Just wondering what white fabric most of you are using for your embroidered quilts? I don’t have a fabric store close by to be able to feel the fabric and cotton I’ve used puckers with the denser designs.

I agree with those who like the Kona cotton. Their selection of colors is amazing. The puckering might be more of a stabilizer issue than the fabric. I have found that especially with the dense designs it helps my machine to use 2 pieces and put them one piece up and down , turn the second piece one turn so it is going across then hoop,left to right
place fabric on top then hoop. I hope this makes sense to you. Even tho you don;t think stabilizer has any grain line, it seems to help.

Welcome to Cuties!
What combination of fabric/stabilizer/design/density/sewing machine works best for you is to do a few practice blocks. I hold fabric up to the light. If I can see right through it, it is too thin for a good result. I think Kona is a good choice. At first, just buy a little...like 1/2 yard to practice on.

If you like the fabric and your results, buy enough of the fabric from the same bolt to make your quilt. White is not always white. What is white for one manufacturer is not the same white. There is also differences between one bolt of white and another bolt of white from the same mfg.

Welcome, sounds like some good advice below, which prompts my question for the advice givers. Since you are using iron on stabilizer, can I assume that it becomes a permanent part of the quilt? And, does it cover the whole block, not just the embroidered design? Thanks.

1 comment

by pennyhal2 12 Apr 2018

Yes, it is a permanent part of the quilt. When you iron it on, the stabilizer has to be big enough so that when you hoop it, the stabilizer gets hooped too. You can leave the stabilizer in, or trim the stabilizer back to the design. Someitmes you may need to "re-warm" the excess stabilizer to pull it off the fabric so you can trim it. It really is a personal decision as to whether or not to remove the stabilizer.

Welcome to Cute, Char! Since you don't have a fabric store nearby, you might want to check out Connecting Threads, a mail order quilt fabric company. They have good quality, nice weight and with a lovely "feel" cottons. I've used their fabric for several quilts and have been very pleased. Order $50 or more worth of items to be ship to the US and shipping is free. Order $75 or more (that's US dollars) of merchandise to be shipped to Canada, the UK or Australia and it ships free, Hope this helps.

2 comments

by dragonflyer 12 Apr 2018

Great shop...I also love their threads too

by sewdeb 12 Apr 2018

Not to mention their terrific sales!

Hi and welcome to Cute. I use cotton with a fusible tear away stabilizer. It has reduced the puckering. I also use a basting stitch when the design is really dense. Wish you well with machine quilting. It is a lot of fun!

Welcome. You are going to love this site. It is filled with very caring and helpful people. I too use Kona cotton and do as lilylady does with stabilizers. Stabilizing is the key. Experimenting with your stabilizers, density of designs and fabric also helps

I use Ditte fabric from IKEA. It is 100% cotton, 150 cm wide and £3 a metre. Slightly heavier than most quilting cottons. Fabulous!

3 comments

by dragonflyer 12 Apr 2018

Interesting...do you pre-wash this fabric?

by spendlove 12 Apr 2018

No - no disasters yet!

by babash 13 Apr 2018

I also use Ditte from Ikea here in Australia stitches out great.

Welcome to cute . This will become tour favorite site! I am not a quilter but I know others will help you.

Welcome to our Cute Community!
I know of a digitizer that uses Scuba fabric (with a 4 way stretch) to show her quilting designs. It makes them look shinny and puffy. They have no puckers as the fabric gives a lot. However, that fabric would not be good for a quilt. With some designs, you might have to add extra stabilizer. It is always best to use some of the exact fabric and batting for your project to test stitch the designs. You can also ask what others have used on specific designs.

Cotton...all kinds...if you stabilize properly for the weight of the cotton you are using, you should not really have a problem with puckering...and depending upon the weight of the cotton, you also need to be aware of the density of the design...they both go hand in hand.

If you want a cotton fabric, something that has a good feel and drape, I have been using Kona cotton fabric. They have a variety of colors also.

2 comments

by graceandham 11 Apr 2018

Back when you could use a 50% off coupon off one cut at Jo-Ann's Fabric, I discovered that one cut could be the whole bolt of fabric. So, I bought a whole roll of white kona for a great white fabric. Maybe your fabric store would give a nice discount if you buy the whole bolt?

by lilylady 12 Apr 2018

This is also what I use and buy by the bolt with coupon. I use an iron on stabilizer and trim off when design is finished. I float a tear a way under hoop. depending on density,