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Pacafil Quilting batting questions/feedback

Pacafil Quilting batting questions/feedback

Old 08-05-2012, 09:22 AM
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Default Pacafil Quilting batting questions/feedback

I went to a wool fair and they were selling Quilt batting and I bought some. Its made of 60 percent Alpaca and 40 percent wool. Has any one here ever used it?? It was not cheap and I was thinking of using it on the butterfly quilt. Washing makes me a bit nervous but I would be extra careful with this top any how. I would love some feedback before I attempt it. I also do the FMQ'ing on my sewing machine. Wondering it there is any issue with the quilting?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]353699[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]353700[/ATTACH]
Attached Thumbnails butterglies.jpg   broder.jpg  

Last edited by carolaug; 08-05-2012 at 09:39 AM.
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Old 08-05-2012, 09:46 AM
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Don't know anything about the batting but just love your quilt. I,m sure one of these members have the answer
you are looking for.
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Old 08-05-2012, 10:19 AM
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This site gives washing instructions - http://www.pmquilting.com/ProductDet...ode=BAWB200502
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Old 08-05-2012, 10:25 AM
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did the batting not come with care instructions??? if it is packaged it probably tells you-
the wool batts i have used do not shrink- and wash up beautifully in a quilt- they are my favorite batts to use- i would think one with alpaca/wool blend would be very nice too-
they needle beautifully- are lightweight, lofty and mine i toss into the washer & the dryer- they come out just snuggly soft, fluffy- wonderful- i have wool batt quilts that are used alot & laundered a few times a year- have held up for a number of years with no issues- will be passed on-
you need to quilt it to the recommendations of quilting density (some batts can have up to 10" between quilting lines- others need to be quilted every 2"- it's important to know and quilt as much as is needed) my wool batts have allowed 4" between quilting lines.
if you do not know any of the details for the batt you purchased - do you have a business card/info from whom you purchased it-so you could contact them & ask- recommended quilting density, shrinkage rate (warm & natural has a 2%-4%) laundering instructions...and any other questions you can think of- if it is packaged all of this information should be on the package.
your quilt is beautiful- i love using wool batts and will have to watch for one of these- if i could afford it all of my quilts would have at least the wool- it is so wonderful to work with- and makes very luxurious quilts.
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Old 08-05-2012, 12:39 PM
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Ckcowl: Thank you...after reading yuou reply I am going to give it a try. I just openned the package and on the backside of the label has washing instructions but no quilting instructions. Sounds like this needs to lay out on the lawn between tow sheets to dry...that is fine it will be a summer quilt. I am going to try their website for the quilting info/ www.backtobackalpaca.com
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Old 08-05-2012, 07:01 PM
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I would be very careful with this batt. It is only within the last few years that companies such as Hobbs and Quilter's Dream have come out with washable wool batts that do not require special care. These two brands of wool batting are, I believe, both needle punched and treated with resin or other surface bonding agents to prevent bunching, shrinkage, and bearding.

Historically the recommendation for wool batting was to encase the batt in cheesecloth before layering. This was to help prevent bearding, which tended to be a problem with wool. Once bearding starts in a wool batting quilt, it is impossible to stop.

Another recommendation for wool batts was to hand wash in cool water. Wool fibers are shaped somewhat like hooks. If you have ever mistakenly washed an adult's wool sweater so that it shrank to a child's size, this happened in part because of the hooked fibers. When wool fibers are agitated in the presence of hot water and soap, those hooks start interlocking; this is what causes the massive shrinkage, or "felting" of the wool. (Felted wool is very nice for certain applications because it does not ravel, but it would be disastrous inside a quilt.) The Hobbs and QD batts have been treated to have a maximum shrinkage very similar to cotton batting. An untreated wool batting can shrink much, much more than this if specific washing instructions are not followed.

It sounds to me as if the wool batting you purchased has not been processed with the new technology, so I would absolutely not trust it to behave in the same way that Hobbs wool or QD wool battings behave. It is much more likely to behave like the old-fashioned wool battings. This means it probably needs to be encased in cheesecloth, probably needs to be more closely quilted than either Hobbs or QD (to prevent shifting and clumping of the wool, and also to inhibit the wool fiber hooks from interlocking), and needs special care when washing.

I think if you Google wool batting for quilts, you will find some of the warnings for the older type of wool batting that has not been needle punched and bonded.

p.s. That is a really beautiful quilt top! If using the wool batt, you may want to also consider using a light colored fabric for the backing. That way, if there is any bearding, it will not show up the way it would on a dark colored backing.

Edit: I found the following FAQ that explains a little more:
http://www.masterstech-home.com/the_...attingfaq.html

Also, if you Google "wool batting cheesecloth" you will get more information about untreated wool batts.

Last edited by Prism99; 08-05-2012 at 07:13 PM.
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