Has anyone come up with an alternative to a pressing clothe for applique... I am too cheap to buy one... but every once in a while I really need one... guess I will have to break down...Quilter 1234

Would a scrap of cotton fabric work? My pressing cloth is kind of stiff but I can't remember if I bought it that way or if it's from all the ironing.

If you have some of the all cotton dish cloths, some people came them flor sackcloths that will work perfectly or if you have some muslin that will work.

I press my applique upside down on a thick terrycloth towel. That keeps it from getting that 'flattened out' look.

if you're talking about something to put over the applique when you iron it onto the fabric, you can use parchment paper from the grocery store....lots cheaper than the teflon pressing cloths.

thanks... I will try that. Quilter 1234

I used an old thin dish towel. Any thin piece of cloth will do.

Yep, this is how I press my applique as well!

what I need is the pressing sheet that you can iron applique on and it won't stick, this lets you get your entire picture set before you iron it to your final piece. I don't think I made it very clear in my question. Quilter 1234

a teflon pressing sheet

Try the parchment paper. Often near the plastic wrap area to the grocery department.

Just use the parchment paper it works great recently I have found it here in our dollar stores.The excess glue cleans off by rubbing it off with your hands and it cools in no time!

Try Parchment paper

I've always used a large man's handkerchief - they are soft, and just the right size for most of what I want to iron.

I put the parchment under and on top of the applique pieces for good measure. It works great. It's rather inexpensive and I'm amazed at the difference it makes in baking cookies, too.

The release paper from the fusable works really well too :wink: :D:D:D

I cut the back out of a cotton shirt I no longer needed. It's tiger-striped so I get a chuckle every time I press.

I once bought one of those cheap metallic ironing sheets (22x44). It is a piece of metallic fabric, a layer of foamy stuff (!) underneath it, and a flimsy layer of something that started disintegrating right away.
What made that thing totally useless was the outer binding (some kind of binding anyway). It made the whole thing curl upward.

I took the metallic fabric, replaced the foam with cotton batting and used that to cover a small wooden ironing board (just a cut down from some underflooring).

The left-over metallic fabric is ideal for messy ironing jobs.

The ironing sheet only cost US $ 7.95 (amazon.com). So I got quite a bit of mileage out of it so far.

A quilt instructor once showed me to use two paper towels, one above and one below.....works perfectly and I haven't had any problems whatsoever. Good luck.

Yep, me too!! :thumbup: It works great!!! :D

If you want to see through it, I would try this. Works for me

I use a pillowcase or cloth napkin. Sometimes I just use a thin kitchen towel.

I will try the parchment paper. I hadn't thought of that.

The cloth napkins and pillow cases work well. :)

Paper towel works for me.

I got a silicone cookie sheet, made by Wilton, to use when I put my pieces together. It doesn't stick and I haven't had a problem with it yet. Found it with other Wilton cake/cookie supplies.

I thought the shiny side of freezer paper would work too? Am I wrong?

I have used scraps of white broadcloth or a mans white hankie.

i'm using a folded piece of cheesecloth. it's o.k.!

tin foil from the kitchen works great I took a class using wonder-under and that is what they used

I use a thin white washcloth. It's small but works for me.

I use nonstick heavy facing to press over my applique projects.

Besides the parchment paper which works great as mentioned, the dollar stores carry an oven sheet. It is meant to put in the bottom of ovens to collect drips and spills which wipe right off. It works absolutely great as a craft glue sheet, applique sheet, etc. You can spend $2 or up depending on the size you get. I have two of the teflon sheets meant for applique and never use them anymore. They do not work nearly as good as these oven sheets. Any fusible wipes right off after use. Large grocery stores carry them in the section with kitchen ware also. And, places like Bed, Bath & Beyond. Hope this helps.

I use parchment paper from WM. You can also see the pattern through it for accurate placement. I use it by the yard and of course it is reusable.

Wow, I must be doing this wrong. I do not use a pressing cloth. I do if I use heat and bond otherwise why would you use a pressing cloth? Just curious.

Try using parchment paper, it works for me.

...maybe parchment paper? I've been using a thin gold colored applique pressing sheet from Clothilde's for YEARS! In the long run, if you can afford it, it's well worth it for any time you're using fusible... It's thin gold colored, not the white opaque one. You can see through it to place the parts of the applique.

'scuse me! I posted my answer just after reading the original question. When it showd up on the last page, I saw several had already mentioned parchment paper :)

I use my husband's oldest hankerchiefs. They are usually fairly thin and soft. I have used them as pressing cloths for years. They work fine for me.

and parchment paper you can use to pre bake pie shells before
filling them .

It is very simple to press an applique with a turkish towel or washcloth. There is just enough nap there to not flatter it altogether. Have fun, but don't get your iron too hot.

a cotton dish towel works great