Best Batting for warmth?
 

I'm making a quilt for our oldest dd. She's usually cold. I usually use 100% cotton, warm and natural. That makes for a thin quilt. I have NOT washed any of the fabric for the top or bottom. What is the warmest batting to ensure this quilt is used for warmth and not just used during the summer months? Current temperature outside is 13*. We live in NY state.

I would look into wool batting. I have used Hobbs Heirloom Wool batting. You could use to layers of batting but that would just make the quilt heavier. Good Luck !!

What helps the warmth factor is also the quilting. Air is a great insulator and when a quilt is quilted too densely it may not be as warm. Maniacquilter2 has a great idea of using the wool or two layers of batting, just don't quilt so tight it goes flat. Use whatever distance between quilting lines the batting package suggests. If you use 2 batts make sure they are compatible for quilting line distance. Clear as mud? :)

Warm and White/Natural is fairly warm, and doesn't need to be quilted closely. You could use 2 layers, but the quilt will get heavy. I've never used wool batting. What about 2 layers of fleece? It traps air to hold the warmth. Don't know where in NY you are, but outside of Albany it's 4 below. Just brought in more firewood and am under a fleece blanket right now. Is she amenable to layering a blanket under the quilt for 3 season functionality? Or- maybe a fluffier poly batting and tying or channel quilting like a comforter?

Would you also consider how cool/warm she keeps the inside of the house? It is cold outside here (not that cold!) but we have the heat on some so a regular quilt or two is enough. I also have fleece sheets on the bed which are delightful. And very cozy. I find the fluff washes out of the flannel sheets pretty fast.

I wonder if using wool batting, if you can wash that, years ago when wool was used in quilts you had to take it all apart to wash. Just a thought.

The modern wool batts are needled and are as easy to care for as any other natural batt. Throw the quilt in the washer, no problem, just don't use hot water. I love wool, it's soft warm and it breathes! I would also use the minimum amount of quilting recommended by the batting you buy. The more air trapped between the layers, the warmer it is.

Wool is much warmer than warm and natural. I frequently use two battings... one layer Warm and Natural one layer poly... its a much warmer quilt... but its a lot of volume to quilt on a regular machine. When I double bat a quilt I use a longarm pro.

I use high loft polyester for warmth, and don't quilt too close. Haven't tried wool, since I and most of my family are allergic to wool.

I think I would check in to wool.