Any tips for using homespun??
 

I have quite a bit of homespun but I've only used it once. I found it to be very stretchy. Any tips??

Most of what I have is plaid so the off kilter pieces really show.

Prewash, dry in dryer, starch & press. I love homespuns!

Clothesline is a no-no?

You want it to shrink the fabric so high heat in the dryer is best. As you iroon, pull the plaids back "in kilter" and then starch. I don't mind some of them being off kilter. That's a sign of homemade.

Ok. Thanks. High heat and starch. Got it!!

Will the starch prevent some of the stretching that happens as I sew?

It also ravels a lot, maybe bigger seams to make sure?

Yes, sewbeadit, I've also done some google searching and I ran into that suggestion. Bigger seams are a good idea.

I love homespun for rag quilts. It ravels so nicely.

I made this with mostly Home spuns in the lower half. lots of starch, slow down and if fabric is real loose use a light weight fusable backing to control it.

This wall hanging was paper pieced and that helped with controlling the fabric too. I enjoy using HSs in wall hangings.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]524811[/ATTACH]
peace

I have hand woven fabrics which ravel too much for even larger seams. So far the only thing that seems to help is to sew two lines of stitching then cut the blocks between the seams.

The starch will help with the stretching if you starch 'heavily'. I use liquid sta-flo starch mixed at a 50/50 ratio. You might want to go with a heavier starch ratio for the hs. I would also use a smaller stitch length in addition to the wider seams.

I agree with the starching but what out for the unraveling. That is why they aren't my favorite fabrics to use in a quilt.

Homespun is great for chenille type potholders.

Ube, that is a fabulous quilt!! Playful and very unique- a true original design!! LOVE IT!

You might check out Lisa Bongean (of Primitive Gatherings quilt shop) - she has a blog - she practically drenches her pieces in starch. LOL Her piecing is phenomenal though - very accurate and clean. She suggests you spray with inexpensive starch generously to the reverse side of the fabric (though obviously it doesn't matter which side with a homespun) and then turn it over and press. Sharon Schamber also uses this method - though I don't know if she uses quite as much starch! It will definitely keep your pieces from distorting - but of course you'll want to be careful when piecing and take into consideration any kind of bias edge. Really just don't pull or tug at your piecing when your sewing, and also avoid directional ironing but rather pressing with a stationary iron - just setting it on the fabric versus pushing along the fabric which is what we tend to do when ironing clothing or large hunks of fabric.

Ahhh... this is an AMAZING quilt! I love love loooooooove it...

very pretty, love your use of homespuns in this quilt.

I've made several rag quilts with homespun. Also, I've made many chenille hot pads using homespun. It frays really good.

Starch very heavily and iron. I usually spray, let the white foam disappear and the starch is absorbed into the fabric and then iron so that it doesn't leave build up on my iron.