Qs about shirt fabrics and long-arm quilting

As I start to cut into these shirts I've been asked to make memorial quilts out of, I see that they are of very fine quality workmanship and fabrics. Some are cotton, others linen, and some are a cotton-poly fabric. Many are heavy fabrics made of heavyweight thread and high thread counts.

The client and I chose the colors together while the shirts were wrapped in plastic from the laundry, so we didn't make any judgments about fabric weight, but now I have to. (The client will be amenable to any decisions I make about the "mechanics" of quiltmaking, so I'm not worried about her reaction, as long as I keep her informed.) I don't even know what to call some of these fabric weaves. Some of them are nearly as heavy as denim, and I particularly like these prints and colors, plus I have to use at least some of the medium- to heavy-weight shirt fabrics in order to include her husband's company logo on the quilt front as she requested. (I think that this will look really special). I think I'm going to have to reject any lightweight summer shirts, and try to stick to medium to heavy weights.

I'm feeling anxious about how close in weight the four or five shirt fabrics need to be, to be worked into six strips of Wild Goose Chase. Then, I'm anxious about what weight I need to use for background triangles and sashing.

Am I correct in thinking (as I've read repeatedly) that if I use to much variation in fabric weight, then the fabrics in the quilt top will tend to pull at each other, distort, and/or wear unevenly with use?

Also, for any of you who do long-arm quilting, I assume I can't leave buttons on? Can a long-arm machine sew through the multiple layers of fabric and foundation that would be involved in button plaquettes, pockets, cuffs, collars, etc.?

The client insists that a few shirt buttons should be included on the quilt top, and is amenable to paying me to take them off for the long-arm, then sewing them back on after quilting. She is also very enthusiastic about using shirt details (button plaquettes, etc.) as highlights here and there on the quilt top (and I think that would be lovely, especially for children growing into adulthood with these memorial quilts).

The answers to these questions, and how the client feels about these answers, will determine whether I can learn how to machine quilt on my SM better than I already do, versus using a long-arm quilter. (I will of course be asking my local long-arm quilter the questions I'm asking above when she's in her shop tomorrow, but I always get a lot of insight from asking such questions at rctq.)

Whew!

tia, ep

Reply to
Edna Pearl
Loading thread data ...

Your project is fascinating, EP. I like your choice of pattern - that's a really good one for using 'big' pieces that can include your shirt details and still have some small piecing to make it interesting. I'll stand aside and let your longarmer answer most of your questions - but, naturally - I do have a suggestion. I think you would benefit from making a test; a placemat ought to do fine. Obviously you have no shortage of fabric. By making a test of the pattern and the fabrics, you'll know what will work and what will argue with you. (Never met a lawyer that didn't truly enjoy a good argument.) The problem I anticipate with using plackets will be that you wouldn't want to have two different ones coming together at a seam. One should be fine. Etc. TEST ! I think I've said that before. Keep us up to date. I'm enjoying this. Polly

"Edna Pearl" <

Reply to
Polly Esther

Thats an excellent suggestion about testing, Polly. I'll make a couple of mini-quilts, run them through my SM, wash the heck out of them with every load of laundry I do for a week, and give them to the long-arm quilter if she wants to test them. It would be a nice memento for me of making these quilts, too.

This is, indeed, an interesting project. But I imagine that I'll be sick to death of Wild Goose Chase by the time I get to the fourth or fifth quilt!

Reply to
Edna Pearl

would some type of iron on-fabric to the back of the light weight t-shirts help? Just a thought

Donna in WA

Reply to
Lelandite

That occurred to me, too, Donna -- to use a foundation. I've read that this helps lightweight fabrics wear better even if they aren't "competing" with heavier fabrics, i.e., where all the patchwork is made of lightweight cloth. It would be easy enough, but I'm billing by the hour and have a sense that it would drive up the cost too much to suit the client. I'll have a better idea as I see how much time the cutting and piecing will take.

Thanks! ep

Reply to
Edna Pearl

You mentioned before that the client wants heirlooms. So yes, IMO the different weights will be a concern. Also, I would not mix natural fibers with the poly-cottons, because they wear and fade Very differently.

But IMO you can mix linens and cottons with no problem, assuming everything has been washed and allowed to shrink as much as it's going to. If you want to combine very lightweight with very heavy, just use the lightweight fabric double. No need to fuse. Do some experimenting and see what works. I would also line anything that's a very loose weave. You might be able to find a very fine, thin cotton batiste that would work well for this, especially since using a double layer of printed or striped shirting might look unattractive. I use the batiste to line cross stitch embroideries, because the fabric (e.g. aida) is very loose weave and might allow batting to leak out.

You probably do need to remove butt>As I start to cut into these shirts I've been asked to make memorial quilts

Reply to
Roberta

Thanks for all that good advice, Roberta. The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a simple matter to reinforce lightweight shirt fabrics with muslin.

But I don't understand why it would matter whether " I mix natural

Is it an aesthetic consideration that one would stay brighter than the other, or a practical one (of strength or distortion or whatever)?

Thanks again, ep

Reply to
Edna Pearl

If anybody's curious, the long-arm quilter said that she can quilt through shirt features like plaquettes, cuffs, collars, etc., IF the batting is the right one.

And yes, I will have to remove the buttons and re-attach them after the quilting is done.

ep

Reply to
Edna Pearl

Reply to
Roberta

I am enjoying this discussion with all of the tips because I am going to make 3 small memento quilts this year from shirts of my son-in- law's father. I haven't even looked in the box of shirts yet, but I have been considering patterns. I am thinking I will do a different pattern for each of the three and put a few photos in each top of the father with the recipient of that quilt.

Reply to
idahoqltr

You've been very helpful, Roberta. I think I'm stuck with at least some poly-blend and some cotton. I'm going to take Polly's suggestions and make a couple of sample mini-quilts to experiment with combining the fabrics and backing the lightweight ones with muslin. Some shirts may just be impossible, but I'd like some notice of which ones before I start the quilt tops.

I feel even more confident based on the points you make that ditch quilting would be a bad idea for these quilts. A long-arm meander quilting and some judicious muslin reinforcement during piecing may be my best hope of harmonizing these diverse fabrics.

But I'm still taking suggestions!

ep (Note to self: Cutting triangles and squares from plaid and checked shirts will drive you crazier than a rat in a coffee can after a couple of hours. Take frequent breaks.)

Reply to
Edna Pearl

( 'nuther note to self: It is not required that your plaids and stripes be cut perfectly lining up absolutely level and precisely. Just a bit crooked is quite charming. I do it on purpose.) Polly

"Edna Pearl" >!

Reply to
Polly Esther

Reply to
Taria

I confess. I'm quite insane about matching. When I made sister that apron, I made certain that the print on the pockets was so perfect that they absolutely disappeared. =) The dressmaker in me insisted - but - when I'm cutting plaids and stripes for quilts I force me to wonk just a bit. I do have to put the cage cover over my dressmaker side so she'll hush. Polly

"Taria" Yep, sure Polly, we all do that on purpose! ; )

Reply to
Polly Esther

Howdy!

Mixing types of fabrics... there's a practical difference, as well as "this is what I like". Sometimes poly fabrics get shiny after several washings.

Adequate (more) quilting often helps smooth out the surface and stabilize the fabrics when those fabrics are of differing weights. W/ some areas of the quilts thicker than others, more quilting (rather than "minimal") will help equalize things.

Good luck!

R/Sandy

Reply to
Sandy E

The prints on the pockets on most of the shirts I'm working with are so perfectly matched that the pockets are invisible, so there's no point in using such pockets as a shirt feature for the quilt top inless there's some fancy stitching or a buttonhole. It's impressive! I do not aspire to such perfection. I just try to get the print more or less straight, and expect my imperfections to add charm. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The insides of my eyelids look like plaid, at this point.

tp

Reply to
Edna Pearl

That's the reason I do it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :-)

Michelle > Yep, sure Polly, we all do that on purpose! ; )

Reply to
Michelle C.

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.