Ironing Aida Cloth Suggestions Please

whitewitch

What are suggestions for ironing Aida cloth?  My eyes (even with my glasses) have a hard time with anything smaller than 16 count Aida & Aida always comes with very hard folds.  I have scorched fabric in the past.  My newest way of doing it was wetting the whole cloth and trying to dry it flat under books.

Suggestions please??
Thanks!

KatharinaV-NL

:D Wetting the cloth + adding good old fashioned pressure is just the right thing before stitching!

Starch in cloth is to keep the holes open and the fabric neat while in the shop for a long period of time.
After stitching just wash it and the starch comes out.
Holes are more closed now too.

Just iron it from the back while still a little damp.
Pressure from the iron onto the fabric is more important than a high temperature setting.

In general it's better not to use fabric softener or starch on finished pieces:
those chemicals can have a negative effect on the natural fibres over a longer period of time. It can even make them desintegrate.
But it's never a problem with a bit of embroidery on e.g. a childs clothing ofcourse.

d3lta

I have stitched on 100% cotton aida for years. Before I start stitching I always wash with liquid soap then rinse well and in a final rinse use ONLY a tablespoon of fabric softener then iron using a pressing cloth and hot steam iron. I have never had a problem with the aida. I do find the fabric softener helps eliminate the folds. I also repeat the process after my work is complete and have had no issues with thread bleeding but I ONLY use DMC branded thread.

d3lta

When my aida cloth has hard folds I usually soak in a mixture of fabric softener and cold water for one hour then iron using steam and a press cloth. If that doesn't work to remove the folds I dampen again a place on a cookie sheet into the freezer for one hour then iron again with a press cloth. The reason for the press cloth when ironing is to prevent the aida from scorching. Hope this helps you as it has always helped me. Happy stitching

Flirti

wash your finished project in lukewarm soapy water and rinse it, i make sure that most water is out from the fabric and then I use a towel to lay it flat. after Airdrying, I us a wet towel and iron my fabric, I don´touch my fabric with the hot iron!

JMajcher

If you don’t have a pressing cloth, keep the iron moving. Use a steam setting on dry aida, or wet it thoroughly, then iron it dry.

alpacastitcher

Wetting the aida to release some of the starch is a good start. Steam ironing while still wet would help a lot!

mardy

I use a steam iron and a pressing cloth over the aida

snaker00

Very nice ! Thank you for sharing !

htsear13

Following this thread

Knitpurlsm

Thanks for the info!

sallimac

i have a cloth, kind of like a shamwow.  wash the fabric and than place this on top and iron it.  it helps soak up the water and kind of steam it.  ill have to look to see if i am find a link.  before i use to stitch and than iron.  i found that just having the fabric stretched out on a frame for a few days helped relax the creases.  

aries

I try to buy rolls of fabric, rather than folded packages.  I read that you can put the Aida in water, take it out, roll it up in a towel and freeze it, then unroll and iron it, but I have not tried this method.  I would try a small piece, a leftover scrap and see if it works.  

stitcherex

I find that ironing aida while it's still damp helps to straighten out the creases.  Start with warm iron, increasing the heat gradually.

If the aida is dry, try misting it just like you would when ironing cotton shirts.  Have not tried steam iron, might be a bit too hot for aida & the threads.

I always start with a little corner to test - better have a wrinkly piece of heirloom than one 'well done' ! I feel that each piece of aida (even if cut from the same large piece) behaves differently through the passage of time, not to mention different types of detergent I use, as well as different hardness of water.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
p

whitewitch

aries replied at 2013-3-5 02:20

                               
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I try to buy rolls of fabric, rather than folded packages.  I read that you can put the Aida in wate ...

I try to buy rolls too, but unfortunately, colors & count in rolls are extremely limited.  You have to buy the yardage to get the good colors from the good manufacturers.

maureen1959

I place a towel over the damp Aida and iron it. Works well for me :D

bduport

I know lots of you will have white hair reading the following but... I actually do wash the Aida cloth. In the washing machine :funk: (I can't work with the starched tissue and anyway I use a frame to keep it properly streched) and then steam iron it as any "normal" cotton cloth. Never had any issue with, as long as I'm sure the Aida is 100% cotton (which is typically the case).
Hope this help.
B.

whitewitch

bduport replied at 2013-3-6 20:03

                               
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I know lots of you will have white hair reading the following but... I actually do wash the Aida clo ...

I was wondering if I could do something similar (or maybe exactly the same as you).  For all my 100% cotton fabric, I always pre-shink by putting the fabric into a water only rinse cycle.  I then toss it in the dryer.  

Has anyone done this???  And if so, should dryer sheets not be used (and why - I'm dense)?

R Lee

I've never had a problem. I hand wash then hang it on clip coat hangers (the ones for trousers) till nearly dry then put a fluff towel on the ironing board to protect the stitching and iron it upside down on medium heat, no steam. Is your fabric specialty with metallic threads or something? If not, then maybe you are just ironing too hot. I find less heat, more ironing time is always safer.

seb0357

I have several pieces that have been washed, so thanks for the info on different ways to get the wrinkles out without destroying them.