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Old 01-11-2012, 10:00 AM
  #16  
lakekids
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 416
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I have used polyester batting, Hobbs 80/20, Warm & Natural, and Hobbs Wool. I find polyester batting more difficult to FMQ on my domestic machine - too much poof! I have also used various other 80/20 blends.

I find that I like different batting for different purposes. If you quilt Warm & Natural very densely (think Diane Gaudynski or Harriet Hargrave style heirloom quilting), then the quilt becomes very stiff.

In general I prefer the Hobbs 80/20 (fusible when I can find it) or the Hobbs wool. The nice thing about the wool is that it does not keep creases. So if you have quilts that you store and do not use all the time, the creases do not remain once you use it (at least if you are hanging the quilt).

I do find it a little more difficult to pin baste the wool because it has more loft than the 80/20. I have to be very careful that I pin it closer together so that I don't get tucks when I free motion quilt on my domestic machine.

A few years ago I did a demostration for my quilt group where I compared different types of batting and various combinations of pre-washed and non-prewashed fabric. All of the batting and fabric squares started out the same size.

I then layered and quilted them and washed/dried all the samples. This provided examples of the shrinkage and puckering encountered when using pre-washed vs non pre-washed fabric and different types of batting.

It is really personal preference as to what you like the best.
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