Using Textured and Embroidered Fabrics For Quilting
 

I've been interested in using some textured and pre-sewn embroidery fabrics in my quilts. Then, I got to thinking that maybe I should ask for some advice about using these kinds of fabrics first. Any tips, or recommendations? Thanks.

~ Cindy

Hi Cindy,
Some of the wall hanging that I do incorporate fabrics that I've embroidered, couched, textured you name it on. They are then incorporated in the larger piece and sandwiched, FMQ'd and bound on my domestic machine. What kind of questions/advice are you looking for?

Rob

I would just make sure they are washable.

Oh my...and you ride horses too! My last TB died a year ago, so no more ponies for me. :)

I was just curious about what kinds of problems arise when using these types of fabrics. I saw an embroidered piece of fabric that I thought would look great in a quilt and then I thought, "Oh no, the cat would claw that to death," and "how would that interfere with my sewing foot when FMQ?" I don't really do wall hangings, but bed and couch quilts that get used a lot.

~ Cindy

So sorry to hear about your TB. I had an off the track TB for a number of years and he was a wonderful horse, sometimes too smart for his own good, but a great companion.

The main problem I can see would be for quilts that you are going to use as something other than wall hangings, if the materials in the embroidery are something that can't be laundered in the same way as the rest of the fabric you are using.

I do all my FMQ on a domestic machine using either a "hopping" foot or a ruler foot. I've never had a problem with embroidered stuff interfering with the foot since I can just scoot the quilt around to avoid trouble spots if they occur. I did once have a quilt that had lots of bulk from seam allowances in the areas where some of the blocks came together. In that case I was using my ruler foot and it couldn't clear the corners of some of the blocks, but I was able to get around that problem by raising the needle and foot, then carefully advancing the quilt a little, lowering needle and foot, taking a stitch and repeating that process until past the high spots. This would not have been a problem if I had been using my regular hopping foot.

I think you should try it out and see if you like the result, with the idea that maybe the quilt would need to be used more gently than some others.

Rob

I'm doing a victorian crazy quilt and I've done massive amounts of embroidery and plan to incorporate ribbon embroidery as well. It is a "Never sit on quilt" I plan to pull it out and drape it lovingly in the livingroom during the holiday season. Of course I live alone and the ladies that come over understand about these types of quilts. my cat on the other hand maybe a problem.

I have used corduroys, denim, silks, decorator fabrics and others in quilts. I like textures. But if the fabrics are fragile, just know they will have to be handled with care and won't be your "work horse" quilts!

Check out quilting arts, here is comes on Create TV but they also have a website. They do lots of things like this.

A true artist will experiment and use different fabrics so I say go for it, if you don't like it you change it.