White on white fabric, most of the on white is plastic stuff
 

I learned this yesterday from a fabric manufacturer worker. Most white on white fabric has the pattern of the added white 'glued on', it's not in the fabric. This will cause all manner of problems when trying quilt through it. Check the white pattern to see if it is part of the fabric or laying on top of it. Most of all I checked at Joanns and two quilt shops had the pattern applied to the fabric. The white on white fabric that was all fabric was much more expensive.

...and with each washing more of it is washed out until you just have white fabric......try it......

I've had a few pieces in a layer cake and didn't use them because I didn't like the feel of them.

I don't care for the look or feel of it, so don't buy/use it.

Yes..that's true. It will wash off. Also, I had such a quilt folded in a box for a few months and when I took it out, the 'added' white was gone in the creased areas.

Now I'm even more glad I didn't use those squares!

The only fabric my APS Lenni ever balked at quilting was a heavily painted tone on tone white. It “thunked” through every stitch and broke the thread seven times before the quilt was done even with a smaller needle. It was worse than quilting any Batik! I don’t plan on using any more of it.

Very interesting. Who knew? I learn so much from this board.
Just finished the Churn Dash Swap and we used some white on white.

I used to buy white on white all the time. tiny dots, nothing big. never gave me much trouble. now I try to stay away from it.

I noticed that last night when I was ironing a fat quarter. It stuck
to my iron. I was not pleased.

Thanks for the information. While I rarely use white on white, I'm not surprised really. Years ago I hand dyed a white on white and I must say that's what it looked like afterwards. There's other fabrics I've noticed the design seems to "sit" on top when I've felt it besides tone on tones.

I have noticed the same thing. I had one piece I had to get rid of as it shrank or warped every time i ironed it. Drove me crazy and not fun to hand quilt through either.

I have used a lot of white on white, even a white on pink, plus a gray on black, and I've never had any of the problems mentioned. I prefer the depth it gives to a quilt rather than a solid. I do not hand quilt.

I have used white on white for at least 25 years and never had any problems with it, but I do make sure that it is a quality fabric I buy. If the printing looks like it is laying on top, it probably is, so pass it up. Most of our fabrics are printed as is the wow, so we must be careful in our choices.

You probably used the real fabric tone on tone .

I use this all the time, however!!!! I always put the actual fabric coating turned over and it lays on the batting. I have had no problems with it. But, when I saw that the flowers/strips/stars/circles.....whatever, I turned the fabric over and have had no problems with it now. I can see that it could be scratched or wiped off if it was put on the outside so that is how I create that white on white. So far, no problems yet.

I've been using wow for years and I've never had a problem with it. I do buy good quality fabric and check for thickness before I buy it. I machine quilt. My DD washes her lap quilt every few weeks and hers is at least 10 years old and still looking good. I've never had the print peel off on anything I've done.
Could it possibly be the detergent or water temperature that you're using? Just a stab in the dark here.....I'm just guessing. If mine peeled off, I would be very upset. I think I would go back to the place I purchased it for some answers.

Great idea, will try it with some I have on hand.

Be careful what you buy. I've haven't had any trouble with white on white except for one piece. When I ironed it the white on white disappeared!!

The problem is in the quilting. The fabric may cause lots of thread breaks.

Use the back of the fabric instead of the front. We pay for both sides, right?

I've used a lot of wow, and I've never had a problem of any kind with it. Of course, I don't use a long arm (don't have one), so I can't speak to that issue. I've never had anything stick to my iron, either. I do watch what I buy -- and what I buy may not be the most (emphasis added) expensive fabric, but I don't buy "cheap" either.

never had any problem with it washing off or sticking to iron, but it sure is messy on the long arm! leaves lots of 'dandruff" flakes around the hopping foot in int he bobbin area.Like several of you, I often flip it over and use the wrong side out which helps some.

I am with you! It has always looked like applied plastic to me. I have only purchased it twice. Other than that, I have received some as gifts or in swaps. Most of it is still somewhere in my stash.

Can manufactures still label this type of fabric as 100% cotton? Or does it add one of those "exclusive of decoration" phrases?

I've used white on white many times and never had any problems, other than the iron sticking, so I just turn it over and iron on the backside. If your iron is too iron, this is when it will stick. The white on white I've used has always been painted, Not glued.

Onebyone, never knew that but come to think of it I have a white on white that does feel like that. Thanks for that information.

My grandson noticed that white on white is scratchy to his face. We were making a quilt and he said we should not use that fabric as it was scratchy. I think I have had white on white in the past was dyed some way to make the difference but don't know.

Years ago I had some like that, just 4-5 Yards. I used it and gave the quilt to someone. I never heard anything about it.

Now all my WOW has white pictures, of moons,stars.snowflakes Etc. in the fabric. No plastic and not raised, I use it a lot.

I mainly do charity quilting so I have lots of fabrics donated to me or free stuff from our group but I have lots of the fabrics that have stars or whatever applied to the tops and if I use it I have to iron on the back or put a cloth on the fabric before I iron it plus it feels rough any way......I may not use most of it. I have used some small pieces in scrappy quilts but I figured no one is going to be ironing a quilt but the fabric is rough .....i may just pack it all up and donate it some where else like Goodwill........??????

I hate that. I won't buy it now unless I can feel it first.

I avoided it because I did not like the feel of the fabric. Now I know why it feels weird! Thanks for the info.

Some of it can be very tough to hand quilt through.

Usually it is the feel of the fabric that dictates whether I will buy it or not - and the White on White with the plastic I could feel and it was not a nice feeling. This is hard to do when you order on-line. One thing I did notice with the plastic - it will discolor over time. It wasn't a totally white on white - it was a Christmas fabric with the doves were white on a white back ground and then there was a phrase or word in a light blue - very pretty, but I discovered the doves turned a tinge of yellow after a few washings. Since that happened I have avoided that style of fabric.