quilting with suit wool

[E.M. T.]

How would you prepare suit wool material for a quit. I have these rectangles of beautiful material to join together. What would you do about batting and about backing? Can you use a flannel back? If so, must it be prewashed? I assume this would be dry-cleaned only in the future. Any suggestions for design or finishing. The rectangles are approximately 5" x 3".

[Judy B.]

My mother used to take wool clothing from rummage sales, cut the fabrics into squares and piece together with half-inch (1.5 cm) seam allowances.
She used polyester batting and cotton backings and washed the quilts in luke-warm water. They came out beautifully. I don't think the quilts were
put into the dryer, but it would be worth trying with a small sample.

[Betty J.]

Most wool can be washed in cold water with mild detergent and dried flat, but I'd try a piece first to see how it went. You could even use a wool batting. The only problem I see with a wool quilt is that it would be really heavy but nice and cozy warm. It seems an interesting project. I'd love to hear and see how it comes out.

[Katherine S.]

Interesting that your doing a wool quilt. A while ago,(so long I'm ashamed to admit) I bought a bunch of wool items and along with some wool fabric I bought in NYC in the garment District I washed them in very hot water and in the dryer in a pillow cover to "boil" them We had had a demo at our Bernina Club of how to needle punch wool. My idea is to put together squares in a bed size quilt and needle punch designs on at least a few of the squares. I haven't done it as yet but seeing your comment made me think about those 2 bins of wool! I hope if you do make something you'll let us know your ideas and post your finished item.

[Rita C.]

I am in the process of quilting a wool quilt. I used wool batting and cotton backing (after much thought about whether to use flannel or fleece or what - in the end I decided on wide-backed cotton as I reckoned it would be the most stable.) I used a quarter inch seam allowance which was fine and steam pressed the seams open as this made it easier to join the squares. Here's a photo of how I pinned then together. I made sure the pin was joining both front and back exactly in the seam allowance and this made them match up perfectly.


The only problem is that, for me anyway, it was too difficult to try to quilt in on my domestic machine. I am in the process of hand quilting mine with big stitches. Here's a photo -


Good luck with whatever you end up doing.
Rita.

[Katherine S.]

It's beautiful! This is only the second time I've visited the Forum...It's fun and inspiring Tks

[Hannelore N.]

Rita, that quilt looks sooooo cosy. I bet it'll keep you warm even during the coldest nights of the year.

[Charae H.]

Love it, Rita!

[Rita C.]

Thanks Katherine, Charae and Lorchen. It's for my son who has insisted on growing so much in the last six months that his duvet no longer covers him in bed! I have made it extra long which should cover him until he gets to 7 ft tall! I doubt he will let me share it though Lorchen. :lol:

[Hannelore N.]

lol lol lol...... Been there, done that, Rita. Both my lads are tall and were given kingsize bedding when they were teenagers.

You'll just have to make another one for yourself, Rita.

[Rita C.]

Another son or another quilt? :lol: :lol: Ah I know what you mean really.

[Hannelore N.]

Well, that's entirely up to you, Rita........ I'm available if you need a Godmother sometime in the future.

[Rita C.]

Ah Lorchen, I am sure you would make a wonderful godmother - but I think that ship might have already sailed. :lol: :lol: Well Katherine we do tend to go off topic a bit - but always in the best possible taste! Happy Christmas

[Hannelore N.]

Seriously........ If you use wool for the top of the quilt a lot may depend on how thick (heavy) he fabrics are. I did a wool flannel quilt once and left out the batting. I just backed it with flannel. I was extremely warm, thick and heavy and lives in a cabin in Alaska. Just the right place.

[Katherine S.]

How did you do the seams, some one suggested to me that with my homemade boiled wool I should just overlap them and stitch on top. They are thick, in fact different thicknesses which is part of the reason they are still in the bin! Has anyone done the seams that way????