How to get out of a sticky ironing situation

Life is short and time is precious; who wants to slown down with a gummed-up iron? Touch something sticky with the hot surface, and a quick ironing job turns into a clean-up effort—and who wants to clean?

What's that? You haven't heard that word "iron" in years? Ok, it's true. Most people don't like to iron (too much time and work), and plenty of people don't even own an iron. Today we are ironing less and less. Hooray—except we're missing out on some fun crafting.

Iron-on threads, patches, and sequins make decorating creative, fast and easy. They are good for quick holiday projects and quick costume embellishments. Use them for card making, scrapbooking, quilting, crafting, and home decor.

Side note here: Not to brag, but we make the best iron-on threads. There's no right or wrong side so you can twist, turn, write, flip, tie, etc. Plus they come in two sizes, a flat 1/8" Ribbon and a round Medium #16 Braid, that you can use on wood, fabric, and paper. The color range is good: holiday, earth-tone, and jewel shades of metallic plus glow-in-the-dark colors. They're fun and easy for getting the look of embroidery without actually stitching. We'll add links below for information and free project ideas.

So here is our Tip Of The Week:

Whether you're an ironing newbie or seasoned pro, this tool will make life better: an Adhesive Press Cloth. Sounds dreamy, doesn't it? It's actually perfect in its practicality: gives any iron a non-stick coating. Why is this important? Most craft irons aren't coated with Teflon™, the material that makes it non-stick, which means any adhesive (found in iron-on items) will quickly build up on your iron. This little press cloth fixes that problem. Less time messing with your iron means more time making fun stuff.

So as we continue the new year of Kreinik A to Z, with the goal of "Know more, grow more, create more," we offer details:

A is for Adhesive Press Cloth

• What is it: A non-stick surface you apply onto the plate of craft and household irons
• Why it's helpful: Keeps potential residue from iron-on decorations, threads, stabilizers, and starches from sticking to your iron
• How to use it:  Each piece of press cloth has a heat-resistant adhesive on one side. Peel off the yellow protective backing and stick the press cloth on your iron. Trim the edges if needed.

Sizes:

• Small (pack contains three pieces): 1 inch by 1 3/4 inches (ideal for small craft irons like the Clover Mini Iron)
• Medium (pack contains two pieces) : 2 inches by 2.5 inches
• Large (pack contains one piece): 5 inches by 9 inches (ideal for standard home irons)

Other tips:

• Apply it while the iron is cool, not plugged in, not in use.
• Lasts for a long time. Not really re-usable or re-positionable.
• For large household irons: use only on "dry" settings unless you poke steam holes in the material. Most people use an old iron or one they've dedicated to "dry" ironing only.
• If an air bubble occurs while applying the press cloth, use a pin to poke a micro-air-hole, then use your finger to smooth it out.

Where to get it:

• Available from some online sources, Keyword search: Adhesive Press Cloth
• Visit http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Iron-On-Threads/

More fun iron-on stuff:

• Free Iron-on Thread projects: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Iron-On-Thread-Projects/
• Iron-on thread how-to articles and videos: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Iron-On-Thread-c-501/