cotton lawn?
 

Just got a Connecting Threads catalog in, and they're advertising "New Cotton lawn". Went to the website for a description ....

"Cotton lawn is a lightweight, semi-sheer fabric that is similar to voile,
but slightly crisper and less transparent. It uses fine threads in a tighter
weave than quilting cotton, which results in a very smooth, buttery
soft fabric with a slight sheen and beautiful drape. Quilts made from
lawn are very lightweight, delicate, and soft, which is wonderful for
summertime or baby quilts. Lawn is also perfect for blouses, skirts,
children’s clothing, curtains, pillowcases and sleepwear."

Has anyone used cotton lawn before? I've never even heard of it.

It is NOT unique to CT, and it has been available for many, many years. In fact, I made my now 15 year old GD her Christening gown and set out of lawn...

Never heard of it! I would love to the answer too.

I have heard of it as an apparel fabric (mainly from novels). I would not necessarily know it if i saw it.

ITA been around forever!!!! ... some of the summer dresses I made as a teenager were made from lawn. As it said, it's much finer than traditional cotton yardages. Very nice and delicate, heading towards semi-sheer ... though for those reasons, I'm not sure I would use it for quilts. However that's JIMHO!

It is a garment fabric in my opinion. A little too sheer and lightweight for me in a quilt. I have made vintage looking doll dresses out of it...and some summer blouses.

like the other posters, i've always known it as garment fabric. CT seems to think it'd make a good quilt. i'll wait for others to try it and show the quilts in the Pictures forum LOL

As everyone else said, I've used it in garments, but the clothing wore well. I saw the new line at CT and I'm going to order a yard just to see what it's like. I love the prints! Also, the width is 54", which is a plus.

If it's semi transparent wouldn't you have to "really" be careful of the batting showing through?

Yes, I wouldn't use it for quilting. I'd use it for summer blouses, and actually lined my wedding dress with it. The dress was microfiber, and I wanted cotton next to my skin since the weather was warm.

That takes me back to my childhood memories of Mother and her sewing and hearing the word "lawn". That was considerable years ago, believe me and I hadn't heard that word in years until now. Like deja vu.

Laura Ingalls often had dresses made out of 'lawn' fabrics!

Yes, I know it for very light weight summer garments.

I remember it from the vintage clothing we used to collect and model.

If you look at the cotton lawn quilt they have in the magazine, note that they hung it in a window and you can see the seam allowances through the quilt. Seems to me the quilt would be very soft and drapeable, but I'm not sure how well it would wear. Wouldn't the seam allowances have a tendency to fray a lot?

How does it compare o the thickness of cotton batiste?

I would use it to make a wholecloth trapunto quilt.

And some new nightgowns. It's beautiful fabric and perfect for antique styling and sewing techniques - pintucking, smocking, faux hemstitching, entredeaux. I didn't realize CT was carrying it now, so thanks for the heads up. :)

I sooo badly it were available in quilting cotton. :( I love the prints, but not lawn for a lap quilt for myself.

Cotton lawn would be good for objects in a wall hanging or table runner ... something that would not be heavily used. It is a bit heavier than batiste but not as "heavy" as cotton broadcloth (if I could describe broadcloth as heavy). I could see it used as accents in an art quilt.

Used to make my 3 daughters summer dresses for church from it. Very delicate.

I used to use cotton lawn for heirloom sewing. It is used for shadow embroidery, lacework, pintucks, and French sewing techinques. Fine cotton lawn lends itself to this type of sewing and sews beautiful. It makes beautiful blouses and heirloom baby dresses. Martha Pullen is a well known teacher with many books and patterns to her credit on the technique of heriloom sewing. She has a quilt pattern using these tehniques and it would be more of a christening quilt than a using quilt, in my opinion.

Beautiful light weight fabric has been around for years. Ladies dresses in the Victorian Era were made from it. I always thought it was a bit pricey because I had only seen it through Liberty of London {around $23.00 a yard}. It seems to be coming more popular now and I have seen it for a lot less at other fabric stores.

Maybe you could make a simple pieced baby quilt and make some of the blocks 'feature' squares and use some of those wonderful French sewing techniques in them. It would be very sophisticated, I think. Definitely heirloom! And maybe use a soft handmade ruffle tucked into the binding. Definitely high-loft batting but very light and soft.
Oh, I can't wait until someone special in our family gets pregnant!!!

Note: Liberty of London fabrics are 54" wide

Well, I guess I'm going to eat my own words. Here is a quilter who IS using it for a quilt. I'd be curious to see how the quilt holds up after a couple of years.

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2...-giveaway.html

I don't think I would quilt with it but I am tempted to make the free kimono pattern. It looks like it would be so cool and comfy for summer morning tea on the porch :-)

Where might we find this free kimono pattern?
Please? and Thanks!!

I've been wanting to make one ... and thought I'd make my own pattern from an old one that I have. This would simplify it considerably!!! :)

Besides being used for clothing lawn fabric made lovely curtains.

I think it's too thin and fine to quilt with. I 've made semi-sheer curtains from it and a mini-dress in the 1970's :-D

Thank you!

I also use Lawn for the things Wildflower discusses. I was also surprised when I saw it in the CT catalogue. However, when you think of the beautiful heirloom dresses made from Lawn,that are still around after over a hundred years.... I am thinking it would hold up just fine for a quilt. However, I do agree I would be concerned about the batting showing thru.
I actually have a quilt that I started from Lawn fabric but never really got 'off the ground' with it. Each square was a different heirloom technique, I was going to 'line' it if you will with a pale pink or blue behind each square just so the batting would not show.
JMHO it just might be an interesting new twist for quilting.
:)

The reading comprehension I get from their ad is that the New Cotton Lawn is new to CT in design name, print and color but not in type of fabric. The best quality lawn fabric is Liberty of London. I ordered the sampler bundle of CT lawn to compare to Liberty of London. Liberty of London use to be the fabric of choice for the best of the best quilt fabric to use.

When I saw it listed last week I thought that lawn was much too thin for a quilt. I am relieved that I like the colors but find the prints totally unappealing. That will save me from buying it and regretting it! :)

The pattern is on the Connecting Threads website under the link for "free patterns" I'll try to post the link hope it works... let me know what you think, I'm an adventurous beginner when it comes to sewing garments :)

http://www.ConnectingThreads.com/pat...tterns--601021

I've had a good look at the pattern and it looks like a fun (and easy) pattern to make ... though I'm not sure I would make it with the lining. I don't like how it would shift around. Instead I'll probably make it with a flannelette or heavier cotton than lawn.

Has anyone made it?

Print lawn? Don't they have solids? Solids is what would be good for all of the heirloom techniques. I like the idea mentioned above from someone who would use a lightweight fabric behind the decorative blocks to hide the batting. Contrasting color! This is sounding better and better - who needs prints?

I can't wait to make an heirloom baby quilt - all I have to do is learn all the heirloom sewing techniques! LOL

Where would you buy LofL quilting fabric? I have not seen other than garment fabric.
Thanks
Sue

I brought several pieces Liberty of London lawn back when I was in GB during college. I saved the scraps left from the blouses I made for a quilt. After I married in 1978, my Dad commissioned two ladies to make quilts for my sister and I. I chose Double Wedding Ring and furnished the fabrics. It had the two Liberty of London prints scattered throughout the quilt. I washed that quilt at least twice a month for at least 20 years before they began to wear through. I made a quilt about 8 years ago using FQ from a LQS. I have also washed it several times a month. One red print is beginning to wear through to the batting.

I love the prints, but I won't be buying it for a quilt. The explanation says to use white poly batting to keep the batting from showing through. Also to use a smaller needle. IMO, it won't be strong enough for the kind of quilts I want.