HELP!! Whhhyyy did I try brocade??

[amberstar]

Don't ask me why I've done this... I've never tried to sew anything but plain old cotton before. I found some beautiful brocade and thought it would make fabulous quilts for holiday presents - and at first I didn't really have any problems. However, now that my first attempt is all pieced together I've noticed that everything is unravelling!! The seams are all coming undone, and anywhere I've put pressure is a thready mess! It is a huge problem, and about to be a huge waste of money if not time. I bought enough fabric for 2 quilts, so I thought I'd ask here before tossing the first and starting over. What should I have done? Has anybody had problems like this?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

[GERRY]

Hi Amberstar:

Sorry you are having Prob's

Maybe you could use a serger to sew the peices together, or you could also try useing a larger seam allowance, like maybe 1/2 inch, plus more sitches per inch, like 12 st's per inch. you could also try back-tacking at the start & stop of each seam, like we do when sewing everything else other than quilts. I think the only reason we don't back tack in quilting, is that we use a 1/4 inch seam allowance & extra st's in the small seam would add bulk & be a problem, but if you use a 1/2 inch seam allowance back tacking shouldn't add to much bulk.

I hope some of what I think may help,

best of luck getting your quilts done.

[dixieqwv]

Maybe the fabric needed a light weight iron on stablizer to hold everything together. It certainly sounds like it would be beautiful.

[Quiltsinmotion]

as a garment maker , now turned quilter if you don't have a serger just use your zig zag stitch after you sew you seams together . That will stop the unravelling , you may have to make your seam wider then 1/4 in. depending on how small you can adjust your zig zag . You can zig zag around all the seams you have already pieced you won't be able to get the whole seam but enough to stop it .

Hope all works out for you ....

[amberstar]

Thanks everyone! I will try your suggestions! I don't have a serger, but I've been thinking of buying one for a while - now I have the excuse, haha! Until then I will try zigzag stiching and larger seam allowances - and probably stablizer. Thanks again - I'll let you know how it works!

[grammydiane]

I'm glad to see this thread. I have a project in mind and I'm not sure it will work.

I found a paper piecing pattern of a kimono which will be about an 8" x 10" project when it is completed. I want to make two of them for my nieces and then put them in frames. I have some brocade that my dad brought home from Japan a million years ago. Thought it would make a nice gift for the girls to remember their grandpa now that he is gone. They both have an Asian theme in their homes. Can't make larger seams, but do you think I should use some iron-on stabilizer?

[jeri]

Brocade is beautiful to work with for garments. The last time I used it was for the bodice of a daughter's wedding gown. It does do some raveling and would be awful with 1/4 inch seams. There are normally different weight threads forming the gorgeous patterns that make brocade so pretty.

Since the threads create those patterns they also tend to ravel as they don't follow the normal warp and weft pattern of woven cotton. Anyways I'd do wider seams (oh my 5/8 seams they are soooo huge!!) and zig zag the edges. For garments made with it you always want to finish seams. I would expect a serger would work well but I've never used one so I can't offer any opinion but someone mentioned using one previously.

I'm thinking about using some to make some quilted Renaisance (probaboy mispelled) dresses or capes for 2 of my grand daughters for next October's Renfest. I have to start early I have 6 small grandchildren that I want to take in period outfits next year--think it will be a blast. so much for babbling on. jeri

[Bonnie]

If you can't finish the seams, would Fray-Chec work if you didn't get to heavy with it....by drawing a tiny tiny bead down the edge you should be able to stop the fraying. Don't get to heavy with it....it does stain fabric and with Brocade it won't come out. Besure to let it dry completely before you try to press the seams flat.

[misslois]

Amber,

I am so sorry you had that bad experience. I'd like to add to the other ladies' advice use a small needle.

[amberstar]

Hello all! Thanks again to everyone for their advice! Here's an update:

So, using scraps of brocade I've been trying out various suggestions. Using iron-on stabilizer seems to work the best so far in terms of stopping unravelling, but it really does add a lot of bulk and takes away the 'silky,' flowing quality of the brocade (if that makes sense). I guess I'm trying to say it is awfully stiff.

Because I really want the 'silkiness' of the brocade in the quilt, I think this next combination of suggestions is proving to be the best. Using larger seam allowances (and I do mean LARGE) combined with a more complex stitch appears to be working well. I've been using a 'feather' stitch because my sewing machine's manual says to use it to keep things from unravelling - although I also tried zigzag, and it works too. I like the feather stitch because it...looks a bit more sturdy, and makes me feel like those threads aren't going anywhere (haha).

So, tonight I'll start piecing my 2nd attempt - I'll be sure to check back in and tell you how it goes. Take care, everyone!