String Quilts and more

[m***@gmail.com]

I painted the eyes in on my two fish quilts instead of using buttons. I really don't like buttons on quilts except wall hangings. I used paint that says it is for fabric, wood, glass and etc. Only place big enough was in the living room. Some were all black eyes and others were green with black centers. While I was waiting to go to town to buy eye paint I made two string quilts using foundation material. Quilt #1 has 10 inch squares with 2 1/2 inch sashing and 5 1/2 inch borders. Quilt #2 was a 6 inch square blocks and 2 inch sashing squares and 4 1/2 inch borders. These two quilts are so colorful and bright. I love to make these no brainer quilts. Still have strips of material left over for but that will be for another time.
My next quilt will be either a modern quilt or one that has dogs appliqued on it. I am thinking about using felt for the dogs. Do you have to prepare the felt any way before cutting the dogs out? I usually use heat and bond for calico fabric before applique.
Sandy$

[Night Mist]

Post by m***@gmail.com
I painted the eyes in on my two fish quilts instead of using buttons. I really don't like buttons on quilts except wall hangings. I used paint that says it is for fabric, wood, glass and etc. Only place big enough was in the living room. Some were all black eyes and others were green with black centers. While I was waiting to go to town to buy eye paint I made two string quilts using foundation material. Quilt #1 has 10 inch squares with 2 1/2 inch sashing and 5 1/2 inch borders. Quilt #2 was a 6 inch square blocks and 2 inch sashing squares and 4 1/2 inch borders. These two quilts are so colorful and bright. I love to make these no brainer quilts. Still have strips of material left over for but that will be for another time.
My next quilt will be either a modern quilt or one that has dogs appliqued on it. I am thinking about using felt for the dogs. Do you have to prepare the felt any way before cutting the dogs out? I usually use heat and bond for calico fabric before applique.
Sandy$

I usually use an iron and a glue stick for applique.

Felt is easy to applique because you just cut it out, stick it down and sew around the edges. This is where you may want to consider a heat fusible as opposed to stitching though.
Felt does not turn under well. There may be a variety out there that does, but I have not met it yet. So your stitching will show. Heat bonding it down without stitching neatly solves the problem if you do not want the stitching showing.
Felt will absolutely go to hell with repeated laundering. Using a fusible under the entire piece will extend it's life.
Downside, you have to plan your quilting to go around the felt piece if you bond the whole piece rather than just around the edges. It can be done, but it is hard on needles. You really don't want to quilt across felt anyway. It is the weakest nonwoven fabric, and even bonded you will find a tendency for the needle to pull felt fibers up with nearly every stitch. I assume that if you are considering felt that it is for a wall hanging, so random fuzzy would be an issue.

NightMist

[m***@gmail.com]

Hello Night Mist,
I thank you for all this information on felt and what it does and does not do. The quilt when done will be tied and not quilted traditionally so that part will not be a problem. Much to think about here before a decision is made. Thanks again for your help.
Sandy$