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Okay, now I feel stupid!

I looked on the thread about cotton batting and saw that some have skrim and some done. What's skrim? I've been quilting for many years.... don't think I've noticed skrim before!

Don't feel that way! For every question asked, there are probably dozens who want to know the same thing. You are being smart by asking.

Drum roll please .... I don't know the answer! I will keep track of this post to see what others have to say - LOL! Learn something new everyday on this forum!

Scrim -- a thin sheet of synthetic material that lends stability to the batt. Such batts are said to be "needlepunched" to make hand needling easier.

Scrim is what makes the batting catch on fire when used in microwaves. Batts labeled 100% cotton usually have scrim. Only if the words no scrim is on the bolt or package is the batt scrim free.

Thanks, all
Well, I guess I'm going to have to pay more attention when I buy batting. I do some hand quilting (so I shouldn't use skrim) and some machine quilting (so I can use skrim). I do know that I don't like hand quilting with warm and natural. I've done it and it is much stiffer and harder to make the tiny little stitches that I like on hand quilted items.

Nanna

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellaBoo (Post 5575115)

Scrim is what makes the batting catch on fire when used in microwaves.

Please tell the story of how you discovered this. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanna-up-north (Post 5575131)

No, wait! Hobbs cotton battings (some at least) have scrim and I handquilted on those for years, with NO problems before I switched to wool from Quilters Dream or Hobbs. With Warm and Natural, it isn't the scrim that likely bothers you but the thickness and the denseness of the batt itself that's a problem in handquilting.

Scrim serves the purpose of keeping the fibers from migrating, from clumping, from wadding together after a quilt is washed repeatedly -- like you see in many much older quilts where maybe the battings might have been hand carded, made at home, or were made by Mountain Mist which did not have scrim and needed to be "quilted to death".

Scrim allows you to quilt further apart than you can with cotton batts that are not scrimmed. Most manufacturers, like Hobbs or QD use the scrim sparingly and it doesn't seem to affect the weight or density for handquilting. And if it does, return it or advise the company!

Jan in VA

Jan...Thanks..I allways had wondered the what and why about scrim.

Thanks, Jan, I can always rely on your for accurate information and give advice.

I saw some for the first time in Wal-Mart the other day. When I looked at it, it seemed as though it might quilt
up with high/low spots, but not be detrimental. Didn't buy it for the wall hanging I'm doing, but will try it in the
future. So nice to have choices.