Have you ever or can you ?
 

I have been given alot of polyester material, But i do not know if u can use it to make quilts with or not. i am going to be making quilts for vets and childern fighting for cancer. i havent seen the material yet my sister picked it up last night and will be delivering to me today. i here there is ALOT OF YARDAGES. I know someone will have an answer for me.
thank you
mary

You sure can use it to make quilts. If it's something very fluid, or stretchy, just don't try anything with small pieces. Keep it simple, with larger pieces. I know lap quilts made with the old double knits are sometimes very much appreciated by elderly people who can't move around alot, because they are very warm. They also wear like iron, last forever, and still look great. Have fun, and you get an "Attagirl!" for your charitable efforts.

I have one made with double knit that was cut in squares. My Mom made it for me when I married my ex... (30+ yrs ago!!!) It is very heavy and VERY WARM... I think it will make great utility quilts (made for warmth and durability)

Yes you can. Whether the fabric is knit or woven won't make much of a difference. If it's woven, it'll be a bit lighter in weight than good quilters cotton, but you can use it in the same way.

Some of the homes here love to get touch quilts that are made of lots off different fabric with different textures. This gets the residence different textures to run their hands over soft ,dots ,lines ect. We even use fake fur:)

I use fabric like that all the time to make charity quilts.You can use a simple pattern like a Trip around the World or just use the blocks randomly and they will look pretty.

The quilts made of any poly will far outlast the cotton ones! Very good for service type quilts. Have fun.

As others have said, yes you can. Lots of quilts are still with us that were made before cotton was readily available in the range of patterns and color that we now enjoy. However, be aware that some organizations will accept only quilts made with 100% cotton. Don't let that discourage you, since there are lots of other organizations that love and value poly quilts.

Hi "mbailey" - welcome to the QB from a fellow Missourian - Lebanon here - never heard of Farber. A friend of mine made me a double knit quilt - front and back - many years ago and we take it with us to put on bleachers at our favorite dirt track race track - it is VERY HEAVY and very stiff - dont think that I would want a two-sided double knit quilt of any size. But, I do not know what she used as filling - she had her own long-arm machine and machine quilted it. HTH

Poly can make some of the most durable quilts. Depending on the thickness of the fabric ... consider the thicker the fabric ( double knits) the larger the pieces should be. The heavy thick double knit type poly can be very difficult to work with in small pieces. Consider opening the seams if the fabric is bulky or intersecting seams will be very thick.
Do lower your iron temp... as poly melts at a cotton setting. Poly does not crease as well so some find it frustrating that they can not get that crisp seam press.

I am helping a friend make a Roman Stripe quilt with the dress blouses the thinner polyester, lots of bright colors and tone on tone. We starched (homemade - 1 tablespoon starch per cup of water) cut in 2 1/2 strips and sewed on a starched foundation of a thin cotton fabric.
This is the pattern she is making.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Patchwor...item4ab94b2a7b

My husband's grandmother made him a quilt from polys. It's 20+ years old and looks brand new...well except for the corner out daughter cut off when she was little. But that corner never frayed. It makes a great picnic quilt too. Everything shakes right off.

little poly tip from my days working for "Stretch & Sew"....OMG HOW OLD AM I ??? :shock:...... white vinegar will take a crease out - put a crease into - polyester fabric.... used to keep spritzer bottle of it for ironing in pleats. so if you want sharper pressed seams - that will do it.

I'm glad to see this bc I inherited 1/2 of one of those giant trash bags of poly hexagons. I plan to stitch them to muslin and try to do QAYG method. It will probably become a picnic/bleach throw, or anything else that it needs to be :D

If and when I ever get most of my fabrics sewn up I have a plastic tub of polyester blend fabrics I want to sew up. Dress type fabrics. It will sure outlast me.

I would just suggest you tie the quilt not machine quilt it.

This is so great to here that i can use this. i mean i ws given alot of yardage of this stuff. so to know i can use it and not have to pitch it is wonderful. I thank all of u for answering . i have one more
question do i still need to use batting in the middle since it so heavy ?

You can use any material that is serviceable. I would suggest that you just try to keep all the material about the same weight and standard to make it easier for sewing.
I would still use batting unless you are going to use the Japanese satchiko method of quilting multiple layers of the fabric together - usually about 5 layers.

I bought a king-size polyester "crazy quilt" at a garage sale. It is HUGE and weighs about 40 lbs. That quilt is going to last for eternity!! Don't cover up with it when weak though as you won't have the strength to crawl out from under it !! LOL Yes, go ahead with it. It will be a great conversation piece!!

I have used polyester as a 'batting' for floor quilts and table runners.

That would depend on how thick the material is but you could use batting. I did a tiger strip fake fur throw that I used batting with and back with unbleached muslin. I tied this for my son 20 years ago. It is still being used.

The heavy tightly woven double knits make wonderful beach quilts. The sand falls right off! They are great to carry in your car for emergencies and for picnics, camping, etc. Don't be afraid of this fabric.

If you choose to use "batting" make it a flannel, a sheet, or a very thin batting as this quilt is going to get very heavy.

The first thing I thought of when you mentioned this "windfall" was for you to make very simple one patch quilts for you and every member of your family to carry in the trunk of your car, in case (god forbid) there is an accident or someone is stranded in the cold. It would be a good way to get the feel of the fabric and how it sews and those blankets can stay in the car for years and still look Oh so fresh! Just a thought.

and they laundry very well. I have some I made that we use all the time for lap quilts.

Thank u, wasn wondering do i have to use batting in them ?that would seem to make them very heavy. I would not use it for children only 100% cotton for those sweties

Also, polyester is great for the backing of lap quilts for the elderly as it does not slip & slide as cotton does.

Poly makes Good Quilts, practically indubitable LOL But for a Person With Canser will be TO Heavy as they are weak at times :(
As for other Gifts fine. :)

Great for teens and mid age adults. The reason the homes don't like them is that poly melts to the skin. And as you said, never use them for the wee ones for the same reason. Good luck and wtg with your work.

Thats a very good idea thank u

it is a very small town between ST.Louis and columbia. everyone knows your before you do lol.

I have heard some people use polyester for batting. Never used it myself but sounds like it might work.

When my DH and I married 30+ years ago, my DMIL gave us a polyester quilt we nicknamed the Chastity Quilt. The thing was so heavy and so hot that there was no cuddling allowed before you became a pool of sweat in the bed. We each slept on our side of the bed as far away from the other as possible. But, it was really nice and warm. Over the years, with much washing from lots of use, it has become more pliable and lots softer. My DH and I laugh about this quilt, but it still is one of the most used quilts in our home. Oh, the quilt still looks new, the colors are still vibrant and the fabric still has its patterns. The quilt has lasted forever. Kinda scary!

My DMIL has since passed, but whenever we look at the quilt, my DH and I give each other our secret smiles, shake our heads and think lovingly of his dear mother's wedding present to us.

My mother in law always used polyester, maybe because she had 10 daughters; when the smallest outgrew the dresses she used the best parts from the dresses to make quilt tops.We have 2 quilts on our bed now she gave us and they are tied, just squares but they have the softest backs and they just drape around us.I love them. Just dont cut your pieces small.

Hi, Mary! What a wonderful gift of your time with making the quilts. I have a suggestion for the fabrics that you may not be so fond of and perhaps choose not to use when making the quilts. If you have any pet shelters in your area, I bet that they would love to receive bedding pads made with those fabrics. My favorite LQS takes the scraps that they get from classes or scraps that customer donate and they make bedding for the local no-kill pet shelter. They piece the tops and bottoms, sew those together and then use extra batting and fabric scraps to fill to make it thick enough for a comfortable bed. They make various sizes, according to the shelter's needs.