Good Morning, Quilters! It’s Friday–Open Line Friday here at The Inbox Jaunt.
We have three questions from readers this week.
The first two questions are from Rebecca at The Cheeky Cognoscenti. (Be sure to check out the gorgeous Pineapple Log Cabin on her design wall!)
STIFF QUILTS?
Does heavy quilting with heavy thread make the quilt stiff?
My experience (and I quilt heavily with 28 weight thread at times) is the quilt may feel stiff at first, but softens readily as soon as it gets wrapped around someone.
The softening effect could be mechanical–the fibers relax a little when they are manipulated-just from normal use.
Or… it could be body oils?
I do not have any quilts that feel stiff once they are used, and certainly don’t feel stiff once they are washed.
Batting also comes into play here…I use wool or cotton batting.
This is just my experience- We’d love to hear from the group…
What is YOUR experience with quilts/thread/stiffness?
SYNTHETIC THREAD ON HEIRLOOM QUILTS?
Rebecca’s second question:
What about the old school claim that synthetic fibers (rayon and polyester) should not be used in a quilt because these fibers are stronger than the cotton fabric and the thread will cut into the fabric and damage the quilt over time.
This is a claim I have read as well, but I believe it has been debunked by the experts. Bob Purcell at Superior Threads has a great article:
Will Polyester Really Tear the Fabric?
In the article, Bob explains that thread rarely tears fabric and if it does it’s because it won “the strength battle”–Cotton thread can do this as well…
He claims that the reason people use cotton thread is mostly tradition.
What do YOU think about thread fiber and heirloom quilts? Do YOU restrict yourself to cotton and silk or do you use rayon, poly or nylon in YOUR quilts?
NOTE-I just ordered Superior Threads FREE DVD-Thread Therapy with Dr. Bob. I haven’t seen this video yet, but one of our readers recommended it and I know his other educational programs are spot-on! As soon as you go to the Superior website the FREE DVD offer pops up.
SAFETY PINS for QUILTING
The third question is from my two sisters, Teri and Pat. They would like to know if anyone could recommend safety pins for basting. Pat prefers brass pins–she has found they leave smaller holes, but she can only find them in multi-size packs – with some pins too large and some too small.
Can anyone recommend a finer safety pin and/or a source for brass safety pins in a single size?
GREAT MOTIFS FOR FALL
If you’re making any fall quilts…
Braided Wheat-One of my favorites
Happy Stitching!
Lori
PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin and tweet with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
