vinyl for placing over patterns
 

I'm finding the vinyl too thick to see through when I place it over the pattern on which I lay my pieces to create a design. Does anyone have a suggestion for what may be used that allows greater visibility? The idea is placing numbered pieces in the correct spot and lightly pressing them before transferring to the background fabric.

You can get clear vinyl @ Joanne fabrics, clear template plastic is another option

clear vinyl or template
 

Will it take an iron?

Vinyl will melt when heated, but you can try mylar or templar, which are heat resistant. I took a machine applique class with Karen Kay Buckley last year, and she uses and sells the templar sheets, which are clear. Here is a description from her website:

Templar
8 1/2" x 11" piece of heat resistant plastic. I use this for my favorite applique technique. It works great with an iron on a medium heat setting. It marks easily with a pencil to trace your applique shapes. Used for both hand and machine applique techniques. <input name="command" value="enter" type="hidden"> <input name="merchant" value="karenkay" type="hidden"> <input name="item" value="NTemplar" type="hidden">


She also uses and sells a product called "Pattern Ease" for that purpose. It is easy to trace on with a pencil or fine point marker, and you can use an iron with it. If I remember correctly, it is a non-woven fabric, and is not clear, but opaque. I think you could probably use a non-woven Pellon interfacing in the same way.

Here is the description from the website:

Pattern Ease
For those of you who have taken classes with me you know I often use this product as a placement guide. I place the Pattern Ease over my paper pattern and trace the design onto the Pattern Ease. Next, I center the Pattern Ease over my background fabric and baste it along one edge. When I am ready to position my applique pieces I can slide them under the Pattern Ease, pin them in place and proceed to applique. I use this for placement guide for both hand and machine applique.

Pattern Ease
 

Where do I purchase this? Is it see-through so I can trace a pattern?

Go to Karen Kay Buckley's website and go to the Store, then the More Recommended Notions. It is not clear, but when you lay it over your pattern, you can see through it to trace your lines and to place your pieces. Once the pattern is traced onto the Pattern ease, baste it to the background fabric on one side so that you can lift it up and place your pattern pieces.

I tried the vinyl method, but even using the thinnest that JoAnn's had, it was awkward and cumbersome. Every time you wanted to put on another piece, you had to line everything up again. With the Pattern Ease, once I had it basted on to my background fabric, I just rolled it to the side and pinned it so it wouldn't get in my way while I was stitching. Then, when I needed to place another piece, I spread the background fabric out flat, unpinned and unrolled the pattern ease and placed my piece where I wanted it.

idk - I just use whatever I have handy. Parchment paper usually works for me. My favorite is pattern paper. I just trace the design onto it & can do a very large section of the quilt all at once. I've also cut apart 2-gallon Ziplocks on 3 sides and used that in a pinch. It doesn't lay perfectly flat, but it's pretty close & very easy to see through or move. Sometimes it gets a bit static-y; if so, just grab a dryer sheet & rub it across the surface one time (do NOT do this if you don't plan to wash your quilt later as sometimes it can transfer a tiny spot of fabric softener to your fabric).

Parchment paper takes heat fine (it can even go in the oven). Pattern paper will take a little heat -- enough to get fusible to start sticking to fabric, but you'll still want to press a bit longer once you remove it. Ziplock bags obviously can't take any heat at all, so you only want to use those if you are doing applique glue or wash-away double sided tape or such.

I use a light-weight gridded pellon to trace patterns on for appliqué. I then baste it to my background fabric at the top and then pin my appliqué pieces into position underneath. Allows proper placement but does not add a lot of weight to the project.

Can the Pattern Ease be reused by wiping off or washing? Or do you buy several yds of it to use with patterns?