I am new to quilting and am wondering if I can mix cotton squares with some shiny fabrics that look like satin. Is there any rule about that? Or- can you mix cotton with flannels?
Also, I have been watching on this site for several months to learn...have bought enought material for more than three quilts and have not started to cut any out! The fear of making a mistakes holds me back. Is there anything I need to know before i start cutting? I'd like to work on it this weekend...
Thanks so much for your feedback and patience.

it is best if you use the same fabrics for the quilt but if you dont you should pre wash to shrink all the fabrics. it depends on what you are going to use the quilt for. for beginners 100% cotton is easiest to use. IMHO

Welcome!
You can mix all types of fabrics. Cotton and flannel - absolutely. Cotton and shiny may be a bit trickier.

Don't be afraid to cut into it. You say you've got enough fabric now. This weekend is as good a time to start as any!
I guess my first suggestion is to see if you can cut a nice straight 2" strip. If you need more practice, you won't have wasted too much fabric.

I thought you didn't need to preshrink the cotton before you cut...am I wrong?

You can mix cottons and flannels, just be sure to prewash because flannel will likely shrink quite a bit.
As far as cotton and satin, you could mix those, but you want to be sure that the satiny fabric is washable and you should also test it with your iron, the higher setting for the cotton fabric could damage the satiny fabric. The satiny fabric will be harder to work with also, it tends to be slippery. If you are a new quilter you may want to stick with cottons and flannels to start out with, they are much easier to work with.

I have mixed quilting cotton with flannels in several of my quilts. I'd be more wary about satin just because it might not hold up to the same sort of wear as cotton. But for a wall quilt, it might work fine.

Find a tutorial on rotary cutting and just do it! You will make mistakes, but the world won't end. :)

Prewashing never hurts and will give you an idea about how the fabric will act. If you are mixing them, better to know before than after. If you like the feel of the fabric before washing, use a little spray starch and iron them after you wash and dry.

I think I will do a flannel baby quilt first...I can't wait to start cutting. I know how to measure and all that. There is no trick to how I lay the material before I cut???? Seems easy enough.

Well, that will bring up a whole new discussion.

It's an age-old debate. To pre wash or not. Just a matter of personal preference. Out of the thousands of people on this board, I would say that about 50% prewash and 50% don't.

But if you're mixing fabric, just know that flannel does shrink more than quilting cotton. Maybe that's why it's good to prewash the flannel.

Connecting Threads has a tutorial for beginning quilting, as well as other sites. If you are not sure how to lay out the fabric, I would look at several of these sites. You Tube also has some videos.

I have prewashed all the flannel and dried it. Am going to iron it all tonight. Did not wash any of the cotton that I plan to make a quilt with. Wish me luck and I hope to be able to post a picture in the near future. I love this site and all the friendly members!

Remember this is your creation,if you want to use burlap bags go ahead,you are the artist.The rules are only to make it easier but I break them all the time and things turn out fine.The most important point is to enjoy what you are doing.

I would suggest cutting out enough for one block, then sew it together. If it all goes together correctly, then cut, cut, cut. If not, make adjustments, then cut. I tell myself, "What have you got to lose? It is only money."

No rules in quilting only limited by your imagination. :)

All good advice here-I can only ad to be sure to "measure twice-cut once"! In fact, before I swipe my rotary cutter, I always take a second (or third or fourth!) look at the measurement -also scan up and down the ruler to make sure it is straight-then slice. Also, be sure to even up one end of your fabric where you will begin cutting. Cut it straight using the FOLD as the straight guide, not the selvedges. Hold the ruler firmly and steady and make sure your fingers are out of the way of the cutter!! Good luck!

I agree. Remember, if you do make a mistake, you can use that fabric possibly in another place in the project, or for another project someday.

Thanks SO MUCH....I did not know to use the fold as my guide...Good thing that I put this question out there!

Any question you have or are not sure of, there will always be people here to help. Sometimes you just need to bounce an idea around-do it here for lots of additional ideas.

1) If I'm cutting multiple strips or squares, or when squaring blocks, I put a strip of little blue painter's tape by the correct measurement. It help to find the right line for lining up on the second, third, etc ones.

2) The measured fabric is under the ruler and the extra is hanging smoothly from the side of the table.

3) Try not to drop a 60mm cutter on your hand. Did that this week.

4) Have fun!

as long as they can be laundered together you can use them together and flannel and cotton makes a wonderful quilt!
i have made many quilts with cottons, flannels,corduroys, wools and silks all in the same quilt, it is beautiful and used all the time. i would worry a little about your shiny stuff...it may not wash up so nice, really need to make a little something, like a placemat using the shiny stuff and other fabrics, make it, finish it, wash and dry it...then you will know if you can mix them or not

I have mixed cotton and flannel. Just make sure you wash them first because they don't shrink the same.

Me too, me too. I keep telling myself I'm just doing research to make sure I know what I'm doing!....I know what I'm doing...I'm buying!! LOL

I mix cotton with lames on my sports team quilts all the time. A little lame or satin goes a long way. Please note my special handling of "shiny" fabrics. Most fray much more then cotton.. I back with light weight fuseable pellon. That jersey stuff doesn't last. Then I stitch all cut edges 1/8" from edger. Serging would work also. Besides the fraying pellon gives more stability. Also very impoirtant. I use a press cloth on anything not cotton.

Go for it, Have fun. I learn something with every quilt I've made. Become a fearless quilter.

If you decide to use the satin or "shiny fabric it will be easier to work with if you use a light weight fusible interfacing. Also consider how you want the quilt used you might want to shy away from the shiny fabrics for a while - maybe do a crazy quilt.