Nonnie, Now that makes sense. Get'er done so you use what's at hand. I remember needing to satin stitch a 1/4" strip to a quilt before I knew about fusibles. I scotch taped it in place sewed through the tape and picked out most of the tape with a tweezers. It worked. It's what I had.

I think the wax paper is an old method ... and you use to use it with a sheet of wax then sheet of some kind of typing paper under it to keep it from sticking to the surface. This was before freezer paper existed in it's present form. Our resident quilt expert Sylvia who is over 85 years old gives us mini lessons on quilting techniques from THE OLDEN DAYS. Most of the techniques were pretty much make do get it done type techniques... those were used on utility quilts.. .. Fancy technique were used on wedding and fancy quilts. ....

SIGNATURE QUILTS were made using the stabilizing methods.

Nonnie
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In the 1960's the girls ironed their hair between two sheets of waxed paper to make it straight, smooth and shiny. I think it left a residue in the hair.

I would have had the exact same reaction to that as you did. Sounds like a really bad idea to me!

I totally agree with Lois and Margo. We used to iron wax paper with leaves between to preserve them. We put a brown paper bag on the ironing surface and on top of the wax paper to protect the iron. The wax, once melted a bit onto the fabric, would not come off easily. I would not use it for stabilizing. I do however use lots of Freezer paper.

As for Atlanta - I think I can say with confidence, no, we don't think wax paper is the same as freezer paper here.

Connie, I think I'd been right there with you with my foot in my mouth. I have my doubts about waxed paper. I can't say for sure but I think freezor paper has a plastic coating and not wax. I think it softens over the fibers in the cloth but does not melt into them. I know from ironing waxed paper over Fall leaves that it does leave a wax residue on the leaf. I think the wax would melt into the fabric and stay there. I think for the most part the plastic -like coating on freezor paper only softens over the exposed fibers and completely pulls away from the fabric and stays on the paper other wise we couldn't use it over and over again. When it looses its ability to melt fast I think it's because so much lint has accumulated on the coating and not because the coating has melted into the fabric. I with Margo thinking wax on both side would be problamatic.

Would the wax wash out?

When we used to iron waxed paper over leaves and crayons for crafts we would put down a paper towel between the iron and the wax paper. Wouldn't that work well to iron the wax paper to your cloth? Use the paper towel as a pressing cloth.

gynconnie wrote:
I invert another plate or bowl over the food, or use a silicone hot pad if I'm heating a bowl. I don't like microwaving plastic either!

I'd like to hear about the waxed paper as backing though. I can't imagine that it would provide enough stability.

Thanks Connie!

Margo wrote: Actually, I do still keep waxed paper at home, and use it to cover food I'm reheating in the microwave (about as close as I get to "cooking" most days!). It prevents the food from exploding all over the inside of the microwave, but doesn't "shrink-wrap" it like heated plastic wrap tends to do. When we return home next week I'll do the waxed-paper-on-fabric experiment and report back.

Sounds like 'wax paper' in the states could be our 'greasproof paper' in uk, now here is a curious thing I was talking to my Dad the other day about different types of paper, and he mentioned that to make greasproof paper it was dipped in an (acid?) bath which 'melts' the outer surface of the paper and causes it to go translucent & shiny (all the molacules smooth out & join up) and this is what makes it 'grease' proof.

I will give it a whirl & report back. But as Wendy says, I go for the wrappers of reams of copier paper too, unfortunately they are not all suitable as I have found out to my cost

The paper that's shiny one side that comes round reams of computer paper works fine as well. I wonder if they meant that.

You know how soft drinks are called "soda" in some states, "pop" in others, "coke" for ANY flavor in yet others? I'm wondering if they call "freezer paper" by the name "waxed paper" in Atlanta area? After all, one side of freezer paper is "waxy".

I too, have both in my kitchen, although I no longer seem to use the waxed paper (wax on both sides) except for wrapping Parmigiano Reggiano for long-term storage in the fridge. (Recently I was trying to explain to an Italian friend how "biscuits" are not the word for "biscotti" in America, the word is "cookies"... and what American "biscuits" actually are... British English vs American have many cases where the words for X are totally different and mean Y in the other language.)

Whatcha think of this premise?