Cotton is a natural material, while polyester is synthetic. Poly-cotton is a blend of cotton and polyester.
Poly-cotton blends can be a variety of percentages, but you generally see a blend that is 65% cotton and only 35% polyester.
Can you use Poly-Cotton for Quilting?
Poly-cotton is useful because it is stronger, more versatile, and is more customizable than fabric that is 100% cotton. Poly-cotton also does not stick to you as you might get with 100% polyester making it a very popular alternative.
Most quilters swear by 100% cotton when quilting while others prefer something stronger.
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What Do You Typically Use Poly-Cotton For?
Polycotton is a widely used fabric in the consumer clothing industry.
Because there are different types of poly-cotton blends, the fabric is a very versatile choice.
A lightweight poly-cotton blend is normally used in shirts and blouses or any other lightweight clothing item. A heavier poly-cotton blend can be used for pants, skirts, and heavier or warmer clothing options.
Athletic blends also use polyester because of the combination of durability and breathability that is offered with a poly-cotton blend.
Other common uses for poly-cotton include:
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
- Bedsheets
- Tablecloths
- Canvases
It is incredibly likely that you own multiple items that are made from a poly-cotton blend.
You can also use poly-cotton for quilting. Some people do not like to use anything but 100% cotton when quilting, but others use poly-cotton for quilting.
At the end of the day, it can all come down to personal preferences.
Can You Mix Fabrics in a Quilt?
Mixing fabrics when making a quilt can be very tricky.
Different types of fabric have different weights, stretch, breathability, and all wash differently. This doesn’t mean that you cannot mix fabrics while quilting, it will just be more difficult to do so.
There are a few things that you need to keep in mind when you are mixing fabrics for quilting.
Weight:
One of the most important things that you need to pay attention to when you are mixing fabrics is their weight.
Matching fabric weights will make sure that your quilt is similar in weight all the way across your project.
If you do not match the weights, depending on how you arrange your fabrics, you will have an issue with your project.
Shrink-Ability:
If you use more than one type of fabric in your quilt, you can expect different levels of shrinkage on your first wash.
Because of this, it is a good idea to wash your fabric before you sew it into your quilt. This can prevent your quilt from shrinking differently in different sections.
In general, it is a good idea to wash your fabric before you sew anything so that you can reduce any shrinkage that might occur and make your project smaller than you intended.
Washing the Material:
Another very important thing that you need to think about when using a mixture of fabrics in your quilt, or in anything you are making is how it is going to wash.
If you use both cotton and poly cotton in the same project, you will notice a difference in the two fabrics when they come out of the wash.
Cotton normally comes out with more of a wrinkle, while poly-cotton will wrinkle less. If you do not mind that your fabric will wash differently, then you can mix your fabrics.
Can Polyester Thread be Used for Quilting?
There are positives and negatives for using all types of threads.
Polyester thread has its advantages and disadvantages, like any other thread.
A polyester thread is great for running through the machine. The polyester thread moves smoothly through the machine and doesn’t leave as much dust or lint in the bobbin area, which means that you will not have to be as diligent about cleaning as you would have with cotton thread.
Polyester thread used to be made rougher than it is now. This means that it would tear delicate cotton fabric after lots of wear.
Now, polyester thread is almost identical to cotton and no longer has sharp edges.
This means that you should be perfectly capable of using polyester thread for your quilting projects.
What is the Best Type of Cotton for Quilting?
The standard fabric used for quilting is 100% cotton.
This is a high-quality material that most people believe to be the best type of fabric for quilting.
What Is The Difference Between Cotton and Quilting Cotton?
Both quilting cotton and apparel cotton are 100% cotton and are crafted using a plain weave. The main difference between cotton and quilting cotton is weight.
Quilting cotton is a medium weight so that it can be washed often. Quilting cotton is also very good for beginner sewers.
Apparel cotton is light or even a very lightweight fabric that is more comfortable to wear, wrinkles less, and drapes better.
Another difference between quilting cotton and apparel cotton is the width. Quilting cotton is normally 44 inches wide, but apparel cotton is normally between 54 and 60 inches wide.
Quilting cotton is not ideal for creating clothes because of how much heavier it is, and you could risk it looking homemade.
Is Poly-Cotton Suitable for Patchwork?
Patchwork is where you sew different pieces of cloths together to create different designs. This allows you to make different color and shape patterns.
Using poly-cotton for patchwork is similar to using it for quilting. If you use poly-cotton and other fabrics, you might have a mismatched looking quilt.
This might be a good thing, though, as patchwork quilts often rely on different designs, colors, and patterns.
Like mixing fabric on quilts, it is a personal preference on whether or not you want to use poly-cotton for patchwork.
If you do choose to mix fabrics on patchwork, you will want to make sure that you wash your fabrics before you do so.
Can You Sew Cotton and Polyester Together?
Normally, it is not a good idea to sew an all-natural fabric with fully synthetic fabric. This means that you will not normally want to sew cotton and polyester together.
This is because you will want to use cotton thread with cotton fabric and polyester thread with polyester fabric. Because you cannot use two types of thread at once, it is not a good idea to sew these two types of fabrics together.
If you use a blend, you will want to use a polyester thread to sew the pieces together.
If you use a high-quality thread, it is possible to sew cotton and polyester together, but it will be difficult and might not look right when you are finished.