I've been working on my quilts for kids & have read over the instructions I don't know how many times but dumb dumb here didn't catch something or else just plain forgot. I had all the quilting done on the one I had made from my stash & was just looking at the instructions again for the binding when I saw it. Please do not use invisible/or mono filament thread since it melts!!!! Guess what I did ! I was so @#* upset with myself that now I don't know if they will still take it. Has anyone else made this stupid mistake? I guess I'll have to e-mail them & see if they will accept it or just make another one & donate this one to another charity. Help!!

It's normal for me to be an idiot so I think you fit right in with me. I wouldn't ask the organization if they will accept the quilt since they did state please do not use the invisible thread. That will have someone trying to say thank you but no thanks.

Hahaha NOPE. Not me. :mrgreen:
I had never heard of a charity requesting no clear thread.
Hmmm. Sorry I can't help. Good luck though. Are there
other charities around?

From what I have read, these quilts will be subjected to industrial type washers and dryers. That could be why they are concerned about the monofilament thread. Maybe it doesn't hold up to the high dryer temp.

Don't feel bad, I have done things like that too. You know what you are doing and you jump in cause you are anxious to start and your eyes just skim right over one or two little words. Don't beat yourself up over it. I will bet there is another charity like a homeless shelter or domestic abuse shelter that deals with little ones that would love to have it.

Your local Children's Services (foster care) would love to have it. The two guilds I belong to make quilts for two county Children's Services. They are very happy to get them. They tell us that the children's eyes just light up when they can choose a quilt.

I sew for Linus and they also request you do not use invisible thread...You might look into a homeless shelter or missionary group...they would be happy to receive it...

I never do anything like that!

I love the clear thread myself, when you accidentally fall out of the ditch.. it doesnt show. That said they dont want the clear thread because 1)it can melt and 2)if it breaks off its a bit sharp and it might be hard on the kids if they get poked I guess. So donate away to some other org. Darn it though.

kind of rule of thumb...use invisible thread on wall hangings and quilts for show which will not be used and washed often...use good ole quilting thread on quilts which are for use...
not all of the invisible threads melt in the dryer, but all of them are kind of 'pokey' when a tip sticks out.....we've all had that item with the tag sewn on with (fishing line?) drives you crazy until you get rid of it!

I use mono filament for fishing not quilting..........

the instructions stated not to use it because it will melt in the drier and can cause a choking hazard. But dont feel to bad it wasnt until the 4th one that I read that you were to zigzag over the binding edge to keep the IV from hanging on the quilt.


Billy

I hate to read instructions, I do stuff like that all the time.

One other thing - don't use invisible thread on baby quilts. If you happen to have a loop or large stitch, small fingers and toes can get caught and horrible things happen. We have a nurse involved on a machine quilting site I belong to. She has confirmed this.

The problem is that the threads doesn't break like cottons and polys will. The babies also don't know to pull their fingers and toes out of the loops.

No, there has never been a time when I have read something I was supposed to do after the fact. No way that would ever happen to this skimmer! I don't know how many times I have had egg on my face! :oops:

Been there done that :oops: beat myself with a wet noodle and got out the seam ripper :wink: :lol::lol::lol:

Too funny...me too!

You can always share your quilt with my group. We don't have any rules that must be followed for donated quilts. We are in need of 60 more quilts to fulfill a mission for York County Department of Social Services.

Okay, okay........I didn't want to beg......but.......

Seriously, we all make mistakes- I am an idiot too at times. It just part of being human.

Don't forget, we are not supposed to be perfect, just perfectly human! (Can you tell I have had many talks with myself about that?)

You'll find a solution, perhaps another charity. :-D :-D

Don't feel bad. It's the thought that counts and I'm sure some other charity can benefit from your pretty quilt. It will be loved and cherished by someone, so no worries. Sometimes we quilters get blinded by the rules when all people want is a comfy, cozy, handmade lovely. I know yours fits the bill!

Good thing you responded to my idiot mistake because you brought it to my attention that I'm suppose to zigzag the binding. I guess I missed that little tidbit too so thanks for the reminder hopefully it will keep me from being "the idiot" again!

Thanks everyone for all your help & support. At least i know i'm not the only one that does this although there are "some of you" who never, ever do this!!! ya right! I know I'll find a charity in my city that will be able to use it so it will be put to good use. thanks Shelly too for the infor about the babies getting their fingers & toes caught in the loops I never even thought of that. i usually don't make little quilts for babies. i go to the twin size so that i can make them for when they are a little older & be able to use them longer. good thing i cut out another quilt of the same fabric when i was cutting this one out. oh well, i guess that's life.

When my DD was a baby, I had a comforter on my bed. It was mass produced and they had used monofilament thread. I was lifting her up and notice that the comforter was coming too. She had her little finger under a loop of thread and it would have sliced her tiny little finger. I was terrified. This was 30 yrs. ago when they used the thick wire like thread. I think even cotton thread would cut you, but at least you can see it. In the end, these people have been talking to the parents and nurses through the years and know what the hazards are. The rules are to make the quilts as safe as possible for children that are already sick and don't need more pain.

Well...I'm so glad you posted.....Unfortunately...I qualify to "join" you little club... :wink:

Sounds just like something I would do. Check with the local homeless or battered women's shelter. Check the police and fire departments too. Some of them carry comfort items like quilts and teddies in their cars for emergencies.

We could be long-lost sisters! LOL Also, my idiocy goes a step further into reading recipes correctly. I will say that I have become a "pro" at fixing recipes where I have misread ingredients or instructions.

Here we have a crisis pregnancy center. I am sure one of those girls would love your quilt.

Read the instructions??? Wow, Maybe that's why I can't understand how to use my new Blackberry!

Whoops! I was about ready to send a Q4K quilt. Seems I didn't read the directions completely either.
Thanks for the heads up on zigzagging the binding down. :oops:

I quilted a quilt with monofilament thread moons ago and washed it a gazillion times. It is still just fine. Didn't use it in the binding - but why would that make such a big difference?

That said? Just the fact that I opened the "could I be an Idiot" thread, suggests a resounding YES. I turned the pieces of my lone star so now I have a bright streak going down into each point. Yeah, I could call it a "variation on a theme" or I could call it a bonehead move. One of these days, I need to finish that beastie.

Or Artistic License! One of my first quilt teachers said in quilting there are o mistakes, just pattern variances. That is one thing that inspires me as a quilter and keeps me happy!

There are so many mistakes that could have been worse. I know because I have made them. I agree with giving it to another charity, maybe this was meant to be?

There are so many mistakes that could have been worse. I know because I have made them. I agree with giving it to another charity, maybe this was meant to be?

There are so many mistakes that could have been worse. I know because I have made them. I agree with giving it to another charity, maybe this was meant to be?

Hi,
I'm right there with you - doing things that I shouldn't be doing.

How extensively is your top quilted? If the quilting is minor (in terms of the time it took to do the quilting), have you thought about re-quilting it with the correct thread? You could either sew over the original quilting lines, or you could do a grid quilting....either with diagonal lines or horizontal and vertical lines.

My hope is that you would be able to salvage the quilt and give it to the intended group. I hate the idea of all that money for fabrics and all of your time, and now it is essentially wasted, because it cannot go the the correct place.

Casa Manana

Whoopes! I have to go back and zig zag the binding as I stitched it down by hand. I missed reading that piece...

I'll bet you have a nearby Head Start or Early Start Program that would just love to have it. I made 27 quilts for our program here, so I know they are welcome.

I have used it on some of my quilts and liked it. I was thinking about using it too til I read the instructions a second time. If you hadn't posted I would have done it too.

Now I'm paranoid about some baby quilts I've made and quilted with monofiliment thread. I'll be worried to death a finger will be cut!I'm very careful about clipping threads but what if I missed one? Monofiliment is about all I quilt with simply because my bad quilting skills are less visable.

Yes, I'm rethinking my quilting thread choices now...thanks for posting.

I have always been confused about quilting threads. I want a soft "unthready" look but I don't know what to use. Is rayon embroidery thread ok or would it not hold up with use? I haven't seen any Sulky or comparable brand of quilting threads at Joann's.

I do things like that too. And I didn't know that about monofilament thread so your "mistake" was a lesson to me. I did a lap robe with the stuff but it's for us so guess it doesn't really matter; I'll do my big cussing when I wash and dry it and maybe have to redo some of it.

I just noticed you're from Fargo - I live near Gwinner!