I found this material at a garage sale last summer. I had no idea what I was going to do with it but it was only $2.00 so I bought it. Anyway, I'm running out of material and was wondering if I could use this, or is it too heavy.

Thanks.

Any upholstery material I've seen would be too heavy, I think unless it was paired with snother heavy material like denim. And they usually aren't as closely woven, are they?

I guess in general it depends what ae you doing with it and what other materials you plan to use with it. I wouldn't use anything light. Try to match the weight of the fabrics. On the other hand, I see it as the perfect material to cut out the flowers and applique them on the center of a plain block and either echo quilt around them or do so fancy free motion quilting.

I think I'd team it with denim and tie.

i also recommend you coordinate that fabric with others of similar weight.

use a 50-wt or 40-wt thread and a size 14 or 16 needle. if the fabric is all-cotton use cotton thread. otherwise, use polyester.

the bigger you make it, the more you'll have to wrassle with it, but that's good practice.

you might consider using it to make a duvet (which is just a fancy name for a comforter case) instead of a quilt. much easier to handle as it gets bigger but still very pretty and useful.

I have a friend at work who's mother made a quilt with upholstery fabric and denim. It is a very warm quilt. She tied it. No way to quilt it.

Great idea! It does have some blue flowers so denim would work. I'm thinking a 'girly' denim quilt. Too bad I didn't take the huge bin of denim she was giving away :cry:

I'll add this to my list of quilts I want to do as I'm still working on my first.

Thanks Patrice, for the info. I would have used whatever needle and thread was on the machine. :shock: I love this website!

I made my first king size quilt with upholstery material, along with some cottons. It was my second quilt. (1st quilt was a baby blanket) When I washed it, it shredded. My thoughts is that the weave isn't tight enough. I used a 1/4" seam.

I made a lap quilt from a sample book from a furniture store. They were throwing the book in the dumpster and my DIL said "OH NO, MY MIL CAN USE THAT"

I made crazy scrap blocks and quilted each of them individually......and then added the sashing, butting the batting in, and then handsewing on the back.. Turned out rather nice......even if I say so myself.

Never did another though........one was enough......

must keep in mind most apholstry fabric is dry clean only...so that is a big factor in usage...i have used beautiful apholstry fabrics for quilt backs that were, crazy...wool, silk, other fabrics, not going to be thrown in a washer...turned out FABULOUS!!! but have to keep cleaning in mind...if it's maybe a wool bed-rug which you would vacuum, it would be ok too i would think...
its' great fabric for tote bags, shopping bags along with applique projects, or wall hangings

If your pieces are very simple and fairly large shapes, you might be able to serge the edges. Mind you, that will add bulk to the seams, and you won't be able to press them open.

'Course, you could serge the edges before sewing the pieces together. Twice the work, though.

It works you have to use similar weight material, washes ok but does fade faster than regular fabric so cold only and less soap. Upside with this fabric? great for wall hangings, table runners etc.. and of course pillows super for throw pillows which you dont wash all that often. A runner for your dresser (dresser scarf?) Christmas stockings? aprons for all your pals? once you think outside that box you can still use it, the price was incredibly decent and have fun!

Wash it first to see how it comes up...if its cotton and heavy, denim would be the perfect mix. Have a bit of an "experiment", it can be quite good fun.

I would think it would be too heavy.

I don't know about using it for a quilt but, it sure is pretty. If you have enough make a dog pillow. If you have a small light colored dog that doesn't shed, it should give you service for a while. If I goes with something in your decor, make a pillow or two.

I have used Upholstery material in a quilt before, in fact it was my first one I ever made. I used both quilting cottons and the upholstery material and almost 2 years later its still going strong and looks just as good as it did the day it was made.

The 9 patch is the upholstery material and the binding also.

Billy

Billy.was that made for the four-legged ones or the one laying beneath it?
I also did an upholstery quilt along with my quilting cottons..and it turned out great.......

like yours a lot...mj

It was made for my wife to have on the sofa so she and I could snuggle under it while watching television. But everyone us uses it including the kids, their friends and the dogs. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Billy

It was made for my wife to have on the sofa so she and I could snuggle under it while watching television. But everyone us uses it including the kids, their friends and the dogs. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Billy[/quote]

Isn't that always the way !!!!!!!!!!!

MJ

I just made a laptop bag this weekend out of upholstery fabric. It turned out great. A dog pillow, etc. are also great ideas.

Rose

Material is still on a bolt. Should I cut it in sections or just unroll and wash it whole. I'm guessing, but I think about 8 yards.

Also, has anybody ever seen pink denim?

Thanks

This reminds me of 2006 when we were in Charleston, SC for my breast cancer surgery. The day before we were to leave for home we had dinner downtown and were walking off dinner when I saw some fabric sample books sitting outside a wallpaper store being thrown away. I said "oh look. Fabric!!!!" DH said "no way", I said "yes way" and ended up carrying them back to the car. He was a bit peeved. Brought them home, ripped them out of the covers and stashed them away. Not sure what I'm going to do with them (fact I had totally forgotten about them till I found the box under a bunch of other fabric while cleaning the sewing room), maybe some kittie blankies, but even if they may fall apart after lots of washings, they were free except for my time. Most of them are 100% cotton so I'm not sure why they are labled Dry Clean. They are already coordinated by color and everything. Some may be a little heavy but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak. Have fun with this beautiful fabric you have. It is so pretty.
Wendy

I'm sure there is pink denim if you do a google. I have some denim in several different patterns. Off the top of my head I've got a white one with boats and a white one with colorful flowers on it. So, many denim patterns are available. I'd just use a similar weight fabric with it. Denim would be a great choice. And use a heavy needle.

I had pin denim and made a dress for my granddaughter to be a flower girl in her aunt's wedding, back in 1993. It was a Country/western wedding and there was a lot of denim on the guests.

I have not thought about it until reading this post and thinking about it, realize that I have never seen pink denim again.

Sorry wish I could help..but at least you know that there was pink at one time..
mj

There are so many different weights of fabric sold as "upholstery" fabric. There are light weight cotton that would be perfect for draperies and "light" upholstery. I would definately wash some of the fabric to see how it will hold up with laundering.
I have made quilts out of these light weights.They are usually wider and some have a stain resistant sheen. Don't be afraid to experiment with different fabrics. It fun to create something different or unexpected. I quilt because it's fun for me. :D
Ditter

I work in the garment world for about 10 years and we wash the fabric all the time. Now dark colors sometime ran and it will holds up better if you dry clean it. So I would take a small part of the fabric and put it in the wash and see how it held up. You might be surprise.

I have made several quilts entirely of apholstery fabric.

One I paired up with another cotton for a child's 9 patch quilt. I think it would have been better if I got a heavier cotton for the sashing.

I have a TON of fabric books from those designer stores. Always always always wash first. Most of mine shrank 20% or more. Some 9 patch blocks I picked one sample to cover two 4 1/2" squares...I barely got one out of them after I washed them. They fray like mad so you'll want to watch that too. I know some people think they are a real pain to work with, other's think they make good scrappy quilts. It's going to be a matter of experience and what you want to do or try versus something you would rather not do.

I like them, but I've never quilted them. I've always tie tacked them. Just easier for me to get them completed faster as many of them are for charity.

I have been busy for the last few days making shopping bags from upholstry materials, I quilt them with a thin batting and line them with some scrap that goes well with the pattern, I make pockets inside the bag because you might want to go shopping and not carry a shopping bag and a purse.I serge the edges before I put the bag together because of the possibility of fraying . I serge the handles and fold them under , stitch several times, then to finish it up I add a few glitzy crystals in a very few places .The latest fons and porter magazine has a good pattern for bags, only I use one piece of material on the upholstry bags instead of several materials because of the thickness of the upholstry,I serge the top that is folded down once instead of several times as stated in the mag. it is a good way to use up scraps too, take several materials that go well together and in one afternoon you can have a new bag.I understannd that in Calif. plastic bags are a thing of the past , they are selling bags here in Arizona too. :lol:

Sounds wonderful! How about a picture?