Batting for hand quilting?

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06-30-2012, 05:45 PM

#11

Farm Quilter

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Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Odessa, Washington

Posts: 1,872

I have always used wool batting for hand quilting. The lanolin in the wool makes it very easy to needle. A few of the ladies in my guild are huge hand quilters and they were the ones who recommended the wool, and as much as I love to quilt on my longarm, I will probably always use wool for hand quilting because it does make it much easier.

07-01-2012, 04:14 AM

#12

mltquilt

Super Member

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: North Texas

Posts: 1,283

I belong to a once a week hand quilting bee and have used Hobbs 80/20. We have also had quilts with wool batting. No problems with either.

mltquilt

07-01-2012, 11:50 AM

#13

Jan in VA

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Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.

Posts: 8,562

WOOL!
Quilts like going thru butter!!

Just yummy!

Jan in VA

07-01-2012, 12:52 PM

#14

MommaDorian

Super Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Sully, Iowa

Posts: 2,390

I got some Mountain Mist polyester batting at a garage sale. I hate it!!! I am having trouble hand or machine quilting with it. I'm just learning to hand quilt but I think this batting is causing me more trouble. I'll have to see if I have anything else. This is a good thread to learn from.

07-01-2012, 12:59 PM

#15

MommaDorian

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Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Sully, Iowa

Posts: 2,390

Quote:

Originally Posted by merrylouw

I prefer low loft polyester batting for hand quilting. The needle moves through much easier IMHO. I used warm and natural for the last one I did, and didn't like working with it nearly as well.

How do you know if it's low loft? Does Mountain Mist make a low loft? I'm looking at the Joanns website, but don't see anything that specifically says 'low loft'.

07-01-2012, 03:57 PM

#16

sewingladydi

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Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: Woodhaven, Michigan

Posts: 1,981

Without a doubt, wool. It's fantastic and nothing else compares

07-01-2012, 04:13 PM

#17

teddysmom

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Thread Starter

Join Date: May 2010

Location: Stanley NC

Posts: 981

Is wool better than Quilters Dream Request and, if so, why?

07-02-2012, 07:51 AM

#18

Farm Quilter

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Odessa, Washington

Posts: 1,872

Quote:

Originally Posted by teddysmom

Is wool better than Quilters Dream Request and, if so, why?

The lanolin (not much but inherent to wool) kind of oils the needle and thread (like Thread Heaven), allowing it to slip more easily through the quilt sandwich. Why not do a couple of 5" sample sandwiches with different battings and try doing the same hand quilting design on each just to see what each looks like and feels like to quilt with. I would be happy to send you a 5" square of the different kind of batting scraps I have - any longarm quilter has lots of those!

About Mountain Mist...that is the one batting I will not accept from my customers as a batting for their quilt. It falls apart and shreds while on the frame...very cheap and nasty. Our lovely quilts made with so much love deserve better the that!

07-02-2012, 08:17 AM

#19

Hinterland

Senior Member

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Hudson Valley, NY

Posts: 941

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farm Quilter

About Mountain Mist...that is the one batting I will not accept from my customers as a batting for their quilt. It falls apart and shreds while on the frame...very cheap and nasty. Our lovely quilts made with so much love deserve better the that!

On the other hand, it's stood up well in my hand quilted items. I use the Mountain Mist light.

My favorite Mountain Mist is Blue Ribbon. Right now I'm using Hobbs wool, which is very nice - it's thick so the quilting really stands out. Hobbs Polydown (polyester batting) also hand quilts nicely.

Janet