I'm posting tomorrow about the retro quilt my Grandma made me out of double-knit polyester. That stuff never wears out! Does anyone out there still sew with the stuff? I realize that cottons are the aesthetically popular thing to quilt with these days. It's just that until this cold winter weather hit again, I'd forgotten how useful this old quilt really is.

My MIL made utilitarian quilts out of necessity and used what ever she had to use. She worked at a garment factory in New Orleans and that is where she got the drop offs and short cuts. I have several of her quilts that have lots of Polyester in them and I have been collecting polyester fabric for some replica quilts.

The nice thing about having vintage machines is that one of mine has the stretchy stitch for Polyester. :wink:

Billy

I loved sewing clothes made from poly...but I lived in FL and it was sooooo hot.

our quilt guild still makes them for nursing home sometimes

Yes, I still make them. Mom passed away almost two years ago, and she made them, too. In fact, I have one I have been sleeping under. It has a flannel backing...so warm.

I have a few hand quilted poliester quilts my mom made..very warm don't fade

My grandmother lived to be 100yrs old and quilted until she was about 96. All her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren received a quilt from her...and yes, they were all made out of polyester.

I didn't appreciate it as a kid,...but now, I cherish it.

My grandmother always used polyester - mainly when she was much older - she also used sheets for the front and back- she just loved quilting - just harder for her to piece quilts - I have fond memories of seeing her quilt rack out with a quilt all loaded up and she would hand quilt the whole thing.

I made my very first quilt back in the late 70's early 80's out of left over polyester from the outfits I had made. My son told me this fall that was his favorite quilt growing up. I just started using it this winter,becuase I needed something I could wash in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Boy does that work well. I didn't make another quilt until last fall. Go figure.

thanks for sharing with us

I have a very old one and you are right, it is not wearing out at all!

Floursack Mama, you have a treasure. My grandma and aunt sent me one for Christmas one year they'd made. It sure made a big difference on the bed in the wintertime when we lived in Wyoming.

I've repaired a few that came undone when quilters put them together with cotton threads that fell apart from the weight in the washing machines. It was hard work, and I didn't think it was too beautiful, but the customers I had were so happy to get their great grandma's quilt back ready to use again they didn't seem to mind, because all that really mattered is that they had a little piece of grandma's legacy after she had passed. I used a decorative zigzag stitch in the best polyester thread I could lay my hands on, and I'm pretty certain those quilts do not need another repair to this day unless they put it in the chipper. heheh

I love your quilt.

My mother passed away more than 20 years ago and when we moved from our big house into a smaller one I found several boxes of polyester blocks already cut into squares. I am piecing them now. I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away after all the work she put in cutting them. They are working up so pretty. The colors are so bright. I guess I have sewn up about 75 of one pattern and goodness knows how many of several other patterns. We make quilts out of t-shirts, jeans, etc. why not the polyester. I was lucky enough to find some yardage at a thrift store so I can make the lattice or setting squares. I once made a throw out of fur from some old winter coats our kids had and it was (and is) the all time favorite when someone comes in all chilled.
I will make a quilt out of most anything I can get under the foot of my sewing machine.

I got very excited when I seen this post! I fell into some beautiful poly material last fall, nobody wanted it! Can you believe that? I snatched it up, people thought I was nuts, but gee it will never wear out! I can make lap quilts for the nursing home (when I find time). I have three poly quilts that I bought yrs and yrs ago from a lady who made them and sold them to have something to do. My very first one was just gaudy and awlful looking, so much in fact I love it! My dh told our children, "not to be draggin mom's good quilt around the house" they used it so much over the years! I laughed then and now I wondered what happen to it. Then when my grown married son was home for the holidays, I found it in the trunk of his car! Imagine my surprise, he said they use that quilt all the time because it is so warm. The binding needs to be replaced but it is still loved! Yep, I am a believer in them! Ok, I am done now!

I think polyester quilts may be the next best thing to cotton scrappies! Perhaps even better!

I love it! You have a treasure there :D:D:D

Maybe we'll go back to quilting with polyester when cotton gets too high!

It's been heartwarming to hear all of your stories. I never really understood back then all of the hours that my grandma must have put in to make sure that all of her grandkids had a quilt of their own. The older I get, the more inspiring I find her.

I made several poly quilts in the 70's. They were warm and like someone pointed out, they don't fade. I used to buy bags of scrapes from a sewing factory for $2 a bag, it was about 8ft long and 18" diameter. Lots of fabric, some large pieces.
Unfortunately,at least according to my kids, there was plenty of fabric to make them clothes. My daughter accused me of dressing her brother like Pee Wee Herman. Got a lot of projects out of one bag. The good old days.