WTH Is a Press Cloth, for Iron on Letters?!

Updated on December 11, 2011
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
8 answers

I obviously do not own a press cloth, because I don't know what the heck it is.

Can I substitute this for something else, like a towel or old sheet or something?

I'm trying to iron on the letters for the kids jammies from Santa, and the instructions tell me to use a press cloth...

Oh, and I did google it, it said substitute it for muslin fabric... yep, don't know what the hell that is either.

What can I do next?

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So What Happened?

LOL Theresa, Martha Stewart, I am not ;)

I figured it was pretty much just anything to be used as a protective barrier... right?

Stupid iron ons.

Featured Answers

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N.W.

answers from Eugene on

Sometimes a little melted adhesive escapes from the iron ons so I always use an old towel or something that won't be ruined by a little stickiness. I find it helps to spritz the press cloth with a little water before ironing. The steam helps the letters to stick.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Tehehe, I've just used a washcloth to lay over the iron on things so the patches wouldn't move or burn. Or a sock. Or an old tee shirt.

You're so fun, R.!

:)

5 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

a pillow case works well for a press cloth.

3 moms found this helpful
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H.W.

answers from Portland on

You are right, R., it's smooth cloth that's meant to protect any unfinished edges while you are ironing the cloth. You can actually google it. I just did.

http://www.ehow.com/about_###-###-####_iron-press-cloth_....

All you ever wanted to know about a press cloth!

3 moms found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I just use a hand towel. You just need something to keep them from melting and/or moving.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I wouldn't be without a press cloth, but you can substitute using a tea towel, like muslin, or a thin towel with most of the nap gone, yes an old pillow case or sheet will work..

A press cloth can be purchased at a fabric store or where they sell sewing items. A press cloth is ideal for use on anything that you don't want to "shine" after ironing. Dress clothes, suits, silks, knits, wool, corduroy, suede or anything that can melt if iron too hot.

Take a trip through JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, or any fabric store or quilt shop to learn about fabrics, and muslin. Muslin doesn't have lint like some cottons and is used in many things.

Back in the "antique days", flour, sugar and seeds used to come in sacks made out of muslin, which they used to bleach the sacks and use them to make clothing and other things. Some can be almost heavy as canvas and some very thin and light weight. Muslin made great Dish towels, often called "tea" towels. It was absorbant and no lint like terry cloth. Women often made fancy edgings and embroidery for decorations and gave them as gifts, used in picnic baskets and wrapping baked goods, besides using to dry dishes.

1 mom found this helpful

E.M.

answers from St. Joseph on

we just bought the iron on letter for our new christmas stockings a few weeks ago. we also didnt have/know what a press cloth was. so we just used a big cloth napkin instead. worked like a charm!

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I find that terrycloth (towels and washcloths) is too thick and fuzzy for this and can "catch" on the adhesives on the press-ons.

Use an old-fashioned man's handkerchief, thin non-terrycloth dishtowel, or old pillowcase--something thin and soft. It prevents adhesives from the iron-ons from sticking to the iron, which would ruin both the iron and the clothing you're working on. The iron can be cleaned but the clothes might end up with goopy, twisted letters you have to peel off (and might not be able to get off completely) if you don't use a press cloth. Good luck!

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