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Silk Batting/Filler


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I have a mattress topper that has silk batting/filling that I've taken in and had professionally cleaned and now storing. It's too warm for us. I'm wondering if I can use this filling for trapunto work or even as an extra layer of batting, or even batting alone. It is not bonded and is inside a zipped very lightweight, loose woven covering which was inside another cover. Does anyone know how well silk washes up? The directions on the tag said to dry clean, which I did, but I'm wondering if that is because of its size and it being non-bonded. I've heard of silk batting but have no experience with it. What does anyone here think?

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If you find no other use for the large piece, cut it into 8 inch squares and dye them different colors. Then separate the fibers and recombine with other colors for some great art quilt fibers. Capture the fibers under netting and stitch on top.

Use Sally Terry's technique for no-trim trapunto. Cut the layer of silk into the size and shape of your motif (with the top, cotton batting, and backer loaded). As you get to each trapunto motif, carefully insert your piece of silk into position between the top and the cotton batting, stitch around the edges and then detail inside.

Take the whole package--the silk innards and the outer covering with the zipper removed and the resulting opening stitched shut--and channel-quilt it all so the silk is stabilized and the pad is thinner. With the silk matted down by the stitching it shouldn't be so hot--the air pockets between the fibers are compressed and there is not such a high R rating--a measure of insulation. Then use it as an insert in a pretty duvet.

As for not being washable--careful and gentle hand washing is usually OK with silk. I think the fibers in the batting might shift and bunch so if it's quilted into a project there is nowhere for the fibers to go. I think ;).

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Linda and Madelyn, I had not thought about using this for artistic means at all. Also, the duvet idea is very good as long as it wouldn't be too hot to use after stitching it down. I think I'll try that, however, and then if it's too warm I'll just offer it in chunks to be used for dying, etc. Thanks for the ideas!

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I have quilted with silk batting. The stuff I used was a bit like Angel Hair---rmember the stuff at Christmas that used to be used for snow? I think the Angel Hair was made out of some knid of fiberglass though :( Back to silk. The stuff I used wasn't easy to work with but I did a couple small things.. One was a wall hanging and the other was a vest. Crystal Smythe is working with some right now so she might have some more hints. She is an IQ poster so if you have IQ you can contact her there or she is on Facebook.

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To use it as batting, would it work to keep it inside its soft, loosely woven gauzy covering with the zipper removed? Could that be its 'bonding'? (Right now this goes inside a tightly woven zipped covering not shown in the pictures.) Or would I need to separate it from its covering? I can only imagine it would be a pita to separate and control it as it gets stuck all over my fingers when I touch it (course they're rough from gardening right now:D ).

Debbie, that is exactly how this silk handles. Did you wash the vest you made by hand or machine? I'm trying to figure out how I can re-purpose this silk, but I like my things to be able to go right in the washer, eazy peazy :D. Otherwise, I'll offer it in squares for art fiber, if that's the way it can be used.

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