My mom sewed a lot for her kids and grandkids and then used the scraps to make quilts. This is a lap-size quilt that she made in 2" squares from the original polyester material scraps used in our clothing before she passed away. I would like to finish it, but since I'm very new at quilting, I'm asking for your help. 1) Do I put a border on it and if so, what kind of material since I don't have anymore polyester scraps? 2) What should I use for the binding and backing on it? 3) I'm just learning to use my long arm for quilting, but would that work on polyester, or should I SITD?
I've been a faithful reader of this message board for some time now and know how good your suggestions are, but I've never seen anything about polyester quilts. Thanks for your suggestions.

That is one quilt I would definitely use a basting spray on. I am sure you can find polyesther or similar fabric to add a border. A basting spray will help you control a little the strtching that is bound to happen. Good luck. I love the bright colors.

Thank you, Maride. I have never used basting spray, so I'll look into that. The quilt does have a lot of stretch in it.

I made some poly quilts, I didn't use my longarm to quilt them. I tied them with regular yarn like you would use for an afgan. I used poly batting and flannel backing. These are very warm, indestructable and my grandchildrens' favorites for cold weather. I used a simple block pattern. I bought the poly fabric, very cheap, at thrift stores.

I have only done one poly/cotton quilt because of the panels I used. I would think you would want to have a border that doesn't stretch like the rest of the quilt. That might make it easier to bind and to quilt. I would also think a poly/cotton might work too.

Thank you, Mary. We have a number of thrift stores around here so will look there. Thanks for this suggestion.

I would probably suggest a bit heavier than regular quilting cottons. Maybe a twill or chambray? Polyester knit is heavier and I like my fabrics to be balanced. My MIL always backs her poly knit quilts with flannel!! They are also some of the favorites in our family. :-D :-D

It's a beautiful quilt with wonderful memories.

Ball point needles!!! They make sewing poly soooo much easier. They really are easier to tie than quilt in my experience anyway.

Your quilt is so vivid and pretty. I love color. I kept an elderly lady who used a lot of poly and just didn't like using cotton. She wanted flannel for the backin on them and she was from the mountains. In her nearly a century on this earth she slept under them year around. They can be heavy, but insulating. She left several tops which I've seperated in half and made lap quilts. The elderly love the heaviness of them. By the time they cannot handle the weight of them they are bedridden and they cover their feet. I love doing lap quilts. Some great suggestions here in this board. Dontcha just love it ?!?

My mother made a polyester top, with some of her old clothing. When she died, my 2 brothers and I each got a quilt top, one mom made and 2 from our grandmother. My one brother wanted the polyester one because of the memories. I backed it with fleece and tied it. My brother loves it and says it is very warm. I must say it did turn out nice.

You have all given me such wonderful suggestions, so I'm going to try and incorporate them and finish this quilt in the near future. I had never thought of flannel for a backing, but that's what I'm probably going to use and make it a purple or pink one since those were Mom's favorite colors. Thanks again to all of you for being so helpful. I really enjoy reading this quilter's message board.

Is this knit polyester fabric? The kind that is relatively heavy (compared to quilting cottons)? This would be the kind of fabric knit pantsuits were made of in the 70s.

Or is it the kind of polyester fabric that is about the same weight as quilting cotton?

spray batting has never worked as well for me on polyester as it does on cotton. it holds things in place only long enough to baste [again] with big running stitches or pins. :hunf:

then again, i don't have a longarm system so must alway prepare my sandwiches for a regular machine.

sooooooo ...

You've received a lot of good answers here. Remember to wash the flannel first because it shrinks a lot. Enjoy.

HI Quil,
Well since you live in AZ, you most likely do not need the warmth so much. Yes it is a must to sew with a ballpoint needle. In some thrift stores you can still find the old polyesters. I have apile I just washed... I have been gathering to make some more camping quilts. You can not distroy them.
I would NOT even attempt to put it on the long arm to quilt.
All the stretch, and since it is stretchie already, that is the kind of a binding I would also put on it. Tee shirt knits are wonderful for backing them. And I have always tied the ones I have made throuh the years. Good luck in finishing. and also I wouldn't even bother putting a batting in it, just the backing, for they are so heavy already. Just my thought's , hope we have all helped you. Yes I agree this is a wonderful place to ask and get the best ideas.... Many more miles of Happy Quilting,Connie

my grandmother made a quilt much like the one your mom made. heavy old polyester. Grannie's was the rail fence pattern though. I'm still repairing it. She just used an old blanket on the back of it. It is the warmest thing ever! She never finished it so I am going through and repairing seams and tyeing it. Grannie used whatever she had to make it and that meant thread from the cotton mill she worked in. Some of it was not the best quality.

When my Granny died I got one polyester quilt top and two cotton ones. Granny didn't make them but she bought them from a lady that lived near her so the woman could have money for food. That being said, I finished the polyester top for my Neil for his birthday with my hand in a cast to my elbow. I used a twill cotton for the backing. Then I used a heavy cotton quilting thread and did the hand quilting X in each corner of the quilt. (Not across the whole block because it's a stretch fabric.) But each junction corner. It's held up to laundering, it's warm, and he's still using it on his bed. I didn't use a binding, I did the envelope method of closing it in after I got all the quilting done. He loves the quilt because it came from me and his great granny. He won't even let his nephews and neices use it when they come to visit. :?

Hugs

ps: I would show you a picture but he's wrapped up tightly in it with our temperatures in the 20s. :lol: :lol:

are they made of that old, heavy double knit stuff from the 70's? or the lighter weight poly blends? if they're made out of the old stuff, i worked with that and good luck.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-22163-1.htm

btw, i finished them in the years indicated, but they hung around all the years in between after my kids cut the 1/2 squares. at ten for 1 cent.

It is the relatively heavy polyester that pantsuits and skirts were made from in the 70s.

Never thought of that. But I guess I need to start prewashing all material after reading what so many have said on this board about prewashing. I've just enjoyed working with it before it became flimsy after washing the material. One backing that I washed got so ragged on the ends, that it was discouraging to use it, but I did.

If I'm going to prewash my fabric I always run a zigzag stitch across both ends to keep it from fraying like that. It cuts off easily when you square up the end. i use a small tight zigzag.

Thanks. I will try that too.

That sounds like a perfect and easier solution...

I've done several polyester quilts with poly batting and backed them in flannel or fleece. Only quilted one on the longarm and I didn't do very well since I was so used to quilting with cotton so after that I tied them with yarn or crochet thread and they are still looking just as good as new all these years later.

I use a light weight flannel for the back / tie them together and then add a binding usual of unbleached muslin.

Do you or any of the other quilters have some pictures you could post? I would think at thirft stores, poly would be so inexpensive, might give it a try...

Someone asked me to quilt for them with my machine and when they brought the top to me it was polyester in the middle and cotton edges. I quilted it and it did fine. Just be careful once it's in the frame that you don't strecth it.
I would border and back this top with cotton.

The quilts we made in the 60's and 70's were backed with a lightweight knit jersey like fabric. That way, your washing and drying would require the same type of handling. I think Hancocks has this lightweight fabric. Some of the gaucho skirts are made of the fabric. All that I made were tied with yarn. A friend made a butterfly quilt with these double knit fabrics appliqued on to a cotton polyester blend white broadcloth. It was pretty because the double-knits were so vibrant in color.

I have a similar quilt on my kingsize bed my mother made way back in the late 70's/early 80's from using scraps of our clothing. It is tied with yarn, no batting and she used a sheet for the backing. It is a very fond memory of her that I so enjoy receiving every day. Ruby in MS

I made a couple polyester quilts made from old pants suits and trousers. I cut 4" squares, made 25 patch blocks because I could get about 16 good patches from each pair of pants, after cutting out the stains and snags. Put a sheet on the back and then tied the quilt. For binding I just turned under the edge of the poly. My son was 2, gave both quilts to a friend when he was 20 and she still has them. Made them in 1971.

This quilters board brings back many memories.

I bought a bunch of polyester fabrics when I decided to restart quilting - garment polyester - used to make girls' dresses, blouses and such. Then I learned 100% cotton was the best to use. Cotton fades and wears differently and should not be mixed as the polyester will last longer and hold the color better than cotton. I made quite a few before and they are still in good shape. I plan to make more - some day. I hand quilted them, don't know how I will do these - if I ever get to them. If I tie I would use crochet thread, don't know yarn would hold up well enough. I would use the same kind of fabric for the backing also. Just my 2 cents worth.

i found and brought one from a thrift s store my,s in pinwheels and it tied in each corner of blocks

I recently had some poly tops given to me. I always use ball point needles on it. I machine tacked them with a heart design (from my Pfaff 7570)& I hope the charity recipients notice I sewed some love into them.

I've heard that that material wears like iron. Really! Indestructible stuff. The hardest part is making the quilt because of its tendency to stretch. Once the quilt is made, it lasts forever.

I like the idea of spray basting to keep the quilt sandwich stable.

I would also experiment with heavily starching the knit fabric to see if that would stabilize the top also. I heavily starch my backing fabrics by mixing a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo laundry starch and water, "painting" on the solution with a large wall painting brush, drying in the dryer (for a pieced top I would probably lay it flat somewhere to dry), then iron (not sure if I would want to iron a top made of the heavy knit fabrics; would have to experiment to see).

Anything you can do to keep the knit fabrics from stretching while you put the top together will help. Starch and spray basting come out of the quilt with its first washing.

re my last post about thin knit polyester for backing. Hobby Lobby has some called travel knit that is the same thing.