50%cotton/50% polyester VS. 100% cotton fabric.....

I have learned my lesson to use only 100% cotton fabrics for quilting. I know I can use 50%cotton/50%polyester on occassion or for small small areas, but for cutting squares and tri's...never again! So now I have a bit of a delima. I have alot of fabric....brand name Symphony Broadcloth. It is 50/50. However, I know I have b ought a little bit of 100% cotton too. I have my fabric yardage on hangers in the closet organzied by color.

Question is...how can I tell which is 100% and which is 50/50? I know most will be 50/50 but I know there is some 100 there too. I have tried the pull test with the grain for a stretch..and the stretch means polyester. However, I just bought some 100% from a quilt store online ... and I do that pull test and it is stretchy. Most of what is in my closet is also stretchy..but there are some that aren't! I could go on, but m question is this....
Any idea on how to tell which is 50/50 and which is 100% cotton? I can use the 50/50 for other things (I have 4 grand daughters that love me to make them dresses!) so I am not worried about wasting fabric, but I want to salvage out the 100% cotton pieces for quilting.

Anyone know whether 50/50 is more stretchy than 100% or is it the other way around..or is that even a test at all? The weight of the fabric...some is obviously thinner and that would be the 50/50...but some I think is 100% is stretchy.

Can anyone help me?

PS.. I have found tho, that the 50/50 works really good for binding when you want a 2 inch binding around the quilt. I have used it on all the quilts I have made so far and that little bit of stretch helps alot in fitting the binding around and so far, that has been the easiest and most "Fitting" of all the work I put into the quilt! So I know I can always use it for binding...when in doubt the content!

Cheri,

The easiest way to tell the difference between natural fibers like cotton and mad-made fibers like poly is to do a simple burn test. Cut a little sliver of each. Burn one at a time. You can use tweezers so not to burn yourself. The cotton will slowly burn and turn to ash while the poly (whether it be 100% poly or a blend) will melt. You'll definately see a difference in the burning between your samples. The poly will also smell like burning plastic.

What would we do without you Denis. That's a good tip. I was given a lot of fabric from a deceased estate a while back so this will help me also.

The burn test is probably the best test, but you can also press the fabric on an edge with a hot iron. If it smells like polyester, then you know. A hot iron will usually glide nicely on cotton without an odor of chemicals.

I don't want to cause any problems . . . but I have a very special place in my heart for Denis . . . just saying!!

Hugs, dear Northern Friend!!!

ahhhhhhhhhh shucks! Now you're making me blush!

Denis, I really appreciate you and your input. You seem to always have a solution for us!!! I'm glad you are part of our group. :)

Thx Barb, I'm only sharing what I know, and there's still lots I don't know.

I ironed some 50/50 fabric today and you sure can tell by the smell that it has poly in it.

At the risk of being accused of being a quilt snob, I would like to go on record and say that I don't like polyester and would never knowingly put it in a quilt. Poly doesn't have the draping quality that cotton has and batting beards through it like crazy. It also doesn't press well and smells awful when you press it. If I'm going to take the time to make a quilt from scratch, I want to use good quality cotton. Cotton has endured the test of time. Who wants to use a fabric that melts!!! There I've said it....now I'm getting outta here quicK!!!! :)

Is burning the only test? The only way to tell the diff? I have prob 50 lengths (2 yd or more) of fabrics to "test". I can tell some have poly in them as they are very thin and stretchy, but some...even tho stretchy, they are thicker and even tho thicker...they stretch. I dont' want to use Poly in quilts...I have learned the hard way that it just doesn't work...but...I don't want to waste any fabric either! Any other suggestions?

You would only need a very small amount to do the burn test. Probably a 1 inch x 2 inch piece or smaller is enough to know if it's going to melt or not

As much as I have, I'd set the smoke alarm off if I did that!

you could do it outside and get someone to help you. That will lessen the time. You'd only need to do it that one time. Once you determine which fabrics have poly in them, make sure to set them aside and label them as such.