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/
Expert: Connie Hester Date: 4/25/2006 Subject: old quilt top
Question I have an old quilt top that my husband's grandmother pieced by both machine and hand. How would you recommend finishing it? What kind of batting, machine or hand quilt, and how to bind? It is made from pieces of old cotton shirts and I would like to finish it as they would have during that time period - I would guess 40 years ago.
Thanks
Debbie
Answer Hi, Debbie,
There are so many choices. It is totally up to you. You might want to check out a book at your local library for ideas and more detailed instructions on the many choices available to you.
If it were mine, I would use a low-loft batting that is at least 80% cotton (like 80%-20% cotton-polyester), or 100% cotton. Cotton will produce a quilt which has a "drape" to it - it will somewhat hug the corners of the bed as it hangs down the sides of the mattress rather than spring out, as a polyester batting will do. Also, cotton batting is more comforting than polyester. Polyester battings are more likely to "beard" (pull a tuft of batting onto the quilt top with the needle and thread as quilting stitches are taken) than cotton. This can be a major issue if the quilt top has many dark fabrics.
Again, if it were mine, and if I wanted it to remind me of a time gone by, I would hand-quilt it. Hand-quilting looks more old-timey, and frankly, it looks and feels more comforting as well.
