Originally Posted by
patdesign
Very old quilts used newspaper for batting, BUT think about this, newsprint is acid based paper and it will eventually cause the fabric to deteriorate. For the same reason, that is why all matting paper used for framing prints is now acid free.
The Newspaper is for a paper piecing foundation and usually melts away with the first wash. A regular batting is used in the quilt. The acid is then gone and not a problem. Back then when I first did this technique cotton batting was not available, Polyester was expensive, I used old blankets as batting or what ever I could find that would work. The quilts did not rot, but rather were used up over the years...some worn out quilts received new tops and backs and were used up yet again. The wringer washer did more harm than the newspaper....