USING DRIER SHEETS IN QUILTING
01-27-2011, 09:59 PM
#71
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,440
Originally Posted by Pat G
Originally Posted by Pickles
Originally Posted by luvTooQuilt
Originally Posted by debbieumphress
I use dryer sheets on a lot of scrappy quilts after they are used in the wash, then iron them. I think anything would catch fire if you lit a match to it. Used them fro years so maybe it's ok. I may have to do an experiement myself after one is washed. I also buy the scent free and that makes a difference. Good luck.
Id like to know what happens deb- so please post when experiment is completed.. Makes me cringe knowing your gonna burn a masterpiece of your.. eeek.. !!! yea i know its for the greater good.. may your quilt rest in piece... :cry:
I hope she meant. :shock:
I'm sorry if I didn't make this clear. Yes, I used a used dryer sheet all by itself. I ironed it & was ready to use it til I remembered somebody earlier saying they were a fire risk. That's why I tested it.
It isn't my intent to stir up anything but felt it was worth the safety factor. Doing the test myself left nothing to doubt about whether or not I would use them.
when I replied above it was to luvTooQuilt ..I understood exactly
what you where talking about hon and thanks for letting us know about this Dryer Sheets.. :-D :thumbup:
01-27-2011, 10:11 PM
#73
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: middle America
Posts: 2,849
The next morning I did try it on Pellon light wt fusable & the Pellon burned up just as qiuickly as the dryer sheets. Then I tryed it on some wash away for some reason & of the fusables I have, only the washable did not burn up, it just melted a little bit.
01-27-2011, 10:22 PM
#74
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
Originally Posted by Pat G
Originally Posted by Sandee
Thank you for the info. Unfortunately I just finished my 2nd quilt using dryer sheets. Now I am worrying about them.
If you're giving them away, I'd consider warning the receiver about how to handle them. Too keep them away from fireplaces, etc.
01-27-2011, 10:51 PM
#75
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Midwest City, OK
Posts: 143
Hancock Fabrics carries a sew in interfacing material that is extremely lightweight and is only 99 cents a package for 3 yards so that is what I buy and use for applique on quilt blocks. I've also used is for foundation piecing, when I did a crazy quilt block.
01-27-2011, 11:23 PM
#76
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 416
Originally Posted by Tootsie
Well, I always like to do a little "investigation" so I found this site from Consumer Reports (a reliable source, IMHO): http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/a...view/index.htm
Of particular interest to me was this statement: "Avoid using liquid fabric softener on all-cotton clothing made of fleece, terry cloth, or velour. In our flammability tests, liquid fabric softener added to rinse water accelerated the burning speed of these fabrics. If you want a softener, use dryer sheets instead."
So for me, the bottom line on using dryer sheets (or anything else, for that matter) is use good judgement. There's a concept :-)
Of particular interest to me was this statement: "Avoid using liquid fabric softener on all-cotton clothing made of fleece, terry cloth, or velour. In our flammability tests, liquid fabric softener added to rinse water accelerated the burning speed of these fabrics. If you want a softener, use dryer sheets instead."
So for me, the bottom line on using dryer sheets (or anything else, for that matter) is use good judgement. There's a concept :-)
I read the report and it says build up from dryer sheets is not the main problem and that the lint screen is fine if cleaned every 6 months but......I have to tell you that when I have used dryer sheets I take my lint filter into the sink and pour water into it and the water does not flow through so well because of build up of the waxy stuff in dryer sheets. And I do that about once a month. So I know it does build up fast and should be cleaned off a lot more often than every 6 months. I learned about the water test through another article I read about dryer fires.
Maybe my filter is more fine meshed than others but you all might want to test your filter screens if you use dryer sheets regularly.
01-28-2011, 03:48 AM
#77
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Brownwood TX
Posts: 747
Originally Posted by oma66
I just did a test in my kitchen with dryer sheet, poly-cotton, fusible interfacing and 100% cotton. They all burned the same - quickly. The poly-cotton curled up in flame, the cotton burned the fastest and with much more flame, the fusible burned very quickly and the dryer sheet burned quickly, but not any quicker than the other three. As someone said, put a match to anything and it will burn. I used dryer sheets in quilting and was very alarmed when I read the post this morning, so I did the experiment myself. If you recently saw the damage a candle did to a quilters quilt in progress, you would see just how quickly a quilt will burn without a dryer sheet involved.
I am always thankful for new information and warnings. I am glad I saw
the post so I could see for myself as PatG suggested. Thank you PatG for the suggestion and warning. However, since they all burned the same, I am not afraid of using the dryer sheets.
I am always thankful for new information and warnings. I am glad I saw
the post so I could see for myself as PatG suggested. Thank you PatG for the suggestion and warning. However, since they all burned the same, I am not afraid of using the dryer sheets.
Robin in TX
01-28-2011, 03:59 AM
#78
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Port Lavaca, TX
Posts: 1,276
I have been sewing a sandwich of used dryer tissues for years and years to make appliques, with absolutely no problems, and one I gave away even had a hole burned it it by a smoker...no fires! It is the lightest thinnest backing available, and makes making appliques ever so much faster and easier, and accurate, than other methods, especially needle turn where it is so easy to go the wrong directional path. JP
01-28-2011, 06:11 AM
#79
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: East Arkansas
Posts: 2,534
Originally Posted by kitsykeel
Help. What are you talking about using dryer sheets in your quilting. Where does it go, is it for applique or what? Am very confused.
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