Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • Fabric ? >
  • Fabric ?

  • Fabric ?

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 09-15-2011, 07:28 AM
      #11  
    Senior Member
     
    Join Date: Dec 2010
    Posts: 605
    Default

    Please, don't blame JoAnn's for everything! You may have bought a blend. They seem to shrivel up with hot iron and steam. The colors of the blends are very attractive and tempting, but IMHO not suitable for quilting.
    scraphq is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 07:30 AM
      #12  
    Super Member
     
    jillaine's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: California Girl exiled in DC
    Posts: 1,337
    Default

    This is in part why I pre-wash all my fabric. Doesn't go near the sewing room without having first visited teh laundry room.
    jillaine is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 07:47 AM
      #13  
    Super Member
     
    Moonpi's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2007
    Location: Central FL
    Posts: 4,829
    Default

    Originally Posted by simplyme
    I do not pre-wash my fabric but I do iron everything with starch.
    Now you know why so many of us do! Even freezer paper will shrink.
    Moonpi is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 08:26 AM
      #14  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Nov 2009
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 1,991
    Default

    If your fabric has any polyester in it, it will shrink when the hot iron touches it. If it was printed on a lower thread count cotton fabric, it may also shrink when the heat touches it. Unfortunately not all fabrics are of the same quality no matter where you buy them or how much you pay. I find feeling them and holding them up to the light helps me decide if it is a quality fabric. If they look or feel "thin" then they probably won't do for your quilt no matter how pretty.
    Shelbie is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 08:58 AM
      #15  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Location: Upper Michigan
    Posts: 8,248
    Default

    Thanks for all the info ladies!!!
    Painiacs is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 09:14 AM
      #16  
    Junior Member
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Posts: 125
    Default

    Originally Posted by scraphq
    Please, don't blame JoAnn's for everything! You may have bought a blend. They seem to shrivel up with hot iron and steam. The colors of the blends are very attractive and tempting, but IMHO not suitable for quilting.
    When I first really started quilting ;I bought a very pretty piece of fabric. It was exactly the right color, weight ect; but a blend. Every block [a Sampler] that I used that fabric in just never was the size it was supposed to be . The patches were carefully cut, sewed , looked wonderful,but shrank thruoghout with the pressing.
    jimsjunque is offline  
    Old 09-15-2011, 10:36 AM
      #17  
    Moderator
     
    kathy's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Nov 2006
    Location: on the Texas Coast
    Posts: 4,020
    Default

    Originally Posted by scraphq
    Please, don't blame JoAnn's for everything! You may have bought a blend. They seem to shrivel up with hot iron and steam. The colors of the blends are very attractive and tempting, but IMHO not suitable for quilting.
    that's what i was going to say, it can be heat shrinking up the "blend"
    kathy is offline  
    Old 09-16-2011, 02:27 AM
      #18  
    Senior Member
     
    janeknapp's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Marion, IA
    Posts: 462
    Default

    If you were using steam or spraying with water, I would think that would cause the shrinking. I ALWAYS preshrink everything except in the case where directions say otherwise like in the case below.

    BTW, did you know that fabric after washing can shrink more in one direction than the other? I had this happen with a Kona cotton solid black. I cut 9" squares for a 7" square finished block for appliquing using a special applique fiber that requires prewashing the applique pieces but not the background. When washing the background shrinks and pulls the machine applique stitches towards the underside of the applique, so it looks like hand applique. Then the block is cut down to size; hence the oversized square cut at the start.

    The blocks were square after sewing the applique but before washing. After washing the blocks were not square. I would have to check my blocks again, but I think it did the shrinking on the cross grain.

    Advance Warning...I did preshrink the fabric in a kit which included a panel. The panel had blocks to cut apart. The dimensions were off on the blocks after washing, and I had a lot of work to adapt the directions for construction.
    janeknapp is offline  
    Old 09-16-2011, 03:54 AM
      #19  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Tippy-top of a ridge in WV
    Posts: 6,355
    Default

    I too had the same thing happen to a certain piece of fabric that I bought at the same place. I knew I had cut it rught yet after pressing, it was smaller than the other pieces cut the same but of different fabric, so I figured it was shrinking from the steam. Actually I could almost see it shrinking as I pressed it.
    Yooper32 is offline  
    Old 09-16-2011, 04:27 AM
      #20  
    Senior Member
     
    Join Date: May 2008
    Location: toronto
    Posts: 824
    Default

    The shrinkage could be because the fabric is poly/cotton. Are you sure it is 100% cotton? Happened to me once. Discarded and started again with new stuff.
    glorcour is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    Julie in NM
    Main
    73
    08-08-2011 02:59 PM
    craftybear
    Links and Resources
    4
    07-27-2011 07:29 PM
    foxxigrani
    Main
    0
    05-17-2009 06:37 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter