JustAbitCrazy

Also, you can get bearding if your needle is dull. Instead of piercing through the layers, the dull needle point shoves fibers through ahead of it and you get bearding on the back.

Misty's Mom

Thanks. I didn't know there was a difference. I saved that image, will print it out and put next to my batting.

BellaBoo

I had bearding on one quilt, a navy blue background. Nothing made it go away. I don't remember the batting I used though. I have a lot of Hobbs wool, silk and W&N batting and I discovered Fairfield 80/20 is nice batting.

Ps 150

Bearding is when the fibers from the batting start to stick out on the surface of the quilt.

I did check and my batting is going the right way. I also changed my needle a lot. The bearding is happening on both sides of the quilt, though.

EasyPeezy

What needle are you using?

feline fanatic

I have never known W&N to beard. The wrong side up doesn't really result in a bearding issue (wispy threads of the batting coming through the quilt top or backing fabric) but little blobs of the bat being pushed through the needle hole. I call them pokies, but I also call the spots of thread that sometimes migrate if tension isn't just right pokies. Used to be wool and polyesters battings were nortorious for bearding. Is it possible the natural batting you are using is wool?

Most needle punch battings don't beard and better quality polyesters and wools are resin bonded to resist fiber migration. However, that doesn't make it foolproof. If you went with a traditional cotton that doesn't have scrim or needlepunched like say, Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon, then I suspect there could be fiber migration. Not sure if it will run its course with washings or not. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. As an aside, a quick internet search uncovered this review that talks about the problem being more common with solids. this particular quilter was using Quilters Dream poly. I too have used this batting in black and did have some bearding while hand quilting but it seemed to resolve itselt after washing.
http://dreamweavers-quilts.com/2008/...atting-review/

quiltstringz

If you are sending batting to your LA along with your quilt and it is W&N it wouldn't hurt to label it. I know a lot of us just found out about this in the last 6-8 months and W&N doesn't put anything about it on their packages or the sheet that comes with the roll. Better safe than sorry!

Ps 150

I was using a size 11 needle to quilt it. That's the size I always use when quilting, unless I'm using something other than cotton for the backing.

EasyPeezy

Since I've started using Topstitch needles I've never gone back to other needles.
It's sharp and thin and don't make as big a hole as quilting needles. I will check
what size I use and let you know. Maybe you can give that a try.

Ps 150

I've never even heard of topstitch needles. Where do you buy them?