A dear friend asked me to make a queen sized quilt for him to give his wife for Christmas... but they prefer the "puffier" quilts. I have always used the Warn & White batting which is 100% cotton. It gives nice warmth but isn't "puffy" - in JoAnn's yesterday, I was looking at the "puffy" batting but it is 100% polyester. I was chatting with another quilter there and she said she didn't like the polyester because it doesn't hold up as well and down the road would start bunching up in the quilt. I also noticed it said "quilt 2" - 4 inches". I am going to do a simple block with embroidery in the center block and could STD along the sashing to accomplish the 2" - 4", but my question is - Is it possible to get "puffy" 100% cotton batt? Any suggestions welcome.

Re the lady who is saying it comes apart, chances are she has quilted it further apart than is appropriate for poly. As you mentioned, the poly has given you a recommended distance.

IMHO if your friends want puffy, poly is the way to go! Take a look at the thread I just started ... poly batting was used, and the quilting does show puffy, but not overpowering.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-136789-1.htm

There's a lot of other batting possibilities than cotton or poly, so I'll look to hear what others suggest.

I love "fluffy" quilts (poly inards). When I make quilts, I ask the receiver if they want "fluffy" or "flat" (cotton). Most choose "fluffy", probably cause of the terms I use. I also like poly cause it doesn't shrink and lasts forever.

Wool might be a good choice. But first I would ask your friend to show you an example of what he means by puffy. He may be thinking more of a comforter than of a quilt. Then show him one of your quilts quilted with W&W or W&N. He may decide he likes that look just fine. Sometimes people have one thing in mind, until they see something else...

I have used polyster batting for years and love it. It is light weight, warm, and puffy. I've never had any problem with bunching. But, not having a long arm machine, I tie my quilts usually at 5" intervals. So farther intervals might be a problem, Just don't know.

There must be puffyer cotton batting out there but oh what a problem to quilt close though that it would not shift in both use and washing. I don't know where the "advisor" in the store has been. That, to me is not an answer. She must have been quilting 12" apart on her polyester batting or used one that was not made without falling apart. Advice like you got in the store just makes me shake my head.

Cotton will flatten in time just laying on the bed. So the advice you got above about finding out what is meant by "puffy" is a good one. Puffy to you may be different than to him. Then if he wants real puffy consider the difficulty in quilting it if you do use one of the thicker battings which really have to be tied and not quilted.

When I first started quilting I only used poly batting,extra high loft to be exact.
However now I only use the poly batting if/when I make a kids quilt that is going to be drug around.

My all time favorite batting to use now is bamboo I use to buy it at Joann's, but I do not think they are carrying it anymore or at least the two stores that is closest to me.

A couple years ago I received a quilt that was made by a group of ladies I had NEVER met in person, we all know each other online at cafemom quilting group. When I received this quilt I cried, later I was told that they even went so far to find some bamboo batting to use since they knew it was my favorite.

When I make quilts for family or special friends I use the bamboo.

I DO have some non bamboo batting but very little at this time.

When I first started quilting I only used poly batting,extra high loft to be exact.
However now I only use the poly batting if/when I make a kids quilt that is going to be drug around.

My all time favorite batting to use now is bamboo I use to buy it at Joann's, but I do not think they are carrying it anymore or at least the two stores that is closest to me.

A couple years ago I received a quilt that was made by a group of ladies I had NEVER met in person, we all know each other online at cafemom quilting group. When I received this quilt I cried, later I was told that they even went so far to find some bamboo batting to use since they knew it was my favorite.

When I make quilts for family or special friends I use the bamboo.

I DO have some non bamboo batting but very little at this time.

in my opinion
poly is far more durrable than cotton, I like the look of poly... but the cuddle of cotton is sooooooo worth it :D

I prefer bamboo, I am making a queen size quilt for DGS 16th birthday, am hand quilting it in the sashiko style and the needle glides through. bamboo will be my choice in future,
Cheers
Sandy

Like with any product on the market today there are very good quality and not so good quality polyester bats. Quilters dream is a wonderful poly batting that comes in a variety of lofts that you can quilt up to 10" apart just like W&N.

I always used cotton but tried some Hobbs Polydown. I really like it. I did a baby quilt for a friend to give as a gift and she LOVES it. Just a little bit puffy and not hard to quilt on my HQ16.

I am glad I like it because I bought a whole roll of it. I will be using it for all my charity quilts.

I made my 10 year old grandson a bunch of play quilts all with poly batting and all tacked at least every 5". They've been washed, dried, dragged around, on the floor, on the ground, -----------------never one bunch!

Thank you all for your comments... they have all been most helpful. I am thinking of taking another look at the poly batting for this quilt. :)

The batting that I've seen 'bunch up' is whatever they use in store bought comforters. However those are also channel quilted with leaves lots of room for movement. Channel quilting works great for feather beds, but is not so good for use with batting!

Hobbs 80/20 batting gives a fairly puffy result but is still 80% cotton. That's probably what I would use.

One reason I like cotton batting is because it gets softer with every washing.

Hobbs Polydown is a wonderful batting as it handles, quilts and washes well. Some great quilters use it all the time. Just look up some of Charismah's quilts on this board. They are spectacular. It is my batting of choice for baby,kid or college quilts. We also use it for all of our Community Quilts.

Where do you purchase the Hobbs Polydown? I don't think I have ever heard of it.

Good point! I confused the two until I started quilting!! Anything puffy cottony with stitching over the top was a "quilt" for me LOL :oops:

Hobbs polydown is made in Waco Texas and my LQS brings in a truckload of batting every January and has a big sale so I usually buy a 30 yard roll (108" wide). I'd ask your local LQS if they can get it for you as I'm sure you'd love this batting. My price in Canada worked out to just less than $6.00 a yard.

poly also comes in a low loft. it doesn't have to be overwhelmingly puffy. even the low loft is fluffier than w & n.
does he like a heavier weight or a lighter weight? that's a difference, too.

machine stitching through a high loft poly can be hard. it's very easy to get puckers if you don't baste it or pin it a LOT. will you be LAing or domestic machining?

I use 80/20 hobbs and it is great I get alittle quilt shrinkage that I call puffy. your talking about comforter and you would want a high loft poly

Since 1972 I've made tied quilts with high loft poly. Most of them are still around and drape beautifully, despite hard use and frequent washing.

Some of the quilts I made when I first started quilting have had the batting bunch up. Of course I don't know what I used, but I think it was poly. They are quilted very close probably no more that 4-5 inches. I prefer cotton and I like the scrunched up look when it shrinks. Makes the quilt look old.
Sue

I just took a bicentennial 1976 quilt out of the closet for a look recently. It was made by my MIL and has a poly batt which is bearding in many, many places. I wonder if the newer poly batts beard. You also never want to touch an iron to the quilt with poly batting as it becomes flat. I found out the hard way when pressing the binding over the edge of the quilt.

I prefer wool batting for loft and the trapunto look without the work of trapunto. It doesn't melt!

The 1976 quilt was hand quilted, and now has many broken stitches. We used this quilt for probably 15 years, and I never noticed what had happened to the thread. It is so sad to see this after so much work was put into this quilt.

I have used a polyester batted quilt since I first made it in 1980.It is on my bed every day and has been washed many times and still looks in very good condition.

This is what I use most of the time, always presoak it and it's lightweight, soft, warm and comfy. Haven't come across Hobbs PolyDown but want to try it. Quilter's Dream has great batting, a little more expensive but worth it. Not a fan of W&N as I don't like the 'old fashion' look after the quilt is washed. Kid and Baby quilts always get poly, they get washed at lot.

First quilts I made for DGrandkids was over 10 years ago, they had the cheapest poly batting and very little quilting and they have held up without any bunching of batting.

I use the extra loft poly batting for everything except wall hangings and for them I use a thin pellon. I have never had a problem using extra loft and I like the puffy look.

I made a huge king size quilt using black fabric & the poly batting bearded on me. I worked so hard on it & just broke my heart. I don't use straight poly anymore.

Just my opinion.
I am a nurse and usually people sleep best with natural fibers. Polyester does not "breath" as well as natural fibers. Waking up during the night too hot or sweaty may possibly be fixed by changing bed linens to natural fibers.

That being said, if the quilt is for back of the sofa or wall hanging then poly is fine, but if the quilt is for sleeping under then I would recommend cotton.

The Hobbs Polydown is wonderful for hand quilting! Love the feel of the quilts when it is used.

I have been using warm and natural, or dream green since I started back to quilting 2 years ago. But this past couple weeks, I've been making some lil twister Christmas wreaths for presents. I pulled out my scrap bag with the smaller pieces of batting, and I had one of the puffy pieces just perfect sin size for one of them. So I quilted them all, and I liked the puffy one the best. But not all the wallhangings I make or miniatures would look good with the fluffy, so I guess it's just what you like and what you are making.

I HAVE ALWAYS USED POLYESTER FOR MY PUFFY QUILTS NEVER HAD A BUNCHING UP ON ME AND HAVE NOT QUILTED THEM REAL CLOSE EITHER.

I was just pondering this same question. I am thinking of not making any more quilts for a while with warm & Natural or the half and half batting . I do not really like the feel and the weight of those quilts, and I do have several I made. You cannot wrap yourself up in one like a nice puffy one. The first quilt I made 20 yrs ago, I used Wall Mart Fabric and the polyester batting and it is as pretty today as when I made it . I would think it is the matter of taste. The stiff are ice for wall hangings and place mats but other that that I am turning over to polyester .I prefer a light weight blanket to a heavy one. It is up to you it is your quilt .

I use Hobbs PolyDown when I hand quilt. Love it. I don't find it to beard and it is easier to quilt than 80/20. I can get smaller stitches. My machine quilted quilts I like 80/20. Just personal preference.

I too love the bamboo batting. I also use WW and Hobbs cotton batting. I like the flat look for my quilts. I really like hand quilted but don't do as many of those I used to because it takes too long. I machine quilt charity quilts and other smaller items. I never tie my quilts. I once received a gift of a quilt that was tied and it did bunch up when washed. Lots of store bought quilts bunch when washed.

Thank you!

This is one of the reasons that I like wool! It's also fluffier than cotton & doesn't melt. It also quilts up fine! Imagine if you were asleep when your house caught on fire. I try to only use natural fibers for bedding 'cause I wouldn't want my bedding melting on my skin. (My DS took a firefighter class & talked to me about this!)

I just went in and measured my quilt that my grandma made for my 5th birthday...still in use today..and it is tied every 6 inches..and it has poly batting in it. I know it is poly, because I did have to make two repairs on it. That quilt is 45 years old...

You can get the Hobbs batting at Connecting Threads
www.connectingthreads.com
They have the 80/20, the polydown, and wool. Sometimes there's a pretty good sale.

Last winter when I was looking for a lot of warmth I made a quilt using wool batting...nice and puffy and warm!

I've also used bamboo (actually a bamboo/cotton blend), 100% cotton (Dream Cotton), W&N...and for certain things the "flat" type of polyester (e.g., for table runners and handbags). I have noticed that if I use cheap poly batting (the puffy kind) it does flatten over time. I think I'll try the Hobbs Polydown next.