Sharonquilts

I've been wanting to try needle-turn applique for awhile. Since I'll be having some surgery on my leg next month, I thought this would be a good time since I will not be able to machine sew.

I'm planning a small to medium size wallhanging. I purchased my fabrics today and will get them cut next week. I saw a remnant that I liked for the border (didn't buy it). However, the remnant is duck cloth and all other fabrics are cotton. If I prewash all my fabrics, would the duck cloth work for the binding?

Thank you,
Sharon

dunster

Duck cloth is very heavy and doesn't have any stretch to it. I wouldn't choose it for binding, but I hand stitch my binding down. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if you machine sew it, but I would still prefer a lighter weight fabric for the binding.

dunster

Just realized you said border first, and then binding. I still would prefer a different fabric for the border, but I think duck cloth would be better there than it would be in the binding. Good luck on the surgery!

Iceblossom

Many people don't hesitate using different weight fabrics, especially for a wall hanging. Sometimes it is the color or pattern or texture or something that speaks to us.

Dunster gives some good reasons for not using it as a binding, but you also mentioned border -- which I think would be fine. Prewash and maybe pink the duck cloth if it seems to want to ravel.

Earlier today we were talking about muslin and cotton, same thing with Duck it mostly it is a weave difference and then weight differences. Duck is basically a canvas, it can be all cotton or a blend. Kettle Cloth is a bit different than duck but was used along side and with flour sacks for use quilts despite the texture difference.

Sharonquilts

Thanks ... I did use two different words. I was thinking of using the duck as binding only because I liked the pattern. Think I'll be smart and stay with the same type fabrics throughout. You know how it can be ... you see a pretty fabric and you want to use it.

DeltaMS

I personally do not know, but since it will be a wall hanging I think it would be just fine. A friend and I were talking the other day and about when you hear some rule about quilting you can find 15 others that say different. The only problem I can conceive of would be the seam allowance and if it ironed down flat.

Jingle

Years ago I made a comforter out of duck. Very hard to deal with and hard to wash. I have it stored away.

PineHaven

It depends on the weight of the duck. If not too heavy it might work. However if used as the binding it might best be a single layer of fabric and not the double fold. I have used heavier weight single layer for binding and it worked.