Pressing and Cutting Paradigm Shift needed

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 just wash, iron, fold and put away and maybe cut the next day. I seldom
cut the same day I have the fabric pressed and I never cut ALL the pieces at
the same time anyway. Most of the things I have made are sampler type and
each block had different sized pieces. The few I have made that are all the
same size shape, I cut enough for a row or two then sew and cut some more as
I dont want to cut more than I can use.
--
Kathy in CA
Quilting Stuff:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/kathys1068


"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

Ok, how do you fold it so you can cut it without having to iron it again?

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


"Kathy in CA" wrote in message
...
I just wash, iron, fold and put away and maybe cut the next day. I seldom
cut the same day I have the fabric pressed and I never cut ALL the pieces
at
the same time anyway. Most of the things I have made are sampler type and
each block had different sized pieces. The few I have made that are all
the
same size shape, I cut enough for a row or two then sew and cut some more
as
I dont want to cut more than I can use.
--
Kathy in CA
Quilting Stuff:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/kathys1068


"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

Actually I just fold it in half, then in half again and so on until small
enough to fold the other way (to make it sq). When I get ready to cut I just
smooth it out a liitle by hand. I cut off a little off the width to make it
even but the next time I cut the same fabric I just smooth it out by hand
and match the edges up.
--
Kathy in CA
Quilting Stuff:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/kathys1068


"frood" wrote in message
.com...
Ok, how do you fold it so you can cut it without having to iron it again?

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


"Kathy in CA" wrote in message
...
I just wash, iron, fold and put away and maybe cut the next day. I
seldom
cut the same day I have the fabric pressed and I never cut ALL the
pieces
at
the same time anyway. Most of the things I have made are sampler type
and
each block had different sized pieces. The few I have made that are all
the
same size shape, I cut enough for a row or two then sew and cut some
more
as
I dont want to cut more than I can use.
--
Kathy in CA
Quilting Stuff:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/kathys1068


"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

You need to cut fabric in the same place you press the fabric. It is to time
consuming to carry the fabric from one location to another. Also, then you
can press and cut as you go.

My method: pile fabric collection on sewing room floor around the ironing
board. Kick cat off ironing board, blow cat hairs off ironing board, press
1st piece of fabric, cut quilt piece - ironing board acts as cutting table
-this works for all but borders. Kick cat off pile of fabric, pick second
fabric, shake cat hairs off, kick cat off ironing board, etc., etc.

I can't imagine having a cat free area. Tuxedo would claw down the door to
the sewing room, while Tigger would get mad and spray something, just to let
me know he shouldn't be excluded. :-)

lisae


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 don't have a problem cutting fabric that has been pressed
some time before. I am wondering if the humidity might be
what wrinkles your fabric? Is it stacked so that there is a large
amount and it weighs on itself? Martha Stewart has a neat
pull down inside laundry line that would be great for temporarily
storing fabric over a sewing area:
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jh...961&site=&rsc=
HTH, Taria



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

--
Please visit my web page at: http://home1.gte.net/res0yk6g/taria/index.htm

See my Siberian Cat, Lilly, at:
http://home1.gte.net/res0yk6g/lillypage/lillycat.htm

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




"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

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

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



Spray the ceiling with glue and chuck it up there!
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

On the subject of glue, this may work. I had my little boy pup neutered
yesterday and when I picked him up the doctor reviewed the home care for
him. He showed me the incision to let me see what it should look like in
case it became infected or inflamed, and then he said there are no
stitches - they glued the incision shut!!!! I will look at SuperGlue in a
whole new way now!

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




"Kate Dicey" wrote in message
...
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



Spray the ceiling with glue and chuck it up there!
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!