I just can't believe my eyes with this batting.
 

Picture number 1 is the batting I use for my quilts. Its all 100% cotton. Suppose to be very good batting. I made a quilt for my bf for her birthday in 2008 she just gave it back cause her dog thought it was a chew toy. As I was taking it apart to fix I just about freaked out. I can't believe that this is what the batting turned into in only 5 years.

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here is picture number 2 after I took the batting out of the quilt.

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Can anyone on here tell me why this happened? It just seem like it should be like this.

WOW! I'm sure someone will come along with an answer. Is it a poly or cotton batting? And did you quilt or tie it to the quilting specifications of the batting manufacturer?

Holy cow! I've never seen anything like it! Of course I've never had to take apart one of my quilts after a long time but I discovered an antique quilt inside a tied quilt picked up at Salvation army and while the fabric is falling apart due to age the batting looks better than that! Would you share what brand of batting this is? And like auntpigglypn mentioned was the quilting as close as the manufactured specified? This almost looks like migration due to the quilting being too far spaced and all that is holding it together is the scrim.

After 40+ years, my Son has a quilt I made back then, the top fabrics are all gone. The poly batting and backing are in same shape and condition as when I made it. I would not use cotton batting for several reasons and this is one.
I quilt a meander, fairly close together. I always use a high loft poly batting.

What brand was the batting? It looks like it wasn't needlepunched or had scrim to hold it together.

Holly Molly! I have a quilt that is at least 40 years old. Backing, Sashing and borders were cotton poly blend and are like new, cotton is worn off a lot, faded with some holes showing and the batting is almost nonexistent. I did not take the quilt apart but I can tell by simply touching it. It was quilted by hand pretty sparingly who is probably why the batting is almost gone. Maybe that was the problem with your quilt as well. If not that than it must be the batch you used was not as good as it usually is.

100% cotton hand tyed pretty close. I can't think of the name of it but I get it at Hancocks. Now this is the very fist time I have saw something like this. I asked her what did you wash it in, she said the washing machine. LOL! I asked her if she used bleach and she said no she does not like bleach but she does wash it everyweek on account of her pets.

I think I would figure out what brand it is and I would send an email to the manufacturer with the pictures you posted. Maybe they would be able to give you some insight. . .

Woowa, I can not even imagine what happened.

Yes I was planning on doing that cause its not cheap to buy and then for it to turn around and do that. Its not right.

But washing it weekly is hard on it and everything. I would not think that cotton battings are designed to be washed every week. When you think about the agitating and then the heat and tumbling in the dryer......If that's they way she's going to wash it - maybe a poly batting would be better suited.

it looks as if you used a cotton batt (without scrim) like mountain mist- or one of the others that are great for hand quilting heirloom quilts- generally 100% cotton batts like these need to be quilted every 2"...they are not good candidates for tied quilts- a batt (like warm & natural-with scrim) that can be quilted up to 10" apart and say---good for tied quilts are ok --- but it is important to follow the quilting recommendations on the packaging---i would replace the batt with a warm & natural or one of the dream batts- and quilt it to the specifications- or choose a batt for tied quilts and make sure to place the ties at least every 4" ---closer is better- further can be another future problem.

I wonder if you just didn't quilt closely enough? That is one reason why I won't work with 100% cotton batting (without scrim) because you need to quilt it so bloody close together. Sorry this happened.

look no further than "washing it every week". Quilts really aren't meant to be treated like that. Anything would wear out with that much washing.
peace

I also think the problem is that this was a traditional 100% cotton batting without scrim. This type of batting is meant to be quilted every 2". When that is done, washing every week is not a problem. I had a chance to examine one of my crib quilts 20 years after I made it, and it was washed *frequently* in the machine. The binding was worn in places, but the quilt itself was soft as a cloud; the batting simply got softer with each washing.

Tied quilts really benefit from a cotton batting that is needlepunched through scrim (such as Warm and Natural). These battings say that quilting lines can be up to 10" apart because the batting will hold its shape.

I've seen this happen to poly batting in a quilt I repaired. It was a 5 year old tied baby quilt that had been machine washed often.

That's why I stick with Quilter's Dream batting for my personal use as well as for clients.

Whyen you said she washes it every week because of the pets the bell should have gone off. A couple of years ago I purchased a kingsize pieced top from a vendor at a quilt show and had it machine quilted by a friend who is a great longarmer. I am a died in the wool handquilter but my step-daughter who was to recieve the quilt as an anniversary present is a nurse. I know that she washes all of her bedding, quilt included every week. I maybe wash my quilts several times a year and then always use the "gentle" cycle. I don't know what happened to the quilt I gave her. When I managed to get a peak in her master bedroom she had redecorated and totally changed the color scheme. For all I know the quilt is protecting the lawnmower in her garage.
I think that no quilt batting will stand up to abuse.

I soak my quilts in the washer (NO agitating) and then spin them out. Never put them in the dryer! It's a wonder there's anything left to that quilt after being abused every week like that!

Try warm & natural next time. I haven't had that problem, but then I don't wash them every week either.

with most cotton battings the rule of thumb is quilting should be no more than a fist away..........but I personally think the washing of it in a washing machine on a weekly basis was more of the culprit than the batting itself........I too have pets.....but do not wash my quilts on a weekly basis........I do put them into the dryer with air only to remove any pet hairs, but actually machine wash.........unless of an "accident" no more than three times a year....then on gentle cycle and very carefully......

I cant imagine washing a quilt weekly, thats 52 washings a year..thats fairly excessive washing. i'm sure thats what did it.

wow .. amazing is all I can even say ..

Like everyone else has said, washing a cotton batting in a tied quilt, 260 times will do it in. Cotton batting without scrim is intended to be washed as little as possible. Even then, not thrown into the washer on a regular wash cycle. I'd say it was just agitated to death!

Wow, this is shocking. I'd send a sample and the photos into the manufacturer. They should know what their batt has done. Their R&D department should get on this. I did this with a poly Mountain Mist batt and they exhausted testing it. Though they couldn't come up with the reason that it bearded so badly that it looked like it needed a shave, they went the extra length trying to find the reason. SandyQuilter (not sandyquilts)

Has dog done other things with it like pee on it? Maybe it was washed frequently in hot water.

Two of the first quilts I ever made were full twin size, one with warm and natural and the other a poly batting (don't remember the name). Their mother washes them every two weeks in an agitating machine. The quilts have had issues with the stitching coming loose (my machine then was not really made for quilting) and I have mended them, but there has been no problem with the batting on either. I've asked her to use only gentle cycle and that has helped, but the quilt tops are pretty worn. Better worn than put in the closet!

Front loading machines not only handle large items better than agitators but they are incredibly gentle. I really celebrated the day my old machine finally died and I got a front loader. All my clothes are doing better!

I really think that the combination of pets that may be very active and the constant washing are the culprits! Make your friend a wall hanging! Make her dogs each a quilt to be abused. She may be wonderful, but she is not a "quilt" person.

YIKES! I would notify the mfg for sure!

Living in Washington I had the opportunity to visit the Warm and Natural Company where they make their batting. Warm and Natural uses a scrim to hold the cotton in place allowing it to be quilted further apart. The scrim also controls bearding of the batting. There are polyester bats that have a scrim and there are ones that don't and those can beard and migrate as well. Interesting to see what happened to your quilt. Looks like you had quilted fairly well but the batting probably had no scrim so it migrated where ever it choose.

I have never taken a quilt apart but I agree that I think weekly washing since 2008 is a major culprit. That is a lot of washing. I am surprised there is any fabric left after that many washings.

A lot of the problem may have been the every week washing. I only wash mine every few months (more often if heavily soiled) and only in cold water. I do air mine out on the line quite often.

Make her a new dog quilt, give her a lint brush and fabreeze.

Wow, I can't imagine what would cause that.....

So quilts shouldn't be washed often? What's considered often? I was told by my LQS that I could use and wash my quilts like normal blankets. Are they wrong?

First...it's cotton, and not needle punched. Cotton like this is made to be hand or machine quilted no further than 2" apart (some now say 4", but it won't hold up to washing at 4").

You tied the quilt...that's the 2nd issue..no way will un needlepunched cotton hold up to tieing. I have a couple of vintage (1920's) quilts...the batting is about gone in them...lumped up next to the hand stitching.

I have two packages of 100% cotton batting...both came from customers...I replaced theirs with 3oz poly..they agreed after handling one of the old quilts.

For a quilt that will get a lot of washing...100% poly is best.

I have to say I also thought about you saying her "dog thought it was a chew toy"...as it does look rather chewed, too...the combo of that and weekly washing....
I also mainly use Warm and Natural or Warm and White.
K

I agree. I only wash my bed quilts 1 or 2 times a year depending whether it needs it or not. My son brings his "one of a kind" (my avatar) quilt home for me to wash once a year. Can't imagine how hard weekly washing would be on a quilt.

oh my gosh!!!!

I hardly know what to say, except WOW she washed that quilt every single week?????? Isn't that rather excessive - lol I can't figure out how it stayed together that well actually. But the scrim does seem to be missing. I use 80/20 and wool, but I'm not sure they would hold up to that kind of use.