stressed about hand-dyed shibori!
 

ok. I am going to take a Judy Niemeyer class next month. I am really excited, even though I have made tons of quilts over my 5 decades sewing. However, I am in crisis mode trying to figure out how to do it with my fabrics.
First, I cannot buy any fabric for this class as my DH lost his job. So, I pulled out my stash and found some pretty japanese yakuta fabric I have been hoarding for a long time- it is 100% cotton, and traditionally dyed with indigo.
I had part of a bolt of muslin, and 10 yards of Kona cotton, so I have been dying my own shibori patterned fabric with indigo. I plan on a monochromatic quilt in indigos and white.
What I am concerned about is all those seams and points, and not having shadowing(dark fabrics showing behind the white). My white is also Kona cotton.
so....
- do you think it is ok to use the more gauzy muslin with this paper piecing technique? if so should I interface it first or double it? what about starch?
- how does dark batting work? can I use it with a 60% white quilt?
- will ironing seam allowances and careful trimming be sufficient to prevent shadowing?

any advice is welcome!!
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The nature of JN patterns (or any PP pattern for that matter) you may not always have the option to press your seam allowance to the dark. I would also have concerns with PP with a fabric that has interfacing. If the muslin if very guazy, I would think you could double it but then you may have an issue with too much bulk in the seam allowances, especially with many of JN star patterns, you will have areas of bulk in star centers. I would be very hesitant to use a gauzy muslin in this particular case. Do you have a quilting buddy or friend who could maybe give you a more substantial white until you are in better financial shape? I know you can pick up Kona solid or Moda Bella white on line for around $5.50 per yard.

Regarding your dark batting, no. It will shadow behind the white and cause it to look gray and dingy. You will need to use white batting for this.

Generally when I am paper piecing and especially when piecing anything with multiple seams coming together (regular piecing or PPing) I press my seams open. If you do that, the dark fabric is going to be pressed behind itself and then you won't have to worry about the dark showing behind the white.

I am so sorry about your husband lost his job. But hopefully he will be able to find something quickly. I am going thru trying to pull fabric to do my Judy Niemeyer quilt.

Can you post picture of your japanese yakuta fabric??. Maybe I have and others would have some pieces that would work. I wouldn't use any gauzy muslin. Judy's quilts are quite costly to make with the cost of the pattern, fabric and YOUR time. I would do a test block of which ever pattern of Judy you are going to be making. Good Luck.

yes, the cost in both materials and time is a large part of my stress. I would not have been able to sign up for this class if my DH job status had changed just a couple of weeks earlier, so I am trying to consider it serendipity. My DH says that worrying about the class is a de-stressing technique to keep me from worrying about the future, and I think he is right.

I have enough scraps in other quality fabrics to make a scrap and white quilt... so that is my backup if the shibori doesn't work.
I did just realize that I have a newish high quality king sized white sheet I could dye- so I could eliminate the muslin altogether.

So my big concern will become preventing shadowing. With JN patterns, can I press my seams open? I just look at all those points meeting and doubt it.

You will only be able to press open the seams where you join the pre-assembled PP units together. But the assembly units, the ones that will be sections of your stars (read points!) you have to press to one side, you have no choice because of the way PP is done.

You can make a smidge smaller seam allowance on the dark fabric so it does not peek out under the white