Peckish

1. Don't panic.
2. Wait for your panel to arrive and inspect it.
3. If needed, use a stabilizer.
4. Enjoy.

I know of quite a few quilters who have used silk in quilts quite successfully. A LOT of them are professional and/or show quilters, such as Alex Anderson and Lisa Calle. Don't be intimidated!

I did a Google search for "how to use silk in quilts". I think this will be a valuable resource for you and will help ease your fears.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...utf-8&oe=utf-8

Can't wait to see your quilt! Please don't let my husband see it, I already have enough UFOs....

Gay

It's perfectly acceptable to use silk in quilting, you just need to use a soft iron-on stabiliser or interfacing, or even a thin adhesive batting. Jenny Haskins of machine embroidery fame uses silk in her quilts, cushions and such all the time, and loves it.

Bree123

Cindy Needham recommends using Bosal #300 (http://www.bosalonline.com/woven-interfacing-fusible).

It was demo'ed at one of our guild meetings. It seems pretty awesome. I've seen it used with both silk & linen. I am saving up to buy extra wide dupioni silk to make a large whole cloth quilt for my bed and that's what I'm planning to use. Bosal is 100% cotton so the back won't be so slippery.

katybob

I'm working on a quilt right now that has pieces of silver lame' in it. (My granddaughter loves bling.) I did a little research and backed the lame' with fusible tricot before I started cutting it. After adding the tricot, the fabric was as easy to work with as any good quality cotton.

Tartan

The QB thread with a link to using neck ties in a quilt, recommended Pellon feather weight iron in stabilizer. I think this would work for your panel as well to stabilize it IF it was a panel you can iron the stabilizer to.

melodyr

I know exactly what this map looks like. I've contemplated purchasing it a number of times now. I'm a huge fan of ASOIAF too...the HBO show is ok, but have read the entire book series 9 times now. I'm pretty much a student of GRRM's work and want to make a quilt as well. (I can tell you family trees, ancestral swords, house words and have my own theories as to how it will ultimately end. I've held off in purchasing the Westeros map because it is silk, so am curious if it works up ok. Instead, my vision is applique with a huge weirwood tree covering a large part, with wolves around the base and dragons in the sky with ravens in the branches of the tree. Lions and stags along with falcons, roses, snakes and krakens scattered throughout the landscape. I'm horrible at applique though...

I did make a pillow as a prize for a community I belong to, so I am collecting appropriate fabrics for a patchwork.

Let us know how things progress...I'm curious.

cashs_mom

There are low heat fusibles made for using with more delicate fabrics like silk. Silk can certainly be used in a quilt, but I would consider how the quilt will be used and how often it will be laundered. Some silks stand up to laundering fairly well, others have to be dry cleaned.

CanoePam

Bneighbor already recommended the interfacing I would recommend. Dreamweave is a wonderful product. It adds body without stiffness. It is not inexpensive, but it would do a great job.

pPam

ibex94

Love the pillow. Your quilt will be great, too.

Crazy quilts are made with muslin on back which serves as the stabilizer. No heat necessary if you decide to stitch the map onto the mulsin.

sewbizgirl

If it's the perfect thing, just work with it! Sounds like you have gotten good suggestions for stabilizers. I used something called French Fuse to stablize the back of T shirts before quilting. It's actually a very light fusible knit.

As Tim Gunn says, "Make it work!". I'm sure it won't be as bad or as hard as you may be expecting. And what a cool quilt this will be with the map in the center!