Using sheets for backing???
03-23-2011, 04:33 PM
#62
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Central MN
Posts: 257
There are certainly many opinions on using sheets! I think some of you are a little hard on echobluff. She made it clear at the beginning to not take her comments the wrong way. We are each allowed to make quilts our own way, thankfully! I have to vote that I love the 100% cotton (or wool) feels and to me, quilts are made to help the user feel good! Poly batting makes one sweaty and much stiffer than cotton but if that is the look you like, go for it. I think she was simply saying or trying to share with you that there is the softness advantage of using everything cotton. If we get so cranky, we will start sounding like the "crabby church basement ladies"!!!!!!!! I had always heard what she said about the thread too and had not heard the "Superior" info so that is great someone shared that message. PS If you use a 40% or 50% coupon for your backing purchase, it makes a big difference too or watch for good online sales.
03-23-2011, 05:09 PM
#63
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Full Time RV'er
Posts: 485
Originally Posted by mtcreekquilters
I am with you on the sheets. The reason I do not recommend them is that if you are long arm quilting them, your machines needle is poking a hole in them that will over time rip. The thread count on sheets are higher. To me, using a sheet is like using walmart and quilt shop fabric in the same quilt.. You will not have the same life expectancy when mixing different fabrics.
You all talk about "quilting police" and I do not think you realize many of you are the "police".
03-23-2011, 05:22 PM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Nevada
Posts: 581
Originally Posted by Parrothead
Originally Posted by mtcreekquilters
I am with you on the sheets. The reason I do not recommend them is that if you are long arm quilting them, your machines needle is poking a hole in them that will over time rip. The thread count on sheets are higher. To me, using a sheet is like using walmart and quilt shop fabric in the same quilt.. You will not have the same life expectancy when mixing different fabrics.
You all talk about "quilting police" and I do not think you realize many of you are the "police".
OMG! I love this! We must be long-lost sisters! Only difference is my Grandma hand-pieced and quilted eveything. I will mix my WM and QS fabric also. I just don't buy the thin stuff at WM.
My quilt, my way.
03-23-2011, 05:44 PM
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Full Time RV'er
Posts: 485
"OMG! I love this! We must be long-lost sisters! Only difference is my Grandma hand-pieced and quilted eveything. I will mix my WM and QS fabric also. I just don't buy the thin stuff at WM.
My quilt, my way.
Cizzors"
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I will take you as a sister (I lost mine). All of our quilts are hand pieced and hand quilted or a few are tied. I agree about the WM fabric, you still have to be careful. But $4.44 per yard is a lot different than 10.99 a yard.
My quilt, my way.
Cizzors"
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I will take you as a sister (I lost mine). All of our quilts are hand pieced and hand quilted or a few are tied. I agree about the WM fabric, you still have to be careful. But $4.44 per yard is a lot different than 10.99 a yard.
03-23-2011, 05:50 PM
#66
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Ilion, NY
Posts: 1,293
Originally Posted by suebee
Originally Posted by Parrothead
I really believe this is one of those topics that did not need to be. If you do not want to use sheets, then do not. But do not make those that do seem like idots or lessor quilters. If you want all cotton, then fine. Many do not. I use sheets for backing and also for plain fabric in the quilt. Works fine, have had no problem.
03-23-2011, 06:06 PM
#67
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 225
Originally Posted by feline fanatic
...
The point is this: The traditions, myths, and rumors that polyester thread will tear the quilt are not true
Source: http://www.superiorthreads.com/educa...dition-or-myth
The point is this: The traditions, myths, and rumors that polyester thread will tear the quilt are not true
Source: http://www.superiorthreads.com/educa...dition-or-myth
I used polyester thread for my patchwork for many years, and believe that the cotton fabric protects the polyester thread to some degree when pressing (the iron does not sit directly on the polyester thread). Still, it made me wonder whether the polyester might have been affected and I just did not realize it. For that reason, I switched to a 100% cotton thread for patchwork. I do use a high quality cotton thread, as I spent a lot of my time cleaning the lint out of my machine when I used a cheaper thread.
I have not done any actual testing to determine whether this was absolutely necessary or not.
On the other hand, I do use polyester thread for quilting, because I don't iron the completed quilt.
03-23-2011, 06:07 PM
#68
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Kennewick WA
Posts: 110
Originally Posted by echobluff
Please, please don't take this wrong...This by all means is nothing against those of you who use sheets for backing. This is just curiosity on my part. I've seen numerous posts on here saying you've used sheets for backing fabric. I understand the financial point of using sheets, but...Are these sheets 100% cotton? Are they of the same quality as quilting cotton? Are they woven the same as quilting cotton? I have 100% cotton Walmart sheets on my bed that are way higher thread count than my quilting cottons. After many washings, the sheets still aren't as soft/pliable as my fabrics. All of the time I spend planning, purchasing, cutting, piecing my quilt, I would never consider using sheets for backing fabric. I guess I'm just funny that way. I use 100% cotton fabric (no poly/cotton), 100% cotton thread (no cotton covered polyester) and Warm and Natural batting, for the following reasons: 1) Poly/cotton fabric doesn't get as soft as cotton, no matter how much it's laundered. 2) Using polyester thread when piecing/quilting cotton, the polyester filaments act like a knife and will cut cotton fibers...not something I want after everything that's gone into making a quilt to be loved/used. 3) I've found that poly batting beards more quickly than cotton. Plus, I like the "drapiness" of quilts made with cotton batting. Okay...I'll get down off my soapbox now (LOL) and look forward to hearing all your feedback. Have a great day! :-D
This is from "Oh Fransson" blog and I just love her quilts--she is not afraid to try things and look how young she is! Good topic!
03-23-2011, 06:42 PM
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 777
I think this was a good posting to get people posting and offering different opinions. For every person that says something "won't" work there is another person that says it "will" work. What a boring world this would be if we all did everything exactly alike. You learn and grow by taking chances and making mistakes. Each of us should be making our own decisions about what works best for us and practicing and learning our craft. Learning goes on for a lifetime and while I'm relatively new to quilting and learning so many new things every day, I cherish every bit of information I can read whether I agree with it or not. We are artists and should take pride in our work. Whether or not we do it by the quilting bible, they are works of love and deserve respect no matter how we get to the finished product.
03-23-2011, 06:47 PM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Indiana
Posts: 3,595
Well, this has been an interesting discussion! And I learned alot. I love using the "best" of everything, but I just can't always afford it. There is a lot of difference in the feel of cotton fabrics and I notice it on the bolt, but when it's in the quilt, they all seem to appear the same (This may not be true of really cheaply made stuff!) I've never used sheets, but my mother did all the time and handquilted them,too. Quilting is an ART to love and enjoy and it can be done so many ways. Thanks for sharing all the thoughts.
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