Chintz - will it work?????
 

Has anyone ever used chintz to make a quilt? I have so much of it - some from the 50's and some from the 70's. I know that it's tightly woven and will probably be a pain to work with, but unless I want the Laura Ashlely curtain look throughout the house I'm going to have to do something else with the chintz. I think it is also called "polished cotton", so maybe I can pre-wash and get some of the "polish" out. Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

I bought 2 tops at an estate auction that were made of this polished cotton. Of course, they are not quilted yet but they look good. I say go for it.

Folks make quilts out of denim, which is much heavier. I would go for it, but wash the fabric first. The glazing might be removed, but the fabric may come out softer.

Sewing since the days of chintz. If pre-washed some will soften and some will retain their crispness. Most are a tighter weave like high count sheets so I would plan simple quilting. The finished product should wear like iron.

Wasn't there a time in quilt history when chintz was sought after and wanted? I've seen a few tops along the way that have been constructed with polished cotton...looked cool

Chintz has been used in quilts since the 1700s....I have a family quilt (donated to the Textile Museum in Colonial Wiliamsburg) ca. 1780 (THEIR dating!) which has chintz appliques on it.

I probably would not handquilt one with lots of chintz in it though.

Jan in VA

Yes absolutely you can! And it is not hard to sew with either. I made this set for my bedroom with a black floral chintz mixed with some regular cottons and it worked up with no problems. It was machine quilted by a LA and I did not hear any complaints about it being hard to quilt. So I say go for it![ATTACH=CONFIG]521482[/ATTACH]

Love the quilt - it looks so elegant!

I've made a quilt out of chintz, didn't have a problem, and the quilt came out great.

Can you even buy chintz anymore...anybody know?

I have and it comes out beautiful but forget about hand quilting it! It was way too thick for me to stitch.

In early textile history in the American colonies chintz from England was highly sought for use in quilts. Most often it was used to applique,' borderie perse' (sp?) style. It was very expensive to purchase. Chintz was most often used in home textiles and was a finish applied to twill weave fabric. It was prized because of its beautiful designs. It should hold up well in a quilt. In the 90's it was made into custom comforters and matching draperies. Generally it had beautiful floral designs

Brodiere purse (sp?) was very popular for a while.A lot of fussy cutting! I use it for backing and sometimes background for wall hangings because it helps to retain the shape...and some of it is just the right color.

I love your quilt no matter what you used to make it. It is beautiful. Would you mind sharing the name of the pattern, please.

About six months ago I bought some Dutch chintz (made in the Netherlands) at $40/yard! I didn't wash it. It was wonderful to work with. Now it is waiting for me to take to the long arm quilter. Go for it.

I've used chintz in clothing before and although washing takes some of the "polish" off the fabric, it is still good to go. I also used small pieces in quilts and it worked fine. I think that the chintz would be very similar to batik fabrics, which are also tightly woven.

Dakota Rose, Thank you very much! I didn't have a pattern. I saw a picture of the center block and just made it larger then set it on point and went from there. It's a super King size and took me a long time to get it done I also made matching Pillow Shams and window valances with the left over pieces.

Chintz to me seems to have a hand much like batiks do--tightly woven with a bit of gloss. I have used both successfully many times mixed with other cotton fabrics. I am the quintessential no-ironing-for-me quilter, so I have always used mine as it came to me originally. Maybe I'm lucky, but with over 100 quilts made over the years, I have never had a problem with quilts after they are washed (many times in most cases) shrinking unevenly or bleeding colors. The only shrinkage I have encountered on a regular basis is when I use cotton batting, and there I expect about 5% shrinkage after I wash it following quilting. I also don't prewash/dry my batting, so if I don't want the slightly crinkled look that I got from cotton batting, I use polyester.

When I was new to quilting, and really dumb, I mixed up all kinds of fabric in my first quilt. Even some flannel, polished cotton, even squares of JERSEY along with the quilting fabric. The secret is to pre-wash all of it so there isn't some shrinking and some not. Anyway, it is on my bed and I still love the crazy looking quilt!

Find out first if it washable then if it is, find out by cutting a square washing it to see how much shrinkage will occur.

I have used it in a quilt with no problem. I did wash it first and it took the shine off and after that you couldn't tell much different unless you knew it was there. Good luck with yours.

Yes, go for it. You can use anything in a quilt you can sew as long as you remember how to clean it. Like sometimes people put in dry clean only fabrics with cottons and then wash and it doesn't turn out well. Have fun.

i have a big 'ole romantic streak in my soul that just LOVES them.

the challenge would be in finding the right pattern to show them off, as the repeats are wide and the motifs tend to be large, no?

i want to see pictures! i bet it turns out to be stunningly gorgeous!

aileen

aileen

https://www.google.com/search?q=chin...ine&gws_rd=ssl
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I have some coated with teflon that I thought about using for kitchen chair seat covers. I'm glad to know it wears well.

Good job. I would probably need a pattern to follow. But I will save the comments.

Thank you, dear Quilting Friends. I will check to see if it is washable (if there is any notation on the chintz) if it is, then I'm going to go for it. It is a crime to have beautiful fabric and let it go to waste. I will also use it for heart pillows that we give to the local hospitals.

I've always loved the look of "polished cotton" / chintz. Wish I had some! The quilt is gorgeous and looks so elegant and rich. Just wonderful!