Just a handy hint to "audition" quilting patterns...
 

I lay a piece of plastic wrap, "Press and Seal", on to the top of the pieced quilt and draw (NOT with a permanent marker!) designs that I might like to to do - audition them. (dinner plate was the correct size!) It does not stick on the top but stays in place and allows the quilt pattern and colors to be seen.

(This top has already been mostly quilted.)

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Before settling on the "melon seeds" , I tried the look of cross hatch, SID and a couple of other designs. The wrap is changed for trying each design. It's a very useful idea. The wrap is not left on the top for sewing.

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Having decided, I lay a piece of transparent template plastic on top of the wrap (and the quilt) to draw a template.

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It's also handy to take pictures and print them out to look at them side-by-side for a while if the decision is a tough one.

Just another reason that I love to quilt in my kitchen!

Super idea. you don't have to press the whole wrap down and gives a better picture. Anxious to see the finish.

Great tip, thank you

What a great idea.

This board is full of very inventive and creative people.

Hey, BC-ite! Born in Victoria and lived in Vancouver for years! Get ready for storms like we are down here! Thanks for comment!

Thank you for sharing your great idea.

Had the perfect arch. I usually use plate, cups, saucers and anything else in the cupboards for when I need to draw a circle. You plate had the perfect arc.

Who knew! Love it.

What an absolutely wonderful idea. Thank you so much for sharing.

I have done this and quilted with the press and seal in place, then just ripped it off when finished.

thanks for the great tip. i tried Press n Seal once but made the mistake of using permanent marker

Thank you for this great idea!

Thank you for sharing.

I just used Press and Seal again on a nautical baby quilt. I use a Frixion pen to trace the final design, then quilt. The pen's eraser helps grab the plastic film to remove it from the seams. I have done this several times. Here is a border on the I Spy I finished for a new grand daughter. I tend to quilt with smaller stitches as some of the designs are small and detailed, like this:

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Great idea and thanks for posting it. Now to a question: What happens if you do use permanent marker? What do you use instead?

Thanks for the tip. I am putting the press and seal wrap on my grocery list now.

I like this idew. Thsnk you.

You can use a permanent marker but I managed to get a dot of it on a quilt doing something completely different! On top of a quilt!!?? - yeah, well. Also posted a request for how to remove a Sharpie stain!

Anyway I use Crayola washable markers when I'm ever close to a quilt!

As some suggest you can sew through the wrap, but when I think how many I'd have to make ... well, like I said I only use it to see different designs on the quilt, then make a template to mark and sew with.

It might be worth it to trace a stencil many times and then not have any marks to remove. What do you use to mark your quilt top and how easy is it to remove?

I lightly use a plain mechanical pencil which washes out. Have used Crayola washables many times but didn't want to do it on this very white little quilt just in case!!

Kitsie ... glad you have found something that works.
I tried Press 'N Seal when I first started quilting, but it always seemed I wanted a bigger audition window.

A clear piece of plastic/vinyl solved that problem.
(the type that some use to cover their tablecloths on a table).

I had never used Press 'N Seal til I started quilting.
Then I found what seemed easier to work with ... and now use a sheet of plastic/vinyl.
(the type that people use to cover their tablecloths on the table)

I lay the quilt flat, and place the plastic over top.
Then draw on the plastic with a wipe away marker til I get it figured out.
The vinyl is heavy enough that I don't worry about the marker going through it and onto on the quilt.
If it takes a few tries, the marker wipes away easily enough until I figure out what I want.

The plastic lifts off and keeps the design in place, ready to put back on the quilt, if I need a refresher as I mark the quilt ... or come up with a new idea that I want to also try before I am done marking.


At the end, I wipe down the vinyl good to be sure there is no residual that might transfer the next time I use it.

Good idea!