Hi, I have a question I would like to ask all of you. Do you always have to tack the batting to the quilt top and bottom? I know it sounds like a dumb question. I just finished my third quilt which was a Log Cabin. I was going to give it to my son for his birthday and I wanted it to be clean so I washed it. I was told by someone that since the three pieces were solid that I didn't have to tack it. Well...you gussed it. After I took it out of the dryer I noticed a lot of lumps in the quilt. I ended up taking it apart and the batting was a mess. Some of it was fine but a lot of it had come apart and was lumped together. I remember my mother using old blankets as a batting so I purchased some fleece and hand sewed the two halfs together and I am using that as the new batting. I also will stich in various places. Just wanted to know if any one else has had that problem. Look forward to hearing form any of you. Thanks

I've always at a minimum tacked my quilts. There is no other way of avoiding the batting shifting inside when laundered otherwise. As for how far apart you need to "tack" the instructions on the batting should tell you. Some say every 6 inches, others may be 10 inches, etc. In the beginning I used yarn and tied them in the appropriate spacing, now I longarm everything... :)

If your using fleece I'm not sure how far apart you should tack. Hopefully some others will chime in.

Most batting should tell you how far apart you should either quilt it or tie the quilt. But I just had a look at a new package of warm and white and I had to go to their website to find out (BTW it is 10")

batting packages tell you how closely/densely the quilt HAS TO BE QUILTED in order for the batting to remain flat and the way it is supposed to. some batts need to be quilted very heavily *(like every 2-4") others can be quilted further apart (like every 10") if the batting is acceptable for tyeing your quilt the package will say (WORKS FOR TYED QUILTING) or something to that effect.
if you do not want to quilt or tye your quilt you should use something else for batting...like a blanket, fleece, flannel...something that will not pull apart when it is pulled on or wet.
it is very important to actually read the packaging for your battings. there is a wealth of information on the package.

I have never heard of someone not tying, quilting, or FMQ to finish a quilt. I can't see it working with any batting not to stitch it in some places.

How disappointing....I've had more than my share of things go wrong :) I hope you can "ressurect" the quilt - perhaps removing the top and bottom and then cut a new piece of batting - then either do some quilting or tie it to hold it together.

Thanks to all for your answers. As I said I am now using fleece as the innter core. When my grandaughter saw the first attempt at the finished quilt she said "By the way this is beautiful". Hope she thinks the same at my second attempt. After watching me put all the time and effort (not to say the money) into the first one my husband said, "It would be easier to just buy a quilt". But...as we all know it wouldn't have felt the same. Thanks for your suggestions.

always read the packaging that comes with the batting for how far apart it needs to be "quilted". it does make a difference. sorry you had so much trouble. you probably could have soaked the quilt and laid flat to dry.