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Originally Posted by Sandee

Thank you for the info. Unfortunately I just finished my 2nd quilt using dryer sheets. Now I am worrying about them.

The thing is, even tho the dryer sheets are flammable, they are on the inside of the quilt, and the flames would have had to already burned thru the cotton outside to get to them. If anyone was still wrapped inside the quilt by that time, it would not be the dryer sheet that would be causing the problem then.
Of course, you would never want to have the dryer sheet exposed in your quilt, as in using it for the backing without adding another backing over it. But who would do that anyway?

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Originally Posted by Pickles

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Originally Posted by Pat G

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Originally Posted by Pickles

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Originally Posted by luvTooQuilt

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Originally Posted by debbieumphress

I use dryer sheets on a lot of scrappy quilts after they are used in the wash, then iron them. I think anything would catch fire if you lit a match to it. Used them fro years so maybe it's ok. I may have to do an experiement myself after one is washed. I also buy the scent free and that makes a difference. Good luck.

geez don't burn a quilt after all that hard work to make it!! :shock:

Id like to know what happens deb- so please post when experiment is completed.. Makes me cringe knowing your gonna burn a masterpiece of your.. eeek.. !!! yea i know its for the greater good.. may your quilt rest in piece... :cry:

I think she was talking about burning one of the dryer sheets after she had washed it not one of her quilts, at lest that what
I hope she meant. :shock:

I'm sorry if I didn't make this clear. Yes, I used a used dryer sheet all by itself. I ironed it & was ready to use it til I remembered somebody earlier saying they were a fire risk. That's why I tested it.
It isn't my intent to stir up anything but felt it was worth the safety factor. Doing the test myself left nothing to doubt about whether or not I would use them.

Pat G , I thought you made it clear also , no worry there at all,
when I replied above it was to luvTooQuilt ..I understood exactly
what you where talking about hon and thanks for letting us know about this Dryer Sheets.. :-D :thumbup:

Pickles, thank so very much for the reassurance that I had made it clear. I didn't know how to make it anymore clear for evrybody. I was surprised at some of the reactions to the information but it's ok. At least I was able to make people think about it. It's up to them what they do with it. Considering how fast the dryer sheet went up in flame, I won't use them myself. Why risk it.

Wow. Im glad I don't use them.

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Originally Posted by oma66

I just did a test in my kitchen with dryer sheet, poly-cotton, fusible interfacing and 100% cotton. They all burned the same - quickly. The poly-cotton curled up in flame, the cotton burned the fastest and with much more flame, the fusible burned very quickly and the dryer sheet burned quickly, but not any quicker than the other three. As someone said, put a match to anything and it will burn. I used dryer sheets in quilting and was very alarmed when I read the post this morning, so I did the experiment myself. If you recently saw the damage a candle did to a quilters quilt in progress, you would see just how quickly a quilt will burn without a dryer sheet involved.

I am always thankful for new information and warnings. I am glad I saw the post so I could see for myself as PatG suggested. Thank you PatG for the suggestion and warning. However, since they all burned the same, I am not afraid of using the dryer sheets.

Thank you, Oma. I've been saving every dryer sheet I could find so I'm glad they aren't any more dangerous than fusible.

I'm still trying to figure out what dryer sheets are used for, in applique. lol I must be slow today.

I know that you're not suppose to use them when machine embroidering. Something about what they are made off will mess up your machine.

Thanks for the info.

Good info from all. Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Pat G

Somebody mentioned the other day about the fire risk in using drier sheets in our quilting. I started saving them but decided to test them before using them.
I held a used sheet over the sink & put a match to it. It immediately went up in flames so I dropped it into the sink under running water. I will never use them in my quilting. Most definitely not in kids' quilts. It sounded like such a good idea originally. I'll stick to light wt. fusible instead.

I read how we can layer the applique pc. right sides together with the fusible. After sewing it around & turning it right side out, cut the insides of the fusible out leaving a narrow rim around the edge of the applique. Be sure you layer them right to end up with the fusible rim facing the block. I did it wrong once & ended up with the fusible facing the wrong way. Duuh. That also prevents so much stiffness to the applique.

I tested with a pressed down 6" stack of dryer sheets: went up in flames almost instantly....and I had been saving dryer sheets for months! Burned all boxes I had saved in my fireplace. Whoosh!! Hopefully, we can spread the word around the world.

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Originally Posted by skjquiltnut

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Originally Posted by Pat G

Thanks, "skjquiltnut" for running your experiment & sharing it with us. My test was with used sheets, too. I really think what makes them so flammable isn't the chemical that was in them previously but the fibers they're made with. At least we have information to help us make decisions about whether or not to use them.

Did you try the match under the piece with the fusible?

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Originally Posted by jdavis

Did you try the match under the piece with the fusible?

Yes, I did. It was very slow to ignite. It melted at first, then turned to flames but then burned itself out quickly.