Choosing and Prepping Materials Although I have quilted on silk in the past, never has it been on a scale like the 100" x 100" whole cloth quilt I am currently working on . There are so many things to consider when quilting with less familiar materials like dupioni silk. There's the question of prewashing or not? Some say yes, others say never. Underline? When is it necessary? How will it affect the loft? Markers react differently on silk. Blue wash-outs can spread and must be washed out after the quilt is made, (you are then committed to pre-washing the silk). Chalk marks easily and is fairly visible initially, but will rub off long before the large quilt is completed. What will show up the best on a dark fabric? Battings. Wool? High loft polyester? 80/20? Combinations of two? Partial combination, like trapunto style (see below). Which threads to use? Colour? Weight? Will it highlight the main motifs? Which thread disappears into the ba