thin, see-though fabric
 

Some of the most expensive cotton fabric I have ever purchased was a very "thin" - "see-through" - cotton batiste (?) that I bought to make a baptismal gown for our children.

It is tightly woven with very fine threads - but it is "thin" - and it is "see-through"

The important thing -IMO- about buying fabrics - are they suitable for your purpose?

Cotton cheesecloth/gauze is very appropriate for some things - where the most tightly woven batik would not work at all!

It all depends on the reason it was purchased.

I don't buy any fabric anymore unless it is 100% cotton quilting fabric.

I am sort of addicted to making foundation-pieced crazy quilts, so I keep my eyes open for really thin fabrics at yardsales and thrift shops to use as my foundation; or super sales on really thin muslin. For that purpose, thinner is better, to a certain limit.

Cheap fabric can be used to test patterns a lot of the time. I'm STILL hunting for the "perfect" teddy bear pattern and have made a few mock-ups out of some awful fabrics I had on hand. For that I just have to make sure it's not unusually stretchy, since I'm trying to get a good idea of the bear's shape. The dogs get my test bears as toys, they don't care what the fabric looks like!

Many years ago there was a technique called Shadow quilting where you applique a quilt top, then place a very thin piece of fabric over the top, and quilt the quilt. It softens the colors of the applique. I saw baby quilts made that way. I think they used the batiste fabric. If it was used for a baby quilt, it must have been somewhat sturdy.

I think the sturdy-ness of the fabric depends on the person using it. When the boys were little, they could destroy a pair of denim jeans in no time! lol

I use thin fabric for foundations for heartstring (string) quilt blocks. My mother sometimes finds cotton fabric that I wouldn't use in my top or backing but it is great for these foundations.

Thin fabric and cheap fabric are not always the same thing. Batiste is not cheap and is usually thin, etc. Buying for the purpose is best. I usually only buy 100 percent cotton fabric for quilt anymore too. Some 14.99 yd fabric is thin, but I don't call that cheap, and some cheaper fabrics are thick but not made well. Different process make different types of fabrics, just buy and use what you think is best for your project.

Thank you for bringing this up. I am currently making a quilt with Thimbleberries fabric that was gifted to me. Most of it is older, probably 10 - 15 years old. One of the brown pieces I wanted to use because it was the right color, was "see through" so I decided not to use it. I know it's not poor quality fabric, because all the fabric gifted to me was LQS, and I'm pretty sure this piece was from the Thimbleberries line too. In retrospect, I probably should have used it, though it was thinner than all the other fabric I am using. I guess I'll save it for a time I need "thin" fabric.

In the distant past (e.g., antique quilts), ekuw, brown fabrics were the first to disintegrate. It had something to do with the dyes used for that color. Your decision not to use that thin brown piece in your current project may have been a message from a quilting ancestor. LOL

The cheaper thinner fabrics are great for sting quilts. I use them for the foundation squares and they add less bulk to the blocks. You can use several different ones, they don't show so it does not matter.

This thin fabric was EXPENSIVE!!!

Perhaps "sheer" would be a better description.

At the time, I purchased it from a shop that seemed to cater to people that mainly used Vogue patterns. At the time they carried silks, woolens, bridal fabrics, lovely trims - -

The only time you would really use fabric like batiste is if you made one of Martha Pullen's heirloom quilts. They have pintucks, lace entredeux and shadow work. They are not everyday quilts. Our local Pfaff class used quilts like that to learn the machine and technique.

I know that expensive batiste fabric. I bought some and made entredeux out of all the scraps.

I was using it for a baptismal gown for my children.

It also makes awesome nightgowns.

I call it cotton lawn, but that may be the wrong notation. It is perfect for baby things, with hand embroidery as Weezy said.

It is on my bucket list to make a christening quilt in pale pastels with those clever French stitches - different ones in the center of each block, and have lace edging in the border. Maybe if I ever get a grandchiled!

That is very interesting! I figured since it was SO different in feel/weave from the rest of the fabric it would wear out first...

If it's for a quilt, I do not want 'thin' or 'see through.' A baptismal gown or clothiing is a whole different thing. As others said, it depends on the purpose of the fabric.

I totally agree that it makes sense to use materials suitable for the purpose Intended.

The point I was attrmpting to make was that SOME thin, see- through fabrics were tightly woven and expensive.
"Lawn" might be the correct term for what I was using.

Then, there is cheesecloth/bandage gauze which is very loosely woven.

And the fabrics that are in between.

I have made several baptismal gowns and I make a slip to go under the gown--sleeveless top, double lined, and a long skirt--the length of the gown. I have my grandchildren's gown that is 30 years old and it is still in good shape, as well as my own children's at over 50 years old.

I found out years ago, that baptismal gowns can be a problem. Most are two gowns (because they have an under gown), that's why the fabric was so "thin". About the only way you can get away from the sheer fabric is if you use moms wedding dress.

I have used cotton batiste for nightgowns, but it is absolutely the most expensive cotton fabric that I have ever purchased. It was fabulous for that purpose. When I'm purchasing fabric, I like to feel it and look at the tightness of the weave. Looser weaves tend to fray. I do not like to use see through or coarse fabrics in my quilts.

If you are making a baptismal gown, I would not hesitate to use a cotton batiste, however, I would also use another fabric as well, cutting and sewing the 2 layers as one. I've seen baptismal gowns where a pretty print, or embroidered looking fabric with the batiste covering, which made beautiful gowns. I would probably not use batiste in a quilt unless it was backed with another fabric, for a baptismal gown, I don't see why not.

Is it white or a color? I saw a lovely autumn table runner somewhere that had appliquéd leaves in batiste.

Batiste is supposed to be thin. I made christening gowns and used batiste. Research Martha Pullen. Batiste is recommended often. Look at some of her work and I think you will see why it is used. Her fancy stitches look so great against that delicate fabric.

I like to use batiste for wall hangings, as someone mentioned earlier
You do your appliqué and trap unto, use water soluable
Thread, cut the trapunto close to the
Design and discard the rest then put
Batiste over and quilt. It's a unique
Fun project to take a break from quilts