Thanks everyone.
Now I know the answer to the mystery as to why show quilts are so smooth. (Went to one last month in my home town. WOW.)
My frustration: I spent a tremendous amount of time making couch throws for two of my three sons, most of that on the quilting. Then I washed them and all that intricate quilting kinda disappeared into crinkles. Unless you flip them over. The first one I preshrink the fabric, but forgot about the batting and backing. The second, was not so crinkled, but I used 80/20 cotton. I've read the batting will shrink more the 2nd wash. Also I used cotton thread.
For my third son I will prewash everything and use poly along with poly thread. I am also going to use all Batiks. This will be my third quilt.
I am an oil landscape painter (for many years) turned quilter. I find fabric art even more engrossing than painting, and I think, more difficult. My plunge and subsequent addiction to fabric began when I was trying to do an apple applique onto a potholder for my kitchen. It was such a pain in the rear and I refused defeat. Once I saw pictures on the internet of free motion quilting, I was completely hooked. Bought a new high dollar sewing machine. Converted the spare bedroom to a sewing room.
Never enjoyed painting as much as I do quilting. I may fill up the world with them....quilts everywhere.
I have a quilt top my three greats grandmother made in her 90's in 1930, so it is 85 years old. It is hand stitched from flour sacks. I intend to finish it as soon as I feel qualified to do so. I will do it with machine FMQ. A part of her, a part of me. Distinctly different, 85 years apart, working together on the same project. Bet she never imagined I would finish it for her.....
