Before you buy that next piece of fabric, read this. Here are several tests you can do to see if the fabric you want is worth using in your next quilt project.
Fiber Content
To determine the fiber content of a piece of fabric, take a few threads from the fabric, light a candle and place the fabric over the flame. The fabric will burn if it is 100-percent cotton and when you blow out the flame the fabric should have an afterglow and smell like paper.
If the fabric is made with synthetic fiber then the thread will burn into a hard ball.
Thread Count
Lay a corner of a piece of frayed fabric on a one-inch block of graph paper. Using a magnifying glass, count 1/4 inch of threads, then multiply by four (68 x 68 threads per square inch is standard) A higher thread count means the fabric will not shrink as much.
Crocking
Crocking is a term to tell whether the color will rub off of the fabric. To test this, take a piece of white fabric and rub it on a colored piece of fabric. If the color comes off on the white fabric when it's rubbed it will surely lose color when it's washed.
Wash Fastness
To test if a piece of fabric will stand up in the wash with other fabrics, try this test. You will need water, a thermometer, mild detergent (such as Ivory), measuring spoon, and sample fabrics.
The water should be about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a half-teaspoon of detergent in a jar, stir it up, and place a piece of dark fabric in it. Let this sit for seven to 10 minutes (figure A). Next, put a piece of light colored fabric in the same jar for about 15 minutes (figure B). Take the light fabric out and compare it to a piece of itself (a piece that has not been washed). If the light piece of fabric has color on it, then don't use it, it will just cause problems later on.
However, if there is no color on the light piece of fabric, then it must go through one more test. Lay the damp pieces of light and dark fabrics together in between two pieces of screen or Plexiglas and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes (figure C). After sitting, take the two pieces apart and see if the dark color transferred over. If it does, then don't use it.
You'll be surprised. For example, some reds will not run in the jar, but run all over the place when the two pieces are put together to dry. And still there will be other reds that will stand up to both tests. Those are the pieces you'll want to use for your quilts.
Resources From Fiber to Fabric: The Essential Guide to Quiltmaking Textiles and Batting
by Harriet Hargrave, Sharon Risedorph (Photographer) (ISBN: 1571200258)
Click
here to order this title.
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
Guests Harriet Hargrave
Machine Quilting Expert
Author and owner of Harriet's Treadle Arts
Website:
www.harriethargrave.com
Also in this Episode
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