Help, please quilting pattern and best soft batting buy
 

I am a fairly new quilter. Can someone please suggest a quilting pattern for a 15" log cabin block? Also, which is the best batting to buy for softness and warmth? Has anyone tried the bamboo batting? Thank you for your advice.

Quilt in a day is still my favourite Log cabin quilt....especially for a beginner. Great instructions and illustrations.

Eleanor Burns says this book is still the best seller she has.

I guess my question was not too clear. I have already done the piecing, but I am needing to know what design to ask my longarmer to use. Ideas?

I think the design depends partly on the setting of the log cabin quilt. Can you post a picture? On this quilt I did feathers in the light strips - http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t237281.html

Your quilt is gorgeous. I can't post a picture yet because I haven't sewn the blocks together. I was just going to order the batting and backing so that I would be ready when it is done (hopefully this week).

I can't help you with any ideas of quilting designs but I will let you know I just had a quilt done with Hobbs 80/20 and it was so soft. I also have used Quilters Dream batting and that was very nice too. Good luck on your quilting decisions.

Your LA'er could suggest patterns that she thinks will work well with your logs. Mine has several books in which to select from.

I would first consult with your LAQ. Quilter's Dream cotton batting is soft as butter but it is a little expensive over the others.

You might also want to consult with your LA on what batting she may prefer.

So there are long armers who won't work with certain batting? Is it because of their machine or just their preference. I know a lot has to do with location of quilts recipient's warmth but is it up to the longarmer or the piecer? Just curious!

What size quilt are you planning to make & are you quilting it yourself (e.g., if it's a baby quilt or a lap quilt)?

For babies, you may not want to do with bamboo because I've read that once it's processed into batting, it's really truly "rayon", a synthetic fiber that can melt with fire which is considered unsafe for babies. That said, for art quilts or adult bed quilts, many quilters love cotton/bamboo blends because it gives some puffiness to the quilt while still being warm & breathable. For little ones, I always recommend 100% cotton batting. To get a puffier quilt, you can buy the new Warm & Plush batting. It is 50% fluffier than Warm & Natural/Warm & White.

If you are getting it quilted by a long-armer, they usually will provide the batting for you. And yes, some of them will only work with certain batts. I think that's because they know how to work with it to get the best results. One I spoke with had also designed some kind of contraption to load the roll of batting onto the long arm machine so it would go from one quilt to the next with almost no waste.

I agree with talking to your longarmer before purchasing batting. You also need to find out how big she wants your backing to be; some require larger excess backing than others. You also need to talk to him/her about the pattern, as he/she may have quilted other log cabins and have some suggestions. Not to mention that cost will vary depending on whether the longarmer freearms, uses a robot, or something in-between. Custom quilting patterns will cost more than pantographs, for instance.

I do not use bamboo batting because most of it is created with processing that uses highly toxic chemicals (toxic to both humans and the environment).

For softness and warmth, wool batting is preferred by many for bed quilts. Cotton is traditional and another good choice.

For baby quilts, cotton is a traditional choice that is also very good; however, if you are a new quilter accustomed to modern-day comforters, you may think that cotton is too flat for the look you are expecting. If you want more of a puffy look, Hobbs 80/20 is primarily cotton but with a little more loft than 100% cotton. If you don't mind synthetic, Hobbs PolyDown is a polyester that provides a lot of loft and softness and dries quickly in the dryer (which some mothers prefer to the slower drying time of cotton).

My favorite soft, warm batting is wool Quilter's Dream. Washable and wonderful.

I agree with checking with your LA'r, but personally I love the Hobbs, 80/20, so soft, and the quilt has such a nice drape to it if not over-quilted!

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I will contact the my LA to help me decide. Hopefully I can post my finished product before long :)

For the first time I recently used a 100% wool batting I found on sale at Hobby Lobby. I quilted it myself on my regular machine. It turned out really nice and g-daughter loved the softness for her new baby. My question is this wool batting something available in most shops? I had never seen it before.