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-   -   Polycotton (https://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-month-week-f9/polycotton-t137392.html)

C Maureen 07-13-2011 01:33 PM

Is it really Taboo to use all polycottons in a quilt?

joym 07-13-2011 01:53 PM

You run the chance of getting caught by the quilting police :| :|

All kidding aside, I do not buy polycotton but if it is already in my stash and I want to use it for example, color or print, I will use it in small amounts. It does not sew up as nicely as pure cotton tho'. Quilt and have fun. :wink:

skydiver70 07-13-2011 02:18 PM

If you're making it to sell, probably not for some people, but for yourself or friends or family who might not mind, it's fine.

I have used it many times for myself or family. Just depends, some like it but 100% cotton is best. Just my opinion.

SparkMonkey 07-13-2011 02:39 PM

I think an all-or-nothing approach is better, honestly. Blends and 100% cotton behave differently in terms of wear, stretch and shrinkage. I'd be concerned about the two not playing well together if you mix them together.

But I agree with skydiver70 that it depends on the recipient. A buyer will probably expect a more traditional approach, which means traditional materials. Loved ones (or yourself :)) will be more forgiving.

C Maureen 07-13-2011 02:54 PM

I've come across so many quilt ideas that use the solid colours and I have drawers of the solid polycotton....I would not be mixing them and I thought that might work for charity quilts... not sure I will go with the PC...just wondering what the feedback would be..

hobo2000 07-13-2011 03:45 PM

I have made many quilts with PC. It holds up better than cotton. If it is the newer PC, it looks a feels like cotton and I intermix and never have a problem. It is great for children's quilts as it is non-allergenic, washes beautifully, doesn' t hold stains, mildew, mold as cotton will. I use a poly down batting on these quilts for kids for the same reason. They are not too hot but do keep you warm enough.

Candace 07-13-2011 05:57 PM

It stinks when ironed hot and can burn and it feels terrible to me. My opinion!

rwquilts 07-14-2011 05:54 AM


Originally Posted by C Maureen
Is it really Taboo to use all polycottons in a quilt?

I ruined a quilt by not following the quilting rules many years ago, like "no poly cotton"...not anymore...100% cotton is so much more endurable and lasts...hard to beat!

Robinmg 07-14-2011 07:27 AM

Have used it on occassion but learned ab important lesson-it shrinks when iron if the iron is too hot ao you must be very careful if you use it.

wildyard 07-14-2011 11:11 AM

I think it depends a lot on the type of polycotton you are using. I use it quite a bit and have had no problems with it. I try to make sure that there is more cotton in the blend than poly, and never use less than 50% cotton. And that is only if it has that nice look and feel of cotton. If you are using all polycotton, then I don't see a problem at all. I know that the Amish often do that. I am not aware of an issue with durability as long as it is not the very thin fabrics you often find in the all polys and the blends used in curtains, etc.

luckylindy333 07-14-2011 01:36 PM

I don't like polycotton because I think that it ravels too much. Maybe there are some better quality that does not ravel, but I have always used 100% cotton. It just seems softer and feels better to me.

QultingaddictUK 07-14-2011 01:56 PM

Me and a lot of my volunteer quilters use Poly-cotton for Project Linus quilts, especially for backings. It stands all the laundering and hard wear it is going to get also it is soft against the kiddie-winks skin.

I am making myself special top sheets with thin cotton batting and a quilted top but using my poly-cotton sheet as the backing, sashing n binding, it looks OK to me.

Toni-in-Texas 07-14-2011 05:52 PM

I read a lot about quilting the "traditional" way. There seems to be some unwritten rules about what you have to use and how you have to do the sewing when you make a quilt, 100% cotton, certain thread count, cotton thread (usually more expensive) cotton batting, etc. At one time "real" quilts were only the ones that were hand quilted.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like to use 100% cotton fabric, too. But I also use good quality cotton-poly (60-40) fabrics because that's either what I already have from many years of sewing clothes or that's what I can afford at the time. Our ancestors made quilts with what they had. Sometimes they even made quilts with used clothing scraps. They pieced them by hand because they didn't have sewing. machines. They used cotton batting or wool because that's what they had.

Now we have quilting machines and fancy sewing machines, rotary cutters, mats and all the bling that go with the quilting. But we should still be able to use what we want to when we make our quilts. There shouldn't be any quilt police to tell us what to do. That seems to take all the fun out of what we all love to do. Sorry I'm so long-winded, but I saw a young woman completely lose hope in ever making a quilt because of the criticism of a family member and the ladies in my group were unable to repair the damage that criticism did.

wildyard 07-14-2011 06:35 PM

I totally agree with Toni-in-Texas!! Who decided what a traditional quilt was anyway? LOL.. They were made from what was at hand to help keep warm in winter and covered lightly in summer. To help promote privacy and modesty when seperate sleeping quarters were often not possible.
I gurantee no one questioned the maker on what materials they used nor snickered behind their hands and shook their heads if it was tied rather than stitched.
If I am going to join the ranks of quilters, I want to be one of those practical homemaking persons who used the old clothing, the sheet with a hole in it and the leftovers from the kitchen curtains in my quilts. I'll let others be the traditional quilters who quilted for show and decided that there were rules and what those rules were.
I'm just a downhome country girl! Always was, always will be. Smiles, hugs and happy quilting!!!

Elfi2 07-14-2011 07:32 PM


Originally Posted by wildyard
I totally agree with Toni-in-Texas!! Who decided what a traditional quilt was anyway? LOL.. They were made from what was at hand to help keep warm in winter and covered lightly in summer. To help promote privacy and modesty when seperate sleeping quarters were often not possible.
I gurantee no one questioned the maker on what materials they used nor snickered behind their hands and shook their heads if it was tied rather than stitched.
If I am going to join the ranks of quilters, I want to be one of those practical homemaking persons who used the old clothing, the sheet with a hole in it and the leftovers from the kitchen curtains in my quilts. I'll let others be the traditional quilters who quilted for show and decided that there were rules and what those rules were.
I'm just a downhome country girl! Always was, always will be. Smiles, hugs and happy quilting!!!

:-) :D :-D :lol: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :wink:

Lilrain 07-14-2011 11:32 PM

I have seen poly cotton quilts that seem to have bearded more than cotton. Not sure if that is always true

QultingaddictUK 07-15-2011 01:04 AM


Originally Posted by Elfi2

Originally Posted by wildyard
I totally agree with Toni-in-Texas!! Who decided what a traditional quilt was anyway? LOL.. They were made from what was at hand to help keep warm in winter and covered lightly in summer. To help promote privacy and modesty when seperate sleeping quarters were often not possible.
I gurantee no one questioned the maker on what materials they used nor snickered behind their hands and shook their heads if it was tied rather than stitched.
If I am going to join the ranks of quilters, I want to be one of those practical homemaking persons who used the old clothing, the sheet with a hole in it and the leftovers from the kitchen curtains in my quilts. I'll let others be the traditional quilters who quilted for show and decided that there were rules and what those rules were.
I'm just a downhome country girl! Always was, always will be. Smiles, hugs and happy quilting!!!

:-) :D :-D :lol: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :wink:

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

wildyard 07-15-2011 05:24 AM


Originally Posted by Lilrain
I have seen poly cotton quilts that seem to have bearded more than cotton. Not sure if that is always true

Question: What is bearded? That's a new term for me. Thanks in advance for an explanation. My first guess was from when the cat gets on it and it seems to have grown hair, but I think that happens equally with all quilts. :D

C Maureen 07-15-2011 08:09 AM

2 Attachment(s)
Thanks for all the input....I have made a few quilts with just PC and have had several compliments...maybe the majority of my friends aren't familiar with quilting

this was made from the left overs of the quilt below...I was just wanting to play around with it...it received awards at the Fair
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226772[/ATTACH]

I made this for a friend who had looked after our home for a spell....she loved it
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226773[/ATTACH]

auntiehenno 07-24-2011 03:36 PM

Ditto from Helen in denver. Do whatever trips your trigger or floats your boat.


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