Question Regarding Using Black Fabric in Quilts
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Illinois/Wisconsin
Posts: 878
Question Regarding Using Black Fabric in Quilts
Need your insight! I am thinking of making the quilt shown below for my GD for her wedding. However, I am hesitant to use so much black. Afraid it will fade over time and pick up lint.
Wondering if any of you have used black backgrounds and how they held up under laundering and UV rays.
Thank you for your help.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]504456[/ATTACH]
Wondering if any of you have used black backgrounds and how they held up under laundering and UV rays.
Thank you for your help.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]504456[/ATTACH]
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
The background on my DH's quilt is black. I'm more concerned about bleeding. that is why I prewash the dickens out of the black. It should be ok if it isn't going to be in the sun like near a window. If so just lower any blinds. When she goes to wash, if she uses a pre spot or pre stain remover (Shout, etc.) she should be able to wash in cold water. I wash most of my bed covers in cold water. Not too many wash bed covers like quilts very often. Once maybeee 2x a year. If that much. Beautiful quilt by the way!
#4
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Any color will fade over time when exposed to UV light. But my experience has been that a good high quality fabric will hold up better over time. So for this quilt I would use either Moda Bella solids black or Kaufman Kona in black. Either will work well.
I made a quilt with a predominantly black background for my brother. It was not a solid but a mottled dark done with fossil ferns line. He does not have pets and the quilt is not exposed to direct sunlight and it looks as good as the day I made it 5 years later. However, while hand quilting it, every cat hair showed up like crazy on it. I had 5 at the time and all are light in color. It took two washes and about half of one sticky tape roller to get it all off.
So if your GD has light colored cats or dogs allowed on furniture then, yes their fur will show up on that black like all get out. But I don't think that should deter you. It is a beautiful quilt and I love brights mixed with black. It is so striking and that is a gorgeous quilt you pictured.
I made a quilt with a predominantly black background for my brother. It was not a solid but a mottled dark done with fossil ferns line. He does not have pets and the quilt is not exposed to direct sunlight and it looks as good as the day I made it 5 years later. However, while hand quilting it, every cat hair showed up like crazy on it. I had 5 at the time and all are light in color. It took two washes and about half of one sticky tape roller to get it all off.
So if your GD has light colored cats or dogs allowed on furniture then, yes their fur will show up on that black like all get out. But I don't think that should deter you. It is a beautiful quilt and I love brights mixed with black. It is so striking and that is a gorgeous quilt you pictured.
#6
Beautiful Quilt! I have found when using a lot of black in a quilt make sure it all came off the same bolt. I bought black off two different bolts, same brand, all same numbers. After quilting was done, before washing, I noticed they were not the same shade of black. After washing you could still see the difference. Not enough for most people to notice, but I could.
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 556
It is a very beautiful quilt and yes i have used black on a back of my quilt and I do find it does pick up lint up and cat hair but it will be on my bed so ya guess I will have to get use to it. I'm hoping over time it doesn't not fade. I think it also depends on the black that you use, I have the same ordeal when I use white. I'm afraid of the quilt bleeding the other colors onto it and staining.
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Illinois/Wisconsin
Posts: 878
Thank you, everyone, for your insight. I love this quilt too. My GD is an artist and even though I know she would love a "traditional" quilt, I believe she would really appreciate this one. I can always make her another one, right???
#9
Beautiful quilt. I have used black - Kona - in a quilt and love it. I don't have pets but I don't notice it picking up lint much. As far as fading I made the quilt a year ago so really not enough time to tell.
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