Bonnie Olaveson of Bonnie & Camille agrees - cotton lawns are "blissfully lovely".  It is why she - and Camille - were so eager to include lawns in their new collection - Smitten.

Bonnie also shared... "When I got my first quilt back from the quilter, I was instantly in love! I wanted to snuggle up in it right then and there and take a nap.  The feel and drape of the fabric is very soft, and it lays so nicely.  It also quilts beautifully."

Smitten by Bonnie & Camille.  This forty-piece collection is filled with vintage florals, checks, strips and polka dots, rendered in their signature color palette, with a touch of Linen and Blush mixed in.

 

There are also six Smitten Lawns - 54" wide fabrics that are ideally suited for quilt backings and garments.

Do these fabrics look sheer?  That's the nature of the fabric before it's washed - it will be more opaque after washing.  (Less transparent.)

What is cotton Lawn?  Since the Middle Ages, thin, soft, closely woven, plain-weave fabrics have been in high demand.  Originally manufactured from linen, these smooth, lustrous fabrics are now made with combed and carded cottons.  The most common fabrics of this kind are cambric, batiste and lawn.

Named after the French city of Laon, cotton lawn is manufactured with fine yarns to create a high-thread-count, lightweight fabric with a silky, smooth feel.  The finish used on lawn fabrics can vary with some lawns having a crisp, crease-resistant finish, though the fabric is never actually stiff.  Lawns are generally opaque and depending on the color and print, they can be a bit sheer.

Quilts backed with cotton lawns are almost always lighter in overall weight.

With one or two exceptions, all of the new Smitten quilts are backed with Smitten lawns.

Thimbleblossoms' Over The Moon - TB221.

Price.  The price of the Smitten Lawns is going probably to be between $12.00 and $14.00 a yard, only $1.00 to $2.00 more than the cost of the quilting cottons. But the wider width means that the Smitten Lawns are comparably priced.

For example, Bonnie's First Crush quilt measures 80" x 80".  Using 45" wide quilting cotton, a minimum of 6-1/2 yards would be required for a backing.  At $11.00 a yard, the backing will cost $71.50.  But using 5 yards of Smitten Lawns at $12.00 a yard would only cost $60.00, and even at $14.00 a yard, it's still $70.00.

Cotton Way's Irresistible - CW1018.  Measures 80" x 80".

We asked Camille about the Smitten Lawns...

Why do you love cotton lawn?

Camille:  My favorite thing about lawns is how they feel. They are so smooth, and give the quilt such a light and airy feel. Perfect for when you want to have a quilt on your lap but you aren’t chilly. I can’t sleep without a quilt, even in the middle of summer, so I love my lawn quilts!

Do you use them primarily for backings?  Or do you use them for piecing too?

Camille: I have used them for both, but since we only have the one print in lawn in this group I used them for backings. And oh my goodness... those are some gorgeous backings. They are so smooth! We are hoping to have a few more in the future to mix things up a bit and to be able to include them in our piecing.

Why were you excited to include lawns with Smitten?

Camille:  I have a quilt I made years ago with a lawn backing. The fabric wasn’t really my style, but I thought it would be fun to try something different. Little did I know at the time that the quilt I made would be my go-to traveling and summer quilt because it was the perfect weight. I just finished a whole cloth quilt with Rosy in Cream-Navy (55170-25LW) on the front and Rosy in Navy (55170 15LW) on the back. (The binding is 55145 23 from Handmade.)

I need to hurry and quilt it so I can take it with me on our next road trip! I can’t wait!

This is that quilt - it has been washed and dried since this picture.  Bonnie also has a whole cloth quilt in the works with Smitten Lawn on both sides.

How would you compare the Smitten Lawns for backings to quilting cotton backings?  Do you think there is a difference?

Camille:  I've noticed a big difference in the overall weight of the quilt - these are noticeably lighter.  And this quilt with the lawns on both sides is very lightweight.

What kind of batting do you use for your quilts?  Will you use a different batting with the lawn?

Camille:  I use Warm & White for most of my quilts, and it was perfect for these. Since the lawn is a bit sheer, you can see the batting color through it, so you’ll want to use a batting that is a similar white color. And then you’ll want to use that combo for all your backings because it is perfection!

Smitten Lawns.  Bonnie wrote that "they are definitely a good thing!"

We agree.  We think you will too.