bearisgray

I used cotton covered polyester coats& Clark thread on two quilts I made over twenty years ago. These are our couch quilts. The bias cut bindings are frayed, but there is absolutely no damage to any of the all cotton fabrics at any of the seam lines

Iceblossom

When poly fabrics/blends came out, quilters loved them for the rich colors, the shine, and the lack of ironing. I've made many quilts out of blends including scrap quilts. Usually the blend pieces wear about the same, maybe rot out in the middle a bit faster. As mentioned, it depends on the piece, some is quite thin to start with. Rayon I've never had any problems with including in a quilt, even the pieces from a favorite sundress that was well worn first.

I like to say fabric is treacherous, well poly is a sneak thief! It loves to move around and slide on you so be aware of that and pin the heck out of it.

I no longer use blends for a variety of reasons and I do buy most of my fabric at thrift stores so I have gotten good at burn tests for fiber content. I can generally feel the poly (if it isn't closed up in a bag) but sometimes I am not sure and I get home and reach for a lighter. This past week I bought two bags at a thrift store, lol the bags were set up by someone who understood my quilter fabric desires, they each included a nice length of high quality fabric, a couple small scraps, a good sized piece of what turned out to be blends (one I thought would be, the other I thought was cotton and was surprised when the burn test proved me wrong) and another good sized piece of heavy weight cotton cute as heck but too heavy for quiltweight. I just keep a bag available for any "non-suitable for quilting" fabric I may pick up and put the blends in there and when it gets full (like it is now) it gets donated back to a thrift store.

quiltingshorttimer

while I usually will only use 100% cotton, I'm sitting here now with a lap quilt that I mistakenly switched the navy poly/cotton blend I bought for my son's quilted vest with the navy I pulled for this lap quilt borders--so the lap quilt has the poly/cotton blend and no problems. Doubt anyone but me even realizes it. Plus--it's got a "minky" back--which is poly obviously and I know many like it for backing.

Just read in the new AQS mag, American Quilter, that came today that manufacturers are saying in last 20 yrs thread technology so changed that no way your poly thread will "chew" through cotton fabric anymore. Think many long arm quilters use poly thread for it's strength and low-lint.

Mkotch

This is what I did 40+ years ago when I first started quilting, and it took me 14 years to finish my first quilt. Hand quilting was more difficult with poly-cotton, but if you plan to use a sewing machine, it should be fine. I have noticed that over the years stains don't come out of poly-cotton as easily as they do cotton.

cathyvv

You can also use the poly/cotton fabrics for pillow cases. If you don't want/need the pillow cases, you can donate them to http://millionpillowcases.allpeoplequilt.com/, or find a local charity that can give them to those in need.

cathyvv

You are right about the poly/cottons burning differently. These days, new parents are told not to put blankets in a crib with a young child.

Having said that, I wonder what the blanket sleepers that parents put on their babies for cold weather are made from? If a poly/cotton blend or all cotton, I guess they have to be flame retardent.

pocoellie

I've made lots of quilts with cotton/poly fabrics, haven't ever had any problems.

Feathers-N-Fur

I have made several quilts with poly cotton sheets used as the background as well as backing. I can buy a set of king sheets, use the flat as the quilt back, the fitted as the background for the top, and have matching pillowcases for $30 or so. I haven’t had a complaint yet. My first quilt was made of a mix of cotton and sheets and is still used heavily and is in great shape. If you like it, use it. I am definitely not a fabric snob.