Flying_V_Goddess

Got three yards of 108" wide bleached muslin to iron for my current quilting adventure and I'm finding that its difficult to manage. I tried ironing the whole thing at once, but I'd get frustrated with it, set it aside for a couple days, and when I'd get back to it what I already ironed would be wrinkly again even if I tried folding the thing neatly to the best of my abilities. I have been staying with my boyfriend for the last few days and seeing he has a way bigger room to work with I decided to take the fabric, ironing board, and iron with me. I started to iron it out before he went to work and his toddler was still watching cartoons to lull him to sleep. A couple hours later I'm no closer to getting the whole thing ironed. The fabric that's not currently being ironed somehow manages to twist itself into a ball no matter how hard I try to avoid it from happening. And if that same area twisted into a ball was just ironed then I get wrinkles again and thus ruining all the work I just did.

I finally gave up on ironing the whole piece and switched to ironing a section at a time until its big as the panel I need and then proceed to cut a perfectly smooth panel from the rest of the wrinkled mess. One panel down. Seven more to go. Thank goodness I didn't need all three yards of the extra wide fabric to be in one whole piece! But what about future projects where I don't feel like piecing together my backing?

There's got to be an easier way to iron a large piece of fabric like this.

tazzyjj

When i got a piece that big...i put it in the dryer and let it dry thoroughly...folding it while its hot...no wrinkles doing that...I do have someone helping me fold it tho.. :P

meemersmom

Same for me!! Works great for all my laundry, actually. But, if needing to remove wrinkles from such a large piece that's already dried, throw it back into the dryer with a damp washcloth and set it on high for a few minutes -- the steam will release most of the wrinkling

earthwalker

Generally I haven't had much of a problem using a regular ironing board, but sometimes it does pose a problem. I have used the bed (queen size) to iron large pieces, but you do have to be very careful and not get distracted. Don't want to have the iron melting the mattress top.

calano1

I iron the big pieces like my mom taught me to do linen ...
:arrow:

Fold in half.
Fold in half again.
Fold the top single layer over to the other side.
Then iron both sides.
All four layers get done this way.

Try it - it really works! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

cjtinkle

I don't iron them. If the wrinkles are very slight, I spray mist them and drape them over my longarm, they relax right out.

If heavily creased, I wet them and line dry, they don't need pressing then either.

blueangel

Usually If I take it out of the dryer immediately and fold it it has less wrinkles.

CoyoteQuilts

Starch. For this size you will never have complete wrinkle free.....

sandyo

I have a big ironing mat I put on my island. It really helps

mom-6

If you still find need to press after doing the dryer trick you can lay beach towels over your cutting table or even your dining table and use that for a large ironing board. Works for big tablecloths too!