Help.....how do make "thick" quilt
 

My daughter has requested that the quilt that I am currently working on to be "thick." She said, "You know--like the store-bought comforter on my bed." So, how do I do that? Use polyester batting (rather than the wool or bamboo that I ordinarily use) or double the batting in it????? Looking forward to your responses and THANKS!

I think Quilter's Dream Puff is a poly batting that gives that kind of high loft. Just be aware that high loft battings are more difficult to quilt, whether by machine and by hand.

Also, keep in mind that quilting flattens out the puffy-ness your DD desires. Chances are the comforters that she likes has little quilting. Check the battings for the maximum distance between quilting.

My favorite comforter is between 3-4 inches thick and the quilting is 6 inches apart. It is a simple grid pattern. Just in case this information is helpful to you.

I personally would tell her that I don't make store comforters and she's getting a quilt. The high loft poly you can buy is a huge pain to work with.

H-m-m-m-m. I recently wanted to make a quilt like your daughter requested--I used a thrift store comfort for the filling and tied the layers with buttons and perle cotton. The comfort was already stitched so the tying was as much decorative as useful. Yes, it's a comforter but with a pieced top.

If you want the quilted look, layer your top with a thin batt and backing and quilt the three layers. Use the resulting quilt as the top layer of an "envelope" or casing with your choice of an additional backing. You would only need to bind one edge--the other three would be sewn to the second back, right sides together and the result turned right-side-out. Insert a comfort. Button or velcro or tie closed. So easy to wash if the comfort is removable. With the batt and lining, the comfort shouldn't show through. Voila! A nice, thick quilt of the kind your daughter desires.

there are a number of 'High-Loft' batts on the market. generally polyester batts are loftier than cotton- which compresses pretty flat.
with a high loft batt you do not have to do much quilting- and it also works well for tied quilts.

I would use the high-loft bat and tie it.

For a similair request from my "neice", I used an extremely thin, featherweight batting and instead of making a completed quilt, I actually made the lightweight quilt into a Duvet Cover. (The backing of the quilt top becomes the fabric pocket for the duvet.) Quilted, Super "thick" once the Quilted Duvet Cover was in place on her duvet, and smiles for all. :)

Good luck with whatever you work out. I'm sure your daughter will love it.

There is a distinct difference between quilts and comforters. Quilts are quilted and comforters are tied, which is one reason why they are thicker. So make her quilt top, use the ligh loft batting and then just tie it. If it states that the quilting should be 4 to 6 inches apart, then place your ties accordingly. It will be much faster and easier, DD will be happy and so wii you!
Patquiltz

I agree with the earlier posters, it sounds like she will not like the quilting. My suggestion is to make a quilt top/duvet cover.

You could use two layers of batting, one cotton like quitters dream select or even deluxe and then a poly layer...you would have to quilt loosely so it stays lofty following the battings requirements of course...or tying would also keep the loft as the others have said. You'd probably want to have it long armed if you used two battings.

Make a duvet cover .. I would not want to quilt High loft batting. I did it once .. and only once. I would rather have teeth pulled without anethesia at least the pain would be over quicker!

I've made a couple quilts this way. I like the heavy weight and look. Of course living in central Wisconsin makes this everyones favorite quilt. I quilt on my Husqvarna Topaz. I did SITD on one and a very wide spread vine pattern on the other. The receipents loved them.

I agree that thick quilt can only be achieved by minimum quilting. I used the dream poly puff and dodn't think it added that much loft. I too like the duvet cover idea.

I made something similar with two layers of high loft and tied it with floss. My daughter loved it and took it home for the foot of her guest bed. It was quick to do and easy but not my personal favorite.

Susan in Connecticut.

Just don't use 2 layers of W&N and hand quilt it...ask me how I know!

I almost always use high loft poly batting in my quilts and do not have any problems quilting them. It sounds like she wants a comforter, which is thicker and I would tie it. Quilts are thinner and quilted, comforters are ticker and tied. JMO.

Jeeze! Duvet! All my earnest babbling and I only needed to say "duvet.":o

I'd just use high loft batting and minimally quilt it.

some quilters here got rolls and rolls of upholstery batting from a business that was throwing it away. it is a thicker batting and certainly gave the quilts a puffiness. perhaps this is an option for you.

I would just use the thick batting and tie it I think!

She wouldn't be talking about a duvet cover, by any chance? If so, you could buy a down-filled duvet (expect to pay big bucks) and make a slip-on cover for it.

Green Heron - What a great idea! This sounds like the way to go.

when I did my son's quilt, he also wanted a "puffy" feel like a comforter. I talked to the LA quilter and she recommended a polyester high loft batting (which she supplied so don't know manufacturer name). I had her quilt sparingly so the quilt would puff up. It turned out great! It's the quilt in my avatar.

My daughter requested a thicker and heavier quilt that would not slid off the bed, so I used two quilters dream batts and tied it. That quilt was so heavy to move around when I was tying it, but she loves it. Still, it is not as thick as the comforter your daughter has in mind.

I have done this for a down comforter...it is great...they still get a SUMMER quilt!

This is very good thinking on both methods!! It's like having a duvet with texture that doesn't shift and twist. Love it!

Is she wanting it thick for the warm or the look , cause we all know thats quilts are very nice and warm
mary

I tried doubling hi-loft poly batting on a quilt once but never again. I couldn't get the frame to hold it very well since it was so thick. I have the pvc frame, works well with every thing else. well, you see I'm very new to quilting! I tied it and it was still hard for me. good luck with yours.

None of the comforters I've bought are tied. They are all quilted. All of them use a grid pattern, generally 12" squares (one is off set so it forms diamonds).

I actually took apart a comforter that was wearing out, and it's batting was pretty much like every poly-batt I've ever used.

However, if someone told me they wanted something like a store-bought comforter, I'd suggest they buy a store bought comforter, and if they wanted a quilt from me (and I wanted to make one for them), I'd make them a throw.

I like the idea of putting a thrift store comforter in the middle and tying it together. Have to keep this in my mind for future reference.

I've been using a lot of high and extra high loft poly batting. It was challenging on the regular machine but I didn't have too much trouble on the longarm. Of course, I'm new to longarming, so I still don't know the rules of what I can and can't do. ;)

I'm so thankful for this thread! I was going to attempt to do the high loft poly batt. I like the idea of just making an envelope of the quilt and backing and inserting the duvet. I think I could even make a duvet with some muslin and bar tack the poly in it.

To get a comforter like this you may need to tie it. I tried to double a poly batting because I thought it was too thin...the longarm I used (a wonderful friend's in Florida) could not handle the height, requiring me to hold down the quilt in order to quilt it. I chose to remove it from the frame, frog the quilting and remove one of the batts. I don't know how thick a DSM would be able to quilt on either. I would probably tell her that you make quilts, not comforters and she can buy a comforter at Wal~Mart.

What great ideas!!

It has been my experience with the "store-bought" comforters that once washed, the batting lumps up. They're nice and fluffy because the quilting is so limited.

Luckily, my experience with thrift store comforters has been more positive. I would not purchase a new, high quality comforter but in our local church-sponsored thrift stores I have found very good ones probably the donation of someone re-decorating. Not only have I used some as batt but also as spreads on beds and furniture because of the four house dogs. The good ones haven't bunched up and the quality fabric resists the pups' 'nest building' activities. When shopping "feel" the filling--highly bonded batts don't bunch; puffy, silky feeling, loose poly will disappoint you.