Happy Wednesday! If you've been reading my blog or have known me for just about any amount of time, you'll know I have a lot of favorites. Each new quilt I finish usually ends up as my favorite. I have favorite quilt backings (mostly vintage sheets), lots of favorite shows, foods, fabrics, etc. With that being said, this is my favorite thing that I have ever made, and I am not sure what will or could beat it at the moment.
My friends, meet my Nani Iro Dreams Quilt.
I've been collecting double gauze for a while now, specifically Nani Iro double gauze designed by Naomi Ito for Kokka. I snatched up yardage of most of the many prints that my local shop carried over the years, vacation shopped for double gauze and splurged online a number of times to build my stash. The biggest addition was a bundle I bought at last year's Fall Quilt Market and split with Jacey. This past Spring I knew it was time to make a double gauze quilt. I've worked with double gauze for a few garments, but never for a quilt.
I wanted the fabrics to be the star of the show, so I chose to make very simple nine-patch blocks. My square size was determined by the bundle, I chose the largest square size I could with very little waste. I used nearly all the prints in the bundle and supplemented with yardage from my stash.
This wasn't a project I wanted to try to quilt myself, so I sent it out to Gina Pina for quilting. I knew she had quilted with double gauze before and would feel comfortable working with this fabric. Something simple seemed like the right fit for the quilting. She did a beautiful meandering loopy design! Thanks, Gina!
Since double gauze has such a different feel from quilting cotton, I wanted to try a different type of batting. I selected Quilter's Dream Orient Batting. It's a blend of bamboo, silk, tencel and cotton. It's airy and light and turned out to be an absolute perfect match. Between the fabric and the batting, this quilt is much more blanket-like than quilt-like. It has no stiffness whatsoever, it's like being under a cloud. It's super duper soft and very cozy. Also, the crinkle is crazy! The previous photo was taken unwashed, and the one above is after washing/drying. So crinkly!!
I used more double gauze on the back, a big piece of yardage given to me by Deedrie (you're the best!), and more yardage from my stash. For the binding, I chose a light gray voile.
My Tips for Quilting with Double Gauze
Pre-washing and Starching: Double gauze has a tendency to shrink quite a bit. It's pretty loosely woven, so it can be prone to unraveling. Both of these factors make pre-washing important in my opinion. I normally only pre-wash fabrics for garments, but I'm glad I took the time to wash the double gauze for this quilt. I washed mine on cold and dried normally. In preparation for cutting, I used Flatter by Soak to give it a little extra stability and make it easier to work with.
Seams and Tools: When working with double gauze I find it helpful to use a nice new needle. My favorite size for working with fine fabrics is 75/11. I pieced my quilt with 50wt cotton thread. I generally use polyester when working with double gauze for garments, which also works great. I used 1/2" seam allowances when piecing this quilt to make it a little extra durable. I pressed all my seams to the side, alternating direction every other row so that my seams nestled. Double gauze seams can get pretty thick, but I wasn't comfortable pressing these seams open. My favorite sharp, thin pins are ideal for working with double gauze.
Finishing: Clearly I knew while make this quilt that I'd want it to last forever, because I took a lot of steps to ensure it would hold up to wear. After trimming off the excess backing and batting, I used my serger to finish the edges of the quilt. In my mind this helps with durability if the binding were to get worn, but I also found it made the edges lie flatter while attaching the binding. My last recommendation is to avoid double gauze for binding. It can be thick and difficult on garments, but I think it would be miserable to use on an all double gauze quilt! I was happy with the mix of textures with the voile binding on my quilt.
Where to Buy: If you’re unable to find double gauze in your local fabric shops, here are a few shops I've ordered from that carry double gauze:
Miss Matatabi (JP)
Fabric Worm (CA)
Pink Castle Fabrics (MI)
Super Buzzy (CA)
Happy Quilting!
Beautiful, beautiful. I'm saving scraps for a double gauze quilt and I really appreciate the tips
ReplyDeleteThanks! No problem! :)
DeleteGreat quilt! I have wondered how the gauze fabric sewed and how to work with it. Thank you for the hints.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think it's a really lovely fabric to work with!
DeleteSo beautiful! I love the way it looks all crinkly after washing.
ReplyDeleteMe too! So wrinkly!
DeleteIt turned out beautiful. I love that Nani Iro bundle. I actually just finished a quilt using double gauze for the backing and Quilters Dream Orient for the batting as well! I agree, it has so much movement to it and such a lovely softness. I did not pre-wash my backing (the top was a mix of several different Heather Ross fabrics, so many different substrates) and it came out just fine. The double gauze was a Cloud 9 design from Joann which I found online. I'm surprised I haven't seen more of it around social media, but I will definitely be using it again.
ReplyDeleteThat's great to hear! I'm just a worrier, so wanted to be extra careful with it! :)
DeleteLove the texture! I've never worked with double gauze so thanks for the tips. I'd like to see a close up of the texture of double gauze fabric side by side with standard quilting cotton to better understand the difference.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback! I think the biggest difference is the loftiness. Double gauze is two layers of thin gauze, so it has quite a bit more height than a single layer of quilting cotton!
DeleteJeni, this is absolutely gorgeous! I have not gotten my hands on any double gauze yet, but I need to make a quilt for my new bed and this could definitely be the one...it just looks so yummy that it makes me feel a little sleepy (in a good way!) I wonder if you have any recommendations on places to purchase. None of my LQS carry these beauties! Thanks for the inspiration as always!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It definitely makes me feel sleepy being under it! :) I've added links to a few shops that carry a wide variety of double gauze!
DeleteReally lovely quilt, Jeni, and thank you so much for all the sewing tips. I have made a scarf with double gauze but not wanted to attempt a quilt - your post has inspired me! Thank you.
ReplyDeletethis is definitely the quilt of my dreams. It's just sooo good Jeni. I'm starting my double gauze collection for a quilt now. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is one amazingly beautiful quilt! I have never considered using double gauze on a quilt but man, now I will!! This is stunning and I can only imagine how soft it is!! Great work as always, Jeni!!
ReplyDeleteThis is like a very subtle, beautiful piece of art. OK, it's not like that it is that. I'm not familiar with double gauze except that I have gotten the impression it is rather delicate. I may have to hunt some up to see it in person. Enjoy your new 'favorite'.
ReplyDeleteJust looking at the after-wash photo makes me want to snuggle up with this quilt. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI've started collecting double gauze and can't wait to make a quilt with it. I'm imagining how dreamy it must feel to lie underneath your beauty. Thank you for the tips too!
ReplyDeleteOh my, this quilt looks so inviting and soft! I just want to snuggle with it :) Thank you for the tips on working with double gauze. It's on my list of materials to work with and I will definitely be keeping your suggestions in mind!
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful and must be the softest. quilt. EVER! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis really really makes me want to make a double gauze quilt. I love the crinkly cuddliness yours looks like it has -- I want that in a quilt for myself!
ReplyDeleteOh. so. YUMMY! Will George be getting a double gauze quilt of his own anytime soon? It sounds like the perfect quilt for such a special little bunny!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt looks and sounds gorgeous, one day I'll make a double gauze quilt, one day....
ReplyDeleteOh Jeni, I think I need to make one of these for myself! This is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeni, Your suggestions for using double gauze are so helpful! I'm making a quilt using a little Nani iro with mostly regular quilting cotton. I cut and started piecing before realizing it would be good to pre wash & manage the shrinkage. Do you think it makes sense to was the top once it's pieced? Thanks in advance for your thought on this!
ReplyDeleteHmm, that is a pickle. Honestly, I think it would be safest to go ahead and wait until the quilt is finished to wash, especially since it's not all double gauze. Washing with all those exposed seams could do more harm than good! Best of luck!
DeleteI love this! I have never been fabric shopping in Japan, but have seen Nani Iro fabric at a store I passed earlier this year. On my next trip to Tokyo, I will specifically look for these fabrics so I can make a blanket as soft as yours looks! It is so beautiful. I appreciate that you are so specific in your writing and you include tips! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLove this! It makes me want to go buy more nani. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Lots of great info to process. Thanks for taking the time to make all the notes and share. I just want to come get the quilt ad's snuggle up in a chair with a cup of joe. It just looks so soft and cuddly.
ReplyDeleteI've recently seen two or three Nani Iro quilts on IG. I live in Japan and leave for the states in 6 weeks. I want to buy enough Nani Iro to make a quilt, maybe just a throw size or twin. Thank you for these tips, I'll be saving this post. Is there any recommendation you can give me for how much fabric I should buy? I know you used your stash as well.
ReplyDeleteFun! I used about 11 yards in my quilt!
DeleteI absolutely love your quilt and tips for sewing with double gauze. I just ordered my first yardage and am looking to add more, to sew a baby quilt for a grand baby to be. However, as they live in Florida, I am concerned about the batting. I have seen people suggest wool, cotton or even just a piece of flannel. I am curious about Quilters Dream Orient. Although it does get chilly in winter, I wouldn't want to create a quilt that becomes too warm for them to use. Can you (or anyone) give me any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it! Mema...to be!
ReplyDeleteOooh, fun! I have found the dream orient to be really nice and light. It's not too hot, but it does give it a nice weight with the double gauze. You could also lighten the quilt up by using a lawn or voile on the back!
DeleteWhat did you use for batting? I want to make a baby quilt but don't want it to be too heavy.
ReplyDeleteI used Quilter's Dream Orient Batting.
DeleteHello, eight years later… How is your quilt holding up? I was considering using the serger for piecing the quilt and, before binding, hoping to add more durability to each seam. I want it to be well-loved by my granddaughter, but I'm not sure it will make it through college (she’s two now).
ReplyDelete