Cleaning a Quilt

Kate, do you remember the lady you saw in WalMart buying cotton balls? I love that story. Polly

Now that you mention it, I do. I still haven't figured out how she was going to quilt it. I couldn't believe it then when she told me what she was going to do with all those cotton balls. Just how would you quilt a quilt where the batting consisted of only cotton balls. (giggle)

Did you hear the one about the lady that wanted to know if the stitches on the bottom of the quilt would be the same size as the ones on top of the quilt and what could she do to make sure the stitches were the same size. (HUH!!!!!)

Or the one where this lady was learning to machine quilt and wanted to know how you got the bobbin thread to come up through the quilt so she could grasp onto it. ?????

I wonder if the filiment in the lightbulb burned out.

Kate T. South Mississippi

If she means the length of the thread that is showing then I have that exact same problem when hand quilting - I have super tiny stitches on the bottom and bigger ones on the top. So I avoid the problem and MQ!

That's what you do at the beginning, no? Pull the bobbin thread to the top so it doesn't catch on things.

It's funny how some things we were just 'born knowing' didn't come naturally to everybody else. Yes, Allison. If you will do one stitch, you can bring the bobbin thread tail up to the top. Hold both top and bobbin threads by the 'ears' until you've made a few more stitches. There are all sorts of things you can do with them after that. You can thread them into a hand needle and bury them. You can hand-tie them and clip them close to the surface of the quilt. If you've drawn a wee tiny circle with your first stitches, just clipping is okay. I like to do the 'draw a little circle' routine myself. It wouldn't win any prizes for 'best of show' because it is not quite as perfect as actually burying the threads but is neat enough. I guess that depends on whether you're making a quilt for competition or making one that's going to be laundered once or twice a day. Some quilters just leave their bobbin threads out loose until they're finished and deal with them then. IMHO, that is asking for trouble. Since I quilt for babies, I like to be as sure as I can be that there aren't any loops that could hurt a little fellow . . . and, you know, I am sort of a neat/nut. Polly

"allisonh" That's what you do at the beginning, no? Pull the bobbin thread to the

When Shelburne Museum in Shelburne Vermont had a show a couple of years ago , which had their 100 best quilts on display, I can remember reading that none of the quilts had ever been washed ! When you think of when the quilts were made it is no wonder ! I do believe that the quilts were made for "best" or "show?" and not to be washed anyway. They would have had to have a big tub for sure...I always think that if any quilts were washed perhaps they used a horse trough !! It seems to me that they weren't washing their blankets , quilts, coverlets as often as we do now . With just a push of a button and they are clean for us!! Mary

Perhaps she was making that biscuit quilt?

Now that you mention it, I do. I still haven't figured out how she was going to quilt it. I couldn't believe it then when she told me what she was going to do with all those cotton balls. Just how would you quilt a quilt where the batting consisted of only cotton balls. (giggle)

Did you hear the one about the lady that wanted to know if the stitches on the bottom of the quilt would be the same size as the ones on top of the quilt and what could she do to make sure the stitches were the same size. (HUH!!!!!)

Or the one where this lady was learning to machine quilt and wanted to know how you got the bobbin thread to come up through the quilt so she could grasp onto it. ?????

I wonder if the filiment in the lightbulb burned out.

Kate T. South Mississippi

Howdy!

Well, Duh!, Kate!

Can't believe you didn't know this.

Polly invented the process, IIRC.

R/Sandy ;-D

Howdy!

First, have plenty of water:

Naaaah, Sandy, I invented the procedure where you take them down to the Swamp's edge and slosh them in the muddy water. This is, of course, after you take some hawg fat and concoct lye soap. You must be fast because it annoys the @#! out of the gators. Polly

We've come a long way baby............... :^) And to think my fastidious maternal grandmother washed the clothes and bedding for 8 people by hand. My paternal granny, 5 people's clothing and bedding by hand.

Now that you mention it, I do. I still haven't figured out how she was going to quilt it. I couldn't believe it then when she told me what she was going to do with all those cotton balls. Just how would you quilt a quilt where the batting consisted of only cotton balls. (giggle)

Did you hear the one about the lady that wanted to know if the stitches on the bottom of the quilt would be the same size as the ones on top of the quilt and what could she do to make sure the stitches were the same size. (HUH!!!!!)

Or the one where this lady was learning to machine quilt and wanted to know how you got the bobbin thread to come up through the quilt so she could grasp onto it. ?????

I wonder if the filiment in the lightbulb burned out.

Kate T. South Mississippi

How would she ever clean it with cotton balls for "stuffing?"

I have a lot of respect for our ancestors, it's not all that long ago that washing machines were for the rich only. Not only did they have to do everything by hand, but they didn't have all the new fangled fabric blends that wash easier, or things like disposable nappies - I'm a big fan of cloth nappies, but washing them by hand would be horrendous, my gran said they were available when she had her kids in 56 and 58, but expensive and not reliable, she used them whilst she had two kids in nappies, but it wasn't worth it with only one in nappies, even with all the work that took.

Anne

Maybe she hadn't thought that far ahead ! LOL

Have you ever 'combed' your quilt, Polly? When I make a baby quilt, I run a fine tooth comb over every inch..if ANY thread is loose or hanging it generally gets caught. I go slow and easy with scissors nearby and trim as I go. Found many a thread that I didn't 'see' even with the new sewing-only glasses. So maybe it might be of help to you?

I know you do some fancy work, so I am not sure this would help.

Butterfly (Those lil fingers are too delicate to get caught)

What a very neat idea, Butterfly. Thank you so much. Polly

"Butterflywings" Have you ever 'combed' your quilt, Polly?

Your welcome.

Butterfly (wonder how many others have things to share that they don't think its' worth sharing)

I wonder too. That's what I thought when Allison was asking about bringing the bobbin thread to the top. . . and how I do love it when someone asks a question I can answer. Doesn't happen much. Polly