Batting for Queen size quilt..
 

Ok, I hope to start my first quilt soon, it will be blocks of my husband old uniforms, per his request. He hasn't decided what type of backing he wants yet. But I am looking at batting and wondering what is the best to use. He would like it for a quilt on the bed and/or wrap up in on the couch. Is fusible better? Should I just pin? Should I spray? Do I need to buy the King size so I will have enough?

I am not going to FMQ on this, just stitch in the ditch (I think that is what it is called). He doesn't want designs over it.

Any other suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated!

When your quilt is done, measure its width and length. Once you have those numbers, you can go buy batting; check the package to see the actual measurements of the batting and pick some that is slightly larger than your quilt. Different manufacturers make queen batting in slightly different sizes, so if your quilt is a little larger than the batting one manufacturer makes check another, you may find the perfect fit. King size will of course be plenty, but why buy king sized batting if queen sized would be big enough?

I like the whole line of Quilter's Dream batting and also American Spirit Luxury Blend, 50/50 bamboo/cotton, which is a new brand from Fairfield.

Oh I will probably wait until I am done but I have been looking at all the brands and ways to make your sandwich and wow, little overwhelming. lol

Thanks for the brand suggestion, I will make a note of that brand for when I am ready to buy.

I just bought some Warm and Natural and it feels so comfy. I was using poly and did not like it.

I would stick with a 100% cotton batting because, in my opinion, anything with polyester just doesn't breathe well. I've always used Warm and Natural or Quilters Dream. Both are great.

[QUOTE=oh munner;4841960]I would stick with a 100% cotton batting because, in my opinion, anything with polyester just doesn't breathe well. I've always used Warm and Natural or Quilters Dream. Both are great.[/QUOTE)

I agree with this. I like to pin but I have a friend who uses nothing but fusible. I tried it once and didn't like it. Didn't have very much luck with spray either, ended up pinning anyway.

when the quilt top is done is when to choose the best batt for your quilt-
fusables, sprays and pinning are personal choices- but from what i've heard the fusables are better suited to smaller projects (just what i've heard-i've never tried fusable batts on anything larger than a table runner)
also- different batts require different quilting- some have to be quilted every 2"-4" some allow up to 10" between quilting lines- some are well suited for tied quilts- others are not- it is important to read the package and choose the one that is suited to your quilting plan. and size- after the top is finished you need to measure it-then choose a batt that is a bit larger than your top.

Thanks! I had forgotten about the allowance between lines. I am still waiting on hubby to get me a DCU shirt so I can cut that up then I will be ready to start.

I'm thinking that what you are asking is the weight of the batting???? Guess it depends on the "heaviness" of the uniform fabric you are using. Maybe a Hobbs 80/20 or maybe even something lighter than that. Guess you need to wait til you have the top done and then go from there. I think that's what I would do. Good luck and looking forward to seeing the top and then the final result, which I'm sure will be wonderful!

I agree with the suggestions for a 100% natural fiber - be it cotton; wool; silk. Those fibers breathe and keep you warmer when you need it to and cooler when you don't. As someone else mentioned, check the package labels for quilting distances - that might be your determining factor. Since you're planning to do in the ditch quilting, if your blocks are large you might need to go with something like Warm & Natural (or white) which only requires quilting every 8-10 inches. If your blocks are smaller you might be able to use a different brand.

My decision on batting for a quilt depends on what kind of look I want when finished and washed. Poly will not shrink, so your quilt will not have as much of the crinkly look after washing, which is great for dressier quilts where a smooth look is preferable. 80/20 blends will shrink just a bit, but has a softer feel than 100% poly. 100% cotton batting will have a shrinkage that averages between 3-5 percent, which gives you the crinkly look and a very soft quilt after washing. Just as others have said, each batting will have different quilting requirements, so make sure that your SITD (stitch in the ditch) is close enough for your batting. Those are the three main battings, but each has many variations. There are also more battings such as bamboo, wool, etc....each having different applications. I myself like Hobbs Polydown for a thicker feel, but also like the 80/20 blend that I can buy at WalMart.

I've always used Warm and Natural but many here have said Quilters Dream is also very good. One of these days when I am out if my roll of Warm and Natural I will try it. I got rid o my pins...love 505 spray. Not more wrinkles or lumps. I also use elmers glue on the bindings - not all the time but when I do it looks so much better. it washes out in the washer that I can see it. Good luck