I know we quilters just love our cotton fabrics... but do you have any poly/cotton fabrics? And if so, what have you been using them for?

I have to admit that I am sure that some have slipped out from under my radar when I fell in love and failed to check. For the most part I use them in quilts, bags, or whatever.

some of my nicest sheets are cotton poly blend.

One of the very worst sheets was poly cotton blend. It pilled up and felt like sandpaper. We'd bought a used RV and that's what the previous owner left for us.

I use them in my quilts. Never have a problem with them. In as much as they don't shrink, the pucker a tiny bit more than the cotton after washing.

I prefer polycotton for garment making (skirts & shirts). Reduces ironing needs.

The "feel" counts very much, though!

Bags, aprons, wall hangings and some end up in my quilts.

So is it alright to use them in the same quilt with all cotton fabric? I just had a LOT of fabric given to me and am sure there are some blends. But as a beginner quilter I don't think I could pick all of them out. I want to use the fabric for quilts for Operation Kid Comfort and the Soldier's Angels quilts. I'll have to look back over their requirements too.

I wouldn't worry about poly-cotton fabric, use it up along with your cottons. About 15 to 20 years ago, that is all we could buy for sewing clothes or quilts. Then cotton was back and now that is all we can get.
Those who didn't want to iron, bought poly cotton clothes. Bachelors especially, they didn't have MOM handy to iron their shirts and some were drip dry. That is where you wash the clothes, squeeze out as much water as you can, hang the piece on a hanger over the bathtub so the rest of the water can drip out. When dry, they didn't need ironing.
Use it up and don't worry about it, not worth it.

Carol J.

Thanks Carol J!

I have a ton for poly/cotton not sure what to do with them I am think about make a rag rug with some of it. Most of it so date. I was given some poly/cotton cheaters. :roll:

I use some questionable content fabric for the clothesline baskets. Some poly/cottons work fine in thread catchers, aprons, mug rugs etc. I have used them in quilts, I just make sure that I don't mix different fabric contents. You could mix them but they shrink, fade and iron differently.

It depends on what the poly to cotton ratio is... if its 30 percent poly I will use it in quilting .... if its 70 percent poly its a garment only or home dec . .. as I am really obessed with pressing and LOTS of steam when it comes to quilting... and high poly content does not lend itself to that kind of treatment.
Sometimes there are great prints that have some poly ... and I just can not resist.
I reciently saw a quilt made from all poly /cotton blends it was fabulous and you would not know by looking at it that it had blends.

Curtains, clothing, pillows, etc

I use it to make pillowases with...its soft and doesnt wrinkle much!

Put up your poly/cotton for sale. There are lots of us who sew for grandchildren and others as well as quilts. If the designs, colors and prices are right we'd rather buy from you than from Hancock's or JoAnne's.

What if you aren't sure if it is a poly blend or not? I am a fairly new sewer and need an easy way to tell.

I use poly cotton for whatever strikes my fancy. I don't follow rules easily!

I don't buy the blends. But then, I sew quilts, not clothes too~

I use, and recommend the use of poly/cotton for Project Linus and other charity quilts, the reason? Because of their being what they are they undergo such much more washing and laundering than normal quilts, sometimes every day, and poly/cotton is manufactured just for that, multi laundering.

For us die hard quilters it may seem wrong but remember these are not "Heritage" quilt they are "Huggles" for a poorly kiddie-wink and do a super job.

I have from being given or people sold them as 100% cotton to me. I am not sure what to do with it except maybe utility quilts? Maybe DD 14 can use her floor loom to make utility rugs but even for that 100% cotton is preffered.

One can do a burn test to see if the fabric contains a synthetic:

One only needs a piece of fabric about 1/4 inch wide by about 1 inch long - doesn't take much

Hold it with tweezers in a flame - I prefer a lighted candle - make sure that you have an ashtray and a glass of water handy

If it is synthetic, it will burn with black smoke and leave either a crispy or gooey ash.. The residue stays hot for a long time, even after the fire is out.

All cotton burns with only a little smoke, and leaves a very powdery, soft ash.

I've used them in quilts (they hold up so well), bags, totes and table runners

And sometimes it can be like a small knob of plastic.

Glad to know someone else doesn't follow rules easily, I make mine up as I go!

I use them for gift bags.

Me too. I would love to be able to find more for my dresses.

Pretty much gave any might have had away. Don't even like to wear any poly anything, and hate the smell of ironing that fabric.

I recently donated a big box of double knit that was my Mothers. She made many quilts from double knit but at one of the quilt shops a local quilt guild ask for donations to make hats for cancer patients. That what I wanted for that fabric and I know my Mom loved that I donated them to such a worthy cause.

i use it for backing, mug rugs, table runners, bibs for the grand kids, for the small projects i do

Once in a while I purchase a T-shirt that has a small amount of Poly in it because it is a color I need. Other than that, I never purchase anything with Poly in it. I guess I am just "a cotton snob". I took all my Poly fabric to Goodwill in the 90's and never looked back.

Memory quilt of my clothing sewing projects using the scraps.

I love poly/cotton fabrics for pillowcases. They don't wrinkle, never fade and wear like iron. I also use poly/cotton in quilts because the colors are vibrant and don't fade. I no longer buy 100 percent cotton sheets because even the 350 count high dollar sheets (1) wrinkle (2) shrink and (3) fade. froggyintexs

I don't use it or buy it. Doesn't cooperate when sewing with it. Won't hold folds, is slippery, can't iron out mistakes, and it is hot to wear. Just my opinion.

Very good advice from your fellow quilters. Will only add that if I use leftover poly-cotton, I don't mix it with 100% cotton. They wash, shrink, fade so differently it isn't worth my time and effort to mix them up in a project. They are especially good for placemats and napkins. Use poly batting if needed.

I am with you. Sew with what you have and just enjoy the process.

Two easy ways: (1) Take a corner of the fabric in your hand and wad it up as tightly as you can. If it is wrinkled when you let it go, it is 99 percent certain that it's cotton. If it isn't wrinkled it's 99 percent certain that it's blend.

If you want to live dangerously:

(2) Cut a swatch of fabric big enough to hold by your fingertips with about 5 inches to spare away from your hand. Stand over the kitchen sink and turn the cold water on. Strike a match and set the flame to the fabric. If it melts, it's polyester. If it burns, it's cotton. The reason for having the water on is obvious. If it really flames, you probably don't want to use it for anything that might be exposed to fire. BTW, I just went to sink to try this because I wanted to be sure about it. froggyintexas

I have used the material for the backs of wallhangings!

That was my idea too, not so much ironing.

That is mostly the fabric that I have and I use it in quilts. Never have had a problem at all. I have very little "all cotton" fabric. Mary

My youngest son is not careful with things. He is also sharing an apartment with others. I know from experience that sometimes when young people move out they forget something or a ex-roommate takes things, so I made him a quilt with cotton polys. They are more durable and less tempting for others to take. I think it will better survive his rough use. When he gets more careful I'll make him an heirloom quilt.
My mom's cousin taught me to sew. She was of the opinion that if it was fabric it could be used in a quilt.