I have used Quilters Dream Wool and it is so nice and warm.

How is it to be washed, Just curious

Package says "May be machine-washed and dried with little to no shrinkage using cool water and cool dryer. No prewashing required. Stitch up to 8" apart".

Has anyone used 2 layers of Warm and Natural and then machine quilted it? I was just wondering if the thickness would make it harder to quilt.

Wool does it.

So where are you buying your flannel for the backing? I noticed the Joann's flannel I used for my DGD's quilt backing is looking rather pathetic after a year. Would like something thicker/more substantial.

That's my suggestion exactly!

quilterj, I remember when my mother made quilts on a frame attached to our wood ceiling, some 60 years ago. The quilt could be rolled up on the frame when not in use, which made the ceiling light unusable. The quilts were made from print feed sacks and quilting was a winter time job. For batting, my mom used cotton that we had grown on our farm. It was a lot of trouble to pick out the seeds, then pull the cotton flat, lay it on the backing, then add the top. The quilts were quilted very closely, usually in a square or circular echo type pattern. After many years of use and many washings they became lumpy but were still very warm, but were also heavy. I still have one of them, it's more than 55 years old and very worn.

I recently made quilts for 2 grandsons who live in the front range west of Boulder, CO. Their living room is warm due to the wood burning stove, but the bedrooms are COLD. I used Quilter's Dream Wool batting. It didn't seem thick enough to me and I worried that it wasn't going to be warm, but it is. My daughter said when she got under the quilt to read to her son it took just a minute then she was toasty warm. I had to order the batting online because I couldn't find it locally. I washed it after quilting and it didn't shrink at all. I can certainly recommend Quilter's Dream Wool for warmth.

I Have backed several quilts with Minkee and several with polar fleece, no batting, all of which turned out great. The heaviest quilt I ever made (maybe warmest, not sure) was one I made with Minkee backing and a layer of Warm and Natural inside. It quilted fine, but boy was it ever heavy!

I double the Warm & and it's good and warm and if you use flannel for the backing it feels snuggly.

I recently made a tied quilt with two layers of corduroy, no batting. Heavy as all get out! But very warm.
I'm also part way done with three other hand quilted lap/throw quilts that have pieced top and fleece backing. They are much lighter weight, but also quite warm.

Actually, poly is the warmest batting since it does not breathe. Put minkee as the backing and she will be toasty!

Wool.... There is nothing like wool!

Wool?

Oh, do a good wool batting if at all possible. My fave brand is Dream Wool. Love the stuff, it quilts really tiny stitches and is soft, light weight and warm in winter and cool in summer, a miracle fiber. By the by, it is machine washable.

Wool is an absolute dream to hand quilt. I only use it for special quilts for special people, but it's wonderful.

Thanks everyone for your input to my question. For you longarm quilters, do you have any problems with quilting when you use fleece for the batting with regular cotton fabric for the backing?

Fleece is very warm and solids go on sale often or use a 40% off from JoAnn's. Wool is very warm too. I use bamboo but I live in Florida so I'm not sure where it fits on the warmth scale.

I've always heard that wool is best for warmth.

As explained to me by a company who makes both, using powdered detergent also has more cleaning agents.