Weird Question

[Pandabear]

My brain has decided to take a break tonight...so...

Can you use a ceramic tile wrapped with fabric as a pressing area? I want something small to fit on my table when I attempt paper piecing. I can't see a downside to using a piece of tile, but it's nagging at me anyway.

[WVGranny]

Re: Weird Question

the ceramic would tolerate the heat, anyone else know why this might not work

[WendyI]

Re: Weird Question

as long as it's flat enough it shouldn't be much of an issue.

[K. McEuen]

Re: Weird Question

How the tile has been fired would determine if it would tolerate the heat.

[Hulamoon]

Re: Weird Question

They make trivets out of tile, so I think your good to go!

[WendyI]

Re: Weird Question

I would also maybe put a piece of batting between the fabric and the tile? Might be too hard? i like a bit of a softer surface although the sturdiness would be good. Let us know how it works out!

[Blondie]

Re: Weird Question

I think as long as it has been fired and most are, it would be safe. But as our Wendy mentioned, I would envelope it in some fabric/batting combo. It wouldn't take much and it would be easier on your fabric I think.

[Slokarma]

Re: Weird Question

why do you want to use ceramic tile?

[ilive2craft2]

Re: Weird Question

I think it will work, but might be heavier than you need it to be, but if you aren't moving it around from place to place, I would go for it - with some batting and some cute duck cloth or cotton on it.

[Mchelem]

Re: Weird Question

Most ceramic tiles are kiln fired (1800 degrees) so they would be able to withstand the heat of your iron.

[madampolo]

Re: Weird Question

Use cotton batting.

[Hulamoon]

Re: Weird Question

I think it would be nice to have some kind of rubber feet on the bottom. I would be easier to pick up.

[Cat77]

Re: Weird Question

Won't the tile store the heat?

[Pandabear]

Re: Weird Question

I tested my tile. I placed cotton batting, doubled, on the tile then wrapped a piece of cotton fabric over it. Using my large iron with stream made the tile itself sweat. The moisture didn't come through the batting or the fabric, but I had put my hand beneath everything to see how hot the tile was. It wasn't hot at all, just a bit wet.

I went a purchased a Clover mini iron and tried that next and it worked well. For paper piecing I'll use that. It was nice being able to put on my small sewing table the tile, the cutting mat and the sewing machine all in a row. I won't be using the tile for larger ironing of course, but for small jobs it works well.

Someone asked up-thread why I wanted to use a piece of tile. Simple answer - it's what I have on hand. My hubby is a woodworker and when I went hunting though his stash all I found in a size I needed was the good wood. So say trying to talk him out of a piece of cherry so I can iron on it... yeah not so much.

Thanks for all the advice. It was very helpful.