Yes, it may sound kinda strange to be ironing patterns… but you really can do it!
Although, I only do this on tissue patterns – not the heavy bond paper patterns that are so common amongst independent pattern publishers. But for the Big 4 companies (Simplicity, Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue) and others who publish tissue-printed patterns, ironing is a boon for smooth cutting.
Plus it gets all those crazy wrinkles out. (Although, it’s not my fault if you can’t re-fold the pattern to fit into the tiny envelope anymore. 🙂 )
Use these 5 tips the next time you pull out a new tissue pattern.
Even if you are going to copy out the pattern – to follow a particular size or to preserve the original – these steps are very helpful as you begin.
1) Unfold the tissue sheet and cut around the specific pieces you’ll be using. You don’t need to cut on the lines right now. Just separate the individual pieces.
2) Set your iron to a very low, warm setting and turn off all steam (REALLY important!).
3) Press from the WRONG side of the pattern – do not press on the side with the printing. If you press from the printed side the edges will curl up on you. For some reason if you press from the back it stays flat.
4) Hold the iron cord up or drape on an ironing board hook to keep it from sliding over the edge of the board wrinkling (or even tearing) your newly pressed area.
5) Press half the pattern at a time turning it frequently.
It’s best to work in little areas at a time. Don’t try to press a large piece like you do when pressing fabric.
Also, I’ve found that tissue patterns can take more heat than you think. Start at a low setting and move up if you need to.
But remember, NO STEAM. Ever. Yeah… paper doesn’t like water. If you get the pattern wet it will dry crinkly (like when the rain got to your paperback book). Then the pattern size won’t be accurate anymore. (word of warning…)
Have you or do you press your tissue paper patterns before using them? Any stories or wisdom to share? Post a comment below.
Diane Ullman
Tell us in more detail how you save patterns by fusing to interfacing. I have copied patterns to fabric backed wallpaper successfully but I always look for new, easier methods.
Thank you!
Doug Duncan
I don’t understand what u mean in number 5. :\
You only press a little of the pattern at a time, like each corner. Then turn to do the next corner. Don’t run the iron from top to bottom if it’s a larger piece. This is mainly for pieces that hang off the board. Your iron cord can rub against them and can tear the tissue or crinkle it worse. You also need to maintain a light hand to not burn the tissue paper. So ironing a little bit at a time and turning the pattern piece will get you the best flat-ironed pattern.
I iron my patterns, Because I can’t fold them to get them back into the packet, I fold them in large section and keep them in a manila folder.
Ironing pattern pieces was one of the first things my teachers (Mom, Grandmother & Grandma) taught me about sewing with patterns. It sorta became my job and I loved doing it. I still enjoy the feeling of satisfaction of looking at the expanse of a smoothly pressed sheet of pattern pieces. The only thing I do differently is to iron *before* I cut out the pieces because there are alterations I know I have to make that I can do right away depending on how the pieces are on the sheet. Saves on tape and time scrounging for tissue/interfacing/whatever to do the alterations with plus I positively HATE taping the fiddley bits of tissue to the main pattern because it almost always gets weird little wrinkles in it.
Also I try to do this before I put water in the iron because I was taught to empty the iron before putting it away but I’ll admit I frequently get lazy and don’t do this simple bit of matintance. And I really do need to invest in a cord holder so I can stop throwing the cord over my shoulder to keep it out of the way.
I sure do/have. It just comes naturally; been doing it since I was a little girl.
I’ve always ironed my tissue patterns – how the hell are you supposed to be able to cut accurately from them when they’re in a crinckley mess? I’ve found that a dry iron on the silk setting works perfectly. And thanks to Jennifer’s advice about ironing from the back, I’ll never have to deal with curly edges ever again!
I often iron tissue patterns. I have had great results. Especially inherited patterns that were not refolded neatly before being shoved in that tiny little envelope.
I have gotten into the habit of ironing my patterns, and I was excited to see you writing about the exact thing! I guess it just came natural as some of them are SO wrinkled, and I press wrinkled fabric so why not the patterns? Besides, I recall hearing my grandma talk about ironing wrapping paper before using it. 🙂 I did not realize there was a proper side to iron them on, though. Will be trying that this weekend. I also think it makes the tissue just a *leetle* bit more sturdy for some reason. I used a vintage pattern last week and the difference in the thickness of the tissue from 1982 to 2014 is terrible. 🙁 They are getting SO thin it is hard to use them!
Most of my patterns end up in a big yellow mailing envelope, with all the important info written on the outside and that tiny factory envelope tucked in with the pattern pieces for future reference. Restuffing them into the originals is no fun, unless it’s a baby dress or something and you have just a teeny tiny pile of tissue to wrangle. 😉
In addition to pressing my patterns I will fuse them to interfacing if I plan to use them more than once.