Some time ago I remember reading in a book either by Claire Shaeffer or Connie Amaden-Crawford that quilting cotton is not appropriate for apparel sewing because it doesn't have enough drape. Does any one have any opinions on this? My Mom has taken to wearing float (patio?) dresses since a visit to Hawaii when she discovered how comfortable they are. I want to stitch her some some for spring and summer wear. Quilting cotton seems to be all there is around here.
Sharon
Some appear to be sturdier, others lighter in weight. I have found the lighter ones are excellent for patio dresses, as they have enough body to stand away from sweaty skin, and not to cling when one is wearing a minimum of underwear. The only way to choose is to unwrap a short length from the bolt and feel it. Also, don't buy the very cheap stuff which is so coarsely woven,it will not be comfortable. You need the finer kind.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans
They can be quite crisp to start with, but a couple of washes soon softens them up. These were all amde with quilting cottons, and worked very well indeed: >
Patterns are typically designed for fabrics with a particular drape... if you've got a, say, nightgown designed for a fabric that drapes closely (like batiste or charmeuse), it's going to look like a circus tent in
501-type denim.Quilting cottons work fine for patterns made for fabrics that drape like a fairly beefy muslin. Not so well when you need more or less body.
Kay
There's a new kind of quilting cotton that "feels like silk". That's how they advertise it, and it does! I've seen it in a couple quilt shops, but don't know the brand name. I've used quilt cotton for various shirts, capris, slacks....they work fine, as long as you don't get the really stiff ones!
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