Buckeye Rose

I am collecting all the fabrics to make a queen sized bargello for my DD and new hubby. It will be in 24 shades from dark teal to white and then ivory to dark brown. I already have 16 of the fabrics with 8 more to go and was wondering if any of you have added satin or a satin like fabric to your quilts? Her first wedding anniversary is coming up and this will be a belated wedding quilt. I was thinking about adding some of the satin used for the bridesmaids dresses. It is totally washable and dryable and think it would give it a bit of zing. Advice? Ideas?

Scissor Queen

Satin can be a real pain to work with. Especially if it's a poly satin. It melts at cotton temps so you definitely have to lower your iron temp. Plus it can be very ravely.

But! Once you make it behave it really makes a quilt glow!!

Buckeye Rose

do you think if I cut the strips wider and then used pinking shears that it would cut down on the fraying? and maybe a bit wider seam?

Chicca

I think as long as you are careful they will add a beautiful touch.

Scissor Queen

Pinking shears would help a whole lot with the fraying.

Lori S

It is slippery stuff to work with. I pin alot more when working with stain. I have quilted with it .. But really appreciate cotton after doing one with satin.
I found pinking just gave me smaller little bits falling off the edges. Maybe do a small test cut one pinked and one not.

ckcowl

satin is such a pain....
it slips and slides- you can stablize the back- but not the front-
if you choose to incorporate satin .... lots of pins---like every inch- and stitch slowly- if you want your seams to be anywhere close to straight....
once it's done it will be beautiful- but you have to take the time- to make it work satisfactorly- not a fabric to add if you are in a hurry-or impatient

purrfectquilts

You can use a very lightweight fusible interfacing to back the satin, but as mentioned, use a low temperature, very thin pins as satin shows the pin holes and also snags easily. A double stick washable basting tape also works for these seams. Just make sure to NOT put it where you are going to sew. It gums up your needle and machine.

I agree with the others that if you take the time and be patient, the satin would add some nice bling. But, you should also know that satin wears out more rapidly than cotton. After a number of years all the satin places would be worn and frayed but not so much the cotton. The interfacing helps with this and also with the fraying edges.

Good luck!

Buckeye Rose

Thanks everyone! I think I will add the satin since I have leftovers. And the using interfacing on the back side is a good idea.

Nan Quilts

Believe it or not I'm making a baby quilt out of brocade. What a pain. My DIL's mother asked me to make it for her newborn grandchild and I agreed. I'll think twice before I work with it again, I stabilized the back and that has helped with the fraying and I'm using lots of pins. With all of that and a lot of prayer, I'm hoping it will turn out ok. :roll: :wink: :roll: Good luck!