delicate fabrics?
07-23-2018, 02:22 AM
#11
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
Lightweight fusible interfacing will do what you need. The sales person at Joanne’s should be able to help you get the right one. The fusible is on one side, the other side is smooth & soft. Adds stability to lightweight fabrics and stretchy fabrics. I use it a lot on silks before cutting. They are Beautiful pieces. I hope you show us what you make. 
You fuse the interfacing to the back of the fabric, and use a pressing cloth ( I use muslin) following the instructions with the interfacing I’ve never had any problems with melting any fabric. Fusible interfacing is used on silks and many delicate fabrics all the time.
You fuse the interfacing to the back of the fabric, and use a pressing cloth ( I use muslin) following the instructions with the interfacing I’ve never had any problems with melting any fabric. Fusible interfacing is used on silks and many delicate fabrics all the time.
Last edited by ckcowl; 07-23-2018 at 02:25 AM.
07-23-2018, 02:36 AM
#12
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,614
Beautiful fabrics! Good luck with whatever you do, the fabrics have already stood up to wear and tear as garments. I'd also use fusible interfacing with a press cloth. If you have an embroidery machine, there are good crazy quilt programs out there that won't take forever or maybe your machine has lots of decorative stitches.
07-23-2018, 05:28 AM
#14
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Fairfield, OH
Posts: 3,694
My sister made a quilt out of sari fabric. She isn't the best seamstress and the blocks came out wonky. If all of the fabric can be washed and can stand up to the heat of an iron, I would probably back all of it with SF-101. It is a fusible interfacing that to me looks like cheap cotton fabric. I purchased a whole bolt with a good coupon at JoAnns some time ago. A lot of the sari fabric seems to stretch some. I too am not sure about using the fabrics with sequins in a quilt that will be used. Save those for a wall hanging. It will be a beautiful quilt. I can't wait to see it.
07-23-2018, 07:01 AM
#15
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: United Arab Emirates
Posts: 3
I really appreciate all the ideas; maybe what would be best is to try several of the techniques y'all have mentioned and see which one seems most workable. I think I would prefer a quilt we would use, but I'm not fully committed to that idea either..
My last trip home my mom had an old quilt made by my grandmother that she wasn't sure what to do with, it was a quilt of simple squares made from old fabrics and remnants and things, some of the squares had worn away with use (and age).. I found a pattern and we were able to turn the usable parts into a coat, which I love.. so now that I'm thinking of your comments, and that project, I'm keeping my mind open to other possibilities..
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598259[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]598260[/ATTACH]
My last trip home my mom had an old quilt made by my grandmother that she wasn't sure what to do with, it was a quilt of simple squares made from old fabrics and remnants and things, some of the squares had worn away with use (and age).. I found a pattern and we were able to turn the usable parts into a coat, which I love.. so now that I'm thinking of your comments, and that project, I'm keeping my mind open to other possibilities..
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598259[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]598260[/ATTACH]
Last edited by Kate Q; 07-23-2018 at 07:14 AM.
07-23-2018, 11:25 AM
#17
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Your coat is wonderful!
A lightweight fusible is a possibility. I can give you a brand that is lightweight and often used in silk tie quilts, but it will have to be later today when I can go find the bolt. The biggest issue with using a fusible is the possibility of melting the fabric, as fusibles require heat. What you would want to do is purchase just a yard of the fusible, use a piece of muslin or other fabric as a pressing cloth, and test the fusible on *each* of the fabrics before committing to it. This means you need to cut a test piece out of every one of the fabrics. It is the only way to know if the fusible will be safe for every fabric, and it will prevent you from ruining a large piece of fabric. What a fusible interfacing does is add stability to fabrics that tend to be slippery and/or stretch. It also adds substance to a fabric that is very thin and lightweight.
Using a heavy starch is an alternative way to stabilize the fabric so you can piece it. Because some of the fabrics are very thin, I would also line the entire quilt top with lightweight muslin before sandwiching. You would want an inexpensive, very lightweight muslin and you would want to wash and dry it twice before using to make sure it has shrunk completely. I would not line each block with muslin. Instead, I would wait until the entire top is finished, then spray baste the muslin to the entire quilt top. Then sandwich as usual and quilt. The quilting will permanently join the top to the muslin so that the fabric is stabilized even after you wash out the starch.
As long as all the fabrics used in the quilt have survived washing on their own, it's fine to mix the fabrics in a quilt. Because of the differences in fabric weights (some heavy, some light), I would always hand wash and lay the quilt flat to dry.
If you want a utility quilt rather than a show quilt, you might want to consider making two quilts -- one with all lightweight fabrics, and one with all heavier weight fabrics. This is because these fabrics will wear differently when subjected to actual use (such as sitting on the quilt, wrapping it around the body, etc.).
A lightweight fusible is a possibility. I can give you a brand that is lightweight and often used in silk tie quilts, but it will have to be later today when I can go find the bolt. The biggest issue with using a fusible is the possibility of melting the fabric, as fusibles require heat. What you would want to do is purchase just a yard of the fusible, use a piece of muslin or other fabric as a pressing cloth, and test the fusible on *each* of the fabrics before committing to it. This means you need to cut a test piece out of every one of the fabrics. It is the only way to know if the fusible will be safe for every fabric, and it will prevent you from ruining a large piece of fabric. What a fusible interfacing does is add stability to fabrics that tend to be slippery and/or stretch. It also adds substance to a fabric that is very thin and lightweight.
Using a heavy starch is an alternative way to stabilize the fabric so you can piece it. Because some of the fabrics are very thin, I would also line the entire quilt top with lightweight muslin before sandwiching. You would want an inexpensive, very lightweight muslin and you would want to wash and dry it twice before using to make sure it has shrunk completely. I would not line each block with muslin. Instead, I would wait until the entire top is finished, then spray baste the muslin to the entire quilt top. Then sandwich as usual and quilt. The quilting will permanently join the top to the muslin so that the fabric is stabilized even after you wash out the starch.
As long as all the fabrics used in the quilt have survived washing on their own, it's fine to mix the fabrics in a quilt. Because of the differences in fabric weights (some heavy, some light), I would always hand wash and lay the quilt flat to dry.
If you want a utility quilt rather than a show quilt, you might want to consider making two quilts -- one with all lightweight fabrics, and one with all heavier weight fabrics. This is because these fabrics will wear differently when subjected to actual use (such as sitting on the quilt, wrapping it around the body, etc.).
07-23-2018, 01:00 PM
#18
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: California, USA
Posts: 1,318
If you are planning on sharing your fabrics for the rest of the family as remembrance pieces, why not try to make some lined pillows out of the more delicate fabrics? I would be cautious/hesitant of making a quilt with such delicate fabrics, unless it would be something seen and not used, like a wall-hanging. You could make some pretty art type quilt wall-hangings out those beautiful fabrics.
07-23-2018, 01:14 PM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,735
Lots of good advice given. There are fusibles meant to be used on silks. You won't, however, find them at Joann's.
You don't state what level of quilter you are. If you are a beginner, I'd hesitate to take this on as the slippery fabrics and having to watch you iron temps, etc. will be a challenge. Getting a good 1/4" seam allowance on cotton fabrics is probably enough of a challenge for a beginner. If you have some experience, you might be able to accomplish it, but it will still be a challenge.
Another thing you might consider, is to make collages out of some of the fabrics and frame them. Putting the fabrics behind glass helps preserve them and keep them clean and unharmed. I've seen several of these done with partial pieces of fabric that were very striking.
You don't state what level of quilter you are. If you are a beginner, I'd hesitate to take this on as the slippery fabrics and having to watch you iron temps, etc. will be a challenge. Getting a good 1/4" seam allowance on cotton fabrics is probably enough of a challenge for a beginner. If you have some experience, you might be able to accomplish it, but it will still be a challenge.
Another thing you might consider, is to make collages out of some of the fabrics and frame them. Putting the fabrics behind glass helps preserve them and keep them clean and unharmed. I've seen several of these done with partial pieces of fabric that were very striking.
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