I could cry right now.
11-16-2010, 08:15 PM
#251
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 1,015
Well Deema, if I were your MIL, I would be proud to accept that quilt from you. It really beautiful and the fact that you worked so hard on it means everything. Give it to her with your head held high!
11-16-2010, 08:45 PM
#252
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
That is a lovely quilt. I like it even more with the 'bloom' effect. I like it when my quilts do that. I always allow extra size just to off set the shrinkage. If you are truly distressed by it, I would consider just adding a 4-6 inch ruffle around the edge to hide the oops! I hope this helps. :)
11-16-2010, 08:50 PM
#253
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Currently Mosquito (which is outside of Placerville) California
Posts: 752
Originally Posted by deema
Here are pics...Gah. It doesn't look NEARLY as bad in the pics as it does in person...
11-16-2010, 11:39 PM
#254
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Castle Hill, Maine
Posts: 32
Being new to this mode of communication, I see that my response is late. However, more quilts are to be made. My question is, "how do you wish it to look?"
Do you want it to look as a pressed dress shirt? If so, don't wash it. But, keep in mind that all the dirt picked up during the process of making it remains in it.
What is wrong with puckering? All the natural materials used will shrink to one degree or another, and in varying amounts with each wash. Those of us old enough to recall wash days in years passed will remember having to pull fabric hard as it was ironed to make it lay flat. Hard to do when attempting to iron three layers. The puckering actually captures air which helps its insulatng factor, thus making it a warmer covering.
If you washed the quilt in the washing machine, that is a "no no". Quilt seams are very narrow. The agitating action of the machine can be strong enough to pull out the seams, thus a worse mess than puckering could ever be. Wash the quilt in the bath tub in which you use a very mild detergent in warm. not hot water. Using a gentle swishing motion, move the quilt to and fro, squeeze out, do not wring, as much water as much water as possible as the water goes down the drain. Rinse several times in either luke warm or cold water until no suds come forth. Squeeze, but do not wring as much water out of it as possible. Handle very carefully as wet fabric is very fragil. Put the quilt into the washing machine on the spin cycle. Once the spinning is finished, take the quilt out, lay it on a flat surface to dry. Do not dry it in the dryer as the heat will cause more shrinkage, thus more of the puckering which made you so ashamed.
The pictures you showed of what you considered to be a disaster leads me to believe that you are far too critical. The quilt looks very charming, and well done. Certainly, your mother-in-law should appreciate your thoughtfulness, and the time you spent to make her a work of art which she can display, and use, very proudly.
An addendum: Keep away from polyester, even small amounts. I used to have a fabric store, back in the days when polyester was the greatest invention since bread slicing machines. Some people who came into the store only had to walk by the fabrics with polyester in them to get a physical reaction--hives! True, fabrics with polyester in them look nice, but 100% cotton looks so much better.
Dana
Do you want it to look as a pressed dress shirt? If so, don't wash it. But, keep in mind that all the dirt picked up during the process of making it remains in it.
What is wrong with puckering? All the natural materials used will shrink to one degree or another, and in varying amounts with each wash. Those of us old enough to recall wash days in years passed will remember having to pull fabric hard as it was ironed to make it lay flat. Hard to do when attempting to iron three layers. The puckering actually captures air which helps its insulatng factor, thus making it a warmer covering.
If you washed the quilt in the washing machine, that is a "no no". Quilt seams are very narrow. The agitating action of the machine can be strong enough to pull out the seams, thus a worse mess than puckering could ever be. Wash the quilt in the bath tub in which you use a very mild detergent in warm. not hot water. Using a gentle swishing motion, move the quilt to and fro, squeeze out, do not wring, as much water as much water as possible as the water goes down the drain. Rinse several times in either luke warm or cold water until no suds come forth. Squeeze, but do not wring as much water out of it as possible. Handle very carefully as wet fabric is very fragil. Put the quilt into the washing machine on the spin cycle. Once the spinning is finished, take the quilt out, lay it on a flat surface to dry. Do not dry it in the dryer as the heat will cause more shrinkage, thus more of the puckering which made you so ashamed.
The pictures you showed of what you considered to be a disaster leads me to believe that you are far too critical. The quilt looks very charming, and well done. Certainly, your mother-in-law should appreciate your thoughtfulness, and the time you spent to make her a work of art which she can display, and use, very proudly.
An addendum: Keep away from polyester, even small amounts. I used to have a fabric store, back in the days when polyester was the greatest invention since bread slicing machines. Some people who came into the store only had to walk by the fabrics with polyester in them to get a physical reaction--hives! True, fabrics with polyester in them look nice, but 100% cotton looks so much better.
Dana
11-17-2010, 04:59 AM
#256
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 823
I am so sorry you have this problem.
I am sure you are not to blame it's the batting.
When I managed QS one of my friends/teachers and I collected several brands of batting and washed and tested them one of the popular name brands fell apart. We were shocked and removed it from the shop. Batting is the key to a beautiful.
Good luck
I am sure you are not to blame it's the batting.
When I managed QS one of my friends/teachers and I collected several brands of batting and washed and tested them one of the popular name brands fell apart. We were shocked and removed it from the shop. Batting is the key to a beautiful.
Good luck
11-17-2010, 11:58 AM
#258
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 14
You just can't see the problem in the picture. However, if you really dislike it, calm down...and take out the seam ripper and pull the top off. Iron it flat, and use new batting.
If you just can bear to do that, could you make a tablerunner? Are there parts of it that you could salvage? Could you bear to pull out enough of the quilt to make a runner? (and maybe placemats later)
Nikki
If you just can bear to do that, could you make a tablerunner? Are there parts of it that you could salvage? Could you bear to pull out enough of the quilt to make a runner? (and maybe placemats later)
Nikki
11-17-2010, 01:18 PM
#260
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Happy Valley, South Australia
Posts: 186
I think I have read every post on this topic because one never knows what's around the corner, and have made a couple of comments along the way. It is a beautiful quilt and there is a lot of advise to compute, but in the end it is you who made the quilt, your knowledge of your MIL and your capabilities and your gut feelings that will probably be the decision makers. Your decision is the right decision.
Please, it would be nice to know the outcome of this topic.
Please, it would be nice to know the outcome of this topic.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RkayD
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
5
11-09-2010 11:27 AM
