made a mess with tracing paper!
 

Hello everyone,

I quilted a quilt using tracing paper to do my FMQ on it. Usually I use the crayola markers, but this quilt is black and purple and it was impossible to see the markings.

Here's my problem - I've washed the quilt twice and the tracing paper is still on the quilt. Someone (not on here) recommended this method, and said that the paper would just come off in the wash.

Not even close.

I've tried a sponge, a toothbrush, but neither of these seem to be working really well, and I don't want to pull at the stitches too much.

Does anyone have any ideas? I actually did this with two quilts LOL ... so I don't really want to have to pull it off by hand.

Thanks so much,

Marion

Maybe soak the quilt for a while so the paper gets even softer? That's all I can think to do. Sorry it happened, and hope you can get it off.

I've tried LOL ... I did a heavy duty wash with a 45 minute soaking period.

I'm really frustrated. I don't think my fingers can handle pulling all those pieces of paper off two quilts (they are super tired from weeding my huge garden!)

Thanks tho

I would have also suggested what Dunster said. Maybe if you soak it in very warm water. You must have had some strong tracing paper. Sorry this happened on your quilts and good luck on a good finish.

I use parchment paper from the dollar store when I'm sewing through stuff, it is typically very easy to get off.

How close together is your quilting? Sometimes you can fold and crease straight lines to help. I typically try to rip down one direction and then pull the paper out of the stitching from the other direction if that makes sense.

Among my paper removal tools are popsicle sticks and those manicure type little sticks. For more swirly designs I get those into the paper and zoom around -- but it does create quite a bit of fluff.

The other possibility is to rub along the quilting stitches, but that would be my last resort. Although everything would probably be ok I'd be concerned long term about damage to the quilting thread.

My most recent paper project wasn't quilting but piecing on adding machine paper tape. A light spritz of water and the popsicle stick and the paper was coming off like nothing I've ever seen before, love that paper tape. No little chads stuck in the seam allowane.

What kind of tracing paper? There are many different types with different content. Many confuse tracing with typing paper. Not the same at all. Even vellum is see through but is very water resistant. When I want to sew paper to fabric I use water soluble paper either see though or solid. I learned my lesson and only use the water soluble.

Have you considered using a soft nail brush (manicure brush). Brush off the dry paper without damaging the stitches. What a bummer this has been for you.

Oh, that’s terrible! Could you use masking tape to “tape off” the paper? Good luck!

I'm afraid that pulling it off by hand is your only option.

Next time, try water-soluble stabilizer like Solvy. I mark on it with sharpies (*not* crayola or other water-based markers!) and it comes off every time.

If it's vellum, I've found that vellum gets sort of brittle after pressing and tears quite easily.

I don't know what kind it is, the person who recommended it to me gave me a roll of the paper.

Let's just say it doesn't even come off easily anywhere! I FMQs feathers / whorls and the paper won't come off easily there.

Thanks for all the tips, I will try them all out at some point.

Show the person the quilt and ask why the paper was recommended. I suspect that person never used it to quilt before. I'd let this person know how disappointed I was with the product to be used as she recommended.

When it's damp, does it come off easier? Do you think you can post a picture of what it looks like? I'm not sure if the paper is in bits yet, or if it's still in large-ish pieces?

Can you try a lint roller on it after you've dampened the paper? Usually paper comes off easier if it's wet, so let the water soak in a bit and then try it? So sorry this happened to you! You do beautiful work and it's frustrating when something new we've tried doesn't work out.

You might try spraying it with hair spray. I use Aqua Net to remove ball point ink.

I have tried everything everyone suggested, and even did a test piece in vinegar and baking soda LOL nothing works, except pulling it out with tweezers.

There are two quilts, they have both been washed 5 times - in hot water / cold water / warm water - quick cycles, long cycles ... I've tried it wet / dry / damp ... there's no easy way.

Pretty sure I'll just leave them on my fence with a note that says free quilts - just pick off the paper and they're yours!

This is what I am left with after all these washings

So sorry you've had a bad experience. I've always torn off the papers before washing.

When I first started quilting through paper I used tissue paper. I found out the hard way that not all tissue paper is created equally and some had a thin coating of plastic or something and it was not good to use for quilting. Couldn't necessarily tell by price either but I could by feel so preferred sheets I could touch.

Have you tried a hard tooth or nail brush? I know we get to a point where we are simply done with a project, but it might not be too bad to do half an hour (one situation comedy!) at a time while watching tv. But yeah, it's going to be grueling and create quite a bit of fluff.

It's ok to give the chore to someone else to reap the rewards of your quilting. Do you have any sort of guild or local community to see if someone might be willing to do it just to have something to do. You never know, I accepted a UFO from a board member that I'll be sending back to her because I'm having a hard time getting started on my own projects but seem to be able to react to finishing things just fine. One of my small group ladies was having a similar issue (and we weren't meeting) during the early days of lock down and put out a request for unfinished crib sized projects, so I gave her the preemie tops and a couple others I hadn't quilted yet. Donations done, hands busy, win/win for all :)

i have used an emery board and even sandpaper LOL ... other than tweezers nothing is working!

I'll see if there is a local charity around here that is willing to accept it ... otherwise, it's gone!

Too bad you're so far away. I'm a very patient person and that's the sort of mindless project I could do while watching tv. I'd sit and pull everything out with tweezers for you. So sorry, it's a horrible way to learn not to do that!

I posted my mess on my FB page, and one of my friends has volunteered to pull off all of the paper! She's picking them up tomorrow ... gotta love friends that have that kind of patience! Seriously, I was ready to toss it .. I have patience, but not for that!

How wonderful! I know I have the patience to fix some of the problem tops I find at the thrift stores because I didn't put the effort into making the mistake. A few years ago I had some serious health issues and spent a lot of time in bed listening to audio books and tv, a project like yours would have actually been rather appealing.

I think this is the perfect time for me to figure out what's going on in the UFO I agreed to finish :)