Mixing Fabrics
#1
Mixing Fabrics
I have 2 baby quilts that I am working on. I have flannel and lining (I think for wedding dresses as I was also given the satin) and cotton. Can these be put together in a quilt or do these wear at different speeds so there is an uneven pattern? Thanks for all replies.
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,398
I think you can put the flannel and cotton together in a quilt without too much problem but...I would make sure that I washed both first and also put them in the dryer. I usually do this on a hotter temperature, not cold. I want the fabrics to get their shrinking over with before cutting and stitching. Flannel almost always shrinks way more than cotton although I have had some cotton quilting fabric shrink a fair amount also. This will also remove excess chemicals used in production from the fabric for the baby. I am not sure of the lining for maybe the wedding dresses as I wouldn't have any idea of the content of that. I think I would put that aside for someother use.
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,474
I would want all the components to be washable at a hot temperature if I was going to make a baby quilt out of them.
I do not recommend using hot water on a completed quilt, but I do soak my uncut fabrics in hot water now. I start out with the hottest water from my faucet and let the fabric soak in it for at least a couple of hours. I also add a few drops of thr "original" Dawn dish detergent to the water.
I follow Vicki Welsh procedure. Would someone please post the link to that? I do not know how to do that from my phone.
Satins are notorious for fraying. They also come in various qualities and fibers. Some wash up nicely. Some do not.
I had made my grandsons pillowcases of washable sarin when they were toddlers. They dragged them everywhere!
I do not recommend using hot water on a completed quilt, but I do soak my uncut fabrics in hot water now. I start out with the hottest water from my faucet and let the fabric soak in it for at least a couple of hours. I also add a few drops of thr "original" Dawn dish detergent to the water.
I follow Vicki Welsh procedure. Would someone please post the link to that? I do not know how to do that from my phone.
Satins are notorious for fraying. They also come in various qualities and fibers. Some wash up nicely. Some do not.
I had made my grandsons pillowcases of washable sarin when they were toddlers. They dragged them everywhere!
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,481
Satin tends to fray a lot. I think I would save it for a whole cloth quilt if you have a lot of it. One member did a beautiful angel wing quilting on a satin baby quilt. It was beautiful! Look for hcarpanini’s post titled My Christmas Angel.
Last edited by Tartan; 01-28-2023 at 08:49 AM.
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,037
If you do use satin following all the good information about preshrinking, underline it with a fusible interfacing. That would prevent the fraying problem and make the satin fabric stronger. You'd have less slippage as you're sewing, too.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 714
Here's the link to Vicki Welsh's article, Save My Bleeding Quilt.
https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/sav...g-quilt.html#/
https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/sav...g-quilt.html#/
#8
I agree. This was my first thought when I read your post. Baby quilts get more washing than other quilts, simply because they get used "harder" and well, they need to be washed. The more delicate fabric from the dress might not take that level of frequent care. Unless the quilt is for wall decor, I would suggest you keep the wedding dress fabric for other projects: christening dresses, wedding ring pillows, decorative bed pillows, sachet bags, display-doll dresses. You want your lovingly made baby quilt to last over time..