symb

Hi! Looking for some advice - my mother recently passed on to me several books of tweed samples (she used to have a clothing business). Was thinking of making a large picnic blanket type quilt out of them, very simple squares of different sizes. What type of fabric would you recommend for the backing? Do you think I need to use batting as well? Don't want it to turn out too heavy! Thank you!

dunster

Is this wool tweed? How will it behave if it's washed? Tweed is a loose weave, so you would want to use a larger seam allowance to avoid fraying. I think I would take a few pieces, make a very small sample quilt (maybe 18" square) using quilting cotton for the backing, use some batting if you have some on hand, quilt it and finish the edges, then wash it and see if you like the result.

symb

Thank you for the suggestion - I'll try doing that to see how the fabric behaves upon washing. Hadn't even thought of that (I'm such a newbie quilter!).

jokir44

I would worry not only about fraying but about shrinkage and the colors bleeding. I'm thinking that would be a dry clean only fabric.

Jane Quilter

When I sewed with tweed, in clothing, I always had to "underline" each piece, for stability because it was a loose weave. I would use a tightly woven, light weight, muslin fabric of suitable coloring like gray, brown, or whatever enhanced the tweed especially if the weave is so loose the underlining might peak through. I stitched 1/2" from the edge of each piece, having cut the piece expecting to use a 5/8" seam. It was there, to the underline fabric of each piece, that I addressed the fray-ability of the tweed by zigzaging the edges to the underlining. At that point I treated it as any other fabric. I think your quilt could be very beautiful. Three concerns I have are:
1) it will be very heavy, 2) It will be too warm to ever sleep under, hence the picnic idea is good and 3) the cost of dry cleaning and presence of chemicals (and smells) trapped in the batting.
Personally, i would consider making a none-utilitarian, artsy, wall hanging quilt out of the samples that was decorative and a great reminder of your mother and her business.
Whatever direction you go, please share your progress with us, we will cheer you on every step of the way. I know how fabric "calls your name" to use it and every quilt is a challenge and an opportunity to learn, for all of us. Jane

symb

Thanks everyone! I'm thinking it might actually be more practical to do something like a cape with the fabric - something that won't need to be washed regularly. If you have any other suggestions, I'm open to them as I have a ton of fabric to work with!

Stitchnripper

I agree with Jane Quilter. Once a while back in a quilt store I saw the most wonderful quilt hanging on the wall. It was made of pieces of woolen fabric and decorator fabric in a kind of turning twenty pattern. It was embellished with decorative stitching and then backed with a nubby fabric they called "berber" which I cannot find yet. I have some wool suiting samples and some decorator fabric and it is on my to do list. The store promised to send me the pattern but they went out of business before they did. It would be only dry-clean and didn't have batting but it really was beautiful

JoyjoyMarie

I'm liking that idea, especially for this unknown fabric. I think it could be a dramatic and lovely piece of apparel!

Faintly Artistic

Can you felt the pieces first? Felted wool won't continue to shrink and tweed will be much more stable. I have made 5 large blankets from felted wool garments. I didn't back them, as they are throws for the couch, rv, etc. They are lightweight enough for summer here in AZ--my son uses his on his bed year round.

symb

Again, another newbie question, but what is involved with felting the wool? Would love to hear more about the blankets you've made!