bonnie nolan

They will wear out from all the washing before there is a problem . Ours go to Nursing homes and they are washed a lot.

donnalynett

Our group does nothing but charity quilts and I am usually the only who machine quilts. The rest are tied every 6".

dunster

But this is the whole reason for tying or quilting to the specifications of the batting manufacturer! Batting that falls apart and migrates will cause the whole quilt to wear out much sooner.

It's fine to tie or quilt every 6", or 8", or whatever the instructions on the batting say. But there's a valid reason for meeting those guidelines.

tammyg

I like them....they look good to me.....my favorite way of putting quilts together is tying them.... I dont think you should do anything else to them... they are beautiful quilts.... ;-)

ckcowl

i would also recommend adding quilting- without removing the existing ties-
batting that needs to be quilted every 3 1/2" is really not suitable for a tied quilt- batts that allow up to 10" between quilting lines and (generally) say ---good for tied quilts are ok to use- and even then it is recommended to have the ties in a grid about every 4". they will be fine if you simply add machine quilting to them. the ties give them a very cute look-and the quilting will ensure they hold up to being used & laundered.

Sewnoma

What if you did a little *blip* of machine stitching in the center of each square with a decorative stitch?

laralea

What kind of batting are you using?

laralea

I'm using Hobbs HeirloomŪ Premium 80/20 Cotton Blend and the package says 3.5" but the website says 4". It only mentions quilting, not tying. I use Hobbs 80/20 because I can get 2 charity lap quilts out of one queen size batting. I buy the batting with a 50% off coupon at Michaels, making the cost about 4.50 per quilt.

I made these quilts about 2 years ago when I was a very new quilter and I probably didn't even read instructions before I suggested 5" for the distance between ties. Live and learn! I got sidetracked by moving, but now these need to get out the door. I'll post photos of all 8 quilts after I launder them.

"HeirloomŪ premium 80/20 cotton blend is one of our most popular battings because it offers more loft and less weight than traditional cotton battings. Our 80/20 is made with 80% natural cotton & 20% fine polyester. It is needle punched and spray bonded to provide exceptional strength and durability. Shrinkage of 3-5% and may be quilted up to 4” apart."

Maureen

I tied some baby quilts but I also quilted all the way around the inside of the borders. They held up good. Also I would recommend tying with Pearl Cotton and not yarn.