The Sewing Place

Tools of the Trade => The Haberdashery => Topic started by: Acorn on September 01, 2020, 14:48:11 PM

Title: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Acorn on September 01, 2020, 14:48:11 PM
I have just bought some of this believing it to be water soluble.  However, the instructions with it say that it should only be used on the wrong side of the fabric in case it doesn't wash out.  As I want it for transferring quilting designs onto blocks, using it on the reverse of the fabric is not an option!

Does anyone ahve any experience with it?  Is it normally washable or am I completely on the wrong track?  Oh, and any suggestions for transfer paper that definitely does wash out ?  I really don't want to have to make perforations and use powdered chalk.
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Syrinx on September 01, 2020, 15:03:09 PM
There are washable pens for quilting. I use frixion pens (which disappear with heat). You can also get weird soap type pens that wash out.

Pros Cons
Washable wash out, but they fade quite quickly so you have to quilt within the month of using really.

Frixion disappear with an iron, but the lines have been known to show a little if the piece is stored somewhere very cold. Also the best colours are black and blue. They don't fade over time.

Soap type things, wash out but give quite thick lines, may not show well on lighter fabrics.
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Acorn on September 01, 2020, 15:47:54 PM
I use water soluble pens for everything, they're great, but I need something that can transfer a design - not where I need to draw it freehand.
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Syrinx on September 01, 2020, 18:18:50 PM
Ah I forgot the important bit! Light tables ;) or make stencils. Transfer wise I don't know of anything guaranteed to twash out, though I have seen quilters use washout grids, but I freehand everything either machined or drawn so  not looked at them.

I'd recommend stencils then, or light table and washable pens.
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Acorn on September 01, 2020, 18:22:56 PM
Hmm.   :thinking:  I do have a light table, but it lives in the workshop on my stained glass bench, so it isn't as clean as I would like it to be for fabric.  That is not insurmountable though.  However, it would only work if I thought about it in advance and not once the quilt/block was sandwiched.

I would love to use stencils, but I'm having great trouble finding ones that have lines that are do-able in only a few passes - I have enough ends to sew in from broken threads!
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Syrinx on September 01, 2020, 18:24:36 PM
Why not make stencils you can draw so that you only have to follow drawn lines on the machine? Could get some made.

If you have the light table I'd go with that. I'd love a light table!
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Kad on September 01, 2020, 19:08:55 PM
@Acorn
I have a 'transfer pencil' , the idea being that you draw the design onto plain paper and then transfer it to your fabric by ironing - similar to those  embroidery design sheets that you can buy. I bought it ages ago from Jaycotts, it is made by Prym has a green lead and I've had no problems with washing it out when I've finished my creation. The only downside is that it doesn't show up on dark fabric.
Title: Re: Burda Dressmakers' Carbon Paper
Post by: Acorn on September 01, 2020, 19:35:07 PM
Ooh - thanks @Kad - I would just have assumed they wouldn't wash out.  I've just found one on Amazon.   :thumbsup: