Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

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Harriet
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Harriet » Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:59 pm

I'd let it go, be delighted with the quilt, enjoy giving it in this more pristine/new-looking condition, and tell their mother that either you would like to wash the quilt the first time it needs it, or write down instructions for her on how to wash it in the way you would have, giving HER the product. Then I'd think about how the quilt will probably mean most after it's been washed 5 times anyway, and this will likely be the least important thing EVER in the long run!

But then, of course I'm not seeing what you're seeing, Harmony, so if you feel you should go ahead and wash in - I can't remember the name but you'll find it - then do that with a happy heart. It's all good. It will be softer and cozier, which is not a bad thing. So impressed with you for making this gorgeous quilt.

Maybe when you buy solids in the future you should question the shop about whether any of their brands have any promises about color not running, or if they would recommend some that never run, etc. I just can't help but think this is not YOUR fault but the fault of manufacturing. I guess I'm thinking, what if you bought downright expensive fabric in order to avoid this situation. If it would work, it would be worth it.

No you certainly shouldn't have to go over to pastels! Having contrast in a quilt is very important - that's how we see the patterns and the eye is drawn to different parts of the quilt. So you are NOT wrong to use brights or darks. You are following in the footsteps of every other quilter. If a fabric can't keep up with that, it's certainly not your fault.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Sunny » Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:43 pm

((Harmony)), the name of the dye setting that Harriet looked up for me is Retayne. If you decide to wash the quilt, could you press it lightly afterward with sizing or light starch to make it a little crisper again??? I feel so bad that you are having such a hard time right now.

I haven't started my new project yet. Too many things going on now, especially with our trip next week. But fabric is all washed and ready for cutting. I haven't been brave enough to do that red cloth with the Retayne yet, but will do that when we return. I will have the rest of the summer to work on it.

Nancy, you are doing such a good job with your needlework now. I was rooting in a closet for something for the trip and found two shoe boxes of crocheted granny squares. I had made a pillow for dmom a long time ago and made enough for a second pillow and a small throw. So I have that to do also. I might just take some of them with me on our trip.
Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. --- Francis of Assisi

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Harmony » Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:49 pm

The blue that is bleeding now is a very good brand and I can't recall...starts with an H I believe. My material except for a tiny piece of black is all in the $6-$10.00 range at JAnn... Are you for sure that quilts get softer after they're washed? I'd like that. I've never made a full size one for myself that I've kept, used, washed... and I don't know why the red continues to bleed. I have 2 kinds of reds. I took the pieces I had left and rewashed a day or so ago (by hand in the sink so I could SEE what it's doing). The newer red bled a little. The older red didn't at all. On the quilt is the older red that's bleeding. Now this doesn't make one bit of sense to me at all. It really looks bad on the backing which is white!

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Nancy » Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:39 am

{{{Harmony}}} Thanks Sunny!

The simple deditative act of knitting may not bring about world peace, but it certainly has made my world more peaceful. Ann Budd Interweave press.


Yesterday I posted in the pwyc thread that I"m trying to learn how to do a new kind of flower edging that I saw on a needle work show on P.B.S. yesterday. I've been working at it and got one to turn out! Yea for learning so I"ll keep on with this. Hoping to learn and then show #1 dgd thought she might like to make floral necklaces and it will give me a new more fun edging option!

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Harriet
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Harriet » Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:07 pm

Kona cottons are supposed to be a leading standard for the quilters-cottons industry, yet I still found some complaints on the net about bleeding for their red, too. Maybe the answer is to purchase a small piece and check it before buying a large quantity.

Harmony, I'd like you to read this thread I just found with lots of tidbits of help - do not get too discouraged too early because it has a happy ending on page 3 with even more explanation and more encouragement on 4 and 5 plus cute children in pic. This doesn't mean I don't think leaving your quilt alone right now is not a good option. But this is valuable for the how and where whenever it is washed.

Yes, I would say any hand-quilted quilt is softer after washing. What kind of batting you use affects the look after washing. Cotton content in the backing has a slight shrinking (not a bad thing) that gives it a cushy-cozy look. You've seen old quilts that had an exaggerated look of that when the batting was fully cottons - each unquilted area plumps against the stitching. Poly battings don't change as much, of course. Machine quilted quilts may not soften as much if a lot of thread is used, simply because the thread is a big part of the surface.

Nancy, did you end up graphing that to get a handle on it? I think I would probably be graphing all the time if I knitted, to keep stitches straight in my mind.
Hurray for a new edging option.

Sunny, what a great summer project to look forward to!

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Nancy » Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:16 pm

I graphed it and work some then rip some out take a break mull it over in my mind and then go back to working and re working it; until frustration takes over at my lack of perfection but I"m getting a bit more progress, I think my base needs to be even # of stitches and it's not so so that is a factor. Some if it is fighting w/ acrylic yarn b/c it's bigger rather than small fine crochet thread would go faster but harder to count stitches. ~sigh~ I have to keep telling myself I"m just learning this and not to expect it to be perfect and enjoy the process!

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Harmony » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:47 pm

Thank you Harriet. I did read that thread (love that board, by the way) and now I will be on a search for synthropol. My only question was about her drying it...she laid it out and did not use the dryer. What would you do, if you thought the washing removed the extra dyes?

I did ask at JAn tonight and they do not sell retayne. I'm glad I didn't buy that anyway, as that's the one that sets color, not removes extra dyes. I'm sure the lack of water in the front loader is the problem. I notice that clothes washed the way I used to in a top loader came much cleaner than what I get from this front loader. I like the way it uses less water and electricity, but I do not like the results. When I do whites (dh's tshirts are unspeakably dirty from his work) I must set it on the highest dirt setting and a pre-wash to get things relatively clean.

I will soak and wash my materials by hand in the future.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2012

Postby Harriet » Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:24 pm

So, you're thinking you don't want to use the dryer if you wash it, because what if you're not satisfied enough dye was removed after it was dry, and maybe the dryer would "set" it? (Some people say never put a quilt in a dryer anyway, but I've certainly done it.)

Wow, what would I do... ... the old way before ease of modern appliances was to lay out a clean cotton blanket on the lawn on a windless day, and lay the quilt front-down onto it, slightly weighted at corners. There are certain, shall we say, environmental factors (birds) that COULD happen to your quilt, just like they happen to your car. I might do that, though, if I was okay with the possibility of the backing fading. But would I be okay with the binding edges fading? Hmmm ... ... I could lay strips of cloth onto those I guess, or turn the blanket edges over them. It wouldn't have to be completely dry when you brought it in. It could finish drying draped back-down across a bed, I think. Is it polyester batting? That dries faster. It could dry inside laid out on towels on the floor if you don't mind it taking more than full day, maybe 2 depending on your batting. You can run a household fan to help it dry faster.

If you chose to use her method in the bathtub, one thing that occurs to me. Does your washer allow you to spin without adding water? It might help to gather the quilt up from the tub with as little stress as possible and let it spin once in the washer, NOT the agitation or adding water. I know very little about a front-loader - I may be asking too much here, but I'm thinking that quilt is just going to be so heavy with water straight out of the bathtub, even though you try. When you pick up a wet quilt, you have to watch out not to let their be too much pressure anywhere, of course - pick the whole thing up at once.


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