AboutConnie Hester Expertise Quilting and applique expert.Can advise on the following topics:quilting, art quilts, quilt design and construction, machine and hand quilting, paper foundation piecing, machine piecing, hand piecing, raw edge applique, turned-edge applique and fiber art.
Experience Winning awards in international fiber and art competitions since 1983; http://www.conniehester.com/
BS,MS
See my work and books at http://www.conniehester.com/
Question I want to use some of my son's outgrown baby clothes to make a keepsake quilt to hang in his nursery and was wondering if you had any idea or any tips on the best way to go about it. I want to just cut the clothes into equal squares and simply piece them together but am not sure how it will work because of the different types of fabric. Also, what type of battling and fabric for the back do you reccommend I use? If you can't be of any help I understand, just thought it was worth a try :)
Answer Hi, Jessica,
The main consideration would be stabilizing knits and fortifying any delicate fabrics. To stabilize any knits, use an iron-on knit tricot, aligning its grain at 90 degrees to the knit grain of the knit clothes. For any delicate fabrics, back with the same knit tricot or with bleached muslin (treating both the delicate fabric and the muslin as one fabric), for additional support.
I would use a thin 80-100% cotton batting and a 100% cotton fabric on the back.
Be sure to pre-wash all fabrics (but not the batting) that you buy, in order to remove any invisible surface treatments and to pre-shrink, as has already been done to the clothing.
Let me know if I can help further.
