Originally Posted by Debra Mc
Well can anybody explain to me why 2 diferent quilts I made did beard. They both have lots of quilting, no big spaces.
It depends a lot on the batting and how it is finished (bonded). Some manufacturers do a better job with bonding than others. Bonding means they apply a process to the surface (maybe heat, but usually a chemical process) to kind of "glue" the poly fibers together so they won't migrate. These batts are supposed to hold up better over time and also not be as prone to bearding. I think the Hobbs Polydown and Quilter's Dream poly are two of these better quality battings.
Another factor is the fabric. Some fabrics are more tightly woven than others. I think especially that some fabrics shrink more in the wash than others, creating a tighter weave that prevents poly fibers from migrating so easily.
Also, bearding will be a lot more visible on dark fabrics than on light. A pastel quilt might beard as much as a dark quilt, but the bearding might not be noticed.
I might like to try the better quality polyester battings some day, but so far I really like cotton better -- especially for baby quilts that will get a lot of brutal wear and tear. Years ago I made two child quilts and had the opportunity 10 years later to see what they looked like. The one with polyester batting was a horrific, balled up mess that the child still loved! The one with cotton batting was faded and worn, with frayed binding, but was still a beautiful quilt. What really sold me on cotton was the fact that this quilt, which had been through the washer/dryer many times, was as soft as a cloud. I have since read that cotton does get softer with every washing.