Need the skinny on batting.
 

I don't know where to begin when it comes to batting. I need a lesson or series of lessons on choosing batting for specific purposes. There are so many choices out there. Is there a book: Batting 101?
Perhaps you could tell me what not to do, all of your mistakes, how would you do it over if you could?
Any discussion will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Your LQS should be able to give you a lot of information on the different batting they sell. I live in a warm climate so I usually buy a low loft batting such as Warm and Natural. I have made quilts with a higher loft when I hand tie them and they are soft and fluffy to cuddle up with. The batting pretty much depends on the project. I use fusible batting when I am making totes or purses. You could also go to You Tube and search for different battings. Good luck.

This article provides quite a lot of information about batting:

https://www.ageberry.com/best-quilt-...t...%20More%20

My favorite - in my stash - is Dream poly 80/20. I use it for machine embroidery projects and use it for quilts too. It can be doubled with good results. For example, the first layer of batting is put in with the machine embroidery/applique blocks. Then the quilt blocks are sewn together. The second layer of batting and backing is quilted with the top

Info here. I use the one in the pink bag.

https://www.quiltersdreambatting.com...rs-dream-poly/

Thanks to all. I looked on Mr. Google and found a great deal of info. Leah Day had a good video. I have a lot of study left to do.
Marcia

I purchased Krista Moser's recently published book about batting and found it very, very helpful. Here's a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Know-Your-Bat.../dp/1947163256

When I wanted to purchase a roll of batting, I tried one batting after the other till I found one that I liked the wrinkle and weight of the quilt after I washed it. I went with Warm and Bright, 100% cotton batting. It's white not beige and seems to work for most projects. I do occasionally go with Thermore when I want thin with no batting puckers. Never tried wool but I do have a bag just waiting for the right project. I then purchased an entire roll at 50%off, free shipping from J's.

I purchased her book when it first came out and agree it is very helpful in describing battings and uses. If you go to her website https://www.kristamoser.com she has a video on her blog that describes what's in her book. Well worth the purchase price.

BattleAxe... Reading all the stuff, and considering the pro's/con's noted still leave me somewhat confused. What has been best for me was to use a specific batting in a quilt and make my own observations.

What was it like to work with as I made the sandwich? while quilted?
Results with dense quilting? vs. spacious quilting?
Cuddle-ability? vs. Stiffness?
After laundering?
Thickness/Bulk ... before, during, and after quilting ... and after laundering?
Crinkly-ness of the quilt after laundering?

Of course, some of the answers will differ, depending on if you do dense quilting or minimal. So a batting you absolutely love, you may hate the next quilt, if you change the quilting intensity.

My first quilt that I made I didn't know a thing about batting and bought what the package said "batting for quilts". It was a very high loft and I didn't like it at all. Made the quilt too puffy looking. Now I usually use Warm and Natural or lately I have been using Hobbs 80/20. I did make a quilt for one of my granddaughters and used wool batting and that was nice too as she lives in a cold climate in the winter and it is nice and warm. I guess it is trial and error and personal preference. Good luck to you on your decision.

Battleaxe- I just used wool for the first time and it's wonderful!
It very lightweight but warm. My cat, Mookie is fighting with me over it every night ! I made a sofa quilt and we go at it nightly.
I should make him one and buy another sofa haha!!!

Thanks for all the help. I bought the book. And I was leaning toward wool after reading some of the info.

I need to study them more too. A lot of my quilts seem too heavy. That's why I was so delighted with the wool. (and so was Mookie haha)

I can't help you any. I am looking for a cotton/poly blend that is slightly puffy. So far I haven't found it. Pellon Natural Touch wasn't bad when it first came on the market, but then it thinned down - at least my latest packages were thinner. The hunt continues.

A few years ago at our local quilt show school house (education program), a long-armer brought samples of batting that had been quilted and washed. It was very interesting to see the differences - the way they looked or wrinkled, the amount they shrank, etc.

I made a quilt with Hobbs silk batting and it's my favorite because it is a cooler quilt (great for Texas). Silk batting is more expensive, and my daughter said it wasn't warm enough for her, so I don't use it very much. My go to favorite for family is Hobbs Tuscany Wool (wash cool / warm, dry under a ceiling fan) which is wonderful and very light weight. The weight make a big difference in a large quilt when I'm quilting it. If I'm making for charity or someone I think will just throw a quilt in the washer and dryer or a baby quilt, I use both Hobbs 80/20 or Quilter's dream 80/20. If the quilt is mainly white and I don't want seam allowance shadows to show, I make certain I use a bleached or white batting from Hobbs or Quilters Dream.

Happy quilting!

This pic is for Battleaxe. She wanted to know if Mookie was my avatar but no, that's my sweet Mabel.
Mookie and Baby are brother and sister and still sleep together a lot. They are so sweet!

Cute cats Susie.

I use high loft Polyester batting for our quilts.

For donation quilts I use project fleece from Walmart.

I buy everything for the quilts so I buy that.

My preference is Warm and Natural. I use poly batting with medium to loft on some things. But it depends on the project. I see that many have offered many great suggestions for you. Most of all it is your preference.

Yes, i have long used only Quilter's Dream Orient. Have never had even a hint of a problem! Not with full sized quilts of just 6" blocks.

Batting is very personal. I first went with the absolute cheapest when I started for obvious reasons and it would just fall apart when I washed the quilt, I'd end up with big balls of batting here and there. Then I tried W&N, mostly cause it was one that JAF carried at the time and it was lovely to work with but super hot for my climate so I tried a few more things (other cotton battings, cotton and poly blends, I did try one silk and it was lovely but very expensive) and somehow I landed on Soft & Bright which is a low loft 100% poly made by the Warm Company. It quilts beautifully and it works well with my climate and it dries really quickly in the dryer and it works for my budget. I have no idea how many rolls I've gone thru over the years LOL, I get them on either Walmart or Amazon.

If you can afford it, you could get a crib or twin sized of various brands and try them on projects and see which one you like best!

I like Hobbs 80/20 for most quilts
I love Hobbs all Cotton Supreme as it's great loft and so soft--but little pricey and I always end up with fuzzies on me.
I would use Hobbs washable wool on everything if I could afford it! I often use 80/20 and washable wool if wanting a double bat to show the quilting
for poly, which I will use on kids quilts (not baby quilts due to flamability) or others that will get lots of washing but also want more loft than Hobbs 80/20 I prefer Quilters Dream poly.

This is a great topic! Thus far, I have only used Quilter's Dream Cotton, and my quilts have been for us. Now I have a couple of quilts in progress for family members and am researching batting so I don't have to worry about them washing the quilts. I also just got my longarm, so I've got that to factor in.

Thought I'd chime in, and just discuss personal preferences and/or project needs a bit. Generally I prefer a puffier poly batting with less quilting than the current trend of densely quilted W&N (warm & natural/bright). Plus that feels very heavy and weighty to me. There are other times, however, when that is exactly the look/feel I'm wanting (that is, dense quilting or I want the weight). And then there are times when I want something very thin -- maybe even just a layer of flannel, I'm finding that when using things like fleece that I still like just a bit of something for the stitches to bite into. Typically when I make a crib quilt it is about half the loft of what I use for queen sized projects.

Most of what I do is "use" quilts, and most of those are donations. I'm not doing a lot of fancy stuff, mostly simple meanders or grids and now have a machine that has an automated serpentine stitch and will be using that a lot. Also, as someone who has allergies I'm trying to make things that will last while being washed often.

When I had access to my friend's long arm we had rolls of both W&N and a poly batting, I've used both. They both have their uses, as do specialty batts.

I think this is another one of those topics that is heavily dependent on your personal preferences, what look/texture/weight you're going for, etc.

Quilter's Dream sent me a sample book of their battings at no charge. I've been a QD girl for several years, I *love* their wool, but it's nice to see what other products they offer.

I'm making a quilt using wool for the first time. I love it, so far. Can you wash it? I'm thinking machine wash in cold water, lay flat to dry.

I think it depends what you're looking for. For example, do you want to emphasize piecing or quilting? If it's quilting, go with wool, if it's piecing go with a blend - cotton/poly, cotton/wool. If it's strength you need, go with Warm & Natural. If you're going to hand quilt it, go with Hobbs 80/20 or a thin Dream cotton. Other considerations, is it going to be washed many times or hung on a wall, and above all, what is your own personal taste. You may also want to consider, depending on your project, how far apart the quilting can be.
I am in the process of trying several different batting and have yet to figure out my favorite. I can tell you for sure, with everything else being equal, different battings will change the overall look and feel of the quilt.

I believe it depends on the brand of wool you purchase. The quilts I make with Hobbs Wool says it is washable. I typically wash in cool water (I've also used warm) and air dry under a ceiling fan.

I'm curious about the drying process - how do you handle/support a bed-size quilt to air dry?

All I can tell you is that I have owned a laundromat for 9 years now.
1. Don't dry on high heat.
2. Use the largest drum you can find. This give the quilt space to flex and release the moisture.
3. Check if often, re-position in the dryer.
4. Dry on delicate setting if the dryer has one.
5. Orvis is probably the best soap for quilts as you have no idea where these fabrics came from.
6. Good luck!!

.......lay it on the bed, and rotate and flip periodically
or over a couch back, over the arms and down the front

I've used Warm and Natural (W&N) 100% cotton for the last 15 years. Tried poly and found it to be too slippery so haven't used it since. I just did a quilt with Hobbs Wool and absolutely love it - It is a twin size used as a throw for my husband. It is much lighter than the W&N, very warm and when I completed the quilt I washed it in a large capacity washer and dried it in a large capacity dyer on medium. It dried quicker than the W&N quilts do. Not the crinkle look you get with W&N but looks great and my husband loves it again it is much lighter then the W&N so still warm and without the weight. I will definitely use Wool in the future but not for everything as it is higher than the W&N. I purchase W&N on a roll and the Wool on a roll is more expensive so will use up my W&N and consider wool next time I purchase a roll.

In my marathon sewing room cleanup I found several packages of Mountain Mist (had a looong time) and when I read the package it said to quilt every inch or 2. No thanks! I put them in the donation bag.
I still have enough batting if I live to be 200. :)

LOL I feel you! I have most of a 25 yard roll and a whole 'nother 25 yard roll that I got on clearance 2 years ago!