Quiltingboard Forums - Batting advice?

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)

- Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)

- - Batting advice? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/batting-advice-t234963.html)

romille, I don't think you could go wrong with trying Hobbs 80/20 for your third quilt. It would be thicker, warmer, and heavier than QD cotton without breaking the bank. It is easy to hand or machine quilt.

Warm and Natural is a dense batting that would be thicker/warmer/heavier than QD cotton. Compared to Hobbs 80/20 it is a lot heavier and has a stiffer drape. Hobbs 80/20 would be softer.

I haven't used wool yet, but everyone who uses it seems to really like it. If you use wool, I would stick with Hobbs wool. One QB poster had bearding problems with QD wool. Wool from other than those two brands is unpredictable.

Personally, I don't use bamboo because most of it is made with quite a toxic process.

I have read that fusibles can be nice for smaller quilts, but tend to be difficult to use for bed sized quilts. (Fusible batting is unforgiving; once you iron it in place you cannot adjust or correct a mistake.)

Hobs 80/20 is a really good middle-of-the-road batting to start out with, especially if you want to stay with primarily cotton. The poly lends the batt lightness (in weight), loft, and softness.

I use a layer of prewashed flannel with thin batting when I want more heft to the quilt. I've been using Fairfield 80/20 batting with the flannel. I have a closet full of batting of all kinds bought on sale or clearance. I'm taking a roll at a time to our guild sale table every month. Now I just buy what I really like to use which is wool or silk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by romille (Post 6410690)

(Typing from phone, apologies in advance for brevity and errors)

I am still a newb, and have only completed two quilts. I have a third top ready for quilting and have begun piecing a fourth.

I used Quilter's Dream on my first two, and they are both really thin. I would like my quilts to be thicker/warmer/heavier, but I don't know much about batting options.

I am wondering what to look for when I go shopping for my batting. Also, I have recently seen fusible batting and am wondering if that would make basting easier.

First, have you wrapped yourself in one of your thinner quilts? It amazed me how warm they are even though they are thin. "Traditional" quilters use what many outside the quilting world consider too thin batting. If you want thicker batting you can try the highest loft polyester battings. I like to use them but I know many quilters consider these loftier quilts really a comforter.
What matters in the end is how you like it. (Now, if you want to enter a judged quilt show I would follow "tradition").

One additional observation - first, take your batting out of the package and lay it out to breathe over night before you quilt it and if it is quilted on a longarm give the quilt time to relax after quilting as it does flatten on the rollers.

I toss my batting in the dryer for a few minutes to relax it and get all the creases out of it.

Yes, I agree. I love Quilter's Dream Orient with bamboo, cotton, silk and Tercel (eucalyptus fiber). And its Select loft.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plumtree (Post 6410812)

I am becoming a fan of bamboo batting. It is thin but warm as heck and really soft to the touch. My biggest complaint with it is that it is extremely fuzzy while quilting.