Daiwabo Yarn Fabric

[Renata L.]

I'm thinking about mixing batiks, printed fabrics and woven daiwabo fabric (NOT the printed daiwabo) into a small quilt that will have sashiko work in some of the squares.

Since I like to starch my fabrics before cutting, can I also starch a daiwabo fabric prior to cutting? It will be mostly used as border fabric. Any advice would be much appreciated!

[Nancy R.]

Hi Renata - I don't know anything about daiwabo fabrics, but here's what I would do. First, test the daiwabo fabric for washability. If you are planning on starching anything, then everything will have to be able to be washed. Then I would take a small piece of the daiwabo fabric and starch it to see how it feels and handles, and also how well the start washes out and whether the starch and washing affects the fabric in any way in the end. If the daiwabo fabric is a loose weave (again, I don't konw anything about it) and the starch doesn't seem to be enough, then I would look at ironing a lightweight interfacing to the back of the fabric to give it more body, like you would with silk or T-shirts. Of course, test to make sure that the daiwabo fabric can be ironed first and see if the interfacing shows through the weave. As always, I would do small tests of anything I thought I might try in the final quilt.

Does that help at all? Isn't it funny to get advice from someone who doesn't know anything about the subject matter???

Nancy

[Nancy R.]

Well, Nancy, I think your advice is spot on!! That's exactly what I would do when dealing with any unknown fabric.

Renata, let us know how your experiments work out!!

[Renata L.]

That is really great advice, Nancy, and I should have known... and you, too, Michelle, for reinforcing that advice... since daiwabo fabric is quite expensive and I have limited amounts of the colors I need with no chance of getting more of it, I was hoping there would be a quick solution to my dilemma.

The weave on one of the fabrics is tight enough that I feel comfortable using it even if I could not starch it (second from the left in the photo). The second fabric (first from the left in the photo) is the one I'm concerned about but I only have a fat quarter of it so I might just have to use it (if a fat quarter turns out to be sufficient). Will let you know what I discover in the process of using it.

These are the fabrics I picked out. I hope the combination works--it's the first time I've picked out fabrics without asking for help. Am I starting to discover my style? :lol: or will I make more changes along the way??? :roll: :lol:

[Nancy R.]

Renata - Those colors are beautiful! My only advice about color is to follow your heart and trust your instincts. From what I've seen, your instincts are very good!

I try not to let the "preciousness" of the fabric worry me when I'm using it. I figure that if I like the fabric then I have two choices. I can either enjoy and fondle it forever in its "raw" state. Or I can use it to make something I will love even more. It won't become something that I can put on my wall or my couch or my bed or give to someone I love until I cut into it and go for it. And if it doesn't work out as I had hoped (which actually has never happened because I can look past flaws when looking at fabrics I love), then I move onto the next thing that I will love (and I might see if I could pull something apart and scavenge some of that precious fabric!).

Nancy

[Betty J.]

Renata, I love your fabrics. I suspect that these are your choices for the Pepper Cory class?

[Norma H.]

Renata, your fabric choice is lovely. Go for it and if something doesn't work, there is always another solution. Trust your instinct.
I say this with confidence because when you comment on others projects I feel that you always point on the exact problems or solutions and you give so much positive feedback. Now use that skill for yourself.

[Norma H.]

Renata, your fabric choice is lovely. Go for it and if something doesn't work, there is always another solution. Trust your instinct.
I say this with confidence because when you comment on others projects I feel that you always point on the exact problems or solutions and you give so much positive feedback. Now use that skill for yourself.

Following up from what Zarah says, if you have problems seeing your own way, you could try imagining that it is someone else's problem that they are asking about - photographs on the computer screen might help give you the necessary distance.

[Rita C.]

Renata your fabrics look so perfect for a sashiko quilt. I can't wait to see what you do with them. What will you use for the sashiko itself? And where is the Pepper Cory class, is it at the show you are going to soon?

[Renata L.]

Thank you, all for your helpful comments and encouragement. My major concern about the daiwabo fabric, if I were to experiment a little, is that I only have one fat quarter of it in the darkest shade and if I experiment on a small piece, I would not have enough left to do the actual quilt... I have no reservations about cutting into to it, though, because I think I have found the perfect project for it. In fact, there is a possibility that even that FQ may not be enough... my solution to that problem, however, will be to make a border with two different daiwabo fabrics so that one color will run into the next and I might separate them with a dark half square triangle as I did with my Santa quilt that I show here. Or I could do the border in part with daiwabo and combine it with homespun fabric.



The quilt is for the Pepper Cory class BJ and I will be taking at the Philadelphia quilt show. The basic blocks must be made in advance. The indigo fabric for the sashiko work is part of a kit Pepper Cory sells for the class so I am making my best guess on colors that will go well with the indigo fabric. As you can see, I did not veer off too far from the sample's colors because I thought they are pretty traditional in terms of what a Japanese color choice might be, but I successfully shopped my stash without additional purchase, which made me very happy. The photo is from the internet which advertises Pepper Cory's class at Philadelphia.

[Rita C.]

Renata you are a lucky girl. I would love to go to that class. Please take photos and let us know all about it.

[Renata L.]

Renata you are a lucky girl. I would love to go to that class. Please take photos and let us know all about it.

Will do! I learned a bit of sashiko from older women when I lived in Japan, but never had too much time to dedicate to it. I did collect a few sashiko books and magazines while there (and have not lost my Japanese reading skills, although the pictures are self-explanatory), so now I am dusting them off and setting aside some time so I can play with this too!

[Nancy R.]

Renata - I hope you and BJ have fun!! I think your fabrics will be wonderful. I kind of like it when I'm short on fabric since it pushes me to be creative, but you are always creative without that push. I can't wait to hear about the class and see how it all goes together. I'm sure your daiwabo fabrics will work well.

Nancy

[Norma H.]

I knew you would find a solution. Have fun with the class. I'm looking forward to see what you will make

[Renata L.]

Thank you, Nancy and Norma! Now I just have to stop playing with the fabrics... I found a few more good combos I had not thought about before... gotta get those half-square triangles made for the class and then let go!