Keep your iron clean!!

We all knowing pressing is an important part of quilting. Pressing can make a huge difference in the projects we are making such as making a wrinkled piece of fabric look brand new or a crooked seam look straight. But if you are pressing with a not-so-clean sole plate on your iron, your pressing can end up in disaster!

Whether you are using a teflon or stainless steel sole plate on your iron, be sure it is squeaky clean. Rust, scorched areas and leftover sticky residue from fusibles can easily be transferred from your iron to your fabric. If you are unsure of how clean your sole plate is, run your iron back and forth several times on a white piece of fabric and see what comes off your iron. You might be surprised!

If you are putting water in your iron for steam and haven't done so in a while, be sure to check for any rust particles that could be coming out of your iron. Use steam on a scrap of fabric before using on your project. There can be pieces of scorched fabric or fusible residue left on your iron that needs to be cleaned by using an iron cleaner such as Dritz Iron Off. Put a little Iron Off on a heavy piece of fabric such as duck or canvas and run your hot, dry iron back and forth several times to clean the plate. Then be sure there isn't any leftover cleaner by swiping your iron on a white scrap of fabric.

Also be sure that your ironing board cover is clean. If there are brown spots or sticky residue on the cover, it can easily be transferred to your fabric when a hot iron is run over the surface. Lay a piece of white fabric on the board and press the fabric with a hot iron several times to be sure there isn't anything on the board that could be getting on your project.

Every iron is different and has different cleaning instructions. Be sure to check your iron manual for the best ways to keep it clean and in good working order. An ironing board will only last so long, so be sure to replace yours as needed. By keeping your iron and ironing board clean, your project will stay that way as well!

Mark Those Fabrics!

There are many pens and markers available to use for marking fabric for quilting and embroidery. Water soluble, air soluble or heat soluble; which one is the best? Blue lines, purple lines or white lines; which one is the most needed? How are the marked lines removed from the fabric? Can the marks be pressed with an iron and then removed? Which kind of pen should you use on what kind of project? Here are some different pens and tips for marking each one.

Water Soluble Pens - Water soluble pens mark a blue line that is removed with water. Some blue marking pens mark a fine, thin line and are great to use for really precise markings that need to be made. There are also blue markers that make a brighter, thicker line. These can be used when you need a bold line on a piece of fabric. The blue lines are removed by spritzing with water or dunking the fabric in water. The heavier the line, the more water is needed to rinse away the markings. The markings from water soluble pens will stay in the fabric until they are rinsed out with water.

One of my favorite water soluble pens is the Collins Fine Line marking pen which marks a thin, fine line. I use it for precise markings that I need to do. My other favorite is the water soluble marker by Collins, called the Wonder Marker. The Wonder Marker marks a brighter, bolder line which shows up better on some fabrics where the fine line pen does not.

With the numerous classes I have taught, I have used these all the time to mark quilt blocks, placement stitches and embroidery designs for my students. I have used them on cottons, muslin, linen and satins and not had a bit of trouble! I have even pressed over the lines with an iron and still been able to rinse the lines away in water. I wouldn't recommend that you press over them, but I have done it many, many times and not had any problem rinsing away the lines. Always, always test your fabric with the pen your using on a fabric scrap before using it on your project to be certain it can be removed.

Air Soluble Pens - Air soluble pens mark a bright purple line and come with a fine tip for marking thin lines or in a marker which marks a bright, bold line. Depending on the brand of pen and type of fabric you are using, the purple lines will stay marked on the fabric for one hour to twenty-four hours. The lines will disappear after a while or can also be removed with water. This is a great choice of pen if you are needing a quick mark for something you are doing at the moment. Don't mark something that you will be using the next day because those lines won't be there!

I use Collins Fine Line marking pen if I'm needing an air soluble pen. I don't use this pen very often, mainly because I may not complete my project within a few hours and I need my lines to stay there longer. But it's handy to have for a quick marking I'm needing at the moment.

Heat Soluble Pens - Heat soluble pens mark a white line on your fabric. If your fabric is not washable or you are not planning to rinse your fabric or project in water, then this is the pen to use. It marks a line that is visible and can be removed by running a hot iron over the marks. For darker fabrics this white line is more visible than a blue or purple line.

The Clover white marking pen is the best heat soluble pen I have used. It takes a moment or two after the line is drawn for the white mark to appear, but the line is precise and easy to see. Plus it disappears by running a hot iron over the marks. The Miracle Marker is the other white pen I like using because it instantly marks on the fabric and is still removed by a hot iron.

Not only do all these pens have different ways of marking and different ways for removal, but they also are different colors which allows you to mark on all colors of fabric. The blue and purple pens will not show up on a darker fabric, but a white marker will. On white or lighter fabrics, the blue or purple pen is the obvious choice. The pen or marker you choose to use may be based on a fine or bold line, the way the mark is removed or the color of the mark. It's best to have one of each on hand, so when you need it, you have it!

Keep in mind that with any pen or marker you use, always do a test sample on the fabric you are using. Fabrics react differently to each one. Also, be careful of setting the marks by pressing with an iron or drying in the dryer. Always test on a sample piece of fabric to be sure the marks can be removed when your project is complete!

My new ironing board

While I was at quilt market, I bought a new ironing board. It's something I've needed for while, but have just kept putting off because I hadn't found exactly what I wanted.

I had done some research on some different brands a couple months ago and then looked up the vendors that were selling what I was interested in when I was in Houston. I wanted something that would be sturdy, hold up for years to come and would be large enough to press large pieces of fabric such as long, wide borders and quilt backings.

And I found it - the Longboard from Reliable Corporation. One of my requirments was to have metal mesh under the board padding. Not only is this better for steam ironing, as it allows the steam to seep through the padding and through the holes in the mesh, but I also have a Iron Pals extentions arm.

The extention arm and sleeve can only be attached to a mesh backing ironing board. This extenstion arm and sleeve holds your fabric if you are pressing large pieces instead of letting it crumple in a heap on the floor.

I've had extention arm for months, but have been unable to put it on because my very ancient ironing board does not have the mesh backing. But I can't complain. That very ancient ironing board had pressed all my quilts and projects ever since I started sewing. Although I have gone through multiple irons! :)

I'm really excited about this new Longboard because I can switch the ends of the board so I have a normal, narrow end or I can have a longer, wider end as pictured above. The longer, wider end is easy to attach and will make pressing large pieces so much easier!

Plus there is a heat and fire resistant insert on the end - it's the black you see above. And it also has a metal support on the end to hold my iron, which should give me room on the board. As an added feature, there is even a shelf below the board!

Pressing & Ironing: What's the Difference?

Is there a certain method to using an iron? What is the purpose of pressing and ironing? Pressing and ironing are two methods for using an iron that are often used interchangeably, but they have different definitions and purposes. The dictionary defines these two words as:

Ironing: The act or process of smoothing or pressing clothes, linens, etc., with a heated iron.

Pressing: To exert steady weight or force against; bear down on.

How does this apply to sewing and quilting? Ironing is moving the iron back and forth to smooth the fabric and take out wrinkles. The iron is not lifted from the fabric, rather it is rolling the iron over the top of the fabric. Ironing should be done cautiously; it can easily distort the fabric grain. Avoid ironing on lightweight fabrics where the fabric can easily be distorted. If the fabric is wet or sprayed with starch, the dampness weakens the threads which will easily stretch out of shape if ironed. Always avoid ironing wet or damp fabric. For piecing quilt pieces and seams, ironing can stretch the fabric out of shape, which makes sewing the patchwork pieces together harder to do. Use ironing for large sections of fabric like quilt backings and garments.

Pressing is an up and down action with the iron. The iron is set down on the fabric for a few seconds, lifted and moved to another location, then set down again. This action is continued until the area desired has been pressed. Pressing is less likely to distort the fabric grain because the iron is not plowing over the fabric. When applying spray starch to fabric, always press the fabric instead of ironing it. For piecing quilt pieces and seams, the point of the iron can be used to flip a seam to one side or flip the seam open. Then the iron is set down on the seam for a few seconds to press it into the desired place. Press fabrics so they do not become distorted or stretched out of shape.

Wrinkle Free Quilt Backing

Starting with a smooth and sturdy quilt backing is the first step to achieve a quilt with the back free from tucks and puckers. What fabric is the best? Should it be prewashed? How can the backing gain more body after it has been washed? Read on to discover some tips for preparing your quilt backing!

What is the best fabric to use for quilt backing? Before choosing the fabric, consider what kind of quilting you will be doing on the quilt. Will it be machine or hand quilted? Will the stitching be dense and close together or will it be spread out? Will you be creating feathers, circles, squiggles or just stitching in the ditch?

Most of the time your fabric needs to be 100% cotton to match the remainder of your quilt. Avoid cotton/poly blends; they are much harder to quilt through by machine and especially by hand. If you are hand quilting, do not use a dense cotton fabric with a thread count of 200 or more. The threads are woven tighter together, which makes it much harder to work the needle in and out of the fabric. You will also want to avoid polished or specially treated cottons; the finished coating on the fabric makes more work for the needle as it is stitching.

To quilt by machine, any 100% cotton fabric is a good choice, even flannel. If you can find a coordinating fabric that is available in a 90" -120" width, this is the easiest. However, when using 45" wide fabric, you will just need to pieces the panels together to create a backing large enough for your quilt. To avoid extra bulk in the seams, be sure to trim off the selvedge and trim the seams to 1/4". The selvedge is treated so it will not ravel and is hard to quilt, plus you do not want the holes in the selvedge on a lighter fabric to show through on the backing.

Should you prewash the backing fabric? If you have prewashed the quilt top fabrics (you should to prevent fabric color runs and shrinkage), then, yes, you should also prewash the backing. Cotton fabrics tend to have a little more body and support before they are washed, which is an added plus for a quilt backing. But, if the backing shrinks when the top doesn't or the color in the backing runs to the quilt top fabrics, you will be very disappointed in your finished quilt. Even though prewashing tends to soften most fabrics, it is best to prewash the backing before attaching it to the quilt top. Some wide cotton backings have already been prewashed. If this is the case, it will be clearly marked on the bolt of fabric. If you are unsure, always prewash first.

How can you add body to the quilt backing after it has been washed and dried? The simple answer to this question is starch! Yes, starch is great for piecing bias and odd angled quilt pieces and eliminating puckers from the fabric caused by embroidery designs, but it is also perfect to help prevent tucks and puckers in the backing fabric. Adding starch is more time consuming, but worth the extra effort.

When I prewash my quilt backing, I add liquid starch to the water. I use the smallest amount of water I can in the washing machine to cover the fabric and pour in the liquid starch, letting it sit for 10 minutes or so. How much starch do I use? This depends on the stiffness of the cotton fabric I am using, but for most cottons, I use 1 part starch to 4 parts water (1 cup of starch to 4 cups of water). After it soaks in the starch water, I run the fabric through the rinse cycle and then throw it in the dryer. I always pull the fabric out of the washer and completely spread it out, so it is not tangled or wrapped around itself before sticking it in the dryer. This will save you tons of time pressing out wrinkles later.

I take the fabric out of the dryer while it is still slightly damp. Then I press it, as large of an area as I can fit on the ironing board at a time. The slight dampness in the fabric makes it easier to press out the creases and wrinkles. If the fabric does not have the body or stiffness that I like, I use my bottle of spray starch and starch the fabric as I am pressing. (See What is the Benefit of Starch? for more starching tips.) Large pieces of fabric, especially wide widths are harder to press. Just press it sections at a time and you will reach the end. For fabrics that you piece together, consider prewashing, starching, drying and pressing each panel before stitching the backing together. It will be easier to handle during the washing and pressing process. After each panel has been pressed, stitch them together and trim and press the seams.

Quilting your quilt should be fun, not a frustration from puckers and tucks in the fabric. Try to prevent these little frustrations before you even start sandwiching the pieces together by fabric selection, prewashing and starching the backing. Hand fun with your next quilt or wall hanging!

NEW Mini Crafting Iron!

A mini crafting iron by Darice for your sewing & quilting needs! A perfect little iron to keep near your sewing machine when you need a quick press! Pack it in your bag or suitcase when traveling for a quick touch-up on your clothes! Small, lightweight & easy to carry! Great for college, travel and quick ironing touch-ups!

This 4" mini iron heats up in just a few seconds and gets hot enough to remove creases and press a hard crease in fabrics when needed. Perfect size to have near your sewing machine and to carry along to quilt class. Includes a UL listed electric cord with dual voltage.

This is a perfect little iron to keep in your suitcase for traveling! Also, it works great to keep beside your sewing machine, so when you need to press a quick seam, it is right at your fingertips! I have used this iron to press out creases, crease cotton fabrics and to fuse fusibles to fabrics. It delivers just the heat I need! A great tool to add in your sewing or quilting!