eula Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I was given a quilt top years ago to save, care for, or something (before I ever thought about quilting). Anyway, my MIL gave it to us & I'm not sure who made it. Anyway, it's been folded up all this time. Now that I'm interested in quilting, I have been asked to do something with this top. The top is coming apart along the seams, has some stains on it and is made with double knit & cotton fabrics. I can probably handle the stains; however, I'm not sure about putting this back together because of the double knit fabric. I'm thinking that it will continue to come apart, because it's been coming apart for years just sitting there folded up. Does anyone have any experience in working with double knit fabrics in quilts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 HAAA!!!! funny you should ask!!!! I just ATTEMPTED to quilt a double knit quilt that someones mom had made and they found it and wanted it quilted. I got it loaded all up and I always kind of run my machine over the quilt, mimicking my movements I will do while quilting it, (with machine not on yet) and boom...... I ran into the seams at spot where the 4 corners came together! I called her and told her I was not going to be able to quilt it, but I did end up tieing it with crochet thread. Regular yarn wouldn't even go through the double knit! What a pain!! Maybe we should tell the army about this fabric!! They could make armored vest out of it or something!!:DI will NEVER accept any double knit again!!!:o Just my 2 cents worth!!! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 OH, I forgot to tell you that it was acutually made out of old double knit pants!!!!! You can see the seam in some of the blocks!!!:D:D:D:D:D linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammi357 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 oye. I'd probably recommend tying instead of quilting. I can just see all the broken needles. On the other hand... polyester quilts wear like iron and never usually fall apart if the right thread is used for piecing. polyester, of course. if it's really falling apart, you have to ask yourself, is this truly a love project? If you knew who did it and it was significant because of the clothes, ie, it was a deceased loved one's garments or something like that, well, then it might be a keepsake for someone, but if not, do you have the time and energy? or motivation? do you LOVE it? it might be better off 'gifted' or even left unquilted. Some historians believe that some tops are better left unquilted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 It's probably been pieced with cotton thread that has gone south. If you put it back together just use poly thread, it's a better match for the double knit. You can use a bigger needle since the double knit won't show holes. Just do an allover freehand from the front of your machine, slow down, and avoid those bigger seams that way. (Or just tie it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthieq Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I just finished quilting 4 double-knit and demin quilts. I raised my hopping foot and quilted a pantograph. I'm not sure if you have the ability to raise yours, but it worked like a dream for me. http://threadsofmine.blogspot.com/2008/11/quilts-quilts-and-more-quilts.html http://threadsofmine.blogspot.com/2008/11/memory-quilt-and-basket.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Sew Simple Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 My double knit quilt is tied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Way back when I didn't know better, I made a lot of double knit quilts.. used plain Coats thread and then machine tacked, or sewed diagonal lines to form diamonds.. last I heard one quilt was still going and not falling apart from the thread being cotton.. That quilt must be 11 or 12 years old now. Sounds to me like they used Talon thread.. it falls apart on the spool, well, almost. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sams Mom Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I quilted a double knit top with a sheet back and had no problems. They were big 10 inch one-patch so not many seams. Donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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