Hobbs 80/20 Batting
 

I ordered 2 Hobbs 80/20 Battings today. I usually use Hobbs Polydown batting --or I use 100% cotton batting if I want the quilt to shrink up and have that old-fashioned look to it. I am not familiar with 80\20 batting except it sounds like a lot of people use it. What would be the advantages of using it instead of the Hobbs Polydown? I quilt for customers and almost all my customers want the Hobbs Polydown --or they are precise about wanting 100% cotton. I'm wondering if I should add the 80\20 batting as an option for my customers but I need some guidelines as to when exactly to use the 80\20 and why would I use that instead of 100% cotton or Hobbs Polydown? I would love to hear some conversation on all this. Thanks.

Haven't used the polydown but have the Hobbs. In my opinion it is lighter weight and softer so not as stiff a quilt.

I used to use Warm & Natural all the time until I discovered the Hobbs 80/20. I love it! It feels a little lighter to me, and since I don't like a lot of weight on my feet I like it better. It washes up nicely! You do have to quilt it closer than the Warm & Natural. I believe up to 4" apart, as opposed to W&N's 8-10" apart. I have not tried the Polydown, so I won't comment on that. You might want to buy one and try it out so you can see the difference and give your customers some firsthand opinion of it. :)

Thanks for the comments. I think it is definitely lighter weight than the Warm and Natural 100% cotton. I personally don't like that batting because I think it is stiff and heavy when the quilt is complete. I love Hobbs Polydown. I am anxious to make a quilt top and quilt it with the Hobbs 80/20 batting and then wash it to see how the final product turns out. I have a feeling I will really like it.

For machine quilting, there is a more detail that shows in the quilting than if you use 100% cotton. It has the characteristics of cotton, but not the shrinkage, so less of the "old-fashioned" quilt look if you don't like that.

I know that people that hand quilt like it better than all cotton as it is easier to needle through.

I like cotton batting the best, as I do like the old fashioned look, but if I want a quilt with a bit more loft, and the quilting to show more, I have used the Hobbs 80/20 and like it.

I use Hobbs 80/20 on my quilts done on the longarm. When I bought my first used longarm a whole roll came with it. I like it because it is light in weight but warm.

Hobbs 80/20 is the only batting we sell in the LQS where I work. That should tell you something.

The cotton batting will shrink just enough to give quilts that wonderful old-fashioned look so many people want when the quilt is washed. Polyester battings do not do this.

Polys are hotter on the body as they trap heat and do not breathe. This is much less an issue with cotton or wool battings.

Both cotton and wool from Hobbs are easier to work with from the package when they are "washed" first before layering. Do this by soaking only -- NO AGITATION! -- in cool water in your washer Spin to drain. Fluff on AIR DRY in the dryer for 10-15 minutes until damp dry.

Jan in VA

I'm a Dream Cotton girl....I hand quilt and the needle goes thru like melted butter!!