[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Sorry about the flattened Saral paper. Hopefully it doesn't effect it's usefulness, being just paper and all. I may have to invest in some sturdier packaging for those next year. Or maybe they are doomed no matter what, if royal mail insists on jumping up and down on your packages just to annoy us.

[paddy_babe]

no worries ryan they arent damaged, and will work fine, like you say its paper. yep royal mail are just a royal pain..... its all over the news now, stolen packages, non-deliveries, damaged goods (breakable ones).

I ordered the carving tool with my paper and that was fine

[St0ney]

Okay I'm going to admit - I have not read any of this thread.
And am tooo tired to do that Now.

So if this has been covered already Sorry !!

Saral Paper - this year I have had Trouble with this transfer Paper.

I use the BLUE - and the Last (3) Boxes the transfer is pretty Faded.
I think they put out a Bad Batch.

Now I just Opened a New Box last night, and the Blue is very Dark,
Like I'm used Too.

Anyone else Had this Problem - I know of a few of my members
that said the blue was Bad this year !

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I've used a few rolls this season, and sold hundreds of them. Haven't received a single complaint yet. If you did receive a bad batch, I would hope it was a rare fluke. But if anyone else had trouble, let me know.

Also, be sure you have your transfer paper facing the right way. A friend of my traced a whole pattern before realizing the paper was place on backwards.

[emilymegan]

Wow, after seeing that photo of the ET transfer, I'm sold on Saral paper !!

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Had my annual pumpkin carving party tonight. After having tried Saral Transfer paper for the first time last year, the first thing all my friends said was, "Where's that transfer paper. I am not poking little holes any more!"

[St0ney]

Also, be sure you have your transfer paper facing the right way. \

Maybe that was my Problem - LOL


Honestly it was like (3) Boxes/rolls that did not give a good transfer.
It was still usable - But very faded.

In the last oh 5 years - I must have gone through about 40 to 50 rolls of this stuff - and this year it was the first time with the fading.

I was Very happy that the Last roll - was Fine.
Rather it be a Bad Batch or a Fluke.
Than this is now what were putting out


Also Ryan: I had a Friend Call me up one time, he was putting up a cinder-block wall, and he could not get the block to sit right, on top of each other - he called me for I built my koi pond using over 600 Block, When I got to his house, I literary fell to the floor Laughing.

He was using Concrete - Instead of Morter.
HUGE Mistake - LOL

For those who don't know about masonry.

Concrete Has Stone in the Mix, and can not be used to layer Block or Brick.

[zombombie]

Got my very first roll of Saral paper today

Any tips on how best to use it? Am I best to tape the pattern and the transfer paper to the 'kin or is it easy enough to just hold it on?

Cheers for any advice!

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Edinburghzombie - definitely tape it. Both the pattern and the transfer paper.

Everyone has their own style, but this is what I usually do is this:

Cut the excess paper from around the pattern. Then lay it over the transfer paper, and cut around the transfer just slightly larger than the pattern itself. Like this, basically:



Then I tape the pattern to the transfer paper... and then both to the pumpkin securely. Also, always remember to have the light side of the transfer paper toward your pattern, and the dark blue side toward the pumpkin.

Be sure to trace all the lines before removing the pattern and transfer paper. A red ball-point pen would work great, since the ink color would show you where you've traced and where you haven't

Here are a couple photos of me carving the E.T. pattern so you can see the technique and final outcome of the tracing.

[zombombie]

Brilliant! Thanks very much for that

I really can't wait to try this - the main issue I have is choosing what pattern to try first....

I'll need to find some good tape - something not as brutal at tearing the paper as normal sellotape. I think I'd like to re-use the Saral paper - does that work alright or should I just use new pieces?

[Dadja]

I'll need to find some good tape - something not as brutal at tearing the paper as normal sellotape.

I use paper tape, like the one you use when painting.

I think I'd like to re-use the Saral paper - does that work alright or should I just use new pieces?

I always cut it the size of the whole paper, not just the pattern, and I reuse it. depends on the patterns of course, but I have used one piece for three patterns on more than one occasion. Of course, each time you reuse it, it's a bit less clear, but still manageable...

[zombombie]

I'll need to find some good tape - something not as brutal at tearing the paper as normal sellotape.

I use paper tape, like the one you use when painting.

I think I'd like to re-use the Saral paper - does that work alright or should I just use new pieces?

I always cut it the size of the whole paper, not just the pattern, and I reuse it. depends on the patterns of course, but I have used one piece for three patterns on more than one occasion. Of course, each time you reuse it, it's a bit less clear, but still manageable...

That's great - thanks for that

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I always cut it the size of the whole paper, not just the pattern, and I reuse it. depends on the patterns of course, but I have used one piece for three patterns on more than one occasion. Of course, each time you reuse it, it's a bit less clear, but still manageable...

Agreed, I meant to mention this. If you want to reuse a piece of transfer paper, cut a piece the size of the whole sheet of paper the pattern is on. Cutting around a specific pattern shape (as I often do) pretty much dooms that piece to not fit any other patterns.

When you reuse the transfer paper, lines where the blue substance had transferred to your previous pumpkin are no longer there, so that's part of the reason your future tracings may not be as clear. But as Dadja said, it's still manageable, especially on less complex designs. Experiment, see how many uses you can get!

The only reason I don't always try to reuse pieces of transfer paper is, I'm a bit spoiled, considering I'm surrounded by hundreds of rolls of the stuff.

[cuvers]

I bought some carbon paper but i here its not that effective on kin skin. has anyone tried it? i might have to buy some Saral.

i have been using carbon paper for years, hard to find these days tho, also use saral, it is easier to use than carbon paper, and you do not need to press hard at all for your pattern to come out perfectly

[cuvers]

Got my very first roll of Saral paper today

Any tips on how best to use it? Am I best to tape the pattern and the transfer paper to the 'kin or is it easy enough to just hold it on?

Cheers for any advice!

whenever i use carbon or saral paper i always staple my pattern to it, if you plan on re-using your paper just carefully take them out