Thread: "Gourmet batting". Hobbs 80/20 +1/2 layer of wool batting

Cindy Needham mentions in her Craftsy class that she has often combined a layer of cotton and a half layer of wool in her quilts and I've heard longarmers also do this often. I was thinking of doing this on my current quilt project. I am not a longarm quilter but use a Sitdown sweet 16. I am also a spray baster. So I have a couple of questions for anyone with experience doing this. 1) my quilt is 95 x 109. Is this going to be an impossible size with a batting of 1 1/2 thickness to wrestle? I've done one this size, a little bigger actually with one W&N batt and it was fine, but challenging at times. 2). If I were to do this, as I am a spray baster, I'm assuming I would have to spray between the batting layers as well to stop shifting. Correct? 3) I have Hobbs 80/20 and a Quilters Dream wool batt. Do I have to worry about different rates of shrinkage between them, or is it even an issue?

My reasons for trying this combination are: additional warmth in the quilt (live in Canada ;-)), more quilting definition in the end product, and the drape and memory of wool batting.

any insight on this subject would be appreciated.
thanks,Kathy

(1) You can make handling a quilt this size easier by suspending the quilt. Leah Day does this. Also check the QB for quilters who have purchased the Jenoop system: http://www.jennoop.com/suspenders.html or made their own from PVC.

(2) The cotton and wool battings would want to grab each other; however, I would still use a very light layer of basting spray between them.

(3) Shrinkage should not be a problem as long as your quilting lines are at least moderately close together -- I would estimate no more than 3" or so apart. The quilting stitches "bond" the two layers together within the small confine between quilting lines. Any differences in shrinkage within such a small area would be unnoticeable.

Originally Posted by Prism99

(1) You can make handling a quilt this size easier by suspending the quilt. Leah Day does this. Also check the QB for quilters who have purchased the Jenoop system: http://www.jennoop.com/suspenders.html or made their own from PVC.

(2) The cotton and wool battings would want to grab each other; however, I would still use a very light layer of basting spray between them.

(3) Shrinkage should not be a problem as long as your quilting lines are at least moderately close together -- I would estimate no more than 3" or so apart. The quilting stitches "bond" the two layers together within the small confine between quilting lines. Any differences in shrinkage within such a small area would be unnoticeable.

Thank you for your thorough reply Prism99! I have a suspension system set up for my Sweet 16 which does work marvelously and wouldn't want to quilt without it now, so am good on that front. However, I do ditch all my straight lines on my Janome 6600 before taking my quilts to the Sweet 16 and see that Buckeye Rose also quilts with that macine without issue so sounds like I'm all set. Thanks everyone one for your responses and encouragement on this. Was afraid I might be crazy to try it, but feel better about it having heard from you. Will post pics when I'm done, but it'll be a couple of months I suspect ��.

I have also wanted to try this so I hope that you will keep us posted on your progress.
I had planned to attempt it first on a small wall quilt but I am afraid it is a ways down my to do list still.

I have just finished the 3rd utility quilts for my girls. Each has a double layer of Morning Glory HiLoft poly batting for super warmth (we live in a very cold area during the winter). I did straight line quilting with the walking foot on my Janome 6600. Yes, it was bulky.....yes, it was difficult at times to maneuver all that bulk.....no, I didn't attempt fmq.....yes, my 6600 zoomed right through them with no tension issues..... yes, my girls love them because they are super warm.....no, it will not fit in my washer (laundromat only).

I often use more than one layer of batting. Typically one layer is cotton , and the other a thin layer of poly or wool. It depends on my budget if its wool or poly. Love the results... it really give the quilting definition.