Kwiltr

Okay, so I'm back with a follow up question to my previous thread asking about a layer of cotton and layer of wool together in a 97x109 quilt. I could not separate the wool batt into two thin layers, so it a looked "not so thick" so added the whole thickness with a layer of Hobbs 80/20 Cottn/Poly batting. Wool on top against the Quilt Top. Sandwiched it all with 505 spray, ironed it to set as per usual and seems a fairly stable sandwich. However, have begun ditching and finding I am getting a small pucker at the end of the border stretch when I meet up at the intersection of another ditched seam. The wool layer wiggles enough within itself I think to cause enough shifting while ditching with my walking foot. While I am able to mitigate it somewhat, I find it stretches the corners of the quilt enough to distort them, trying to work out that tiny extra bit at the end of the row. The back of the quilt looks great, no folds or puckers, but it is against the Hobbs 80/20 layer.

So now I'm thinking rather than persevere and struggle with the entire quilt in this way only to not be happy with the outcome, and afraid it will get worse as I continue, am thinking of ripping out the ditching I've done and remove the Wool batt and replace it with a second Cotton Batting. I'm looking for the warmth and the quilting definition two layers would provide. Does anyone have experience with this combination, completing it on a DSM or Sitdown machine? I ditch my long straight seams on my Janome 6600 before I take my quilts to my Sweet Sixteen Sitdown machine to complete the quilting.

Thank you in advance for any advice or insight!

feline fanatic

My advice is don't ditch with the domestic. Do it all on the sweet 16. The hopping foot of these machines ride higher than on a domestic so you shouldn't get the puckering/shifting. I believe there are ways to use rulers on the sit down models so you can stitch straight lines free motion.

Kwiltr

I can and have used rulers! I just always use my Janome because it's easier for me to stay in the ditch. I should try that before ripping out what I've done and see how that goes. Are you a longarmer feline fanatic?
thanks!

Tartan

Intersecting straight seams are difficult when quilting. I make a frame with my hands and that area when I get ready to go over the previous row of stitching. Wool like polyester will have looser fibers that will shift.

Kwiltr

I agree, but it seems amplified with the shift in the wool, and even though I can 'stretch' out the excess, it results in a rippled finish that isn't great.. I've found with cotton, this isn't a problem so much. Considering I full trip across the quilt is 8' or 9', a quarter of an inch or so is minimal to work out, but it doesn't lay as nice. .

Prism99

I think your problem would be solved if you apply several layers of spray starch to the top. You can lay the quilt out on an oversized flat sheet, spray from the sides towards the center (to minimize overspray), turn on a fan to speed drying, then apply another layer.

While the wool batting may be contributing to the problem, my guess is that the primary problem is caused by the fabric stretching. Starch will stabilize the fabric so it's not so easy to stretch. Are you able to reduce the presser foot pressure on your machine? I am thinking that the presser foot is exerting too much pressure on the top fabric because the quilt sandwich is thicker than normal.

feline fanatic

Yes but I LA on a frame set up.