Preparing satin fabric for quilting

Satin and satin type fabrics are so beautiful when quilted, but they can be so very difficult to work with. This is a short lesson on how I prepare my satin fabrics for quilting.

Satin slips a lot in every direction. It also frays/shreds a lot!! To make this fabric work for me I prepare it with a fusible light weight interfacing.

This is Palmer/Pletsch PerfectFuse Sheer fusible interfacing that works really well with the satin and silk fabrics. I just follow the manufacturers instructions for fusing. When I press on the interfacing side I use parchment paper over the fabric to protect the fabric and my iron. I don't want any fusible to melt to my iron and I want to protect the fusible from the hot iron.

Parchment paper works so well for pressing delicate fabrics or for when you are fusing. It can be used over and over again and it is very inexpensive!! Love it!!

So another problem I have with working with the satin and silk is it doesn't feed like the cotton fabrics. For instance, when applying cotton borders on my satin, the satin feeds at a different rate than the cotton and the two do not match up in the end, even though they are the same size to begin with. I could use my walking foot, but I choose to pin the two together and then stitch. I probably put a pin every three to four inches and sew slowly. This works so much better!!

And in the end, I have two blank canvases ready for my 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge!!

Now I need to spend some time turning the photo below that I took at the Alsea Cemetery on Easter Sunday into my April challenge piece. Hopefully this weekend it will be drawn, traced and quilted!! However, sunny days are predicted for the weekend, so the garden may be calling me!!!

Happy Quilting everyone, take care, and keep those needles sharp!!! :^) Martha