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From: lvquilts
Date: 08-19-2006, 07:22 AM (1 of 11)
| I was at a garage sale yesterday and saw a hunk of Chintz that I wondered whether I could have used for a quilt. Anyone know? I think it was Chintz because of the high shine finish. I wondered if I had washed and dried it whether it would have then be workable in a quilt? Maybe too hard to hand quilt, but if I mahchine quilted it? |
User: lvquilts
Member since: 07-16-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: SandyGirl
Date: 08-19-2006, 09:31 AM (2 of 11)
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Use it to embellish or applique?? Not sure about using for blocks. sandy |
User: SandyGirl
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 97 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 08-19-2006, 03:07 PM (3 of 11)
|
First , let me say... There is a difference between chintz and polished cotton.. Polished cotton has less of a sheen .. Now, having said that , I must tell you my Grandmother was a very prolific quiltmaker, and she always bought polished cotton for her quilt backing.. Beautiful bright colors..Most of her quilts were "scrap" quilts.. I don't ever remember her buying fabric for a quilt top.. Of course, she sewed for money for the townspeople where she lived.. And, she made all of my clothes and a lot for my Mother.. My Mother would go to the textile mill stores here in town and buy "bundles".. multiple fabrics tied up in a bundle, priced by the pound for my clothes, Daddy's PJ tops, his boxers, and shirts and underwear for my brother, as well as skirts and dresses for my Mother.. I think GrMother always had enough fabrics for any pattern quilt she preferred from all the scraps she had leftover.. So she bought solid polished cotton brights for her quilt backing..The Fan quilt I have she made in 1945 and the backing is flag blue and still bright. (not faded) Not shiny any more, but not faded..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
|
From: Patty22
Date: 08-19-2006, 03:47 PM (4 of 11)
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If you can, check out the book _Calico & Chintz: Antique Quilts from the Collection of Patricia S. Smith_ published in 1997 for the Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. This book has phenomial photograph and color depictions of the early chintz fabrics used on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The quilt patterns depicted most often in this collection were either medallion, strippy, or patterns that allowed large graphic portions of the fabric to be seen. In the late 1980's, there was a beautiful polished cotton produced by Jeffrey Gutcheon. It was gorgeous, however, the scheen slowly was lost with each washing of the quilt. The only polished cotton that I've seen retain it's beauty (for me....IMHO and all) is a piece of liberty of london. As long as the chintz you are using has a weight that is consistent with the other fabric you are using in your quilt, I don't see any reason not to go ahead and use it. Remember that hand quilting decorator fabrics is difficult to needle if it is of a heavier weight than cotton. Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: lvquilts
Date: 08-20-2006, 06:27 PM (5 of 11)
| Thanks for your input. I never heard of polished cotton! I guess the fabric I saw was chintz, it had a fair amount of shine and judging by the fabric the woman was selling I suspect she made drapes and slipcovers...isn't chintz used for slipcovers sometimes? Anyway...I was curious so I thought I'd toss the question out there to see what others had to say. I suppose I could learn by doing, but by the time you invest time and money into a quilt top, well, I'd rather learn by asking first! |
User: lvquilts
Member since: 07-16-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 08-21-2006, 12:50 PM (6 of 11)
|
I have had another thought that pertains to my Grandmother's use of polished cottons for her quilt backs.. All of this talk of mine is about fabrics made prior to 1946... She passed away in 1947 and was sick for most of a year and had to retire from sewing anything after the summer of 1945.. I know fabrics have changed drastically since that time, but my fan quilt has NOT faded.. and it has lots of feed sack prints in it also..It is a true treasure..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
|
From: MaryW
Date: 08-21-2006, 12:55 PM (7 of 11)
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Take a scrap of it, wash and dry. See what happens to the sheen. If it is still ok, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
|
From: lvquilts
Date: 08-22-2006, 12:00 PM (8 of 11)
|
Mary, Every time I read a quilting book where the author does something in a new manner, I think to myself, "I could have thought of that." Sometimes I get stuck in a rut just by following the "rules". I should have been adventurous enough and just bought the stinkin' fabric and washed and dried it! |
User: lvquilts
Member since: 07-16-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 08-22-2006, 02:09 PM (9 of 11)
|
lvquilts I feel the same way when I listen to all of the "experts" on color value rules. My local quilt guild has had at least three or 4 speakers in the last year give 30-45 minute talks on color values and how to use them in quilts. My thought is always -- Okay, now that we're all totally confused again about what might or might not look good together, let's all get back to our quilting and use whatever 'freakin' colors we like and if other people don't like them, they don't have to look at the quilts. Too many rules and dos and donts turn a lot of people off to learning to quilt. I have a younger sister that would like to learn to quilt but she says that when she listens to all the rules you have to go by to make a quilt, she doesn't think it's worth all the hassles. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 08-22-2006, 03:50 PM (10 of 11)
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I agree Patsy....if I'm gonna spend the time making a quilt, I will use the colours & fabrics that I like...I don't care what anyone else thinks!
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
|
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 08-23-2006, 07:15 PM (11 of 11)
|
That is the way I have always felt.. My parents called me hard-headed, but it didn't stop me.. I'm happy with me.. I choose the colors I like regardless of what is "in style" right now.. I think some of the ancient rules are worth following such as, 'use the 1 color used the least in a print for the accent color and you cannot go wrong'. That came from My Grandmother and my Mother and I still follow that today.. Works for me..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
|
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