I posted earlier about the stiffness of the inkjet printed EQ fabric here:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-66292-1.htm

I have printed out another of the same image on one of the Miracle fabric sheets from C. Jenkins, and the hand is much softer, though the color wasn't quite as vibrant, something easily fixed in future with Photoshop, now that I know that will happen. But before I try to quilt that one, I have a huge question.

For some reason today, I was looking at the EQ one in just the right light and noticed that that right light shone through most of the needle holes from the machine quilting. That prompted me to look another machine quilted piece I'm working on, and that one is doing the pretty much the same thing, just not as bad. That one is pieced from good quality commercial cotton fabrics.

Then I looked at a hand quilted piece, again pieced from good cotton fabrics, and while it's not nearly as bad, I can still see light through some of the needle holes. I'm afraid to look at some of my more heavily hand quilted pieces. I don't think I want to know.

The machine quilting on the EQ one was done with a #70 sharp needle, using 60 weight Mettler silk finish thread. The other machine quilted one was done with a #80 topstitch needle, using 40 weight Superior variegated thread. The hand quilted on was done with a piecemakers #12 between and Coats&Clark quilting thread.

The common denominator in all these quilts is the batt. I have been using Quilters Dream Cotton, Request for some years now. It's the thinnest they make.

So if any of you are also using this batting, would you hold your quilt up into the sunlight and let me know if you have visible holes too? And then maybe you can tell me what to do in future to avoid the needlepunched effect. Or maybe this is normal and nothing to worry about?

Thanks!

I think this may be cured by a washing. The holes close up. At least mine do. Good luck!!

Thanks for the tip Janice! None of these have been washed. Two of them aren't even finished yet. I'll have to go look at a handquilted one I've washed.

And then do laundry, I suppose. It's always time for laundry. LOL

Yes, even tho' we are now empty-nesters, it seems the laundry piles up just as fast with only 2 of us!! LOL

I had one quilt done by a local longarmer and was so dissappointed when I got the quilt back from her. She said my batting(prewashed cotton) had been punching through the back(wonder if her needle was dull). So she changed out mky batting. The poor quilt looked like punched tim when held up to the light. She said to wash it and it woulod go away. Well, I did not, as I am one who does not like that shrunken look at all. She ruined the quilt for me!

if you push needles through your fabric, it makes holes...this is just the way it is. does not make a difference if it's a quilt or a skirt. once you wash it the holes close up around the thread. it is not a defect it just is. and for the person who's quilt was ruined by the long armer...if you don't want to wash and dry your quilt at least wet it...the holes will close up. it is not the long-armer's fault that the normal holes show and you choose to not wash it. if you do not want needle holes, don't quilt them; tie them instead

I have had many, many quilts quilted by longarmers in my 23 years of quilting. I am probably averaging 10-12 a year, and that is the only one that had the "punched tin" look. It is awful! I had a beautiful quilt that does not look good and since everything but the batting was pre-washed(my original batting before her replacement without my knowledge) was prewashed, I don't feel good at all about washing it with 100% cotton batting. I do not like the shrunken look. She started to quilt and the batting was being pushed through the back. So she switched out the batting and then told me "I am not charging you for the batting!" She tried at first to claim it was the fault of the backing being cheap. Changed her story quick when I pointed out it was purchased in her shop! Needless to say, I have not had her do another quilt for me. It is not a given that you will have large needle holes in your quilts!

Quilts I don't want to wrinkle get washed in cold water, put in the dyer for 5 minutes, then stretched out on the floor to dry - I block them to make them square. The quilt gets cleaned, any needle holes will fill in, and I don't get the wrinkled look.

Of course needles make holes, ck, it was just that I never saw through the holes before.

I washed my little EQ one today, and the holes weren't as obvious, but they're still there.

On the other hand, it's taken me 40 years to even hold a quilt of mine up to the bright sunlight to see whatever there was to see. Probably not really a problem - right?

I was just curious to find out what the rest of you saw.

Thanks for all the input!