Pressing Sheets

I promised a reader a recap of my experiences with ironing sheets so here goes.

1.  Flannel cloth
Early in my sewing life I had a piece of flannel that I stored on the crossed legs of the ironing board (I still have it!!).  That was my pressing cloth and it was great for laying on top of the "good" fabric to press out wrinkles or adhere a repair patch to my jeans.  It works well, but cannot do some things that I now require of a pressing sheet.

Flannel

2. Pressing sheet of undetermined content.
Joann's sells several brands of heat resistant pressing cloths.  They look like some that I purchased and I don't like.  Looking at the packaging pictured on the Internet I can't figure out the content.  They look like some sort of plastic, but of course don't melt.  However, with use they rumple up and I don't like them for creating something like a big flower or animal like Lady dog (scroll down to last week's post).  I want my sheet to lay and stay perfectly flat.  The rumply ones have their uses, like the flannel cloth, but mostly they stay in the drawer.

Undetermined content.

3.  Silicone sheet
My silicone sheet is 18 x 20 inches.  It lays flat and I can adhere fabrics (with fusible on the back) to it.  Then I can peel the fused fabric off without damage, ready to iron onto a background.  I was looking to buy a new one and cannot find it.  So onward.

Silicone.  Can only show a peek because Lady dog is lounging on it.

4.  Teflon coated fiberglass.
These are the ones that I find most available on the Internet.  I have two pieces about 5 x 7 inches that came with Bo-Nash fusing repair powder.  They are very useful for small pieces, but are too small for a major project.  They are brown in color, but you can see through them easily, and really well on a lightbox.  I see that Amazon is selling large sheets of this material 16 x 20 inches in packs of at least 3 sheets.  I am sold and will be putting in my order.

Teflon sheets

A good ironing sheet is a must if you plan to create a large project of fused pieces.  It is well worth the money and will last for years...unless you accidently cut it with your scissors.  Don't laugh.  I have done it, but so far not with my good silicone one.  I've only cut the ones I don't like.  Good way to get rid of them I guess.

Sew or fuse some happy seams this week.  I wish you lots of fun ironing little pieces if you are so inclined.