Quilting is an amazing craft and can be an outstanding hobby as well for quilt lovers. Products crafted through quilting are always amazingly beautiful but before they became that, they have gone through an intriguing quilting process.
During the quilting process, there are many factors that play vital roles such as the technique, design, and fabric. Getting the fabric right is one of the determinants of achieving an outstanding quilting result.
There are different types of materials that can be used for quilting such as cotton and polyester materials. However many quilters are curious and have debated if the poly-cotton material is ideal for quilting. In this article, we will be answering that question and providing other detailed information on the poly-cotton material.
What is the Poly-Cotton Material?
While cotton is an absolutely natural material and polyester is synthetic. The poly-cotton material is a result of a blending process of these two materials. The natural cotton-polyester blend is eco-friendly and can be used for various applications such as clothing and home decor.
The poly-cotton material shares the same making process as the traditional quilting cotton fabrics and the only difference between the two is the replacement of a share of the cotton fibers with polyester which makes the material more soft and durable resulting in a beautiful and quality material versatile for various applications.
What Are The Purposes of poly-cotton fabric?
The main aim of creating the poly-cotton fabric is to produce a material that has the benefit of both cotton and polyester materials. The combination of natural breathability and beauty of cotton with the durability and longevity of polyester. When both fibers get mixed, properties of differing strengths, breathability, dyeability, and others can be utilized.
Cotton can be added to polyester to aid the polyester with a more moisture-wicking finish, and polyester can be added to cotton to improve its flexibility and durability. With the creation of the poly-cotton material, now we have a material that has the features of both fibers and it is tough, durable breathable, soft, and affordable.
Can You Use poly-cotton For Quilting?
When choosing a quilting fabric, the material is expected to be durable and appalling to the eye, the fabric should also be strong enough to hold its shape and be resistant to shrinking and wrinkling when benign washed. When these factors are considered, cotton remains the perfect material for quilting but poly-cotton material can also be used for quilting as well as it shares some qualities with the cotton material itself.
The poly-cotton fabric provides a perfect blend of the softness of cotton and the toughness of polyester which makes it perfect for quilting and other applications. Its outstanding blend allows you to have the benefits of both fabrics without any drawbacks or side effects.
Is Poly-Cotton Suitable for Patchwork?
Patchwork is the process of sewing various pieces of clothes together to create different designs while creating different colors and shape patterns. Making use of poly-cotton fabric for patchwork can produce a mismatched-looking result. This might not be a bad result as patchwork quilts are based on creating different designs, colors, and patterns.
Just like with quilting, it is a personal choice and preference to make use of the poly-cotton for patchwork. However, it is advisable to wash your fabrics before making use of mixed fabrics for your patchwork.
Can I Use Poly-cotton For Quilt Backing?
Quilt batting, also known as wadding is commonly used in different sewing and quilting projects. It functions as a layer of insulation in between fabrics. It is the filling of quilts and makes your quilts warm and heavy.
The poly-cotton material with its 80% cotton and 20% polyester qualities is ideal for quilt backing as it produces the benefits of both polyester and cotton.
What Are The Advantages of Poly-Cotton?
The poly-cotton fabric enjoys lots of outstanding features and advantages due to its affiliates with both cotton and polyester.
Here are some examples of why poly-cotton fabric is fast becoming one of the most popular fabrics in the textile industry.
– Durability
The poly-cotton combines excellent features into one, the fabric is so soft and at the same time long-lasting. The poly-cotton is much more durable than cotton material and performs efficiently in the most demanding applications.
Poly cotton can be washed numerously yet maintain its shape and moisture-absorbing properties.
– Wrinkle Resistance
One of the factors that make poly-cotton material perfect for clothing application is its ability to resist wrinkles. The poly-cotton is more wrinkle-resistant than natural cotton material which makes it perfect for making garments such as suits and other types of dresses.
Garments made with poly-cotton don’t require much ironing and tend to produce an outstanding ironing result when ironed as the material is easy to press.
– Breathability
Cotton material is well known for its breathability quality, however, polycotton materials tend to be breathable and long-lasting.
Breathable fabrics are essential in garment production, it allows perspiration and easily let go of bodily odor. It also prevents overheating which can be harmful to the wearer.
– Cost
The cost of material is one factor that crafters deeply consider when choosing fabric for various projects. While cotton remains a nice and outstanding option for crafters, its cost might make crafters look for a cheaper alternative.
This is one of the benefits of poly cotton fabric as it is much more affordable than cotton material which makes it an ideal alternative for crafters working with a tight budget.
What Are The Disadvantages of Poly Cotton?
Polycotton materials with a large share of polyester can cause skin allergies due to polyester being a synthetic fiber that is made with chemicals. The materials also get attracted to lots of dust and other forms of debris which requires constant washing.
No doubt, it is more affordable than natural cotton, poly-cotton is more expensive than polyester due to the high cost of production required to blend together the cotton and polyester materials.
While products made from poly-cotton are ideal for indoor use such as at home or in the office, they are not always perfect for outdoor activities. Polycotton is less breathable than cotton and is not perfect for hot environments.
The material is also not resistant to fire and can get easily destroyed at hot temperatures. The material is also too slippery and can lose its shape due to hot ironing temperatures.
Is Microfiber The Same As Poly-Cotton?
Microfiber is different from poly cotton. While microfiber is a combination of polyester and nylon, poly-cotton is a combination of polyester and cotton. Unlike the spongy feeling that the microfiber produces, the poly-cotton feels soft and slippery. Polycotton is a versatile material and can be used for different applications while microfiber is commonly used for cleaning.
Microfiber materials are also totally synthetic due to the absence of natural materials, poly-cotton however is semi-synthetic due to the presence of cotton in its production. Microfiber material also has a rough and edgy appearance while poly-cotton looks shiny and slippery.
Conclusion
Quilters are wonderful people who are always in search of new innovations to create outstanding quilts, which is why most quilters have been wondering what it feels like to make a quilt using poly-cotton a material that has the attribute of both cotton and polyester.
Poly cotton is an excellent quilting material and it’s versatile enough to be used for other purposes which have all been explained in the article.