Polar fleece

No:

it's genuine Malden Mills Polarfleece® , and not a generic wannabe, I wouldn't risk it.

No, it responds better to washing. All my Malden Mills stuff says 'do not dry clean'.

I wash all my quilts: I wash the fabric before putting the top together, wash the batting, and then when the quilt is complete, I wash that too, if it's to go to someone else. I don't always wash everything first if the quilt is for me! I'm a heretic that way...

Why would you want to dry clean it when it's machine washable. I can't see any benefits to be gained from all those chemicals.

I was assuming that it would not go in a regular washing machine, but I suppose the big ones at the laundromat would do fine.......

Thanks for the answers.

Don't see why it shouldn't go in a regular washing machine. My king-sized duvet goes in mine here at home!

But Kate, am I correct in thinking you probably have a front loader? Most wms in the U.S. still are top loading, with smaller capacity. Those darned agitators take up valuable space. My DDAWH (dear darling adorable wonderful husband) bought me a front loader primarily because it can safely wash quilts...with just the two of us, we sure don't need it for 14 pairs of jeans at a time!

Pat, I think the laundromat would be far preferable to the dry cleaners.

Doreen in Alabama

Ah... yessss.... My home front-loader takes a 12lb load!

12lbs ... you in the EU now. surely you must now write it takes a 5.5kg load!

how many stone is 5.5kg? :-)

We use both interchangeably! :)

5.5kg is less than a stone, which is 14lbs.

Comes in two parts: 9 tog and 4 tog that snap together. I put the heavy

9 tog bit in no problem. It's polyester hollofil (I can't do feathers, they make me itch).

My electric blanket says hand wash only, so when it needs it I shall do it in the bath. I shall 'tread' it gently, like grapes, and rinse it with the shower, then hang it out to dry.

I'd really love the 15lb load Dyson washer with the HUUUGE door and drum, but I hear iffy things about both reliability and wash quality... Needs more thought! One good thing is that it does fit in a standard washer space, and I don't care that it's as ugly as sin, coz it won't be in the kitchen!

My top-loading Maytag was a sixteen-pounder. (Maybe still is; it was still working -- after thirty years! -- when we retired and left it behind.)

It was a big jolt to start using a washer that will just barely accept one king-sized scenery-muslin sheet and two pillow cases. I still sometimes feel the urge to volunteer to wash the tablecloths after a banquet.

On the other hand, it's much easier to accumulate a load of blacks than it used to be.

I managed to wash a Chinese quilt in my tiny washer by filling it, agitating until the detergent was mixed in, then setting it for final spin, shutting it off, sinking the quilt by hand, and letting it soak overnight, re-arranging the quilt when I happened to think of it. It being January, the water was so cold that it hurt my arm! I also had to take the quilt out before re-filling, so I rinsed it only once even though the rinse took a much shorter soaking time.

Joy Beeson

btw, are you folks having any troubles cutting Polar Fleece ?

Wondered what you are using to cut ? (Mfr, Model, size...)

I have a customer that cut PT almost exclusively and we finally determined that her Gingher std houselhold shears worked fine, but I had to modify the angle to about 35 degrees so they would last.

Just curious :)

btw Malden Mills is about 20 miles from my shop and I am glad to see that they stayed in business. IIRC, the owner, Arron Fuerstein (sp?), paid his employees that were out of work after a near catastrophic fire in the Mill complex. That's dedication to your employees !

Straight cuts I use a ruler and a rotary cuttrt. Then for complex stuff I use Fiskars dressmaking sheers. I keep them sharp with a Fiskars scissor sharpener.

SNIP

Thanks Kate. Like your pages, will have to look some more later :)

I cut *everything* with rotary cutters (love my Gingher dressmaker shears, but don't use them often any more). For polar fleece, usually the 60mm or 45mm size. Occasionally, if I'm cutting a single layer of fleece, I use the 28mm cutter on tight curves.

I wondered if it was just my imagination that PF seemed to dull the blades faster than other fabrics! Thanks for the confirmation.

In the middle of sewing up a third pair of PF 100 longjohns, as we speak.

Doreen in Alabama

The rotary cutters seem to be the choice then ! Perhaps if you do use scissors for PT, then I could suggest that they be sharpened at 35degrees. That seems to work for my regular who cuts PT almost exclusively. Rotary blades can be sharpened, I just don't have the jig setup. Yet... :) Thanks for the input. I alwys ask folks what they are cutting, including knives. Makes my job easier and the customer happy that someone cares enough to learn about their needs.

Thanks all !

I use a rotary cutter whenever possible with polar fleece. It is definitely nasty to blades so I hate to use my good shears.

Marilyn in MN

Then if it's not out of order for me ask, when you do have the jig setup for rotary blades, would you please give us a hint? I used to get my blades resharpened but I believe the man retired.

Doreen in Alabama