I think ric-rac use to be made of cotton (I guess you can still find it some where) and it shrinks. The ric-rac I have found lately is polyester--I wouldn't think it would shrink but have not put it on anything that it would matter.

I used a small flower shaped trim, similar to ric rac, on a baby quilt I made. I was doing criss-crosses (x) over the top of diamonds, to be the skinny part of an argyle design, so I put the ric rac on each section of the quilt before I joined the sections together (there were 3 vertical sections) so that the ric rac would be caught in the seams for extra safety since it was for a baby.

I quilted it on my regular machine, with a walking foot; it wasn't hard to quilt over at all. The quilt has only been washed the once so far (still haven't delivered it to the baby), but there was not any shrinking or puckering or anything in the trim. Although, I do not pre-wash my fabrics, either, so.... Anyway, it was fine.

This is a small normal sized trim, though, not the giant kind that Camille sometimes shows/uses.

That was my thought, too. I know in my stash there is all cotton, blend and all poly !! Read the
label. Take it from me...quilt first then put on ric rac !! Spent hours ripping and that quilt
has never been finished !!! I usually sew it down the center....if I don't care if it rolls.
Other wise I sew on the edges so that it will stay flat !

Never used ric-rac on a quilt but garment sewing days tell me it shrinks. But then when I was sewing garments I bet the ric rac was 100% cotton. I doubt that's true now. In fact, I just took a look at some I bought within the last year to use for pincushions. It's 100% polyester. That's not as likely to shrink, but it might. Best to test.

I just watched it again and she had the the quilt done with the batting and backing. It looks really cute. I ordered a pink large ric rack like it and will probably soak it and press so it does not shrink? Thanks everyone!

Thanks so much! I have that show, just need to watch it!

Re: putting ric rac on before or after quilting -- if you will be machine quilting or sending it out to a longarm quilter, I'd leave it off until after it is quilted. Then the quilting can go under the ric rac and that always looks good. I like to sew my ric rac on with a strait line down the center, so it is able to lift off the surface a bit on the edges. But I've never used that super duper gigantic ric rac that is out now, just regular ric rac that I've bought from JoAnn's.

Michelle, it was 706: [url]watch/watch-shows/video/show-706-quilting-through-fresh-eyes[/url]

Show @706

What show # was Camille on?? I must have missed this!

As a child, I had a blue dress with white and black ric rac. I loved that dress and it was in the laundry every week. I don't remember any shrinking or puckering on that dress. My Mom made it and I loved it. That being said, If I was going to put say red ric rac on a quilt, I would take the time to cut a small piece to check for colorfastness. If a measurement was taken before the RR was dampened and checked after it dried then both questions would be answered. Better safe than sorry.
Betty Ann

Margo wrote:
I hadn't thought about that. Good question! I've always assumed it wouldn't shrink, but haven't used it anywhere where I would wash it. I've never heard of anyone pre-shrinking it when using it on clothing, but that doesn't mean they don't.

Nancy

I would have to watch Camille's show again to get an idea of what she's doing, but, speaking just for myself, if I were adding ric rack to a quilt then I would decide when to add it based on the final look I wanted for the quilt. It's easier to quilt without the ric rack there since the ric rack adds some depth that can catch on the foot. But in most cases I'm wanting to quilt around the ric rack in some way so need the ric rack to already be applied to the quilt top. Also, if you wanted to do any thread embellishment on the ric rack that wouldn't show on the back of the quilt, then you would have to attach the ric rack first (or you would have to try to embellish the ric rack itself before attaching).

Just my thoughts, don't know if they are helpful...

Nancy

Does anyone have experience to know if rick rack shrinks?
It looks like Camille uses it right from the package.

Do you put the ric rack on after you quilt the whole quilt or put the ric rack on the quilt top before you quilt it? Thanks for any advice. I know in her show she said to use a walking foot and darning foot.