My first and last quilt kit
11-14-2008, 03:16 PM
#11
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 590
Originally Posted by quiltmaker101
I didn't want to give anyone a bad name, and she really is a sweetheart on the phone, but Kaye England did not offer much help when I emailed.
Since this kit is a year+ old, I guess there is no way to replace it fabric-wise.
As I said, Lesson Learned!
Since this kit is a year+ old, I guess there is no way to replace it fabric-wise.
As I said, Lesson Learned!
11-16-2008, 04:10 PM
#15
Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Michigans Upper Peninsula
Posts: 20
For fabric that is not prewashed I see nothing wrong with using steam as long as you use it on the whole piece of fabric in a kit before you cut any specific piece.
Once you cut your pieces I would switch to a dry iron.
If the kit contains all pieces precut already I would not use steam.
Shrinkage occurs with the combination of heat and moisture. While it may not be at as great a percentage
as prewashing, it will occur. Save the temptation to steam until the final pressing of a completed block. And even then do it lightly lifting the iron. This plan has served me well for 18 years.
I never prewash fabric for machine piecing. That little bit of sizing in new fabric will make it easier to cut and to piece accurately.
My theory is: I use cotton or cotton blend batting and I'm not about to preshrink my batting that has a greater shrinkage rate than my fabric. I prefer not to prewash anything and let the shrinkage all happen at the same time. I like the old fashioned pucker effect. It will only enhance your machine or hand quilting.
My bigger concern is bleeding. If I think I may have a stinker in the bunch like blacks, purples, reds, or ones that feel funny due to excessive dye saturation I will test a small piece of it in a white bowl first with warm water and a few drops of soap and then with cold water and soap. If the water turns color (you'll see it in a white bowl) I will not use it or if I'm desperate I'll prewash the whole yardage until the water is clear. I will press it while it is still damp to restore that new feel or I use spray sizing.
I'm wondering if the fabric in this troublesome kit are woven plaids and stripes or printed. Please don't be too discouraged with your first quilt attempt if they were woven. Woven plaids and stipes are more loosely woven, curl and ravel easily. Even the most experienced quilter has a hard time with them. Try to finish your project the best you can. Personally I think that plaids and stripes that are slightly askew add charm. Just ask Roberta Horton. A fabric designer who has had a line of plaids and stripes.
But please give it another try and work strictly with printed fabric. A whole different story.
Once you cut your pieces I would switch to a dry iron.
If the kit contains all pieces precut already I would not use steam.
Shrinkage occurs with the combination of heat and moisture. While it may not be at as great a percentage
as prewashing, it will occur. Save the temptation to steam until the final pressing of a completed block. And even then do it lightly lifting the iron. This plan has served me well for 18 years.
I never prewash fabric for machine piecing. That little bit of sizing in new fabric will make it easier to cut and to piece accurately.
My theory is: I use cotton or cotton blend batting and I'm not about to preshrink my batting that has a greater shrinkage rate than my fabric. I prefer not to prewash anything and let the shrinkage all happen at the same time. I like the old fashioned pucker effect. It will only enhance your machine or hand quilting.
My bigger concern is bleeding. If I think I may have a stinker in the bunch like blacks, purples, reds, or ones that feel funny due to excessive dye saturation I will test a small piece of it in a white bowl first with warm water and a few drops of soap and then with cold water and soap. If the water turns color (you'll see it in a white bowl) I will not use it or if I'm desperate I'll prewash the whole yardage until the water is clear. I will press it while it is still damp to restore that new feel or I use spray sizing.
I'm wondering if the fabric in this troublesome kit are woven plaids and stripes or printed. Please don't be too discouraged with your first quilt attempt if they were woven. Woven plaids and stipes are more loosely woven, curl and ravel easily. Even the most experienced quilter has a hard time with them. Try to finish your project the best you can. Personally I think that plaids and stripes that are slightly askew add charm. Just ask Roberta Horton. A fabric designer who has had a line of plaids and stripes.
But please give it another try and work strictly with printed fabric. A whole different story.
11-18-2008, 03:03 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 324
Where did you purchase the material. That does make a difference as the fabric companies sell the first run to quilt shops. Second run goes to JoAnn's, then Hancock. WalMart get's the left overs. Each run is step-down from the first so the quality gets less and less as the runs are sold. Got that information first hand from someone who runs the mills. So, maybe you got the last of the run. GiGi
11-19-2008, 11:34 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Southern California
Posts: 872
I've only done two "kits" so far, with vastly different products.
The one I ordered from Connecting Threads had so much extra fabric I was stunned, even though it was my first kit. It was really nice quality. There was so much that I used a huge chunk as the background for an appliqued baby quilt and still had some left over that I'm still using!
The BOM that I got from Joann's was a horror. The pre-cut pieces were poor quality fabric, and some of the pieces were missing, some had the points cut off in the die cutting process and others had 'runs' in the fabric. Luckily I'd bought a backup setting kit, as I cannibalized it just to finish the quilt. Never again. I don't know if I just got a bad batch, but it was a struggle to use, and I was still a real newbie and was getting quite discouraged. Now I buy my own fabric so I know what I'm getting. Gotta fondle it first. :wink:
The one I ordered from Connecting Threads had so much extra fabric I was stunned, even though it was my first kit. It was really nice quality. There was so much that I used a huge chunk as the background for an appliqued baby quilt and still had some left over that I'm still using!
The BOM that I got from Joann's was a horror. The pre-cut pieces were poor quality fabric, and some of the pieces were missing, some had the points cut off in the die cutting process and others had 'runs' in the fabric. Luckily I'd bought a backup setting kit, as I cannibalized it just to finish the quilt. Never again. I don't know if I just got a bad batch, but it was a struggle to use, and I was still a real newbie and was getting quite discouraged. Now I buy my own fabric so I know what I'm getting. Gotta fondle it first. :wink:
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