LadyLake Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I have a quilt in from a new customer. She does bridal sewing, but this is her first quilt. All of the seams are serged, which wouldn't be a problem, except she used thick fuzzy cotton thread, making the seams thick and giving me worry that my machine will have trouble transitioning over them. Anyone done this before and have any suggestions? Second, she brought a back which she called 'double wide double cloth'. It looks similar to a sheet, but doesn't have the finish on it, so I think my machine will handle it. I'm wondering if this is a fabric used in bridal sewing. Have any of you quilted it as a back before? Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Modern applications of double cloth include haute couture coats, blankets, furnishing fabrics, and some brocades, but most generally they are linens for tables clothes. Not a usual bridal fabric. The first double means it's wide like our quilting wide backs, the second one means it has one to two warp threads and up to three weft threads. Hence "Double wide Double cloth" also there could be a thread pattern on one side so obvious right and wrong sides. Some could even look like a tapestry. Personally I would really check out the backer fabric it may be just to stiff to use...no stretch an not able to get straight, but then it could be just as soft as butter. Did she use wooly nylon to do the seams or the thicker cotton thread? The wooly nylon is softest serger thread out there, but the other could cause major problems as you said. Both are used most generally for double knits and fleeces, and in an application of a top finished edge stitch not meant to be an inside seam. I'd be more worried about the top than the backer if its not stiff as a board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewcrazy4quilting Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Yikes! Best of luck to you and let us know how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Joan - I'd tell her of your concerns and the problems you can see happening. If she's okay with it, I'd go for it. I've run my Liberty over some pretty hefty seams in my time and have seen some strange things used as backs. Actually, I've never had a problem with sheets. I prefer them to ridiculously pieced and sagging backs that people think are such a clever way to use up their stash. Sounds like an adventure to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I turned down a lady who had 13, yes 13 serged quilt tops a yr or so ago. I told her no way "would" I risk those seams on my longarm. The woman had no idea about bulky seams, and what they'd do. She said she was going to stop using her serger for quilt tops, and thanked me for my honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I recently quilted a king size with serged seams and told myself and the friend I quilted it for, that I would NEVER do another serged top! The main problem I had, was when these serged seams came together at an intersection..the bulk was quite alot and sometimes it would break my needle and throw the timing off of my machine. I muddled through the quilt with a simple panto design...but will not ever do another one...just not worth all the problems it created.:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Thank you for the information on double cloth, Bonnie! And, thanks everyone else for sharing your expertise. I made it thru this one, but it wasn't easy. The biggest problem was the wavy borders, which were extra wavy due to the serged seams. I also had some trouble with the double cloth not being as flexible as regular quilters cotton fabric. There is some puckering, but I think she will still like it, as it is her first quilt and not noticeable. I am going to explain to her why I won't take future quilts with serged seams or double cloth backs, and also will tuck in her bag an instructional sheet on attaching borders. Not being able to SID, due to the serged seams, made it much more difficult for me to avoid puckers. It reminded me of what a nightmare quilting was when I first started out, and did not put enough effort into stabilizing the quilt before doing decorative stitching. Here are some photos -- she made up the design herself and it is her first quilt -- not bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 The background fill is a Dawn Cavanaugh design from her Backgrounds Galore class -- highly recommended that you take, if you haven't already as Dawn has lots of great designs. I used a newer King Tut color called Riverbank #980. It is a great blender thread (gray-blues and medium browns). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 back of feathers and ribbon candy; notice double cloth backing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srichardson Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Joan, It may have been a pain to quilt but it looks wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Wow Joan! You made this quilt have quite a presence! I love her design and am very impressed for a first quilt. Your quilting looks great, I agree she will love it!!! Great job with this challenge! I learned right along with you thanks to the input you received before quilting, thanks for posting the completed work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I think it looks wonderful and I saved those pics for when I start to quilt the two Shadow Box quilts I have to do. Your's looks great. I serged the seams on a quilt one time back in the early 90's. I thought it looked so nice and clean. BIG MISTAKE...LOL. Tell her not to do it anymore and why and you won't hurt her feelings and it will have enlightened her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastrymama Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'm sure she will love it. It's a very interesting design and your quilting is just beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Joan it came out great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisquilter Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I love that fill Joan! and the feathers with the curls are really great! I have the "Great Bargello Quilt Project" quilts to quilt and I am always on the lookout for unique fillers. Perhaps I'll post and ask for ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlnewell Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Joan, I love the different type of peacock meander fill. Looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 You really worked your magic and made this quilt look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Joan, Fabulous job! I love that you used the background filler from class. Keep up the great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Neat quilt! And I love your quilting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Joan, that came out fabulous! :D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol rubeck Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Your quilting is wonderful. Would never know the problems you encountered with it. You made it look so nice. I made this quilt several years ago, and can't figure why one would serge it. I do know she didn't make up the pattern, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsha Nichols Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Beautiful quilting. When I first began quilting (2000) I saw an "old" dvd of Eleanor Burns serging a quilt and wondered if I needed to serge my seams. Glad I didn't invest in a serger and go that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 There was a time when it was posh to serg the seams, but I always thought it was more of a gimmick to either sell more sergers or to justify having the not used much machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted February 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Originally posted by carol rubeck Your quilting is wonderful. Would never know the problems you encountered with it. You made it look so nice. I made this quilt several years ago, and can't figure why one would serge it. I do know she didn't make up the pattern, though. Some people have jogged my memory, by pointing out that the shadow box is a pattern, not an original design by my customer. I think what she really said is that she added the extra sashing and border on each end to extend the quilt, but I can't remember for sure (those mice are running circles in my head again), so I will ask her when she comes to pick up the quilt, although we are totally socked in with a winter storm at the moment, so it will be a couple of days -- is this what you call one of those paragraphs that consists of one sentence? )))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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