Quilting cotton being sold differs from each other's as does its purposes. It is used for apparel, quilting, upholstery, bags, hats, or more. One thing quilting cotton has in common is that it tends to be somewhat crisper than normal cotton fabric. Use this feature to your advantage when creating and the fabric will come into its right.
As the drape of the fabric is stiffer it is more suitable for looser fitting garments or products. The sturdiness of the fabric will hold the posture of the product and therefore let the design and colours of the fabric come forth.
There are many different types of cotton which you can find in any haberdashery store. But to make the search for the right type simple, we had a closer look at the fabrics provided by Fabriquon. The fabrics that is being stocked consists of - quilting cotton, cotton sateen twill, and flannel. Below is a more in-depth description of the three, ending with care advice.
Quilting cotton
Quilting might be considered to be one of the first examples of up-cycling. The earliest known garments have been depicted on an ivory figure of a Pharao (c 3400 BC).
Quilting cotton is made from 100% cotton and has a plain weave. The original quilting fabric has a medium weight, but the more recent fabrics are lightweight. Quilting fabric is a beginner's friendly fabric usually comes in 44" inches wide. As the drape of the fabric is stiffer it is more suitable for looser fitting garments or products. The sturdiness of the fabric, however, will hold the posture of the product and let the design and colours of the fabric come forth, as mentioned above.
Quilting cotton is a great fabric in hotter climates as it breathes. These fabrics have intricate designs on a high-quality sustainable fabric and can be used to decorate you or your home. Quilting cotton fabric is available through designer at Fabriquon:
American Jane Pattons:
Amy Butler:
Kaffe Fassett:
Jennifer Paganeli:
Urban Chicks:
Cotton Sateen Twill
Twill is an ancient weaving technique used to produce a more durable fabric, characterized by its diagonal patterns called "wales". There are several variations to weaving twill, depending on what type of pattern or durability needed. The yarn warp is more tightly packed, creating a fabric that is stronger, thicker with a better drape, and higher wrinkling resistance.
Twill can be found in light- and heavyweight fabric, with different patterns and materials. Lightweight twill like Surah or Foulard, are usually made of silk or synthetic fabrics like polyester and can be found in lingerie, slip dresses, or linings where durability is required. Chino has the distinctive diagonal wales and is made out of lightweight cotton. Heavyweight twill is used for blue jeans, jackets, and outerwear clothing. Where the more famous pattern is Houndstooth, which can be seen in Chanel clothing or the Herringbone pattern, traditionally found in men's suits. The more recent Calvary, also a heavyweight fabric, is winning in popularity over the traditional Gabardine, both made in wool. Even more complex techniques, patterns, and materials can be found and are being used.
Fabriquon only sells a cotton sateen twill. Cotton sateen twill has been made using a satin weave structure made with spun yarns, instead of filaments, which makes the fabric gloss and shine. The warp of yarns is floated over weft yarns (four over, 1 under). The long floats produce the soft surface, which reduces light scattering and increases the shine of the cotton sateen twill. The sateen weave is wrinkle-resistant, water-repellent, and drapes beautifully suitable for products where a heavy drape is needed. Have a look at the cotton sateen twill according to designer:
Amy Butler:
Momo:
Flannel
The origin of the word flannel is uncertain. The word either derives from the Welsh word "gwlanen" meaning "woolen cloth" or from the french word "flain" meaning "a kind of coarse wool". The fabric can be traced back to the 17th century of Wales, where textile workers began using a surplus of sheep wool in a process called carding to soften the fabric. It wasn't long till the Welch fabric started producing flannel shirts to farmers and soon the entire working class.
Today the fabric is made from wool, cotton, or synthetic fibre. The process is fully automated and includes a fine metal brush "napping" or brushing the fabric to raise small fibres from the loosely spun fabric on either one or two sides. The napping in combination with a loosely spun yarn is what creates the softness of the fabric. Flannel is suited for making tartan clothing, dresses, blankets, bedsheets, sleepwear, and much more. Fabriquon has one type of flannel fabric:
Momo:
Care
The advantage with sustainable fabrics, like quilting cotton, is that it will hold for many items of washing. The fabrics will change colour over time, adding sustainable wear and charm to each piece.
To keep the intricate design and colours for as long as possible, please be advised to machine wash warm 40° C (105° F) with a normal cycle with like colours. Use only non-chlorine bleach and do not sundry. Tumble dry low, remove promptly, and use warm iron if necessary. This will ensure sustainable use of the fabric.
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