RosaSharon

This is my first time on the Quilting board, so I am holding my breath hoping I am OK starting a new thread on the subject of quilt batting.

I am new to quilting. All I know has been learned from a great teacher; the INTERNET! I have no friends that quilt, so I don't know where to get information about batting. So far I have used blankets from the Goodwill, washed and clean of course.

Now I think I want to start buying new batting probably from Joann's, as that is the only place I shop for my fabric and notions.

I would love your suggestions and anything else you want to throw in as far as advise goes; especially quilting, but a good way to lose weight too.

(I don't know anything about "tags" as it says I can add 5 tags. Maybe some advise about tags would help too.)

IQ2

here's a nice summary of the different types:
http://www.createforless.com/buying-...right-one.aspx
Choosing your batting depends on how heavy you want it to be, how much loft you want, how closely you want to quilt, whether you want it to be washable, etc. Also keep in mind that if you use white fabric you want to use white batting so it doesn't show through and dull the look of the fabric. The web sites for the various batting manufacturers also describe their uses, etc. My quilting instructor mostly recommends Hobbs 80/20 (80%cotton,20%polyester) as a good basic batting.

Bree123

I like the Warm and Natural batting at Joann. It is 100% cotton & makes a nice cozy, warm quilt. I've used the poly & poly-cotton blend batting there for non-quilt quilted projects (fabric book, home decor, bibs) but the cotton is much nicer to work with and seems a bit sturdier. It says no need to pre-wash, but I do soak it in the machine (stop the machine before it starts agitation) or the bathtub and hang dry before I start quilting with it. The other nice thing about the Warm & Natural is that you can quilt up to 10" apart so that gives you a lot of options. Since I make baby quilts, I use the warm & natural even with white fabric since a lot of parents don't want the added chemicals in their baby's quilt. Honestly, I've auditioned both & the difference really isn't noticeable if you have a decent weight of white fabric. If it's not for a show, go with whichever one you like.

PS -- Tags help with searching on the website. If you start typing a tag like "machine quilting" or "batting" or such, if that tag exists, it will show up in a drop-down menu. If no drop-down menu appears, that means you can't use that tag. They're totally optional, so don't feel badly if you can't figure them out.

feline fanatic

Hi Rosasharon, Welcome to the QB. You will get lots of varying opinions on batting, like fabric and thread it all boils down to what function you want and personal preference.

You probably should try expanding your purchase point to something other than JoAnn as they are really only a fair price point if you have a coupon or they are having a 50% off sale on it and their selection is limited. I have seen the same W&N (warm and natural cotton) priced regular for almost half of what JAF charges at quiltshops because JAF adjusts the price for coupons.

Here is a good link to a blogger that did a great comparison chart for batting

http://thecuriousquilter.wordpress.c...lection-chart/

You can also use the advanced search function here on the QB and search topic titles only for batting you will find loads of topics about this very subject.

Ninnie

I love Hobbs it is 80 cotton and 20 poly, and I get it at Hobby Lobby. I got a King size yesterday for 20 dollars which is a great deal. I love the cotton because it gives quilts an old fashioned feel and look

RosaSharon

Drats, we have no Hobby Lobby, and I LOVE that store! I will save your information for the future when I can find a Hobby Lobby to drive to. (I'll make a day trip with DH, as we are both retired.) Thanks so much, and I am sure others will appreciate this information as well.

Susann

Just wanted to say , RosaSharon! I'm reading along to learn more about batting with you-oh, and to see if any weight loss tips show up, too

Jeanne S

I am also a fan of Warm & Natural or Warm & White 100% cotton batting. But it is a low loft, fairly dense batting. It really depends upon your project, personal preference, your budget and availability. I have used mountain mist polyester batting for fluffy charity quilts too and it is inexpensive. Others love wool or bamboo batting but it is expensive. If you are a "greenie", look at Quilters dream green batting made from recycled water bottles and is wonderful. I also encourage you to compare prices locally and online as I have found some great deals on Amazon and Overstock.com in addition to local stores with coupons. Just try several and you will figure out what you like best!

Peckish

Quilter's Dream is absolutely wonderful. I used to be a W&N girl until I tried Quilter's Dream. Haven't looked back since.

So sorry you only have Joann's in your area! Not even a tiny, hidden, gem of a quilt shop, hidden somewhere in your region?

RosaSharon

I will check all of these ideas out. Thanks! I love Amazon.com so I will definately check there.