Pressing and Cutting Paradigm Shift needed

Well, I wash and dry my fabric when I bring it home. It gets folded as
neatly as possible and placed in the appropriate place until needed. When I
finally use it, I fold it cross-wise twice and press it that way. This
usually gives me an 11" strip to cut. Then I cut the strips I need all at
once. The remainder of the fabric gets refolded and placed back in its
place. I don't press the entire piece of fabric if it's large, I only press
the section I will be cutting. I like to do all my cutting first, then
piecing. I am lucky enough to have enough space in my work area to have my
big board right next to my cutting table, and a smaller ironing surface
right next to my sewing machine - which is located across from my cutting
table. Not much walking space, but hey, I there to sew, not walk, right?

--
Alice in NJ
RCTQ - "Royal Cybrarian"
www.ourcyberfamily.us
"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still likes you."
Elbert Hubbard




"Judy Grevenites" wrote in message
...
Try hanging the pressed fabric in the closet on trouser hangers--or any
hanger with a padding on it . It will just hang around, looking smart
and pressed until you need it. RedQueen, hanging around herself! (but
not so neatly)

Another idea I thought of after I posted my last response: how about one of
those folding clothes dryer racks? They can hold lots of flat fabrics of a
variety of sizes. Doesn't take up much room, is portable and can be folded
and stored when not in use?

--
Alice in NJ
RCTQ - "Royal Cybrarian"
www.ourcyberfamily.us
"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still likes you."
Elbert Hubbard




"AliceW" wrote in message
...
Well, I wash and dry my fabric when I bring it home. It gets folded as
neatly as possible and placed in the appropriate place until needed. When
I
finally use it, I fold it cross-wise twice and press it that way. This
usually gives me an 11" strip to cut. Then I cut the strips I need all at
once. The remainder of the fabric gets refolded and placed back in its
place. I don't press the entire piece of fabric if it's large, I only
press
the section I will be cutting. I like to do all my cutting first, then
piecing. I am lucky enough to have enough space in my work area to have
my
big board right next to my cutting table, and a smaller ironing surface
right next to my sewing machine - which is located across from my cutting
table. Not much walking space, but hey, I there to sew, not walk, right?

--
Alice in NJ
RCTQ - "Royal Cybrarian"
www.ourcyberfamily.us
"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still likes you."
Elbert Hubbard




"Judy Grevenites" wrote in message
...
Try hanging the pressed fabric in the closet on trouser hangers--or any
hanger with a padding on it . It will just hang around, looking smart
and pressed until you need it. RedQueen, hanging around herself! (but
not so neatly)

My set-up is a bit more efficient than yours -I can put the ironing board
right next to the cutting table. I don't always press everything after
washing, especially not the huge pieces. But FQ size pieces usually remain
smooth enough to cut. So if they've been ironed before, check 1st to see if
you can cut your strip without more ironing.
To speed things up, don't press more than you plan to cut. If it's only a
strip, just press a bit more than the width of the strip. Or if you really
want to walk on the wild side, RIP strips off, a bit wider than you need,
press and trim.
Roberta in D

"frood" wrote in message
.com...
I need to fundamentally change the way I prepare fabric for cutting. My
current system is time-consuming, and keeps me from doing mass cutting at
a
time.

Currently, I:
- Gather the fabric to be cut
- Press it, one or two pieces together if they are the same size
- Lay it over the half-wall in the bathroom (my pressing area) or on my
bed
(for large pieces)
- Take the pieces to the dining room for cutting

The problem is, if I want to do a lot of cutting (like I have this mad
hair
about cutting strips from each of my fabrics), I don't have enough time to
do all the ironing at once, then do all the cutting. If I just do enough
ironing to match the amount of time I have for cutting, (say I have 30
minutes {well, just pretend!} I can spend 15 minutes pressing, and 15
cutting) this does not get much done.

I cannot think of a way to store the fabric after it is pressed to keep it
wrinkle free enough to cut it another day.

I'm looking for ideas here. How do you do this? Press and cut as you go?
Devote an entire day for it? (in my dreams!) Have a QI-free sanctuary for
pressed fabric?

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply

I used to iron after washing, but the way fabric gets jammed together and
rootled through, I always had to iron again before cutting. So I stopped the
first set of pressing because it was a waste of time.

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Roberta Zollner" wrote in message
...
My set-up is a bit more efficient than yours -I can put the ironing board
right next to the cutting table. I don't always press everything after
washing, especially not the huge pieces. But FQ size pieces usually remain
smooth enough to cut. So if they've been ironed before, check 1st to see
if
you can cut your strip without more ironing.
To speed things up, don't press more than you plan to cut. If it's only a
strip, just press a bit more than the width of the strip. Or if you really
want to walk on the wild side, RIP strips off, a bit wider than you need,
press and trim.
Roberta in D

I seldom press fabric before cutting. I wash everything as soon as I buy
it. I smooth it out and fold it as soon as I take it out of the dryer. I
fold it in half lengthwise, then fold one end over about 6 inches and
keep folding it over itself, similar to rolling it on a bolt, until I
have it all folded. Then I fold that in half or thirds and put it away
in large rubbermaid tubs. When it is time to cut, I smooth it out on the
cutting board and start cutting. Occasionally, I find a piece that I
have to iron and do that just before cutting.

Julia in MN
--
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus

http://mail.chartermi.net/~jaccola/

Spare bed? Thanks, Dannielle! I needed that laugh! Won't be any spare beds
around here until at least 2 of the kids go to college! :-)

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Dannielle Beitzell" wrote in message
...
Just a thought, but if you press a piece and then cut off what you need at
that moment, but you don't want to fold it again, do you have a large wall
that you can somehow attach it to so that it won't get those nasty fold
marks? Is there a spare bed that you can leave it lay out or do one fold
over (much faster to iron than 20 of the dang things)? Heck, I'd even try
to fold it around a pillow to help reduce those creases....

Can you tell that I have a crease problem too? I haven't tried any of
these
yet....so let me know if anything works! ;-)

--
Dannielle from NY
http://www.beitzell.com/dannielle/index.htm

A flittering flit of a friend just emailed me about such a solution, and by
George, I think that's the ticket! I have a clothes horse, up in the attic.
Our last house had so little towel hanging space that we really needed it.
This house has 3 full bathrooms each with lots of towel rods. I know - I
installed them! G And I have a little space next to my sewing cupboard
where it can live when not needed.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"AliceW" wrote in message
...
Another idea I thought of after I posted my last response: how about one
of
those folding clothes dryer racks? They can hold lots of flat fabrics of
a
variety of sizes. Doesn't take up much room, is portable and can be
folded
and stored when not in use?

--
Alice in NJ

Haven't read all the notes here Wendy...but my favourite is an old
fashioned wooden clothes dryer..the accordion, foldy type. It's
especially good if the fabrics are damp after ironing, as mine often
are, and they dry while staying wrinkle free. You can double up on the
fabrics, too, if they are not too damp. They can stay there till you
find another half hour or so to cut your strips., etc.

Cheers,

lynne in Toronto
.........................

frood wrote:

I need to fundamentally change the way I prepare fabric for cutting. My
current system is time-consuming, and keeps me from doing mass cutting at a
time.

Currently, I:
- Gather the fabric to be cut
- Press it, one or two pieces together if they are the same size
- Lay it over the half-wall in the bathroom (my pressing area) or on my bed
(for large pieces)
- Take the pieces to the dining room for cutting

The problem is, if I want to do a lot of cutting (like I have this mad hair
about cutting strips from each of my fabrics), I don't have enough time to
do all the ironing at once, then do all the cutting. If I just do enough
ironing to match the amount of time I have for cutting, (say I have 30
minutes {well, just pretend!} I can spend 15 minutes pressing, and 15
cutting) this does not get much done.

I cannot think of a way to store the fabric after it is pressed to keep it
wrinkle free enough to cut it another day.

I'm looking for ideas here. How do you do this? Press and cut as you go?
Devote an entire day for it? (in my dreams!) Have a QI-free sanctuary for
pressed fabric?

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply

I've turned to the dark side of not washing. The chances are that we'll be
living somewhere in September that doesn't have a washing machine, therefore
we CANNOT afford to wash anything other than clothes that really need it!
My quilts during this time may be slightly shrunken and dishevelled, but
it's going to save us so much hassle!

Charlie.

"frood" wrote in message
.com...
A very dear friend of mine (Hi, C!) has been trying to lure me to the dark
side of non-washing for years now. But the Force is strong in me.

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-Fang email address to reply
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
Wendy, I may be a card-carrying sloth. There. I've confessed. Confession
is
supposed to be good for the soul and I hope my soul feels better. That
said,
I do not wash my quilt fabric and I do not press it. I store it very
gently.
So far, I haven't had any problems.
I guess I would mend my ways if I were doing something in red and
white.
Assuming that you belong to the "wash first" group, maybe you could
grab
it out of the dryer and place it flat and smooth to cool, and fold
softly.
That might save you some pressing time. However, membership in the
"don't
wash" club always has an opening for one more busy quilter. When the
Quilt
Police drop in, we just fix them something chocolate and have a nice
visit.
Polly

frood wrote in message
.com...
I need to fundamentally change the way I prepare fabric for cutting.
My
current system is time-consuming, and keeps me from doing mass cutting
at
a
time.

Currently, I:
- Gather the fabric to be cut
- Press it, one or two pieces together if they are the same size
- Lay it over the half-wall in the bathroom (my pressing area) or on
my
bed
(for large pieces)
- Take the pieces to the dining room for cutting

The problem is, if I want to do a lot of cutting (like I have this mad
hair
about cutting strips from each of my fabrics), I don't have enough
time
to
do all the ironing at once, then do all the cutting. If I just do
enough
ironing to match the amount of time I have for cutting, (say I have 30
minutes {well, just pretend!} I can spend 15 minutes pressing, and 15
cutting) this does not get much done.

I cannot think of a way to store the fabric after it is pressed to
keep
it
wrinkle free enough to cut it another day.

I'm looking for ideas here. How do you do this? Press and cut as you
go?
Devote an entire day for it? (in my dreams!) Have a QI-free sanctuary
for
pressed fabric?

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply

frood wrote:

Spare bed? Thanks, Dannielle! I needed that laugh! Won't be any spare beds
around here until at least 2 of the kids go to college! :-)

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply

"Dannielle Beitzell" wrote in message
...
Just a thought, but if you press a piece and then cut off what you need at
that moment, but you don't want to fold it again, do you have a large wall
that you can somehow attach it to so that it won't get those nasty fold
marks? Is there a spare bed that you can leave it lay out or do one fold
over (much faster to iron than 20 of the dang things)? Heck, I'd even try
to fold it around a pillow to help reduce those creases....

Can you tell that I have a crease problem too? I haven't tried any of
these
yet....so let me know if anything works! ;-)

--
Dannielle from NY
http://www.beitzell.com/dannielle/index.htm



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--
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Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
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