Barb's Elegant Designs - Frequently Asked Questions Kennewick, Washington         509-396-5718

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Are the fabrics washable?
  I don’t recommend washing the fabrics in a washing machine and dryer, as the shimmer on the fabrics is sensitive to abrasion. The colors have been heat set, so they are permanent. If you feel the need to wash the fabrics, I recommend gently hand washing them, with a little rubbing as possible, and leaving them to air dry. Dry cleaning does not solve the problem of abrasion.
  
  
• Can I iron the fabrics?
  Yes, absolutely! The paint is heat-set to begin with, so ironing won’t harm them in any way. Neither will water, either from a spray bottle or steam from an iron. In fact, steam ironing is a very effective way to remove stubborn creases.
  
  
• Are the fabrics cotton?
  Yes, only 100% cotton is used. A higher thread count than most commercial fabrics is used for much of the painted fabrics, as this produces a smoother surface to paint on.
  
  
• Do all of the fabrics have a shimmer?
  Yes they do. I add shimmer paints, in various proportions, to all my paint mixtures. Why? I like the way the fabrics look! They create the fabrics I like to work with. I hope you do, too!
  
  
• Why are the fabrics so expensive?
  These fabrics have all been individually hand painted, and are therefore one-of-a-kind. There is a lengthy, time-consuming process involved, which includes pre-cutting lengths of un-painted fabric, mixing paints, the actual painting, drying, heat-setting the paint (each length of fabric is run through a mangle 6 times for maximum permanency), folding the fabric, cutting the fabric, folding it again, and finally, clean-up.
  
  
• What is included in the kits?
  All the fabric you can see on the front of the quilt is in the kit, including the binding fabric. In order to keep the price down, the kits do not include the backing fabrics, and only include embellishments if specifically noted.
  
  
• Can you use the fabric for appliqué?
  Most of the fabrics will work just fine for appliqué, as the paint really doesn’t change the "hand" of the fabric. However, since much of the fabric is painted on a more densely woven cloth than most commercial fabrics, it may be a little more difficult to use. This is not because of the paint, though, but because of the high quality of the fabric.
  
  
• Who does your quilting?
  I do all my own quilting.
  
  
• Why are your quilts so heavily quilted?
  This is my own preference. I believe the quilting is an intrinsic part of the design of a quilt, and can add an incredible amount of value and interest, so I’m willing to make the extra effort. I primarily make quilts to please myself, and I have found that if I like the end result, most other people do to.
  
  
• Do you quilt for other people?
  No. I just don’t have the time! Painting fabric as a business takes an incredible amount of time, and when you add in writing patterns, preparing kits, lecturing, teaching workshops, and making my own quilts, there isn’t a lot of time left over. And my husband, kids, and grandkids need to see me once in a while, too!
  
  
• Do you have a shop?
  No. Again, time is the issue here. If I had a shop, I couldn’t paint the fabric. The two activities are not compatible. So I sell primarily at quilt shows as a vendor (see the Schedule page), or on the internet via this web site.
  
  
• Why don’t you have your fabrics for sale on you web site?
  Each fabric is one-of-a-kind. Also, the colors aren’t really true on many (most? all?) monitors, so it would be difficult to tell exactly what you would be getting. If you would like to try to order some, contact me directly, and I will try to figure out what you want, and send it to you. Another option would be to join the Yard of the Month club.
  
  
• Do you wholesale anything?
  Yes, my patterns are available for wholesale.
  
  
• Where are you located?
  I work out of my home, which is located in Kennewick, Washington.