batting lint problems
 

I am making a memory quilt and used Fairfield 80/20 batting. I was horrified to find lint on my black sashing so thick it looked white! I have tried to wipe it off but it still looks awful. Has anyone had this problem and can suggest a solution to save this quilt?

I've had a similar problem with black fabric and Pellon's cotton batting with scrim. I just went on down the road and will use a lint roller when I'm finished.

bkay

Save it? Well, once you get the excess batting off, either with a lint brush or a pet brush (works beautifully, by the way) what would be wrong with the quilt?

How did you try to wipe it off? I think you are going to need several sticky lint rollers (the kind with tear-off paper) to get the lint off. You will just have to keep rolling the sashing until all the lint is gone.

Edit: Is this a quilt top? Or a finished quilt -- quilted and bound?

some bats are just very linty and I've had problems with Pellon's this way. Once you bind it and either wash or use a roller on it, it should be fine. You mention black sashing--if you used lots of black then next time I'd suggest a black bat be used.

I have used the sticky lint rollers but the lint just keeps appearing.

That's what I wanted to know. I was afraid to start quilting it for fear it would sew in the lint. And then once I finished, and bound it would that stop the lint. I have removed most of the lint with the sticky ling roller and will finish quilting it and wash it and keep my fingers crossed that the lint will finally be gone. I have too much light fabric in the quilt to have used black batting. Thanks for everyones comments.

I quit using solid dark fabrics last time I used a solid black. It picked up every fuzzy known to man. I finally got it down to a dull road after I bound it. Then I washed/dried/lint rolled it. It was ok but won't use dark solids again.

It is possible for a batting to beard. Bearding is when the batting pokes its way through the fabric fibers. It's possible that when you use the sticky rollers, they are not only removing the lint on top of the fabric but also pulling more lint through from the batting. This can happen if the fabric fibers are relatively far apart. Bearding normally affects quilts *after* quilting, not before, but the stickiness of the paper could be a problem

Did you by any chance not prewash the black fabric? If this is the case, I am thinking that any bearding that is occurring will stop when you wash the quilt, because washing and drying tends to tighten up looser fabric weaves.

What brand of black fabric did you use? Some brands may tighten up more than others when washed.

I am thinking most of the lint is actually on top of the fabric. However, with the degree of difficulty you are encountering removing the lint, my suspicion is that some bearding is taking place with the sticky rollers.

Your only choices at this point are (1) continue on and trust that the fabric will tighten up enough in the wash to stop any bearding, or (2) take the sandwich apart, clean off the top with lint rollers (without batting underneath to beard through), and then re-sandwich with a different batting.

Most cotton battings never beard. Once a quilt starts bearding (after being quilted), it never stops. Pulling out some fibers from the top simply pulls additional fibers through the fabric. The only "fix" for a bearding quilt is to use a device such as a trimmer for pills on a sweater, going over the entire quilt and cut off the batting fibers at the surface.

Here is a FAQ that talks about different batting types and bearding:
http://www.masterstech-home.com/The_...attingFAQ.html

Theoretically, your Fairfield 80/20 should be 100% bonded (look on the package) which should reduce bearding.

My thought is to take a very close look at the black sashing to see if fibers are being pulled through from the batting (rather than just lint lying on top of the fabric).

If you want to be really sure about the possibility of bearding before quilting this quilt, I would recommend taking some black sashing fabric scraps and making a test quilt sandwich with that batting. Maybe a 12" square. Bind or serge the edges when finished so batting cannot escape out the sides. Then wash and dry the sample and see if bearding occurs. It's the only way to be sure.

I have had this happen, too, and it is so frustrating. I found that the sticky lint roller worked OK. I also vacuumed the quilt after finishing. I found that binding the quilt as soon as possible to cover up any batting ends was helpful. And washing the whole quilt after finishing made it look like new. I love black backgrounds as they make for such dramatic contrasts to the colors.

Never having used that brand, this may not apply but, some batts have a definite front and back...perhaps that's why yours is bearding, if it is....

I have had this happen once with 100% wool batting and it never stopped. Each time I wash it I have to use lint rollers etc. I have tried static sprays which help till the next wash. The manufacturer said it was a defective batch and it must have been so because it has not happened again with the same type of batting. I suggest a test sandwich as the other poster said.

The judge told me I should have used a black batt in my batik quilt with lots of large black setting triangles. I did not notice the bearding, but she did. I'm not sure anything will get rid of that. You may have to live with it. The black fabric may have been a looser weave to make that happen.

Bearding happens when batting fibers are not properly bonded, made using cheap poorly made short fibers, or in the case of wool, either not properly felted (or needled) , or made using the cheaper, shorter length, wool fibers. If I bought a batt that bearded, I would never spend another dime for that brand, but that is just me.
I bought a beautiful navy color quilted coat years ago, that bearded (white batting!). Nothing stopped it, I even tried DH old electric razor, no luck. I returned it and I’ve never shopped that store again.

thanks all. I am going to create a block using the material and batting, quilt it and then wash it. I am so hoping it will be fine since this was a quilt for my grandson as a memory of his Grandpa. I don't think he will be able to deal with future lint problems.

Let us know how it turns out.

Next time I would suggest getting Hobbs brand 80/20. I think it is much better than Fairfield's version. I never had a lint problem like that with Hobbs, but have with some off-brands.

I haven't used that brand, but if you are using a needle that's a little large or dull it might be contributing to the problem. Hope you can get around this problem. It's so disappointing after all the work you've put in so far.

Did this once, after that used black batting with black material.

Sometimes the batting has been put in upside down . there are two distinct sides to it, one side smoother than the other, and it seems to me that if the wrong side is up then it keeps coming through the top but if it is pointed down to the backing it doesn't or at least doesn't show

Ok, last word on this. Finished quilting and binding and washing it. It is better but has some pilling on it now which I will remove by hand. It looks good enough to pass on. Just wanted everyone to know that Fairfield responded to my cries and although didn't offer a good reason for what happened, offered to fix it if I wanted to send it to them. I was quite surprised by this offer and although I would hesitate to try this brand again, it is nice to know they are reputable and willing to stand behind their product and help us quilters when problems arise. Thanks to all your suggestions.