Quilter's Dream Poly is one I have seen frequently recommended for children's quilts. It is light in weight, holds up well, and dries faster than cotton.
My favorite is an oldie -- Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon 100% cotton -- but it is thinner than what you want. My oldest baby quilt was made with that batting and, after numerous washings, much use, a weathered binding, faded fabrics, etc. it is still treasured by its owner. What I especially like about it is that the batting got softer with every washing; after 10 years, it felt like a cloud!
I would not want to use a flame-retardent batting in baby quilts because of the added chemicals in the fabric. With all the chemicals already in our environment, I don't see it as a good idea to have a young child in close contact (and probably breathing in) additional chemicals from a batting. Flames are more of a problem with single layer fabrics such as nightgowns and drapes where air can reach both sides of the fabric to feed the fire. If you have ever seen a movie where a flame touches the bottom of a flimsy curtain, that demonstrates the danger. In a child's nightgown that brushes against an open flame, the resulting burst of fire will engulf the child, including face and hair, before anyone has a chance to move to put the fire out. A quilt, in contrast, is thick and will tend to smolder for a long time (and not burst into flame) because less air is reaching the combustible materials; this gives time to move the quilt away from the person. Cotton burns to ash, whereas polyester melts and forms sticky beads that are difficult to get off the skin and can cause 3rd degree burns. Not sure if this makes a practical difference in a quilt, since the batting is enclosed in fabric.
People have different preferences for batting. My favorite batting remains the MM Blue Ribbon, but I often use Hobbs 80/20 instead -- especially when I want a little more loft.
Last edited by Prism99; 06-06-2012 at 07:00 AM.