I have just used a cotton bamboo 50/50 mix for a baby quilt. It was so wonderfully soft and easy to work with, and make a lovely quilt. I hope it holds up like the package said it would!
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I have just used a cotton bamboo 50/50 mix for a baby quilt. It was so wonderfully soft and easy to work with, and make a lovely quilt. I hope it holds up like the package said it would!
I like Warm and Natural or Hobbs 80/20. But I prefer cotton as I like the weight for sleeping. If its for warmth and light weight then I use poly. Wool is also a fabulous choice... but my wallet can't hande using it for everything.
I agree w/ the "it depends on the project" theory. I only hand quilt and mostly use Quilters Dream Request - a light weight 100% batting. I don't like poly battings because I do want a little bit of resistance on my needle going thru the batting - it allows me to get my needle positioned where i want it.
I have used Warm & Natural, but became a Quilters Dream convert.
my name is becca and i'm a quilt-a-holic :-)
I agree with 117becca. If you are handquilting the QD Request is wonderful. I'm going to try the QD wool on my next quilt because I've heard it's as good if not better than the QD Request.
each individual project deserves it's own consideration-when choosing batting-just like when choosing fabric & pattern- there are many many wonderful batts on the market to choose from-there is no (ALWAYS USE THIS ONE)---
i may use 5 or 6 different batts in any given month- and everyone has their favorites.
I love wool batting- but it's on the expensive side & i generally use it for pretty special gift quilts (like wedding gifts)
poly batts hold up well for lots of use/laundered alot/ utility quilts---great choice for kids quilts
cotton batts add that (crumply) old fashioned look to quilts when they are laundered-
some batts need to be quilted every 2" (best suited for quite dense machine or hand quilting) some batts allow up to 10" between quilting lines (like warm & natural- which works well for even tied quilts- very difficult to hand quilt though)
the best way to start is READ THE PACKAGING -- choose a batting that sounds like what you need-is priced reasonably in your budget- and try it out- then next quilt- try out something else you find on sale- or someone recommends---after a bit with some experience (and experimentation) you will decide what you like/don't like in a batt- and what works best FOR YOU---just rememeber if you buy a thin cotton batting that needs to be quilted every 2"- and you do very little quilting-leave large unquilted areas- when it is laundered the batting will pull apart- ball up & leave you with areas with no batting-other areas with gobs of batting-
it is important to follow the recommended quilting requirements. beyond that the sky is the limit
my fav's---any batt from the dream company--ie: dream poly, dream green, dream orient, dream wool, ...the list goes on-
after that---most of the Hobb's batts- heirloom, 80/20, wool
i pretty much never use Warm & natural (except when that is what customers bring in for their quilts- it does have it's 'followers' who never use anything else)
but there are many to try out & choose from- in every price range-from ridiculously expensive to dirt cheap...
watch sales & try out batts- it is a wonderful world
hiding away in my stash where i'm warm, safe and happy
A good discussion ... I'd also be interested in knowing more about bamboo ... I saw it in a store and thought it was so cuddly and inviting, au naturel!
So please do tell ..... bamboo, pros and cons!
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Sew many ideas ... just sew little time!!
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One of the most important things about batting IMHO is how much it will shrink. My first quilt shrunk 6 inches. When I read what was on the batting package, in teeny, tiny print and at the very bottom of the bag, it stated that the batting would shrink between 4 and 6 inches. What that means is that it will shrink 6 inches. The quilt no longer fit my bed. From that point on, I only buy batting that is prepackaged. (you never know for sure about a big ole' roll of the stuff) and I look for 1% or 2% shrinkage. You can prewash batting but it is messy and a pain.
It does depend on the project you are doing and how you plan to quilt it. I use Hobbs 80/20 because I like how it machine quilts. I like polyester for hand quilting because cotton tends to grab my needle and make it more difficult to get small stitches. So how are you planning to quilt it?
The news I have heard about Bamboo batting is that it is expensive and although it is a renewable resource, the production process is not environmentally friendly.
Thanks for the info ... pricewise, it was comparable to W+N. Both were on the giant rolls, being sold by the yard/metre.Originally Posted by Tartan
An earlier thread here (sometime ago? discussed the environmental issues, though at that time I seem to recall the discussion heading in the direction that it was just as environmentally friendly as all others.
For those that have used bamboo ...
* how does it handle?
* machine? or hand quilting?
* loft?
* drapability?
* shrinkage?
* are there different qualities? blends? etc.
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Sew many ideas ... just sew little time!!
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Warm & Natural, Hobbs products, Quilter's Dream products these seem to be the most popular. if you like a puffy looking quilt than poly would be your best bet, wool if you are looking for warmth, cotton breathes better than poly
Brother XL-3500i, SQ-9050, Dreamweaver XE6200D
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