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So I love retro quilts made out of polyester fabrics. I love the mixtures of color and the bright bold prints. They also seem to me like somone just recycled old shirts curtains... anything really. I just like the look of anything vintage or retro.
I have a huge box of polyester fabrics and wanted to tackle making one of my own. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this stretchy slippery fabric.... from cutting to piecing???
I have a crazy quilt my grandma made me out out polyester. She just sewed odd pieces together, squared them into blocks, then sewed the blocks together. It is backed with flannel and tied, no batting, and no binding as she sewed it together around the edges and turned it.
From what you described this sounds like polyester double knit. The polyester quilts I've been around wore like iron and are warm to the point of being hot. Also, they were all tied to hold the layers together...not quilted.
ohh I will try to find a photo someone posted of an all poly quilt! They turn out gorgeous. Just like sewing a top or pants you will have to be "more" aware of the bias and crossgrain. No preshrinking needed of course, and you may want to pink the edges after piecing. If you watch out your cuts and check your machine settings for sewing poly and stretch fabrics, you'll be fine!
oh yes, I would (depending on the fabric) get a ball point needle for knits and a 70 Microsharp for woven poly's... Some day I need to destash the non-cottons in my house and will make many of these
Yes, it will be VERY warm with no breathing on the top and blah blah all the poly issues, but then again this should last for centuries
:-Debbie
I made a twin size quilt out of double knit when I was in Jr high or high school.........just squares.......never made one before so I kept it simple. It has batting and is tied.........and weighs a ton!!
My immediate answer to this is Throw it away!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by dr1987
Personally I just hate polyester with a passion. It doesn't breathe. That being said, it will last forever and a day, well, double knit will. I had some friends that gave me some fabric from their mom many years ago. It was double knit. Most got made into shorts for their daughter, but there was one piece, several yards that looked like patchwork. Well, their mom had a stroke and had to move in with them, she was bed-ridden and I took that fabric, sandwiched it, backed with flannel and tied it. She thought it was the most beautiful quilt she had ever seen and was thrilled to get it. I was glad to get rid of the fabric. My friends loved it because they could wash it every day if needed and it always looked new.
As far as piecing I would stick with simple shapes and not too small. The fabric doesn't lend itself well to anything too intricate.
I do have to add that the double knit quilt that I made was a long time ago! I can't stand double knits or polyesters now.....they give me the "willies". :DQuote:
Originally Posted by K. McEuen
Polyester is made from petroleum. I don't care for it myself, but I guess it has its uses.
I will keep it simple with just squares and tie it with yarn. There is a bunch of white so I was thinking of sashing with the white around each block. Similar to this one I found on the net just add white to each block. It looks and sounds cooky. lol thanks for the suggestions. I will keep you posted.
Attachment 63928
Go for it.. NEVER waste fabric and if you like "funky" this is your ticket.. have fun and post when its done!!!
I have a double-knit polyester that someone gave me over 45 years ago and it has gone around the world, been in tents in the desert, been pulled behind a car on a mountain top, and wallowed in a mud puddle by kids - and my granddaughters still use it to picnic on in the back yard. Those things are truly indestructible.
Go for it, David. Funkiness rules!
I will say, for not having batting, this quilt I have from polyester is the warmest of all the quilts I own!
I have made several polyester quilts. They are wonderful for the beach, sand just slides right off. Great for car quilts if you keep the out of the sun. Wonderful for motorhomes and camping. They are heavy but very warm. All our family loves them as much as jean quilts.
I've made several quilts from double knit for t shirts as well a polyester that one made slacks and dresses out of in the 70's and early 80's. I kept them simple -- squares sewed together in a pleasing pattern. They are the quilts for the camper and bed and will probably never wear out. I used flannel for the backing and tied them. My mom grew up in the 30's and never threw anything away - must have inherited that. My daughter refers to them as memory quilts. They may be more practical than beautiful, but are easy to take care of.
