Batting for hand quilting
 

What is the best type of batting for hand quilting?

I have used most kinds of batting for hand quilting. They all work fine for me, but I noticed that the extra high loft poly was a bit if a challenge for some of the people in the quilting group I belong to. Most of them have been hand quilting for less than 3 years and found the thickness to be difficult to make small stitches.

I use warm & natural but many people will say it's difficult to needle through when hand quilting. Either I have no issue with it or just don't know any better! Many people also recommend Quilters Dream batts. Can you get some samples of different battings to see which you prefer?

I am primarily a handquilter and I have used everything and anything. A lot depends on who and what the quilt is for. I will admit that I save the expensive batts for something very special. I also take advantage of any sales on batting. I make about 20 Linus quilts a month and they are machine quilted. For those I use the ten yard rolls of poly batting that are sold at JoAnns. I purchase a few everytime they go on sale.
With the more expensive batts you have to becareful which side is up. They have a scrim and it can be hard to handquilt through.

I use Hobbs Heirloom. It is 80% cotton, 20% poly and needles well. I love using wool, but don't love the cost!

mountain mist, hobbs heirloom, any of the dream batts- batts without scrim.

I started hand quilting a few years ago. Tried warm and natural. Hard to push the needle though. My local quilt shop said I should consider Legacy wool. She gave me some scraps of the wool and said I should try it, so I did.

I love the way it hand quilts, so soft too. It is not the scratchy wool I remember as a child. The needle glides through like butter!!!!

I like Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon for a cotton batting, Mountain Mist Lite and Hobbs Polydown for polyester, and Hobbs Heirloom Wool. I did try the Quilters Dream batting in the thinnest weight and didn't care for it - it was too flat.

Janet

I use any of the 80/20 poly batts for hand quilting. You do have to quilt a little closer than I like but I tried WN and could barely get the needle thru the scrim part. I use WN for machine quilting and really like it for that.

I love the Quilter's Dream cotton. I can send you a sample of it if you would like. I didn't like using the Mountain Mist.