need advice for transferring a quilting pattern
 

I have a quilt that has been sandwiched and is ready to be quilted. Obviously I can't do the light box thing. I have a design in a book that I want to transfer to the quilt for quilting. What do y'all do when this occasion arises? I've considered transferring the design to freezer paper and pinning that to the quilt, but I think it would shift quite a bit. And if I did that, wouldn't I need to adjust the stitch length to make it possible to tear the freezer paper way?

Any ideas for this would be greatly appreciated!

Michelle

What did you use for batting? If it is 100% cotton you can do freezer paper and just iron it on to the top shiny side down and quilt around the paper. Or you can mark with a water soluble marker around your freezer paper template and remove it before quilting. You can use stencil plastic and make templates to trace around with a marking tool. As the quilt is already sandwiched the blue water soluble marker will be the easiest thing to use as you don't need much pressure to make a mark. Buy several as you need to trade off on them regularly so they can "recharge".

You can also use transfer paper like Saral or Transdoodle. These products work like old fasioned carbon paper. You put the transfer on your quilt sandwich (it helps to have a board or hard surface under it), then you place your design on top of that and trace over it with a stylus tool. Make sure you use wax free. Graphite for light fabric, white for dark fabric. Test on a scrap first to make sure it comes out. My experience with transdoodle is that it comes off very easily so you have to mark as you go.

You can also trace your design on golden threads paper (you can do a stack of these at a time) take the thread off your machine, sew over the paper with a big needle, then lay the perforated paper on your quilt & rub pounce over it.

I would use tracing paper but have never tried the golden threads paper good luck

Wait - freezer paper will stay on the quilt if I iron it? Then it will come off later? Where do I find Saral, Transdoodle and golden threads papers? I have not heard of these. Once again, I continue to learn from the experts here! Thank you so much.

Freezer paper, Yes and yes. As long as you iron shiny side down and yes it peels right off.

Wax free Saral Paper. transdoodle and golden threads,

Google them you will get tons of hits where to buy them, Amazon has Saral. Make sure you get the wax free kind if you go this route. Many LQS carry golden threads and I have seen Saral at art supply stores and hobby stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Transdoodle I have seen at quilt show vendors, some quilts shops and on line.

There's also "Press n seal" at your local grocery store or the like. You tear off a piece, lay it over your design, trace, take off and press it to whatever spot you want, after stitching, tear it off.

I have used Press n Seal. If your stitching is not too close together it works well and comes off ok. You can also use tissue paper or tracing paper with temporary spray adhesive. I haven't done it but I think basting spray will work. Maybe someone who has used this method will comment.

A word of caution if you use freezer paper or press-and-seal ... be careful of what you use to mark the transfer. I used a blue sharpie on press-and-seal and when I stitched with white thread, the thread picked up the blue from the press-and seal.

The press-and-seal was also a nightmare to pull away under the stitching. Little pieces wanted to stick and I had to tweezer it all out.

The gold paper works...I draw the pattern onto it,sew with needle and no thread over the design,then pin it to the quilt and sew the design. The paper comes off nicely then.