds Freezer Paper Plastic Coated. Is this the right stuff?

Yes. The plastic side is the one that will stick to fabric when you iron it.

Yes, that's it. Make your stitches very small, that way it will rip off more easily when you are done.

Lol I assumed she was using the freezer paper for applique. :)

I had to pull my box down my from the fridge to see what is printed on the box. I never noticed that it states PLASTIC COATED on the box. Yes, he did get you the right stuff.

Kudos to your DH...."he dun good"!!!! I have to admit....that is not something i would have sent my DH to the store for....Love the man to the moon and back....but lordy knows what the result would have been.:eek:

Unless you intend to use freezer paper for the flip and sew paper piecing method and NOT sew through it...I would suggest copy paper or newsprint. This "stuff" is pretty sturdy and has many uses but sewing through it and trying to tear it away...would not be a choice i would make.

I don't want to hijack this post but I've got a dumb question--or twelve (thanks for the original question SoftBlockLady, because I have never been able to find freezer paper in my local stores. Guess I wasn't looking for the right thing) How do you know which side has the plastic? If you iron on the wrong side of the paper, will it stick to the iron? Does your iron setting have to be lowered? Can you put this stuff thru a printer and if so, which side would you print on? And any other hints would be GREATLY appreciated!

For Ginger....
it is easy to see which side is waxed....it is shiny and the other side is not
you iron the waxy side to whatever you want it to stick to.
dry iron - med/high setting is what i use
nothing will will happen if you iron on the wrong side....it is just waxed paper
NO printer for me --- any printer that heats the paper will make a mess because the heated freezer paper will stick. HOWEVER.... i have ironed fabric to the freezer paper in an 8 1/2 x 11 size to then run through my printer so that i could print a picture i wanted to embroider on the fabric. I think you can put it through printers that don't heat the paper.

I find Reynold's freezer paper is readily available, the shiny side is fairly obviously the plastic side and yes it will mess up your iron and ironing board big time is not used with care. You can print on it but only on the "dull" paper side and the curl ( as it comes off the roll) is an issue. You can buy special freezer paper that is created for copying but you can also iron freezer paper to copy paper, carefully trim it and run it through your copier, making sure the dull side is the right side for the toner. Be sure that there is a tight bond with both papers on the feeding edge to prevent it from delaminating and jamming your printer. Try sticking two copy paper sheets together with a glue stick to be sure your printer can handle the thickness, but it should work flawlessly. Some even just uncurl the paper and use it as is....your choice.

THANK YOU PenniF and Basketman, for all your info. I'm putting it on my grocery list!

Also GingerK when looking for it... It is usually in the same aisle as foil, plastic wrap and waxed paper. I usually find it on the bottom shelves. Probably because sales for it are not high enough for it to warrant a premium eye level spot.

The freezer paper just pulls off of your ironing board if you accidentally iron it on. Same for your iron. Can't say that about fusible - THAT stuff will make a mess!

When I make clothing items, I trace the pattern pieces onto freezer paper and cut them out. Then I can just iron the freezer paper pattern onto fabric and cut, no pinning required. I have a FP blouse pattern I've used probably 10-12 times, it still sticks when I iron it.

Most of what I use freezer paper for, though, is applique.

Thanks everyone...........I wanted it to put through the printer.............All the other questions and answers helped me out to. I did not know that you could use this for applique instead of that heat bond stuff.

Hi GingerK ... being a fellow Canuck and somewhat in the same locale as you.
Also, I have often seen it in the grocery stores along with the waxed paper, foil wraps, etc. I've also seen it in Home Hardware (again where they keep the food wraps). So am guessing that Canadian Tire and Home Depot might have it too. Some of the LQS' have it but sorry, I can't remember which ones. Unfortunately, they usually charge way and above what you pay for it in the regular stores.

I have tried using it to press onto fabric, but honestly, have never had much luck in getting it to stay stuck, once i started handling it. As for the printer ... call me a scaredy-cat ... but sorry, I won't take the chance in putting it in, for fear of damage.

With regard to using Freezer Paper in a printer ....

ONLY if you have an ink jet type paper.

Do not use freezer paper in a laser jet!! The heating element of the fuser will destroy your printer.

When using FP for applique, you do not use it like the heat bond stuff. It is used as a foundation to prepare applique. I use it in needle turn. Google how to use FP in applique. It is used as a prep tool and nothing like using fusible heat and bond type products.

Found it a Freshco for $4.99 for 50 feet--enough to last me the rest of my life!! I wanted it for applique but will play with it a bit before doing the real thing. Thanks again everyone, for all the very very useful info.

Thank you for clearing that up...when I move on to applique I will for sure look into it further.

While you are in the grocer aisle picking up freezer paper, get some parchment paper for your sewing room too. It can withstand the heat from your iron and is great as a pressing cloth. Lots of other uses in our sewing/quilting also. Who knew our grocers were set up to help us? :D

I cut a large piece of freezer paper and press the shiny side down on my ironing board... Keeps the ironing board cover clean... When it gets bad I just peel it off and place a new piece on.

For Ginger, I have an inexpensive HP printer (29.95 several years ago). It is an ink jet printer. It prints on the side that is face down in my paper supply stack and you would want to print on the dull side. Hope I have explained it. And, BTW, I went to the home of a business acquaintance of my DH a few years ago and he had a large metal building (24' x 48') behind his home. He lives on a major highway and he was filling the building with items that he intended to use to open an auction. He told us anything we saw and were interested in to let him know. I spotted some Reynolds Freezer paper in the large box (measured 33 ft x 18 inches). I asked him how much and he said "how about $2 a box was that ok?"
I grabbed 3 boxes and I don't think I will ever run out.

You can also buy precut sheets (8.5x11) from JoAnns....useful if you will only be using it for one project.

In the inklingo way of piecing, the fabric is ironed onto a sheet of freezer paper then put thru an ink jet printer.....I have done it with no problem........but as stated...not a laser printer........

I was confused when I told you to avoid freezer paper on your iron and ironing board...it is fusible web that makes a terrible mess. The rest of the information I gave you I believe to be totally correct...or from my experience to be correct.

I was cleaning out a closet the other day and found three rolls of freezer paper, so that plus the two I already had on the shelf should take care of me until 2051 and then I'll send DH to get some more.

I use the freezer paper to trace (as a coloring book page) and then iron it on the fabric for appliqué. It is also great when you are working with felt - little pieces like the iris and the pupil of the eye for stuffed animals & dolls, or a poodle for a dolls 50's skirt It's an essential in my sewing room..

I found freezer paper can be in any aisle of the store. Usually on the bottom shelf out of direct sight. I have found it with the cake mix, canning supplies, meat dept, laundry products, and in the craft dept. I keep two boxes in my sewing room.

When I do Linus work session with children, I iron freezer paper on the back of fabric to stabilize it for the kids when they use crayons or fabric markers on quilt blocks. It can often be reused.

I may be wrong but I believe if you cut the freezer paper to paper size, press it to a piece of printer paper, then run it through the printer. Then you can pull it off the printer paper. This is how they use the printer to print to fabric. I've not tried it myself yet but I've been researching how to do it. Do some YouTube searches.

I've used it for years to make stencils and masks for painting onto fabric. I buy it at the grocery store, around here it's available pretty much everywhere that you can buy stuff like waxed paper. One box does go a long way, I've been using it for probably 10 years and I think I'm only on my 3rd box.

I also second the recommendation for parchment paper. I believe it's silicone coated so it's heat resistant and pretty much nothing sticks to it (like fusible web) so it's great as a pressing "cloth". Weirdly, I even cook with it!

I have precut my own freezer paper. I have about 10-12 sheets. I just put them between some large quilt magazines I have. That flattens them so I can print when I need to. I have letter size sheets. Much less expensive than buying it in the store.

I go through parchment a lot. I rarely have to wash my baking sheets. Another way to flatten precut sheets of freezer and parchment. Put the precut paper between baking sheets then set a heavy bowl or pan on top. After couple hours just put in a folder for later use.

The freezer paper on a roll is great and economical for most pping and applique. I always tear off my piece that I'm going to use and before tracing IRON it. It will stick to the ironing board...just peal it off and there is plenty of wax left for your task. There is a certain amount of shrinkage that happens when you iron it and if you really want to be precise this takes care of that. Plus, it takes some of the "roll" out of it. Also, for applique I use two layers ironed together after preshrinking them. It gives the applique pieces much more stability. I trace the patter to the plain side and then iron another piece on top of the tracing. You will be able to see the pattern through it and no ink will touch your fabric. Just be sure to iron the waxy side to a plain side. For printing I like the packaged paper from Amidon Quiltworks. Her paper seems to have more "stick" to it than some on the web and goes through the printer really well.

Just an aside, when using freezer paper to make appliqués, I sometimes lay a piece shiny side down on the ironing board on a pressing sheet, top with a second piece and iron the two layers together to get a little thicker paper to work with. This is really nice for ironing the edges under before Appliquéing them down. ( sometimes I get a little bit of a ripple in the paper when I do this, but it does not seem to be a problem. Just a note, I do draw my patterns on the top sheet before I iron, using a fine sharpie so it does not " iron off", then cut the shapes.

sorry sneed, I just saw your post, but I have added some info, so I left it.

Yes, that is correct also next time pick some up from Walmart you get more on the roll and it is wider. I did market research checking several stores in my area looking for the best price and I found that Walmart was the best value and got more on the roll.

-Vontina

It sure is...I use it all the time..