Originally Posted by
amelia0607
This will be second ever quilting project and I'm just sort of winging it (which is always a questionable idea). Right now, I have four questions. Sure I will have more later.
- I'm washing the cotton first. Do I have to wash the fabric that goes in the printer? I bought a package of fabric sheets for ink jet printers. I don't think I have to wash it first but it doesn't say so I don't know.
- Do I need to wash the Insul brite first? It says no need to prewash but just want to make sure. Don't want it shrinking inside and the outside not shrinking since I prewash it.
- Daughter's table is 42" x 84". What size should I make the table runner?
- Would you lay out the pictures so that they are all even or would you stagger them - one up, one down, one up, one down, one down? Which way would look better? And would one way be easier than the other?
1. I would say no do not wash the print sheets, because there may be some sort of treatment or lack of treatment on the fabric to help the ink adhere.
2. You do not need to pre wash insul brite. it will not shrink. Insulbrite is a special poly fiber with a type of metallic melded in to help disperse the heat.
3. If you are going to use the runner for a hot pad, then you want the runner to be a little less than the table top, meaning you dont want it hanging over the edge, too easy to have an accident and lose the dinner
4. I would try different layouts and see which would strike your fancy better
hard to say without looking at the blocks
I do want to add a little note here. When I use insul-brite and make table topper hot pads and pot holders, I generally stick with all cotton. Cotton top, thread, and a thin layer of 100% cotton batting without scrim. (needle punch is fine, just no synthetics) the reason to do this is because there is a different heat rating for synthetic fabrics/threads than there is for cotton. Hot pots/pans might cause spontaneous combustion or smoldering. Odds are not that high that something will happen, but I personally would not do it. I would also worry about the ink coming off onto the table (if you turn it) with the heat.
So I would recommend that you skip the insul-brite (it is expensive to use for batting if you are not using it as a heat pad) and use trivits
that way you can still use the table runner, just dont put hot pans on it