A method for making a flexible film having pressure sensitive adhesive protected from inadvertent adherence. The method coats a forming screen with an interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive and places a piece of flexible film in contact with the layer of adhesive. The layer of adhesive preferentially adheres to the piece of flexible film. The forming screen has a plurality of recesses therein. The coating step applies the layer of adhesive without bridging the recesses. Another step forms the piece of flexible film to create a plurality of protrusions extending into the recesses. The plurality of protrusions are registered with the interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive by virtue of using the same screen to transfer adhesive and to form protrusions. The forming screen may be wrapped around a rotating drum and the piece of flexible film may be a portion of a continuous web of flexible film. Preferably, the plurality of protrusions are conical, with a base diameter of 0.015 inches to 0.030 inches, a center-to-center spacing of 0.03 to 0.06 inches, and a protrusion height of 0.004 to 0.012 inches.