batting, whats good and why?
 

I hear everyone say warm and natural but I want to know why that is? Considering the price of W&N I wont spend that much just cause people say its the best. Whenever I make my tote bags I have noticed that the batting seems to thin out and it doesnt have that puffy look it used to. So what kind do I need to buy to have it stay puffy. I am quilting about one inch squares.

i made my first quilt way back in 1976---so i've made alot of them- and personally i very seldom choose warm & natural---just not one of my favorites- i have customers who love it though.
i do not recommend a specific batt---i feel there are so many wonderful batts on the market- and each has it's place- i choose the batt by the project-
some of the batts i love are:
all of the batts from the Dream company---Dream Wool, Dream Orient, Dream Bamboo, Dream Green, Dream Cotton---all of them- they are expensive though (i have to say dream wool is my favorite batt-but reserved for special quilts) the reason i like them so much is they are all very soft, easy to needle- work nicely for hand and machine quilting, have beautiful drape
others i use alot of are the Hobbs batts- Heirloom, 80/20, hobbs wool, - a bit more affordable than the Dream Batts-
they again have wonderful drape- a selection in lofts, hold up well- are easy to needle.

i am a person who recommends to people to read the packaging---make sure the batt you are considering is a good choice for the project- some can be quilted up to 10" between quilting lines (like w&n) others need to be quilted every 2"---and everything in between- some are good for tied quilts- others are not
take into consideration if it's going to be washed alot (a kids quilt or utility quilt) or if it may only get laundered a couple times in your life time---
and take advantage of all the choices out there-
try out a different batt when ever you have the opportunity & it will work for your project & keep a (batting journal)
in mine i cut a 6" square from each new batt i'm trying out- i note the name of it- the fiber content- the quilting recommendations, the care instructions- where i got it & how much it cost- then after i use it i note my experience with it- then if i am on line shopping or something & someone is having a sale i can look back & see---oh i used that one 6 years ago and hated it! and know to not buy it again- or i also know- oh...i loved that one...
don't restrict yourself to one persons preference---try them all & see what YOU like!

Have never used W & N. Use Hobbs 80/20 for cotton, and whatever is on sale for poly.

I get w&n from joanns on sale or with a coupon. I won't waste money paying full price for most things.

I like W & N & get mine with a coupon, too. I also like Hobbs 80/20 & am wild about wool.

I like Quilters Dream for hand quilting as it is like going through butter, W&N is so stiff.

Leah Day has a great page on batting info:
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/batting.htm

For another interesting topic on batting, this article talks about testing various battings for what happens if the battings catch fire. Especially important to think about for baby/children's quilts, and quilts for invalids.
http://www.imqa.org/media/uploads/20...Fall2011_1.pdf

I've used W&N and liked it, at the moment I'm using Quilters Dream Cotton. The QD seems thicker than the W&N - but I notice that it's leaving a lot of fabric dander on my quilt AS I quilt it. I wouldn't exactly call it bearding, and it is highly possible that the only reason I notice is because parts of my quilt are black.

When I can find it I am desperate to try wool.

Well for bags I like fusible fleece over batting. If you use the floriani fleece it makes it really puffy but is pricier than pellon

Thank you so much for this question and for the answers, especially for the websites. I was getting ready to put a cotton/polyester batting in a quilt for a child. Thank you, thank you for this information. I will now choose a safe batting to put in this quilt, and in other children's quilts that I make.