Quilt disaster on newly finished baby quilt
 

I am just about to tears and could not wait until morning to get started on trying to fix a disaster. I thought I would be posting a beautiful picture of my newly finished and washed baby quilt for a baby coming in December. I am afraid without help it is not going to happen. I bought the supporting fabric from a reputable fabric company just recently.(I won't say who here). I have been working on this quilt day in and out for weeks. I put the finished quilt in the wash (gentle) and the fabric fell apart in several places. I somehow have to fix these places but I am afraid it will diminish from the look of the finished quilt. And of course I have no way of knowing how well the quilt will hold up for the future if it is starting out like this I have never had this happen in my lifetime where the fabric just fell apart and new fabric at that.
Here is the finished quilt and a few of the dozen or so places where it fell apart. Or is my only option to just start over the baby is due around Christmas.

Never in my life have I had this happen.

Wow, Julia, that's awful! I've never had that happen with new fabric.
I wouldn't trust that fabric at all and would try to whip up another quilt.
Really sorry that happened to you. It's so adorable and you did a great job.
Bummer.

I have some vintage fabric that still hasn't been used for this very reason. But new?

I did have one "new" fabric shred in the wash. It was a black solid. I had bought two dark blues at the same time - same brand - and they washed up "beautifully". It took a long time to get all that black lint and thread out of my machine. Ugh.

If this were my project - I would just start over.

I know this thread is not about bleeding, but I have learned to wash everything washable before cutting it. I had given some of that black fabric to another member of the quilting group I was in - and she told me that it "shredded" - I thought I misunderstood her, and thought she said that it "bled".

Vickie Welsh has more than one blog about washing fabric to remove excess dye (or to see if the fabric is a bleeder) before cutting it. And also minimizing bleeds after assembly.

https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/sav...g-quilt.html#/

I am in the soak the fabrics (like colors together, in case one has bad manners) in hot water for several hours, wash gently, and dry the fabric before cutting it group.

If you want to selvage the non-background pieces, you could pick it apart while you are watching TV - but you will also have to pick out the quilting.

I would contact the place where you purchased that fabric - show them your pictures, along with the sales receipt. I would at least try to get my money back - and you might save someone else from having the same problem.

If "that" fabric is shredding at almost every seam - I would not even try to fix it. Was it fraying a lot while you were sewing it?

PS: I also wash the batting (if it is washable) before using it.

Reasons: A: I prefer the flatter look.
B: I "assume" that the recipient may - or may not - know how to "properly" wash a quilt - and I want to know that what leaves me will "tolerate" most washings. I do fear bleach, burns, and tears.
C: Fabrics shrink at different rates - some hardly at all - some a lot.

Is this only happening where the lighter fabric is sewn together? It looks like that fabric shrunk more than the others and that caused it to pull apart at those non-quilted seams. I'd still figure that the weave should have been tight enough to hold the seam, but if the fabric was on the lighter weight side, a 1/4" seam is not going to be enough to hold with the stress from shrinkage.

Beautiful quilt. So sorry that happened!! I'd like to know where material was purchased 😖

I love the appliqué idea mentioned.

From your photo, it looks like you didn't sew enough seam allowance. You may have used a longer stitch than needed? And did you prewash and dry the fabric before cutting and sewing it?

I think the idea to applique on top of the ravels is about all you can do now, to salvage this quilt. :(

So sorry this happened. I like the applique idea. I have a quillow I made and used 1/2 " seams as I knew I wasn't going to quilt it close together. After 8 years it still unravels at seams when I wash it! Since it is mine, I just zig-zag across the frayed seams once again. Hope you can salvage this quilt.

This appears to be a seam/shrinkage problem to me. Looks like the fabric shrunk too much for a 1/4" seam. I also like the idea of an applique over the shredded areas.

from the images it looks like the seams didn't hold, not the structure of the fabric.
Or...it doesn't happen with the new stuff apparently, but could it be an older poly thread that melted when ironed?

What a dreadful disappointment, I'm so sorry Julia. Before I considered repairing, I wash it again, see if any more seams let go. Then you'd know if it was worth the effort. You could cut it down into a table topper or placemats, so not a total loss of time and materials?