# Why 100% cotton???



## Feathers-N-Fur (Dec 17, 2007)

I have never read _why_ you should only use 100% cotton for quilting. My guess is it has to do with everything shrinking equally, but thought I would finally ask. Thanks.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. 
For the same reason, you also want to use similar qualities in the same project. Ie, don't mix WalMart fabrics with quilt shop fabrics. 

100% cotton also seems to wear longer. Some people still prefer to quilt with polycottons, though and more power to them.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

That is my assumption. Wear factor, as well, I would imagine.
I have seen antique quilts made with silk, velvet and satin....that have not held up....unfortunately.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I would think the natural fibers breathing better than man-made may have something to do with it.

And historically quilts were out of left over clothes, and clothes were natural fabrics and cotton probably the most affordable back when quilting history started.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

I have seen some quilts made out of polyester and they're just ugly. LOL...I prefer cotton.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Personally I think this "rule" along with many others was "set in stone" in order to make quilt shops money.

Quilts began from scraps... and look at crazy quilts! They have all sorts of fabrics in them.

Now, I personally DO prefer all cotton quilts, but quilt with anything and any mix you like... these days, we call that "fiber arts". :sing:


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I love the feel of cotton...while I'm sewing and while I'm sleeping.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

The higher the polyester or non cotton content of fabric, the more likely it is to pill. Also good cotton will actually wear longer than the blends. I have a quilt that I love, made by an Aunt that we loved dearly and after 15 or so years you can really tell the difference between the cottons and blends. It's in my repair pile, because I can't bear to toss it.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Sew together a little quilt of high end cotton quilt fabric, cotton/poly, polyester, mid grade cotton (JoAnn) and low end cotton (Walmart). Wash it a few times.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Actually, that's probably the best suggestion. Make a small quilt out of various types of fabrics and wash it and wash it and wash it. 
You'll be artificially creating the wear of time, and you'll see what happens to each of these types of fabrics over "time."


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## offGridNorthern (Jan 1, 2006)

I have just brought out of storage a baby quilt that I made years ago (33 years!) for my son. He and his wife are expecting their first baby so I thought I would pass on this quilt. To my horror ... the polyester fill that the teacher supplied for the batting is bleeding through, even though it was 100% cotton that I used for the outer layers. I remember her telling us to choose 100% cotton so this wouldn't happen ..... well it happened anyway!
It's a good thing that along the way I swtiched to cotton batting and have always used 100$ cotton inside and out... hopefully in 30 years, my later quilts will have weathered better than the baby quilt.


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## sancraft (Jun 7, 2002)

And not just 100% cotton, but quilt store quality cotton. It's really worth the money. I just do fewer quilts and buy better material.


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## offGridNorthern (Jan 1, 2006)

I have just finished a "Winnie the Pooh" panel (not because it was my choice --I would have done a pieced quilt but the parents are in to W.the P...so......) and as I was quilting it by hand I was thinking about what cheap cotton this thing was. 

I must tell the parents to just use it, wash it as needed ... and when it bites the dust ... I'll make another one (my choice, decent cotton!)


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Wasn't the original question about why we should quilt with cotton... not the quality of cotton, but cotton over other fibers?


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## jadedhkr (Oct 25, 2004)

For me is a personal preference. I just prefer the way cotton feels and wears. I do love linen too, it has a different texture and tends to be thicker, but it feels and drapes nicely.


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