How do I know if it's real?
 

I belong to a group of quilters who make quilts for those who are in need of them for any reason. Members of the community are often donating LOTS of fabric to our group. Most of the fabric is good for quilts, but there are often pieces that we are unsure of using. Is there any "test" of unrecognizable types of fabric to determine if they are good, cotton fabric to be used in our quilts?
Once again, I turn to members of the Quilting Board to give me the best, usable, reliable answers. Thanks to all for the help.

You can do the burn test to see if the fabrics are cotton -- if the fabric has polyester it will melt, if it is cotton it will leave ash. Don't know what the burn test does to other fabrics though.

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/...th-a-burn-test

Our group just does the feel and look thru the weave of the fabric test. If is not the quality for a quilt, we pass the fabric on to the woman who makes dog beds so the fabric is used for stuffing. Just don't waste anything that is given.

Thanks for the tips.

Why are polyester fabrics not recommended for our quilts? We use it and a multitude of other fibers for batting, why not in the fabrics? Personally I like the sheen and the colorfast qualities (esp black) of poly. Can anyone explain why these are not recommended for our creations?

I think it is okay to use poly., and other, fabrics in a quilt if you are good with that. Fabrics of different content wear differently, fade and shrink differently. Personally, I think, if a quilt is going to be used and loved to death, it probably doesn't matter as much about the content. If you want it to become a family heirloom or are making a show quilt, you may want to be more concerned about the fabric content.

You commented about batting...as far as I know, when someone uses poly batting in a quilt, they use it for the whole quilt. They do not typically piece together a bit of bamboo, some silk, wool, and cotton batting to finish out the quilt. They are consistent with using the same kind of batting on the whole quilt. Some are just as careful about piecing the whole top with one type of fabric also.

Remember, there are no quilt police! :)

please, please, please don't forget to have a water source close by when you do the burn test. some things can flare up so quickly that you can get burned if you're not careful! even a few threads can burn you if they melt, and drip on your skin. (sorry. we can retire, but the nurse never quits...) and yes, i do the burn test. don't ask me how i know about little drips from threads...

Actually, I think poly has its advantages. I know some longarm machines don't like it but, it hasn't affected my domestic quilting. I agree with MarthaT, there is a certain shine to some poly that makes it stand out in a quilt and look great.

Lots of good info here...addressing "quality" tho....i think you need to look at thread count. The fewer threads per inch, the less wear you will usually get from the fabric. A magnifying glass will help - count the threads per half inch and compare a questionable fabric to a suitable fabric.
RE: using / mixing polyester....i agree that it works just great - so long as the cottons you use have been preshrunk - cuz altho polyester melts, it rarely shrinks. OH....and don't use it for pot holders !!! Don't ask me why i know this please.