Why the prejudice against polyester and poly/cotton blends?
#71
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: near Peoria Illinois
Posts: 1,638
Other than fiber content causing a problem with ironing, the onlyother reason why some don't like poly is that poly may wash out the stain in color, but the odor can stay in the fabric. When it gets warm, the odor releases again. Can be worse than cotton.
#72
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NE SDakota
Posts: 473
My mom goes to the used clothing store and buys bags of sweatshirts when they cost $2 a bag---she can stuff several sweatshirts into a brown bag. She cuts those into large squares of all different colors and makes a basic quilt. One of the churches in her town sends them off to overseas missions. The sweatshirts have been washed multiple times, of course, so they don't worry about shrinkage. Mostly they use flat sheets to back them, and I don't think they use batting. As you say, they aren't heirloom quilts, these are the type that get put to hard use for many different purposes. The church ladies will also set aside any polyester clothing items and make separate quilts of only all polyester fabrics.
#74
Originally Posted by erstan947
I do not like the feel of the '70's double knit....clothing or quilts. My DDIL loves them. The ones I had I sent to her it's a win/win deal:)
#75
Originally Posted by BarbaraSue
Other than fiber content causing a problem with ironing, the onlyother reason why some don't like poly is that poly may wash out the stain in color, but the odor can stay in the fabric. When it gets warm, the odor releases again. Can be worse than cotton.
#76
My mother use to take my sister and my polyester knit skirts and
cut them up for quilts when we out grew them. She made each of us
a quilt out of them using the 9patch block. I remember grandchildren
nieces and the rest of us saying, "I get the next one Nanny." My daughter even took one my mother made for a niece because it
was pink with her permission of course. Now I have a portion of one she started but passed before
finishing it. I have visited thrift stores looking for polyester knits to
finish it but I can't seem to find the material any more. I hope that I
get to complete it someday. BTW, they were really warm.
cut them up for quilts when we out grew them. She made each of us
a quilt out of them using the 9patch block. I remember grandchildren
nieces and the rest of us saying, "I get the next one Nanny." My daughter even took one my mother made for a niece because it
was pink with her permission of course. Now I have a portion of one she started but passed before
finishing it. I have visited thrift stores looking for polyester knits to
finish it but I can't seem to find the material any more. I hope that I
get to complete it someday. BTW, they were really warm.
#77
Originally Posted by Mundy
the very first quilt I made was 100% poly it was done all yo yo"s I mean all nice but the whole thing is you certainly cant lay under it becasue you:ll never get up need help becasue it;s so heavy bought all the fabric at dime store when they had them naw not really that old either lol
#78
Originally Posted by Pickle
I am wondering about this too. I thought of making quilts for charity and they only accept all cotton fabrics. I cannot afford to buy only expensive fabric to give away. I would think if I was poor ( or wouldn't have to be for that matter) I would be happy to receive a quilt.
I think one should just sew what they like and like everyone says there are no quilt police. You do what you can afford and enjoy what you do.
I think one should just sew what they like and like everyone says there are no quilt police. You do what you can afford and enjoy what you do.
#79
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Originally Posted by Pickle
I am wondering about this too. I thought of making quilts for charity and they only accept all cotton fabrics. I cannot afford to buy only expensive fabric to give away. I would think if I was poor ( or wouldn't have to be for that matter) I would be happy to receive a quilt.
My children assured me it wasn't so very ugly--in fact, they told me not everyone has the same feelings I do about doubleknit.
So, I too, don't necessarily understand your charity's rules. Poor people aren't quilt police. For sure.
The quilt will not "last 10 years" in any poor person's home--they will probably long have lost it, stained it, damaged it somehow, or had to leave it behind as they escape from a bad situation. At least that's what I think!
However, if your charity is one for soldiers or sick, then, they may actually cherish your quilt for years and years.
#80
Don't be put off with the whole quilter's material thing. True to your roots went out when the sewing machine was invented and busniess men set up swetshops. After that quilts were no longer for keeping people warm in beds but for show. Before that fabrics used were as inexpensive as possible. Some traditions, such as what passed in superiorly impovished areas, and this was not for show but to keep warm during the winter was taking apart clothes and pieceing them together has almost died out now. That was the birth if the scrap, and crazy quilt. My mother's mother one winter took all the wool winter coats her children had grown out of and made a couple of quilts from them. She tied them and used the lining to bind them.
When quilting came from England wool and silk were the fabrics of choice.
Personally I pefer the 60%cotton & 40% polyester blend I can get from sheets. I get more fabric for the money, but I've also used the mixed blend of fabric on the five yards for five dollars bolts, and the 100%cotton.
Use what you want and be happy. I've got four quilts and counting people are asking me to make.
When quilting came from England wool and silk were the fabrics of choice.
Personally I pefer the 60%cotton & 40% polyester blend I can get from sheets. I get more fabric for the money, but I've also used the mixed blend of fabric on the five yards for five dollars bolts, and the 100%cotton.
Use what you want and be happy. I've got four quilts and counting people are asking me to make.
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