Hi all: quick question, or 2...does linen shrink more than cotton...can it be quilted the same as cotton??? I've been given SEVERAL fat1/4's to 1/2 yds. of assorted linen...heavier weight...similar to quilting weight cotton. Thanks for the help / info. :) Beckie
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yes linen can be quilted just like cotton- in fact linen is a wonderful fabric for quilts- lucky you - it tends to be very expensive! as for the shrinkage rate- that depends on the looseness of the weave- you might want to pre-wash just to see how much it shrinks- then add starch when pressing before cutting.
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I may not be any help on this, but I love linen and have slight addiction to it. I think you can use it for just about anything. But you have know if it is 100% linen or a blend - many out there are blends. Here is a great blog that uses linen in quilts http://iheartlinen.typepad.com/i_heart_linen/
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Oh one other tip Karen http://sewmuch2luv.blogspot.com/ gave me on ironing linen...spritz it with water then put it in the freezer for 20 minutes before pressing. the wrinkles fall right on out!! it's like magic.
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Thanks for the tips...guess I'll just have to put on my big girl panties, and see what I can make with the linen then. Thanks guys. Beckie
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I have used linen with cotton. It handled beautifully. Linen is so soft but I did prewash to account for shrinkage.
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Wow!!! Is this quilt from linen?? Just lovely. Beckie
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Thanks. The white is linen from my grandmother who died in 1960. The blue floral is a cotton that I could not cut into until I saw that pattern. So I call it the 3-generation quilt because I made it for my mom.
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I agree with you that you should wash it before working with it. Linen tends to shrink anywhere between 7-10% after a hot wash. Yes, linen is usually expensive. But if you're a big linen lover, check out fabrics-store.com. I don't know who runs the site (it looks a little outdated and there are typos everywhere) but they have really, really good linen for the price.
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Originally Posted by wuv2quilt
Hi all: quick question, or 2...does linen shrink more than cotton...can it be quilted the same as cotton??? I've been given SEVERAL fat1/4's to 1/2 yds. of assorted linen...heavier weight...similar to quilting weight cotton. Thanks for the help / info. :) Beckie
Two major differences from cotton: it is actually stronger when it is wet and good linen will keep improving in feel each time you wash it for the first 20-30 washings or so. |
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