When you make baby quilts, do you use cotton batting or the polyester that is flame retardent? I am just starting to use cotton batting and haven't use but only one kind so far. When I first started I was using the poly. and found some that said it was flame retardent.

I strongly prefer all-cotton batting.

The problem with cotton flammability comes mostly with clothing. Loose cotton clothing will go up in flames very quickly because air can get to it from all sides (think cotton nightgown). Cotton clothing is not a flammability problem if it is close-fitting, as in long-johns. A quilt will not burn unduly quickly because the cotton batting is thick.

Polyester is not without its problems. The fumes given off by burning polyester are not good. Also, polyester melts and can cause deep burns if it melts onto skin.

I guess I have always used poly batting. Guess it's just a matter of preference.

I use Hobbs 80/20 for bed quilts but poly for wall hangings; I've never tried 100% cotton because I didn't think it would be very stable?!

K x

the "pros" for poly are price, it doesn't shrink, and it's easier to use when hand quilting. the "con" is that it's much more slippery than cotton, so i've always found i needed to pin and/or stitch-baste a lot more if i don't want puckers on the front and back when machine quilting.

the "pros" for cotton are that it grabs the front and back fabrics more, so it's easier to baste and machine quilt with fewer puckers. (someday i'll be able to say "no puckers". :lol: ) also, if you're looking for a flat look after quilting, cotton is the way to go. the "cons" are price, price, price, and the fact that you don't always get what you pay for when you fork out that price.

i've never understood all the angst and panic over fumes and flammability. if a fire has reached the bed, you already have plenty to worry about and not much time to get the heck outta there, anyway. :?

everybody has a favorite brand, regardless of content. experiment with the different types and brands that fit into your budget. when you find your favorite, you won't want to use anything else no matter what anybody else says. :wink:

I agree, Patrice, it always makes me laugh when it says on kids' pjs 'keep away from fire' - as if you'd put your kids near if a fire if they WEREN'T wearing those pjs!!!

K x

I don't pay alot of attention to the flammability warnings on the batting. I use what I prefer...100% cotton. I'm like the others...if the fire has reached the bed with the kid in it...well, lets just say there are many more larger problems than the batting inside the quilt :? :shock:

I just finished a baby quilt. I am a beginner so didn't really know what was best. The lady that taught my quilting class told me to use 100% cotton....Warm and Natural.. so that's what I did.
I found it very easy to work with.

I think I'll try it in the bed quilt I'm making now - what brands do you guys use?

K x

Loretta, Have you ever posted a bigger pic of the quilt in your avatar? It's gorgeous!

K x

I love Warm and White cotton and Warm and Natural. You don't have to quilt as closely and it needles beautifully. I've never had any kind of problem with it. It's more expensive but well worth the price.

Loretta, ignore my question above - just seen your lovely Valentine's quilt on your other post!

K x

purplemem, they have the warm and natural on the site I usually get my batting from so maybe I'll try that next!

Thanks,

K x

I was just talking with an employee, today, at the local LQS about flame retardent cloth and she made the same comment Patrice made about a fire in the bedroom being a bigger issue. She also noted that we ourselves are not flame retardent, so even if the cloth was flame retardent, our faces, feet and hands would be burning so it wouldn't exactly be that useful. I thought that was a good point as well.

I think a working smoke detector in every room of the house, we have eight, is more effective than flame retardent clothing or bedding.

just my two cents, Maribeth

Just a note here.....yucky subject, sorry.

Even though the gov't would love to have every child snuggly wrapped in flame-retardant clothing, most of it is polyester, which MELTS right to your SKIN, causing severe burns.

I believe that the US Navy is now encouraging their pilots to wear COTTON underwear to keep skin burns to a minimum in case of an accidental fire.