Since so many people enjoy quilting for many different reasons, I wanted to share a bit about the use of 100% cotton fabric for sewing patchwork quilting tissue. Most of the materials that are used to make quilts for quilters and quilting enthusiasts are made from man-made fibers such as wool, cotton, linen, flannel and hemp. Not all fabrics are the same however, and they each have their own characteristics that make them better suited for one thing than another. Some fabrics are softer than others, some are more absorbent, and some are less sensitive to your skin. There are fabrics that have properties that will help the formation of a top stitch while other will retain the heat of a flame better.
Now, you might be wondering why fabric is even necessary for patchwork quilting tissue. Well, if you are going to be using patches or squares of fabric that are small in size, you will want to have enough fabric for a finished project. Some quilters prefer to use cotton patchwork because it is more durable than the silk that is often used. It will also last longer and be able to withstand all of the weight of fabric you are using on a piece.
If you are going to be using a larger number of squares of fabric, then you might be wondering why you would need to use fabric rather than something that is more “comfortable”. There are quilters that love to use wool because it is soft, yet it is not too soft for their skin. This is one reason that it is not ideal for quilting fabric as well, but it is perfect for batting or material for batting. However, there are some patches of fabric that are made out of a synthetic material that will allow them to breath better and retain heat. A cotton patchwork fabric has no heat retention properties, which means that you will need to be careful to remove the outer layer of fabric before you put anything else on top of it. That can be done with a hot iron, but it is still important to keep your skin moist at all times during the process of making your patchwork quilt.
