Wholeheart Mom

I was reading an article about paperless paper piecing and came across this:

"**A note about freezer paper: If you use Reynolds, or another brand found at a grocery store, it will need to be preshrunk. When ironed, freezer paper shrinks in width (about 1/8"), but not length. Preshrinking it will prevent inaccuracies as you reuse the template. To preshrink your freezer paper, tear off your desired length, lay it shiny side down onto your pressing board. Lightly spray it with spray starch, and press it with a dry (NO steam) iron until it is completely flat and dry. Repeat for your second piece of freezer paper. You'll notice it pulling in on the width. Once it's dry and flat, it's ready to be used. If you order freezer paper from my mom, it doesn't need to be preshrunk."

Here is the article in its entirety: http://www.sewmuchlikemom.com/2014_01_01_archive.html

I have never heard of preshrinking freezer paper.... does everybody do this?

NJ Quilter

Never heard of that either! And, no, I've never done it. Don't know that I've ever had an issue, either, with re-using freezer paper templates and I use steam.

feline fanatic

Hmmm, reads like a ploy to get you to use their freezer paper. I use Reynolds FP all the time and have used it for applique and for paper piecing (where you fold it back and stitch next to the fold, not through the paper) and I have never had an issue with it shrinking in any way. My pieces all still fit together no problem. I would think if there is an issue with shrinkage of the freezer paper there would be a problem with my units when I go to sew them together and I have not experienced that.

Onebyone

In a class the instructor showed us how the freezer paper shrunk. She had three brands. Reynolds shrunk the most. Only one didn't shrink at all.

quilterpurpledog

Let me calculate here. If you don't pre-shrink freezer paper the dimension shrinks 1/8 inch over 18 inches! Let's get real. I think I will just use the freezer paper from the grocery store ad not worry about it.

Wholeheart Mom

Thank you for saying that! I agree entirely.... when you think about it, it would barely make a hair's width difference. No one is ever that perfect to begin with, so I think I will stick with my cheapo Walmart brand freezer paper.

ManiacQuilter2

I never heard of it either.

Onebyone

For show quilters it could be a big deal. It's easy to do a test and find out. I use the precut sheets of parchment because that is what I buy for cooking.

Tartan

I would think pre-shrinking freezer paper would make it not stick very well. I use it for sticking to fabric with a hot iron for appliqué and it only irons on a couple of times. There are other methods that use the freezer paper like a template and you iron several layers together. If you are wrapping the fabric over the edge and using starch to stick the edge, you are already enlarging the finished piece by the fold over.

Daylesewblessed

Since a great many quilters don't even pre-shrink their fabrics, I can't imagine that freezer paper shrinkage would be a big concern.