How to Buy Cotton Quilting Fabric: Part 2

October 28, 2008 at 6:47 pm (Quilting Tips, fabrics)
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Here is the second part of last week’s article on how to buy cotton quilting fabric.

Not wanting to get too technical here, I’ll spare you all of the details, but suffice it to say that even with 100% cotton fabric, there is variety.

First there is the weave.

Poplin, chino, chenille and velveteen can all be 100% cotton. These fabrics are generally heavier than traditional quilting fabric, and may have a particular texture in their finish – like the fuzzy velveteen. They would be fine used in large pieces, but you wouldn’t want to try to make ½” strips from any of these fabrics.

Good Quilting Fabrics

Broadcloth or plain-weave cotton – this medium weight fabric can be sewn easily, without slipping and sliding, and allowing smooth (and not bulky) seam allowances.

Homespun – this fabric is woven with already-dyed threads. Generally these fabrics are solids, plaids, stripes, or checks.

Flannel quilting fabric is woven using a bulkier cotton thread, and can seem kind of fuzzy. (Nice quilting fabric for a baby or a cold winter night.)

Chintz – this fabric has a high thread count and a glazed finish. Although it adds some interest to your quilt, the thread count presents some challenges to hand quilting, it may pucker as you sew, and pins and needles may cause permanent holes – not too attractive in a finished quilt.

Pima – this fabric is a very high quality cotton, ranking right up there with Egyptian cotton. It has a special, elegant feel to it, and the Pima cotton I have used has a high thread count.

Thread Count

You could get very familiar with all of the numbers and learn all about statistics. Then the numbers on the end of the bolt would mean something to you. If the numbers are there. I have found that often those stats are not on the bolt ends.

Or, you could do a 10 minute study in a fabric shop and see the difference. Some fabrics have more threads per inch than others. If you hold a single piece of the fabric up to the light, some can be easily seen through. Those have a loose weave. They may be really pretty, but they usually do not make a pretty quilt.

Always stay away from fabric with a loose weave. Flannels are the most guilty of that behavior. Some of them have such a loose weave, that it feels like they will fall apart in my hands. If the weave is too loose, the quilting stitches cause the threads in the fabric to break, leaving holes in your quilt. Another possibility is that the batting will “beard” – fibers of the batting will start migrating to the outside of your quilt through the threads. This results in a quilt with hairs (a beard). There’s not much to be done about that.

On the other hand, fabric with high thread counts tend to be more difficult to hand quilt.

Front or Back?

Most fabric is colored using a printing process – kind of like printing a newspaper. If you look at the wrong side of the fabric, it could be completely white (I will not buy fabric like that, since [to me anyway] that tends to be cheap quilting fabric that will remain stiff or will fall apart in a quilt.)

Sometimes the dye on printed fabric actually goes through to the back, so it is difficult to tell which is the right side and which is the wrong side.

Then there is batik quilting fabric. The process for batik involves dying the fabric in vats of dye, and the fabric threads absorb the color (except where wax is applied to prevent the color from absorbing).

Since Homespun fabric is made from already-dyed threads, it looks the same on the front and back.

Consider the quilt

In choosing your fabric, it helps to consider the quilt you are making. A quilter asked me once whether she should use only homespun fabric to make a rag quilt, since both sides of the fabric will show in the exposed seam allowances. This is certainly a consideration. If that makes a difference to you, then you should use only homespun fabric. It could be that the white of the back of the fabric will add some interest to the fringed seams.

I hope that article helps your decision in getting the right cotton fabric for your quilt

 

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

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How to Buy Cotton Quilting Fabric – Part I

October 24, 2008 at 8:48 pm (Quilting Tips, fabrics)
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I look at a few different things when I consider fabrics to buy.

Generally I prefer natural fibers. It’s probably a sense of connecting to quilters of yesteryear. Or it may be that a comment made to me years ago about “wrapping a baby in plastic (polyester)” just stuck with me – in a negative sense.

While I prefer natural fibers, I have made some fun quilts that include lame, and an occasional polyester or poly/cotton blend, because it offered some design benefit that I couldn’t find in cotton – like a sports logo.

This is one of a series of articles about different types of fabric quilters use in their quilts. For simplicity, I will focus on the natural fibers cotton, wool and silk. I have used them all (although not in the same quilt). So you will get my firsthand experience and observations. Personal opinion as it is.

Since you can go online and find plenty of articles and websites that describe the fascinating way fabric is made and dyed, I’ll let them do the describing about that, and I will focus just on what quilters want to know – how will it be working with that type of fabric?

Since 100% cotton fabric is clearly the most popular quilting fabric, let’s start there.

There are several specific reasons quilters prefer 100% cotton:

• Cotton is easy to work with. After you sew a seam, you can easily finger press your seam allowances in the direction you want them to go. (That means that your fabric will stay put without pressing it every step along the way.)

• Cotton sticks together while you sew your pieces. Polyester tends to slip and slide, requiring pinning or basting, lest your patches end up being sewn all cockeyed.

• Cotton has a little “give” to it that synthetics don’t have. This allows you to pull and tug a bit (as well as bunch it up a little) in order to get the seams to match and make your corners square.

• Cotton breathes. Whether you are making a baby quilt or a bed quilt, 100% cotton fabric will allow air to circulate while capturing the warmth. How this works is just a mystery to me, but it seems to be true.

• Cotton absorbs the dyes better. Maybe it’s just me, but I think that the colors are more vibrant and the patterns have more depth.

• Cotton is durable. It has stood the test of time and constant use.

• Cotton can be torn (or ripped). Although this can be a benefit or a drawback, it means that you will be able to determine exactly how the fibers line up. You will be able to “square up” the edge just torn, since it will not rip across the threads.

Update: A reader suggested one very important benefit of cotton is resistance to fire compared to fabrics like polyester. I agree with him. (Thank you Rajesh for that input)

Part II explores the types of 100% cotton fabric, and some of the considerations as you purchase and use these fabrics in your quilts.

 

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

 

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Quilting Tip: Thread Count

October 23, 2008 at 7:59 pm (Quilting Tips)
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Thread count is the number of threads per square inch in the fabric. It determines the quality and weight of the fabric.

Threads are counted for both the length and width of the fabric. If there are the same number of threads in both directions, the fabric is an “even weave.” Fabrics with an even weave are easier to work with as you make a quilt, since the fabric will have the same amount of “give in both directions.

Quilting cotton is generally 68 x 68 threads per square inch, higher than average fabrics. Fabrics with lower thread counts, those around 60 x 60 per square inch are too lightweight for quilts. They tend to ravel excessively, they will shrink more, they will be less durable, and batting will come through the weave in your finished quilt.

High thread counts and extremely tight weaves can be difficult to work with, especially if you are hand quilting. Although it is tempting to use a sheet for the backing of a quilt, the finish and thread count may make it very difficult to work with.

I remember one year I was very excited to find some high quality Pima cotton. I bought a bunch of it, in all different colors, and made a beautiful quilt. It was an Amish-type Ocean Waves. Cutting the fabric was a dream. These were the days before rotary cutting, and I was cutting the fabric with scissors. Sewing the fabric on the machine was wonderful. Basting it was great. Then came the quilting.

Hand quilting was not pleasant at all. The thread count was so high, that quilting was almost a nightmare. I tried everything – smaller needles, sharper needles, bigger thimble, whatever I could dream up. But nothing made any difference. I just gutted it out, and finished it, because I loved the feel of the fabric and the design of the quilt.

I love the quilt, but won’t ever use Pima cotton again.

So make sure you check the thread count before you start quilting away!

 

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

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To Pre-wash or not to Pre-wash?

October 22, 2008 at 8:57 pm (Quilting Tips)
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It is recommended that quilters always pre-wash their fabric – for many reasons:

1) To remove all of the sizing (chemicals) the manufacturers add to the fabric to make look more attractive, prevent wrinkles, and make it come off the bolt easier in the store. Although it makes the fabric easier for them to handle, sizing makes the fabric a little stiffer and more difficult for quilters to handle; plus it may leave a residue on your needles and thread as you are sewing.

2) Fabric with a high cotton content will shrink – even if it says it is pre-shrunk. (We all know about the pre-shrunk jeans that don’t fit any more after one washing! Eeek!) Since not all cottons are born ‘equal,’ they don’t shrink ‘equal’ either. That means that some cotton fabric will shrink 1%, other cotton fabric will shrink 3% or possibly more. The result is that once your quilt is washed, the fabrics will exert their own shrinking personality, and you will have a quilt that has puckers – and some patches will pucker more than others.

3) The color bleeds out of some fabric; and may deposit itself into other fabric. Reds, blues, yellows and purples are famous for sharing their beauty with whites, muslins, and tans. Translation – the beautiful, bright white in your quilt may end up with a pink, blue, yellow or lavender haze, if the excess color is not removed from the colored fabric.

4) Many people are allergic to the dyes and sizing in new fabrics.  It causes all kinds of reactions that most times go “undiagnosed” in fabric shoppers.  The sypmtoms can be anything from itchy/burning/tearing eyes, sneezing all the way to wheezing. For health reason, I would definitely recommend pre-washing the fabrics especially if you or your loved ones have delicate and sensitive skin.

Some like that puckered look when fabrics are not pre-washed. I understand completely liking the puckered look; I love it! It makes a quilt look well-loved and handmade. And I am always happy when my quilts develop that look, whether it is the first time they are washed or after several years. I would do almost anything to make sure that my quilts (although maybe not my wallhangings) could have that look of love. I just wish I could figure out a way to get the sizing and excess color out of the fabric without washing it before I sew.

 

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

 

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Quilting Lesson #4: Selecting Fabric – Wool

October 21, 2008 at 4:37 pm (Quilting Tips)
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Continuing from where I left off, today we’ll be covering another common fabric type that is commonly used in quilting – Wool.  These quilts are outstanding for cold weather.

Wool retains heat extremely well. Wool probably retains heat better than cotton, and has the same wicking properties (they draw moisture away from your body and allows it to evaporate.) Wool quilts were very common during the Civil War, and were credited with saving many lives during the harsh winters.

Wool is a little more difficult to work with than cotton.
Because it is generally thicker (each thread of wool is thicker than each thread of cotton), the seam allowances don’t finger press well, and will require pins to keep them in place.

Because of the thickness, the quilt will be bulkier, and it may require a stronger sewing machine needle to sew through all of the layers.

Hand quilting is different because of the thickness of the fabric and also the weave. Some wools have fewer threads per inch than cotton, so your quilting stitches should be longer, and you may want to use a thicker thread.

Until recently, wool was mostly “Dry Clean Only.”
Each strand of wool has little barbs on it. When they become wet and agitated (as in a washing machine), the barbs join together, never to be separated. This is called “felting,” and creates a piece of fabric or quilt that is about 1/3 its original size. very disappointing if you have spent hours on the project and were hoping to would remain the same size.

New wool is on the market that they say is washable and will not shrink. Using a new biotech process, wool can be treated so it is washable in your home washing machine and will not shrink. This is a great benefit, and will require quilters to know the difference and which wool they have, so a tragic mistake is not made.

Wools tend to be more expensive than cotton, and the variety of colors and patterns available is somewhat limited. As quilters venture into other types of fabric, the selection is increasing, so look for a wider variety of wool in the future – including hand-dyed wools.

With all of its challenges, wool makes great quilts. They are cuddly and warm, and drape very nicely. Try wool batting in the quilt for a 100% wool quilt.

 

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

 

Source: How-To-Quilt

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Quilting Lesson #3: Selecting Fabric – Silk

October 16, 2008 at 11:00 pm (Quilting Tips)
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As promised, today is all about silk.

Silk quilts are relatively unusual although not totally unheard of. Silk tie quilts have been popular for many years, and silk quilts made from kimonos are also relatively popular.

Working with silk sounds very elegant – the fabric drapes really well, and it feels wonderful – yet it presents its challenges.

Silk fibers are very strong. There are some real benefits to its strength – the quilts are durable and the threads will not break easily.

Because of the strength of the fibers, silk fabric does not finger press well. To ensure flat seams, you need to press frequently while you are piecing, or pin the seam allowances in place prior to sewing.

Silk fabric may retain pinholes. Using regular size pins and needles to sew silk may result in pinholes you can’t get rid of. There are special silk pins to use for pinning. And for machine stitching, use a thinner sewing machine needle.

Silk fabric is slippery and doesn’t retain its shape. One of the things that makes silk so nice is that you can drape it, gather it, fluff it, and many other things. The problem is that when you try to sew it, the fabric slides around. Without tons of pins, the resulting piecing can be completely misshapen.

One solution is to iron a lightweight interfacing on each individual piece. One option is to iron the interfacing onto the entire piece of fabric and then cut the individual pieces from that. The interfacing adds some bulk to the seams and makes it a little more difficult to press the seam allowances to one side.

Another option is to cut the interfacing into individual shapes, without the seam allowances. Then iron the interfacing pieces onto the wrong side of the silk fabric, remembering to leave at least ½ “ between the pieces of interfacing to allow for the ¼” seam allowances. This takes extra time, and may be worth it. Your project will be less frustrating to sew and will probably be the shape you want it to be.

Silk fabric is higher priced and not as easy to find as other fabrics. Because of the cost, many fabric stores do not carry silk at all, or may have a limited selection of solid colors. Using kimonos or ties, available at some second-hand clothing stores, is an option.

Using these types of clothing for fabric presents its challenges. In addition to working around the seams and finding expanses of fabric that are large enough for your pieces, it helps to pay attention to the straight grain and cross grain of the fabric. Without selvedges, this is a little more difficult.

Final thoughts. With all of its challenges, silk makes a fabulous quilt or wall hanging. Silk quilts are unusual and highly prized. The colors of silk fabric tend to be more vibrant than cotton or wool. In addition, you can use silk batting in your quilt, and make it 100% silk.

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

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Quilting Lesson #2: Selecting Fabric – Cotton

October 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm (Quilting Tips)
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Today, I’d like to introduce the different types of quilting fabrics you can use for quilting. Naturally, I chose cotton as the first post.

Most quilters use 100% cotton fabric for their patchwork quilts. While part of the reason has to do with tradition, another part is due to what is practical.

Cottons tend to shrink at the same rate as each other. Most natural fabrics will shrink at least a little bit, even though the manufacturer has pre-shrunk the material. Blends will shrink at different rates than natural fibers, and 100% synthetics will shrink very little or not at all.

By mixing cotton fabric with cotton-polyester blends and synthetics, when you wash your finished quilt, you may end up with some very strange puckering. Some patches may be all puckered up, while others are perfectly flat.

Cottons are easy to sew. Many quilters finger press their patches and blocks as they quilt, and only iron (or press) their quilt when they have large sections complete. Along with way as they are sewing, they will “finger press” their work.

Finger pressing is just using your fingers to fold over a seam allowance before sewing it to another piece.

100% cotton fabric is more likely to stay folded over when finger pressed. Blends and synthetics will just keep popping up – they want to be straight, not folded over.

Why does that matter? It’s easier to quilt when the seams lie flat and are on one side of the stitching. Twists in the seam allowances add bulk to the quilt top and will cause your quilting stitches to be uneven.

Cotton breathes. Cotton, like other natural fibers, retains heat, so it keeps you warm, whit it “wicks.” Wicking is when the fabric draws moisture away from your body and allows it to evaporate. Synthetic fabrics capture both heat and moisture – you will be warm and also sweaty.

Cottons are reasonably priced, readily available and come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. Most fabric shops have a large selection of cotton fabrics. With the popularity of quilting, many shops have all of the 100% cottons in one section of the store, making it much easier for quilters to shop. Many cities and towns have quilting shops that carry only 100% cotton fabrics. And shopping online expands the variety even further.

Next in line will be silk!

Get your quilting supplies at Texas Quiltworks now. We have a wide range to offer you at affordable prices.

Enjoy!

Texas Quiltworks.com

Source: How-to-Quilt.com

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