Using freezer paper as a template for fmq.
 

Can I iron a freezer paper motif onto my quilt top, fmq around it and then remove/peel the freezer paper off without damaging my quilt top or leaving any residue?

Thankyou Tartan.

I've used it lots - works fine. Sometimes if your motif is large, you may have to put a pin or two in, as you manipulate your quilt sandwich around, it may lift a bit.

It can work ... a few you may want to consider ...
* when you "peel" it off, careful or you could disturb, even pull the stitches
* you may also end up with crumbs of the paper in the stitching
* FMQing on the sandwich with paper on top will have a different feel to it than without
* some use tissue paper rather than the "hard" freezer paper

As already said ... do a trial run first to help you feel good about it and to get your technique figured out, before committing to your "real" project.

Thanks everyone...yep, I wasn't planning to stitch on the freezer paper, I want to fm stitch around it. I have a particular shape in my main blocks and I want to mimic/do an outline of that shape throughout my negative space.

I’ve done this slightly differently. I iron on the freezer paper, then use chalk to rub over the edges, then pull up the paper. You get a negative image when you pull up the freezer paper and have no chance of stitching through the paper. You can chalk each one as you come to it, so the image lasts long enough to quilt. You can also add internal detail if you want with this method and reuse the templates a number of times.

Thanks bjchad that sounds like a brilliant idea! Makes good sense.

Yes you can, it is a great way to get better control of your design. Can be used several times if you are careful taking it off. I did Indian pots and bears on one quilt.

I have quilted on tissue paper (I wanted words to show on the back, so I quilted them backwards so they could be read!) and cut my design out of contact paper to quilt around. I was able to use it multiple times before it lost its stickiness. No residue left behind.