Can you use a 100% Broadcloth for quilting? I am making an LSU quilt and want to use the bold colors of purple and gold that come in the broadcloths. Is it too thick and will it be able to be put on a long arm machine?
Thanks for your help..Jenny

It seems to me that when I was a kid, you used broadcloth for quilting.

Would a long arm quilter cringe of they were asked to put it on their machine or turn it down due to the fabric?

it is in the thread count. tighter weave might be more difficult to quilt. However, batiks do fine and many are tighter weave.

I think broadcloth is cotton and polyester blend, or it use to be, I use to make shorts out of it. Try a small piece and see how your regular machine handles it.

When I was in my 20's it was cotton broadcloth. When I took home ec we made an apron out of it, my first attempt at sewing.

Broadcloth in Canada may either be 100% cotton (just fine for quilting) or polycotton (65% polyester 35% cotton) that many of the Mennonites use but my guild members will not. My domestic machine quilts either using my walking foot but the polycotton will get puckers on the back unless you pin or baste really well and check often. I think it is another of those quilter`s choice decisions.

I grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada so maybe that's why I remember it as being all cotton.

I am sure you could use broadcloth in a quilt. However, I bought some broadcloth that you could see through. After that, I purchased royal broadcloth that is suppose to be better quality, but you can see through it too.....very thin.

My Gammill long arm machine does not have a problem with polyester blends. As to whether or not broadcloth is a blend or 100% cotton, you would have to check the label.

I use Kona all the time. According to info I found on the net it is 100% broadcloth.

Kona cotton is a premium, 100% cotton broadcloth from Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

I have also seen other brands broad cloth for quilting. Just besure to check if it is 100% cotton unless you do not mind a blend. Many traditional Hawaiian quilts have polly cotton blends.

Broadcloth comes in different weights so look for one that has a nice hand or feel to it, not to soft or stiff. It should have a nice drape without being able to see through it. Good luck with project!

Thank you very much ladies. This one I bought is 100% cotton and feels a little heavier then the normal quilting material I was looking at. Because the colors are so good in the purple and gold I think I will continue with it now..Thanks

Broadcloth is fine for machine quilting but you don't want to try hand quilting with it. I hand quilted broadcloth one time and pushing a needle through time after time leaves you with sore aching hands. Machine quilting hasn't been a problem for me and I FMQ on a regular older 2010 Singer machine.

I think it would be fine!

Hi from your neighbor in Baton Rouge!!

Google: broadcloth fabric definition

From what I understood, it's the way the fabric is woven that makes it "broadcloth" - not what it's made of

I've used broadcloth, and it was 100% cotton, and it definitely wasn't thin!! I've used it in a quilt and it was fine, (pieced and quilted on a domestic machine). I just try to use similar weight fabrics next to it when piecing.

no=not at all...i'm a long-armer and have quilted many quilts people used broadclothes in---tops and backs-
and as far as the weight- just like other cottons- there are heavy, medium and lightweight broadcloth's...
many people use them- for the color selection- and sometimes because of a good sale...
you can use anything you want in YOUR quilt- just make sure different fabrics can be cared for together-(you don't want to mix a wash in cold only with a dry clean only. as long as the fabrics can be cared for together they can go together- and even sometimes (wallhangings) you don't even have to worry about that.

there are different broadclothes on the market- there are cotton broadcloths, poly broadcloths, cotton/poly blend broadcloth, rayon broadcloth,
don't just (assume) every broadcloth is the same as one you saw once---there are lots of different fabric contents- weights- properties, weaves, thread counts...
don't just (turn your back) on a fabric that may be wonderful to use because you (heard once) it was too cheap, too thin, too-what ever---just like other fabrics- there are lots to choose from- some more expensive than others- some better quality than others- some made out of (different-stuff)

I used green and yellow broadcloth to make a University of Oregon quilt for my daughter for Christmas. I backed it in U of O polar fleece. She absolutlely loves it.

Jenny, I made a King sized D9P and used cotton broadcloth for the backing. The long arm quilter did a beautiful job with it!
I know it was 100% cotton or I wouldn't have used it.

Hah! I remember the first bib-apron we made in Home Ec was so heavy with fabric when we got through with it - my Mom just shook her head and said she could have gotten at least two out of that amount of fabric. :lol:

just read the label - like all things. When we were young - it was coo% cotton - now there are different varieties - read the end of the bolt to be sure !

I use Kona also. Love it for plain colors. Joanns also sells it. Some of it comes in wide widths, either 90 or 106. Can't remember for sure.

I just made 3 Eagles football quilts using broad cloth along with the NFL fabric. I was fine to sew and to quilt.

I just bought a deep hot pink Kona cotton from JoAnn's that had a good feel & weight for backing a batik rectangle/log cabin quilt. It was a fun color for the quilt and doesn't compete with all the colors.
My LAQ is just beginning to do a semi-custom quilt design for it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out!

jeaninmaine- you're right about the broadcloth. the name refers to fabric that has a certain plain weave and weight of threads, usually cotton, but with the advent of polyester, poly-cotton.it also comes in silk. sewing machines love it, quilting machines love it, and many, many, quilter's love it

jeaninmaine- you're right about the broadcloth. the name refers to fabric that has a certain plain weave and weight of threads, usually cotton, but with the advent of polyester, poly-cotton. sewing machines love it, quilting machines love it, and many, many, quilter's love it

I was going to purchase breoadcloth from Joanns ($2.99 yard) it was too thin, more like a batise.

at walmart broadcloth is poly/cotton blend